Whom You Know: Peachy Picks Tocqueville

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Peachy Picks Tocqueville

Whom You Know first introduced you to Tocqueville:

http://www.whomyouknow.com/2009/05/tasty-tidbits-tocqueville.html

Now Whom You Know strongly endorses it as one of the finest in French dining in Manhattan-it has graduated from Tasty Tidbits to Peachy's Picks. Peachy Deegan just loved the gourmet style of Jo-Ann Makovitzky and Marco A. Moreira.

Tocqueville is located in Union Square but it has an uptown feel to it. Upon entrance, Nicole will greet you warmly and professionally. As you walk in the ambiance will welcome you into the great dining hall just past the bar. Tocqueville's current location at One East 15th Street has been its home for the past three and a half years, as it was previously located at the current spot of 15 East, another accomplishment by Makovitzky and Moreira that Peachy will visit in the future. As soon as you see Marco you will see how popular he is among his clientele and how important personal relationships are to him...patrons all know him and he knows them. Marco feels that the customer is not always right, but they are never wrong! (Perhaps he should consider running for office...)

Marco doubles as a DJ serving up Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Chet Baker. The fabulous ambiance carries over to the bar area where you may try the lovely little gougers (a small cheesy French pastry) at the bar and be enchanted with Calum, the Scottish detail-oriented bartender who not only listens to you when you ask for water with no ice, but also asks if you want a lemon or a lime in it.

The pristine attention to detail at Tocqueville is above all what has earned it a spot among the best in Peachy's Picks. It is truly an upscale gem in a spot that few have discovered and that each Whom You Know reader must venture to. It is like going to the Four Seasons in Union Square.

As a chandelier enthusiast, Peachy Deegan must point out that a rather large scale chandelier presides over the dining crowd in a three-tiered structure with little lampshades. The mirrors and abstract paintings join it in creating a stylish atmosphere that you will immediately notice as the French rolls are brought to you with the to-die-for homemade butter.

Peachy Deegan started with the Hakkaisan Ginjo sake, known for its soft water and rice from the Niigata region of Japan paired with baked canteloni and croquets with black truffle mayo (quite nice!). The presentation was beautiful with fresh greenery.

Next she sampled the amazing Crudo and Tartare of Bluefin Tuna with Blood Orange, Sicilian pistachios and Watermelon Radishes, and served with the 2007 Riesling produced by Anton Bauer from Wagram, Austria. The Riesling was fresh, clear and a fabulous combination with the dish. Peachy loved the pistachio sauce.

As she went from course to course Peachy imagined what Anna Wintour might order here, as Marco has said that she has frequented the fine establishment. Peachy thought Waldo and Miguel were such attentive waiters and was fabulously impressed by the extensive knowledge of wine possessed by Nick.

Nick next served Peachy 100% Chenin Blanc semisweet 2001 Demi Sec from the Loire Valley with Tocqueville Pressed Hudson Valley Duck Foie Gras. Peachy love love LOVED the rhubarb marmalade that was served with it, as well as the port wine pearls and toasted brioche with a salad of radishes. Nick also mentioned that the nearby Green Market in Union Square is used by Tocqueville to bring its clientele the absolute freshest in produce.

The fireworks of the evening came with the entree: Poached Maine Lobster, with braised swiss chard, wood smoked crispy pork belly, glaed salsify and port wine lobster reduction. Everyone in Manhattan MUST TRY THIS. The last time Peachy Deegan had lobster in Manhattan that was this superb, she was at the Four Seasons Hotel. This might have even been better.

In economic times such as now, it is not the time to skip this kind of entree or this kind of dining. It is only by eating a lobster as exquisite as this that you can attain the same feeling you got when you saw your brokerage statement giving you a 20-25% return on your investments. You are not going to get that feeling at all from your statement so you need to eat the lobster! It is pure excellence.

The lobster was served with 2006 Chateau-neuf from the Rhone valley.

The next course was pan-roasted suckling pig in bacon juice paired with fennel puree, green asparagus puree and mushrooms and spring onions served with a 1976 (a fabulous year!) Warre's Colneita port from Portugal. To top it off, a fabulous array of cheeses were presented to Peachy Deegan, followed by a white dessert wine and cappuccino. Five samples of sorbet followed: coconut, pineapple, kiwi, berry and chocolate, and a sample of five heavenly items sent by angles, all of chocolate. Peachy love love LOVED the kiwi and berry sorbet and LOVES all things chocolate, particularly the chocolate cake and the chocolate drink.

The crowd was diverse. The cuisine appeals to a wide variety of patrons from the couple on a romantic dinner, to a Sex in the City crowd in their sixties.

