Peachy Picks La Mangeoire
The perfect warm cheese Petits Choux
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2011/01/tasty-tidbits-la-mangeoire.html
We are pleased to announce it has graduated with honors to Peachy's Picks and La Mangeoire is on Peachy's personal Dean's list of French restaurants, period. Everything about La Mangeoire is perfect. The French Cuisine is perfect. The decor is perfect. The culinary presentation is perfect. It is absolutely pristine from the moment you walk in to the three gorgeous rooms to the bathroom. Chef Christian Delouvrier is one of the best chefs we have ever encountered and his skill is only matched by the exuberant warmth of host and owner Gerard Donato, one of the best we've ever worked with. Peachy Deegan studied French for six years in school and in early childhood she was introduced to the language by French Canadian hockey players. No matter how you learned French, even if you never used it before in a French-speaking country, the years and years of conjugating verbs and more would pay off with one dinner visit to La Mangeoire, which bien sur (of course!) is french for manger, as in away in a manger, Jesus was born in one, etc. The food here is just as good as the food Peachy has had in the south of France, but actually, it is better as you need no plane, just your feet and a sense of direction to 53rd and 2nd.
Peachy's Sirloin Steak au Poivre
Peachy's Apple Tart
The appetizers were one hit parade after another as you can see by the warm cheese Petits Choux at the top and the exquisite Smoked Salmon Rillette, shown directly above. The duo of Homemade Pates: Duck Rillette and Liver Mousse, garnished with a celery remoulade prepared our palate perfectly for the amazing main courses. As you know from the other recent culinary pursuits of Peachy, she has been eating a lot of fish, which she does love. But she was absolutely dying for a nice steak and she found it at La Mangeoire. Jacques Mollet, who has been at La Mangeoire for 11 years, was the perfect waiter and cordially put up with Peachy's bad french and had tremendous suggestions and class throughout the evening.
There is nothing that La Mangeoire cannot do; they totally paid attention and put the sauce on the side as picky Peachy likes, and the Sirloin Steak au Poivre flambed with Cognac and served with French Fries was simply one of the best she's ever had. Peachy, to be somewhat angelic, ordered a side of spinach to get some bright green in the meal and it was superb. The apple tart was the apex of perfection as you can see above; we wonder if they knew Peachy's favorite color is green as they smartly served it on a green plate.
La Mangeoire also has a fabulous menu for Valentine's Day so we would highly encourage you to book your date now as we imagine it fills up early.
Sirloin Steak au Poivre
Assorted Sorbets; Look at the Cute Ducks!!
Soup du Jour
Roasted Red Beet Salad
Coq au Vin
La Mangeoire is the 30th restaurant we have reviewed and it is one of the best. Don't take Peachy's word for it alone! The panel says: We recently had the pleasure of dining at La Mangeoire, a quaint and well-known Provencale style French restaurant on 53rd Street and 2nd ave in Midtown New York. The restaurant’s name La Mangeoire, means the manger in French, representing the country style cuisine and feel of the place. Upon arrival we were graciously greeted by the owner Gerard Donato, who informed us that the restaurant has been in business since 1982. The executive chef is the well-regarded Christian Delouvrier, an Alain Ducaisse alum. The interior is perfectly lit (on the dim side) providing privacy and ambiance for its diners. The walls are covered with bright colored floral paintings and authentic cooking ware, giving the place an inviting country style feel. We were particularly impressed with the floral arrangements. The food was the main draw for us. Our knowledgeable Provencal waiter Jacques suggested we start with some soups, salads, duck confit and puff pastries. We sampled the Provencale gratineed fish soup in a savory, tomato based sauce. It was quite rich but different and even better than our initial thoughts. Next, for the main course, we dined on the 12 ounce Steak Au Poivre, which was delightful, extremely well-cooked and garnished with a green peppercorn cream sauce that made the meal La Piece De Resistance for us. We drank French wine, including a wonderful floral Rose with lots of character as well as a Bordeaux and a Cote Du Rhone that perfectly complimented the steak. The wine menu was quite impressive and reasonably priced with some wines we have not been able to find elsewhere. For dessert, we sampled the profiteroles which were divine as well as the staple apple pie and the blood orange and pink grapefruit sorbets, which perfectly cleansed the palate. All in all, we were very impressed with the authenticity of the Provencale cuisine, the various menu options (which all seemed great) and variety of wines, the romantic surroundings, the Chef and owner’s inspiration and enthusiasm, the attentive and intimate service and our meal which while filling was not too heavy. We highly recommend La Mangeoire for a romantic dinner, business dinner or a corporate event (there is ample room in the back for parties of 15-20). Make sure to reserve a table early for weekends and prime time weekday dinners as regulars seem to flock here.
