Going Home Never Tasted So Good

I never thought growing up in New York City was a big deal, until I lived in Philadelphia for nearly 7 years. In my experience there and in other cities, living in an apartment and surviving without a backyard or basement, is foreign to many people. Though I consider the entire city my home, two neighborhoods are closest to my heart. My newly adopted neighborhood in the far West Village where I fall asleep to late night revelers at Tortilla Flats, and the Upper East Side, where I sleep beneath the creaks in our pre-war apartment.

When I return to the Upper East Side it is usually to see my family, and when I see my family eating is always involved. Having lived in the same building for nearly 26 years, we have seen our fair share of comings and goings in the area. We mourned the passing of Shelby's on Lexington and still dream about their cinnamon donut holes with caramel ice cream. We welcomed Citarella and Amy's Bread, while Petit Hulot gave way to Swifty's. William Poll produces the most divine (and expensive) watercress dip and P.J Bernstein will give you a great pastrami sandwich. Every family I knew growing up had their standard Italian dinner spot, either Parma, Due or Elio's but ours always was (and still is) Nicola's.

Though New Yorkers are quick to sing the praises of Greenwich Village eateries (Blue Hill, Pearl Oyster Bar, Sumile), the creative newcomers of the Lower East Side (WD-50, 71 Clinton, aka Cafe), the power house favorites of Union Square (Gramercy Tavern, Gotham Bar and Grill, Craft) and the renaissance of the Upper West Side (Ouest, Cesca, Aix), the Upper East side gets lost in the culinary shuffle, exisiting as a club by locale for the conservative old guard and young guard who wants to be old. Despite the anti-hot neighborhood feel, on a quiet corner off Madison Avenue, Cafe Bold still shines as a dining destination.

I had not been to the Surrey Hotel since the space had been the original Daniel. Nearly ten years later I found myself there again but this time older, wiser and utterly an omnivore. Four tables perched on the tree lined sidewalk outside the restaurant. An older solitary gentleman sat drinking a glass of wine, reading the New York Times and enjoying the unusually cool August night. Was I at a celebrity chef restaurant or a neighborhood bistro?

It is between these two seemingly dichotomous categories that Cafe Boulud exists so comfortably. The foie gras terrine with apricots and macarona almonds and the exquisite wild Alaskan king salmon tartare with pickled onions and lemon pepper gelee scream gastronomic paradise. The six lightly seared goat cheese ravioli with grape tomatoes was simple but delicious. The attentive service and diverse wine list are evidence of a well orchestrated dining experience, while the walk-ins off the street in jeans and the father enjoying a late supper with his son felt much more downtown cool than uptown chic. Make no mistake (and not that you would) but Cafe Boulud is the real thing, an ambitious kitchen churning out well conceived creative dishes served by a impeccably invisible staff in a comfortable room. Under Daniel Boulud's direction, Chef Andrew Carmellini has created menus that range from classical French to Thai inspired, each with a modern and global flair that emphasizes seasonal ingredients.

As we sipped our Cuvee Daniel, I was consumed by the robust flavors in my Maine sea scallops with fricassee of corn and shitakes. I think I have eaten this dish before at the Laundry in East Hampton during the height of corn season, but it never tasted as good as this. I sampled the roasted duck breast with turnips, Swiss chard and black mission figs, whose flavor though appropriately summery tempted me with its Fall earthiness. By the time desserts arrived, a mocha cake, a chocolate caramel brownie, spiced cherries and perfectly crisp on the outside and airy on the inside madeleines, I was deep into a food coma. It was the kind only induced by a Boulud created meal, where the food is so plentiful and delicious that your stomach cries "No" but your mouth turns a deaf ear.

As I rested in this serotonin slumber I thought fondly of the restaurant, the city and my neighborhood . We strolled onto Madison Avenue and basked in the shadows created by the illuminated designer windows as the Whitney rose ominously on our left. Our wallets were a little lighter, our pants were a little tighter but our spirits were definitely higher. Where else can you eat like this on a Tuesday night, window shop on one of the most famous streets in the world and stand next to a house of contemporary art all at the same time...Only in New York, I thought and on this particular evening, only on the Upper East Side.

Cafe Boulud

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