Don’t you love it when your parents come to town and take you out to restaurants you normally couldn’t afford? That’s what I did on Friday night when my father came into New York. I had made a reservation at L’Absinthe on the Upper East Side as I had just finished reading Julia Child’s My Life in France and was craving la cuisine française.
The atmosphere was that of a traditional French brassiere–the kind that are still tucked into les petits coins all over Paris–except with distinctly Upper East Side guests as opposed to hearty frenchmen. I was the youngest person in the restaurant by about twenty years, which I actually rather liked.
To begin, we ordered the assorted shell fish plate and asked for the clams to be substituted with more oysters, which the kitchen was able to accommodate. I went against traditional French procedure by ordering a glass of rosé with the seafood plate instead of the customary white wine. The rosé was delicious and the wine list was extensive–there were two menus: one for by the glass and another by the bottle. I set about eating the shrimp, oysters, crab, escargots, and lobster but couldn’t bring myself to consume the bizarre crustaceans that looked like miniature aliens emerging from coffins.
The Duck Leg Confit
For my father’s main course, he ordered the duck leg confit. I didn’t try it, but he described it as slightly dry.
Foie de veau sauté au vinaigre de framboise
As for me, I was feeling adventurous so I ordered the calf liver sauteed with raspberry vinegar and a glass of beaujolais nouveau. The liver was delicious, and the raspberry vinegar was perfection. Each of our dishes came with a side, I don’t remember choosing one but at some point, I noticed that there was a crock of mashed potatoes and another of diced potatoes on our table.
For dessert, I had a coffee with Bailey’s, which is my new preferred way to end a good meal. I convinced my father to order the absinthe as well, which comes out with a distilling tanker that drips water over sugar to dilute the drink. We both agreed that he ended up distilling the absinthe too much as what was left tasted like a weak Ricard.
Our dinner for two came out to a bit over $200 including tip. I’d definitely recommend L’Absinthe as a reliable French mainstay, especially during the winter when its cozy ambience can be best appreciated.
L’Abinsthe
227 E 67th Street
212.794.4950
