Peachy Picks La Petite Maison
La Petite Maison has earned one grand standing ovation from this panel!
Right from the start, every aspect of this relative newcomer not only impressed us, but it exceeded our expectations. Executive Chef Arno Busquet, above, is a total peach and his extraordinary culinary talent is equaled only by his genuine care that goes into every aspect of La Petite Maison. Owner David Barokas and Nicole Rubi-we missed meeting you but obviously La Petite Maison is left in good hands with Arno! Everyone knows he used to work with Joel Robuchon for about ten years, and it shows. Now we think maybe Joel says he used to work with Arno...though we do not know Joel yet.
La Petite Maison was first featured in Tasty Tidbits:
La Petite Maison easily graduates to Peachy's Picks; its high-level creative cuisine which is one of the best representations of fine dining we have seen worldwide, the top-notch service and superior attitude of each member of the team we met, its stellar midtown location 13-15 West 54th Street that is ultra-convenient and the overall experience have us absolutely sold on La Petite Maison. From the moment Peachy walked in, the service was tops and Gabriel was the first person we met. He could not have been more pleasant and professional and promptly took Peachy's coat.
We began with the artichoke salad. Fresh and crunchy and lightly dressed, this was the perfect start to a firework evening of culinary bliss. You know you are at one of the best places when they take something as straightforward as an artichoke salad and make it singularly exceptional. Also the presentation of this first course and everything subsequent was well-thought-out and attractive.
Now that fall is upon us in Manhattan and as Peachy told you, she is wearing her Geiger wool, it is the perfect time for Carrot Soup. Arno told us that often during soirees at La Petite Maison, this is served in shot glasses as an appetizer. We think it deserves a permanent spot on the menu-the consistency is ideal, the texture is lovely and the overall smoothness has us sold. Hints of orange and cumin join this liquid party in just the right amounts. Course two, check!
Next was the yellowtail tuna carpaccio with jalapeno peppers, scallions and mango. What a creative combination! You see Arno is holding this in the top picture. The thinness of the tuna was simply divine. The contrast between the sweet of the mango and the cut of the jalapeno was genius to highlight the fresh yellowtail. Yes, we loved course three as well.
By course four, we have arrived at something Peachy Deegan has never tried before: Stuffed Baby Vegetables Nicoise Style. This had chicken and lamb shoulder ground and baked into the vegetables and is absolutely something you must try. Peachy is always blown away when she goes to a place that makes something with a food she cannot stand, and they make her like it. This is one of the few times you'll see her rave about lamb...and during this she sipped on a lovely Rose: Chateau Bonnet Bordeaux 2009 to be exact.
Have you had caviar eggplant? Another that was new to us arrived in course five. Joined by tomato spicy sauce and garnished with romaine, the caviar eggplant was exquisite bliss that we have not seen anywhere else and we suspect that this could become one of Arno's signature dishes. Manager Nicolas Barthelemy engaged us in some lovely conversation during the evening and we enjoyed meeting him as well.
Finally, bone marrow with toast rounded out the appetizers and joined by accents of tomato and mustard, this was a hit delicacy, again, a must-try for all visitors to La Petite Maison. By now, Peachy Deegan was happily sipping on a 2005 Chateau Mirefleur Bordeaux which is the wine to order. Be sure to bring a grande appetit to La Petite Maison because you will need it, bien sur! By the way you should also know this was the first review Peachy arranged in mostly French. Obviously with a name like Whom You Know we worship the English language, but we've also studied French and love it.
The crowning jewel of the night was the Linguini with Lobster according to Peachy Deegan. The shell arrived for decoration and was removed by Gabriel after its photo shoot.
Every bite of the succulent lobster melted in our mouth and the sauce was addictively sweet, rivaled only by the four desserts we sampled, all tops: Apple Beignets (directly below), Tiramisu, White Chocolate Mousse, and Flan.
Nice native Alain Allegretti may have set up quite a bit here we understand and is the consulting chef according to the website, but the menu today is entirely Arno Busquet's creation and you all will love, love, LOVE it! March yourself over to West 54th Street tout de suite! That means now!
Every bite of the succulent lobster melted in our mouth and the sauce was addictively sweet, rivaled only by the four desserts we sampled, all tops: Apple Beignets (directly below), Tiramisu, White Chocolate Mousse, and Flan.
Nice native Alain Allegretti may have set up quite a bit here we understand and is the consulting chef according to the website, but the menu today is entirely Arno Busquet's creation and you all will love, love, LOVE it! March yourself over to West 54th Street tout de suite! That means now!
Our esteemed panelist adds:
La Petite Maison could be one the best kept secrets in Manhattan! But the secret is out now, and we can not stop talking about the wonderful meal we enjoyed there recently. Tucked along 54th street in Mid-Town Manhattan, sits one of the best French restaurants we have ever been to. Once inside the sleekly decorated restaurant, we were transported to France, indulging in quality French cuisine expertly prepared by Chef Arno Busquet.
We started our meal with the tasty Artichoke Salad, fresh, crispy and delicious, unlike any artichoke we had experienced before. We also sampled the Stuffed Baby Vegetables Nicoise Style, which were warm and seasoned to perfection. We also enjoyed the extremely fresh and delicate Yellowtail Tune Carpaccio, which literally melted in our mouths. The Bone Marrow with Toast was also another standout we couldn't get enough of. Chef Busquet also treated us to tastes off his upcoming menu,which is due out next week. This included chilled Carrot Soup, rich and creamy, the perfect taste for fall and a flavorful eggplant creation, we can not wait until the new menu debuts!
For our main entrees, we enjoyed the Linguini with Lobster and Seared Sea Scallops with roasted garlic and truffle risotto, both were so good we could eat them everyday! The linguini was cooked to perfection and was flavored delicately with a slight sweet and buttery taste. The scallops were large, fresh and seared just right, each bite of scallop and risotto was better than the next. We immensely enjoyed our entrees which were paired so nicely with La Petite Maison's great wine list, a great experience which we did not want to end, but our plates were clean and we had to try dessert!
For dessert we sampled a few highlights from Chef Busquet's signature dessert menu, including Tiramisu, White Chocolate Mousse, Flan, and Apple Beignets. They were all so good, it is hard for us to pick a favorite but we were extremely impressed with the Flan, served with the perfect carmel sauce and a hint of lemon zest, it was heavenly. We also couldn't help but admire the warm Apple Beignets, crispy warm fritters served with Apricot Coulis, a great fall treat!
As if the food alone is not a good enough reason for you to visit La Petite Maison, the service is as well. You will feel well taken care of, service with a great attention to detail. A guest is never left wanting or looking for their server. And to sweeten the deal even more, we have Chef Busquet, who graciously and excitingly explained his menu, food and passion for France. We have rarely had such a wonderful meal anywhere else in Manhattan! Every aspect of our expectations were exceeded at La Petite Maison, so we will be brushing up on our French and returning very soon!
Peachy Picks La Petite Maison
La Petite Maison is Highly Recommended by Whom You Know.
