Peachy Picks Serge Bistro Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins
Serge and his lovely escargot
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There are french bistros, and then there is SERGE BISTRO. Not every bistro has an owner from Paris that can make escargots that impress us! Peachy Deegan was delighted to visit her snail friends and more importantly, Serge himself who was a total peach to work with. Note to other neighborhood French spots on the East Side: it's now time for you to up your game because Serge is in your neighborhood! Serge came to New York on September 5, 2000 and had had a restaurant on Madison Avenue and 33rd for about 9 years, and it closed a month ago. This location we reviewed is now the one and only Serge and it is located at 1099 Second Avenue, between 57th and 58th. It opened on October 17, 2012.
Serge Bistro was first featured in Terrific Takeout:
& Tasty Tidbits:
And we are pleased to announce it has joined the ranks of Peachy's Picks!
Soft, melodic music in French greets you at an appropriate volume: not too loud, not too soft for Goldilocks Peachy. And the wine list is smashing: Peachy sipped this Bordeaux all evening:
It was robust with a full body and just tannic enough. It was a terrific balance to everything we consumed with gusto! You know Peachy returned to visit her snail friends, however, do not overlook the superlative Onion Soup Gratinee:
It's rich and thick and the hunks of cheese dazzle from the bowl to your mouth. Chunky bits of onion demonstrate that this is the real deal and even in the heat of summer when we often do not want anything to do with soup, we would eat this soup.
In the first picture you see Serge holding these winners, which were gone in about 3.5 seconds once they said a brief hello to our Eater-in-Chief. Proper name: Escargots de Bourgogne. The garlic butter is just divine and it sells the dish along with the succulent majesties called escargots, otherwise known as Peachy's snail friends. (be careful...she sometimes eats her friends...) They are succulent. They are perfectly flavored. They should be part of your next dinner! Peachy also could not stay away from the mussels that her panelist ordered, nor the french fries which are definitely habit-forming and literally perfect. We need to order the mussels for ourselves next time.
We would be remiss if we did not comment on how fantastic the bread and rich and creamy butter is at Serge Bistro, and believe us, we don't always see bread as hot and fresh and overall terrific as this. Peachy preferred the white over the brown. There is a solid list of entrees and Peachy opted for the Steak au Poivre Rib Eye Steak with asparagus and mashed potatoes. It was generously cut and grilled just right: medium. The sauce was a bit too much but good-less can be more for sauce unless you are talking about that escargot sauce which we cannot get enough of. As for dessert, you cannot lose with the pink and green color combination and we just love raspberry sorbet! It was the perfect ending to a lovely evening.
Our esteemed panelist adds:
With wonderful French food uptown, Serge greets you with the bright red awning inviting you in its door, and then the cheerful wait staff will greet and seat you. The ambiance is modern artistic, with leather banquettes, and background music not at all intrusive. The friendly crowd seems to be primarily couples, with the odd single (who comes now as a regular, and loves it). There is no full bar, so begin your evening with a glass of something from Serge's excellent wine list. I chose the Rose (La Source de Vigneloure 2011, Cotes d'Aux en Provence) to begin with, and to keep for the remainder of my meal. It was light, singularly refreshing, and well-balanced.
Perfect with the Mousse de Foie Gras de Canard, to start the meal. This mousse should not be missed. Serge claims he is the "King of Foie Gras", and the duck pate will underscore that truism. It's rich, with flavor, but light as a mousse should be. The plate has a selection of toast points, done to perfection, and a sparkling melon chutney as a balance. Yes, there's enough for two, and if every bite isn't eaten, your host will ask , "Didn't you like it ?", so be hungry, and enjoy every mouthful. Somewhere is a faint peppery note, perhaps from the delightful chutney, as a lovely after taste.
Continue with the appetizers, and may I remark, that with the great home-made bread, and a few appetizers, this would make a meal, at lunchtime, or with friends if you wanted to try several of the dishes.
The moules, or mussels, came in their fragrant sauce of white wine and cream. So fragrant, with the frites, and the rose, that you have to pause, to breathe in the delights of the meal. The mussels are small, as Serge prefers them, and have a hint of the onion in the sauce. Eat the left overs with a piece of bread, as if it were a soup, for traditional French fare. Indulge in these french fries, if you've been denying yourself that privilege, because these are just simply perfection: thin, crispy, satisfying to that inner teenager in all of us.
Dip the fries into the cream/wine sauce and be happy. With the mood, and the food. On to the trout, which was a special fish dish of the day. What is it about trout?
It's a light fish, but seems to fill a hole that tuna never does. It was cooked to perfection, with the skin intact, but not invasive. A tambouret of potato puree and vegetables is served alongside your fish, and again, keep Serge happy and finish your meal. As a change, for something that isn't offered that frequently, I chose for dessert the Ile Flottante. Those of us who have whipped our egg whites to a frenzy know this dish. Floating, as it were, in a sea of Creme Anglaise, the egg white Meringue is drizzled in a light caramel sauce, that adds just enough of an edge to this dish. It's always a good choice if you crave a sweet, but want to stay on the light side. Ile Flottante is a breath of Spring, airy, delightful, and was the superlative finish to a very good meal. I can't wait to take some friends, and indulge all over again.
Peachy Picks Serge Bistro!
Serge Bistro is Recommended by Whom You Know.
