The Winning Grilled Prime Rib at Auden
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It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice. And it's even better to be nice, excel at what you do, exceed our expectations, and be the epitome of a professional that Gabriela Fontana of The Ritz-Carlton is, especially on the spot. We are hugely impressed with Gaby, Auden and The Ritz-Carlton brand from this experience. The vast majority of our reviews are by appointment, but sometimes when Peachy Deegan is in the vicinity of excellence, she does investigate further to see what a high caliber reputation is like if she just walks in. Not as a critic, as a regular person, Peachy had had great experiences at The Ritz in different cities from time to time over the years, and she found herself on Central Park South one day. Peachy Deegan has not worked with the Ritz-Carlton as a critic and did not contact them in advance before this one interaction.
Most great hotels have restaurants. Some of them are part of the hotel. Some of them are independently owned. Some of them have a celebrity chef. But not all places with a great reputation are all that they are cracked up to be and often can seem like a factory to the guest when the key people are not on premises. Auden is even more than it's cracked up to be. It's simply one of the best-kept secrets in Manhattan, and from the moment we walked in not only to the restaurant but also to the hotel, it was a golden experience. You need to enter at Central Park South into the hotel lobby, go through the lounge, go by the bar (Legendary bartender, Norman, we can't wait to meet you!) and then, you arrive at Auden. It does not have a direct street door. Follow this figurative yellow brick road, and you will come to the host desk where we met Alice, and said we were interested in learning more about the restaurant. Gaby came out, had a chat with Peachy, and the review began. From Alice to Gaby to John Muriel the Sous Chef, everyone we met was the consummate professional with a smile on their face, sincerely dedicated to excellence in their career. They had a warm demeanor that made Peachy feel incredibly welcome.
From the moment we sat down and tasted the rolls, we knew we were not in the realm of ordinary. Open since September 4, 2012, Auden gets every last detail right down to the bread (served warm) and rich butter. The name Auden (say the first syllable with awe) is derived from an old English word that means “old friend”. Mark Arnao is the Executive Chef.
Auden is the one and only restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park. After she ordered, Peachy was greeted with a surprise addition: Crabmeat and Apple salad in Cantaloupe Broth. It was divinely refreshing, perfectly creative, and a nice surprise. John Muriel told us they do use Fresh Origins microgreens, and one of the unique aspects of Auden Gaby discussed with Peachy was where they get approximately 50% of their produce from: Sister Hill Farm of Dutchess County. Their menu states: "As part of the Ritz-Carlton's commitment to our local community, we have partnered with Sisters Hill Farm of Dutchess County. Our Team works to plant, weed, and harvest produce used in the preparations of this menu. Auden Bistro has taken the Pride of New York pledge to find and utilize as many local sustainable products as possible to support our neighbors and the environment." So, in essence, Auden not only is excellent but also practices excellence! This is fantastic and we have never seen this kind of menu incorporation before, and all of our Boston College fellow alumni will also appreciate this especially when they recall Ever to Excel! For the record, Peachy's freshman year English teacher at BC was Sister Carey, a nun.
We were also pleasantly greeted with Jersey Girl Colby Cheese Puffs. Every light bite of goodness of these could become highly addictive we surmise! The memory of this alone will have you returning to Auden with clear-cut enthusiasm.
The first item we ordered was the Jansal Valley Baby Greens. This salad was ideally dressed with incredibly flavorful roasted garlic dressing (Peachy loves garlic!) which enhanced the shaved seasonal vegetables. A triumphant crouton rested atop the gorgeous creation. Every edible entry we met at Auden was a paramount aesthetic achievement. And they were delicious!
This proves there is no reason not to love your vegetables, and the color, beauty, precision in bite-sized shavings and total harmony of the salad itself made us happy.
In this world, there are grilled scallops, and then there are Grilled Scallops at Auden. Seared to perfection, Grilled Scallops at Auden dance in the juiciest bites of grapefruit, fennel and farmer's greens accentuated in fine dried basil seeds. This is only heightened by the exquisite pink peppercorn and basil vinaigrette that lightly dresses it.
The crowning glory of Peachy's meal at Auden was without a doubt the Grilled Prime Rib with Sauce Bernaise and Amagansett Salt Frites. This is the Ferrari of Steak Frites, so put your foot on the accelerator.
In its magnificence it was almost too beautiful to eat, but of course we couldn't wait to make a delicate cut and have our first bite! This succulent Prime Rib was truly phenomenal! Grilled evenly, this Prime Rib will make every single one of your taste buds rejoice in its pure quality. It is a complete classic that you will adore and we loved the grilled tomato touch also. It reminded us of Ireland and the UK.
Perfectly medium, as requested. Just as fantastic as the best steakhouses we've been fortunate to work with!
The Bernaise sauce made it even better! We had not had this sauce recently and we absolutely loved it.
Auden in all its elegance also has a homey aura, which makes it particularly attractive as some venues of its caliber can feel quite cold. You should know Auden can be an event space and those doors in the center of the picture above can come out of the wall. Popular for high tea and bridal showers as well, Auden is a quaint beacon of excellence in midtown of Manhattan that you need to befriend!
For the grand finale, Gaby joined us for a taste of dessert: Warm Chocolate Torte accompanied by raspberry streusel and some of the most inventive ice cream we've seen in Manhattan - made on the premises - Chocolate Raspberry Balsamic Glace.
If you like chocolate, you will love this but what surprised us about our resident chocoholic is that though she found the warm torte divine, she found the Chocolate Raspberry Balsamic Glace the most laudable in this victorious trio. Order it, you'll love every component.
Peachy Picks Auden!
Go meet your best old friend that you didn't know before!
Auden is Highly Recommended by Whom You Know.
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Their site tells us:
Midtown Manhattan’s latest bistro-style restaurant redefines elegance and beauty
Auden Bistro & Bar provides guests of The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park with an ideal Manhattan dining destination featuring Chef Mark Arnao’s refined adaptation of traditional bistro cuisine in the heart of New York City. Featuring clean flavors, and simple, yet refined presentations, the restaurant’s menu emphasizes regionally sourced ingredients and sustainable seafood. The world famous design firm, The Rockwell Group, has created a beautiful open-floor plan design, tying together the Lobby Lounge, Bar, and Restaurant into a stunning space overlooking New York’s 6th Avenue and perfectly mirroring the Central Park hotel’s impeccable classic design.
Adjoining the midtown Manhattan restaurant is Auden Bar, featuring legendary New York bartender Norman Bukofzer. As everyone who knows Norman would say, he perfectly exemplifies the meaning of Auden, which is “old friend.” Striking the perfect balance of warmth, conversation, and exceptional bar skills, Norman has been welcoming both old friends and new friends to his bar for decades. Featuring a wide assortment of local spirits and beers, as well as an exceptional cocktail list, Auden Bar is the newest chapter in his story.