As the snow was falling on the streets of Manhattan, my panel-mates and I were gathered ‘round a cozy table at La Mangeoire, enjoying one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time! Literally translated as “trough” or “manger,” La Mangeoire provides a welcome rustic escape in the middle of Manhattan. The space is warm and inviting, tastefully decorated with gorgeous flowers and authentic antiques, such as a petite wood stove that was positioned close to our table. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by owner Gérard Donato, a Provence native, who made us feel very welcome from the get-go. As soon as we sat down, warm, crusty bread was brought to our table, along with olive oil and olives – yum! Our waiter, Jaques Mollet, was also delightful to chat with, and he spent quite a bit of time helping us make food and wine selections. To start, I ordered the Soup du Jour, which was a squash and lentil soup scented with bacon. It sounded heavenly to me, and I was certainly not disappointed. Thick, rich, and comforting, sweet, but not too sweet, the soup was a terrific start to the meal and a perfect choice for a cold, snowy January evening. The lentils were pureed along with the squash, creating a perfectly smooth texture with a great depth to the taste. Monsieur Dontato also sent out a few appetizers for the table to share, including the Warm Cheese Petits Choux (small pastry shells stuffed with Swiss cheese & ham béchamel sauce) and the Duo of Homemade Pâtés (Duck Rillett & Liver Mousse), both of which were excellent. The pastries were soft and warm, and the melted Swiss cheese and ham béchamel sauce were divine! The pâtes were also extremely well done, and beautifully garnished with a tasty celery remoulade. For my main course, I ordered the Coq au Vin, which was out of this world. It was served, of course, with the requisite red wine sauce, pearl onions, mushrooms and bacon, but a fun twist was that it was served atop a bed of mashed potatoes! The chicken was cooked perfectly, and the sauce was rich and delicious, but not overpowering. The mushrooms were just right, and the bacon…oh, the bacon! So ridiculously tasty, and served in larger, tender chunks. One nice thing about La Mangeoire’s menu is that main courses are available both in “regular” and “small” size. I ordered the small Coq au Vin, but was still no match for it, especially after having so thoroughly enjoyed the appetizers! I didn’t think I had room for any dessert, but I somehow found some when I took a look at the dessert menu. Everything looked incredible, but there was one dessert I just had to try, and that was the Chestnut Coupe: maple-walnut ice cream, chestnut puree, candied chestnuts & cocoa powder. What a fabulous way to end the meal! Served in a sundae glass, the dessert was beautifully presented, and sweet enough without being cloyingly so. Towards the end of the meal, Chef Christian Delouvrier, formerly of Alain Ducasse & Lespinasse, and considered by some to be one of the best French chefs in the city, stopped by our table to make sure everything was to our satisfaction. Well, it most certainly was – and then some! I’m looking forward to many more visits to this treasure of a bistro on 2nd Avenue!
Be sure to make a reservation at La Mangeoire! You will feel as if you have taken a wonderful excursion to Provence. This french restaurant with its warm and capable staff create a fabulous transporting experience. The rustic yet upscale environment is inviting complete with a terracotta floor and french country décor. Kick-off your dining experience at La Mangeoire with a glass of wine from their extensive wine list and enjoy ordering some of their delicious appetizers including the Smoked Salmon Rillette and the Roasted Red Beet, Endive & Walnut Salad. Main Courses highly recommended include the Pan Seared Sea Scallops, the Coq au Vin and the Sirloin Steak au Poivre. For dessert highly recommend their signature sweet, the Hazlenut Profiteroles. At La Mangeoire you can count on a warm, relaxing and special dining experience where every dish is artfully presented and the hospitality is friendly and inviting. La Mangeoire also offers a five-course tasting menu of regional dishes from Southern France selected by Chef Christian Delouvrier.
Whom You Know Highly Recommends La Mangeoire!
La Mangeoire is located in Turtle Bay on Manhattan’s east side.
Address : 1008 Second Avenue New York NY Phone: 212-759-7086