As she left and was on her way home, Peachy Deegan noticed someone carrying a Marc Jacobs bag and Peachy could not help but think that Marc, if he is as smart as his friend Anna, would be a patron of Tocqueville too!

Whom You know is also looking forward to featuring Jo-Ann Makovitzky and Marco A. Moreira as Movers and Shakers.

Recent Testimonials by Brand Ambassadors on their Experience with Whom You Know

"I work with Peachy Deegan because she's prolific at what she does. She's a hard worker, she's thoughtful and she's tasteful at what she writes which is very important. Peachy gets the facts correct, and just that alone is worth its weight in gold."

-Edward Tricomi, Master Stylist and Owner of Warren-Tricomi
https://warrentricomi.com/

"No one has yet to express their taste for our cuisine better than Peachy Deegan on Whom You Know. Thank you for transforming our flavor into words, unlike any other before.
Sometimes WHOM YOU KNOW, really makes a difference and Ammos Estiatorio is grateful to know Peachy Deegan!"
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Dimitris Nakos, Founder and Owner of
Ammos Estiatorio
https://ammosnewyork.com/

“Whom You Know has done an amazing job of featuring our company over many years [seven]. Peachy has worked tirelessly to create a well-curated selection of topics and brands that are clearly of relevance to her growing audience of readers. Her articles are filled with great insights based on first-hand experience. She does her research, knows her business and is a pleasure to work with!”

-David Sasuga, Owner of Fresh Origins Microgreens
www.FreshOrigins.com

"Peachy Deegan has the pulse of the nation and highlights exceptional opinion leaders in more than 23,000 inspiring and entertaining posts. Her 100,000 twitter followers are a true testimony to Peachy’s ability to inspire, motivate and entertain. She is a feminine force to be reckoned with and an exemplary example of an influential voice in today’s world."

-Mica Mosbacher, author of the new book The Hurricane Factor: Stormside Patriots and tv political commentator

"It was an honour to be chosen for Movers and Shakers by Peachy Deegan. The questions in the interview were intelligent and insightful and I thoroughly enjoyed answering them. The reaction to the interview has been overwhelmingly positive and has helped bring my art practice to a wider audience."
-Damien Flood, Internationally Acclaimed Artist
http://www.damienflood.ie/

"We were so fortunate to hit Peachy’s radar. Her review of our Warmies was spot-on and came at a great time in our company’s early history.
Peachy has such a strong relationship with her readers. She provides honest and real comments; she is truly a trusted source in a very large circle
of consumers."
-Scott Wehrs
President
Intelex U.S.A.
http://www.intelexusallc.com/

"We at Primola love working with Whom You Know and are proud to have been a highly-ranked Manhattan restaurant by Peachy Deegan since 2012, and are featured seasonally. We appreciate the fantastic work Peachy does highlighting our cuisine with her sublime writing style and the whole neighborhood of the Upper East side. Also, we are glad that she has started a Made in Italy column! If you have the opportunity to be considered for review, we'd highly recommend working with her."
-Giuliano Zuliani, Owner of Primola Restaurant
https://www.facebook.com/Primola-Canaletto-restaurants-NYC-135616799831091

"
Peachy Deegan is a gem. She is wonderful to feature our Irish brands in 'Whom You Know'! The articles are beautifully and passionately presented, bringing products and brands to life, making both relevant and fun for her many faithful followers to read. I am immensely proud for our hand-crafted products to be included in this venue!"

-
Bill Follett
President, Belleek Group North America
www.Belleek.com

"As you know from my past features, Peachy Deegan and I were in the same class at Boston College prior to either of us becoming entrepreneurs. When we played together on the BC Alumni softball team in Central Park years ago, she mentioned she could not find a great dentist in Manhattan and could often be found networking on her phone in the outfield hiding from the ball. She was my second patient ever in 2006 when I opened my dental practice; I was one of the first sponsors on Whom You Know and the first Mover and Shaker featured in 2009 and have worked with her continuously since. She's even talked her friends that are doctors into being my patients, and they subsequently send their hospital colleagues. I don't know anyone that is as great of a networker and writer as Peachy, nevermind that she is upstanding and always good for her word. Cosmopolitan Dental is so happy to be in the company of the caliber of major brands she works with today, and although she will tell you a million ways to get your teeth dirty between Peachy's Picks, Terrific Takeout and Peachy's Pantry, Peachy Deegan will tell you there is only one way to get your teeth clean!"
-Dr. Garo Nazarian, Founder and Owner of Cosmopolitan Dental
http://cosmopolitandental.com/