After the New York Philharmonic’s Concert in the Park, it was torrentially raining and we were struggling to find a place to go inside and not get even more rained on.  Fortunately, I had a place in mind near Central Park across from Lincoln Center and immediately called to see if they could accommodate our large group.

Bar Boulud is just one of the many establishments by Chef Daniel Boulud, who also has restaurants in Las Vegas, Palm Beach, Beijing, and Vancouver.  One of the smaller restaurants of his in New York, Bar Boulud is described as a “casual French bistro,” though for casual, it is far classier and sophisticated than places I typically frequent so I feared that we were going to be turned away for being completely soaked from the rain.  Despite looking horribly disheveled, they were very friendly and had our table ready and waiting for us.

Bar Boulud is known for their extensive wine selection, so thankfully the sommelier was incredibly helpful in helping with our decisions and we were constantly being tended to by their attentive staff.  My friend even requested a dish that wasn’t on their menu, and the chef still obliged.  We shared the special ordered grilled cheese and ham sandwich-esque dish, along with their pâté grand-pere: coarse country pâté foie gras with truffle juice and port.

The interior design was done by Thomas Schlesser of Design Bureaux, two-time winner of the James Beard Foundation “Best Restaurant Design” award.  The upstairs was decorated with a series of interesting depictions of spilled wines on canvas, highlighting their wine obesession.  Downstairs where the host many special events, guests make their way to one of the three private dining rooms after venturing through the “cave à vin” with a vast array of wines.

A great place for a date, for post-concert drinks, for elegant dining with family and friends, definitely a lovely spot for a relaxed, elegant evening.  Be sure to check out their menu – and wines, of course!

Yours,
Von

Bar Boulud
1900 Broadway
btw. 63rd/64th Streets
212.595.0303