#PeachysPicks #TerrificTakeout @SerafinaGroup #BrasserieCognac Founded 2008 A Peachy's Pick Since 2009 by Movers and Shakers #FabioGranato and #VittorioAssaf : Brand New Location @BrasserieCognac 517 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Inaugural Review of this New Location!
Owners and Founders and our Movers and Shakers Vittorio Assaf and Fabio Granato with Peachy Deegan
Brasserie Cognac at 516 Lexington Avenue at 48th Street opened in March 2023.
Light up your life with Steak Frites, Peachy's favorite at Brasserie Cognac!
It's not who you know and it never has been.
It's WHOM YOU KNOW.
And we know Brasserie Cognac and Serafina!
Check out this fantastic video from our 2011 archives:
Whom You Know is a statement.
Not a question.
One of our most famous columns is our restaurant review column, Peachy's Picks, where the best restaurants graduate to and are repeat features.
How did we get that way?
In 2009 when we started, we had no history of professionally reviewing restaurants, however, we were among the very first writing online and we had written in print professionally for years before.
Who gave us a shot?
You know what we reviewed before Serafina even?
We're told we've come a long way...and so has Brasserie Cognac!
We could not have been more excited to return to their party.
Smiling Halibut:
We liked Fabio and Vittorio so much we made them Movers and Shakers BEFORE we reviewed their restaurant (this would absolutely never happen today). We started working with them so long ago there wasn't even a takeout column. You could even drink The Peachy Deegan cocktail there at their restaurants made with Star Vodka (no longer in existence), but no one can drink that anymore because Mover and Shaker Charles Ferri is making something new so stay tuned. Read their story to see why we think maybe Fabio and Vittorio should also be in Peachy Ahoy.
Brasserie Cognac is now the oldest restaurant we started working with that we still work with and we could not be more thrilled to announce its smashing return to Peachy's Picks with their brand new hot number, 517 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017 !!!
Of course fine french food goes hand in hand with Bordeaux, and may we suggest this incredible selection of Chateau Greysac 2017 Bordeaux bien sur from France mes amis. The blend consisting of predominantly Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot was in perfect proportion to winningly accompany the culinary feats of Brasserie Cognac.
Ordinary Chicken Salad is at other places, but it is clearly EXTRAORDINARY at Brasserie Cognac. We love that they offer six spectacular salad selections and we chose this to kick off the festivities because it is their SIGNATURE Chicken Salad. It comes with grilled chicken and the way we show it is the classic rendition.
The grilled chicken breast is perfection combined healthfully with romaine, carrots, napa cabbage, green apples, cranberries and gorgeous creamy basil vinaigrette.
A feuille de brick shell was its delicious foundation.
For someone that doesn't like salad dressing, Peachy Deegan certainly liked THIS salad dressing.
Also it's nice to know you can have even more bells and whistles with this salad by adding more grilled chicken, shrimp, fresh tuna, salmon and/or steak.
Beaucoup de choices!
These are prepared Burgundy Style with garlic butter and fresh parsley and a surprising lemon accentuation. The edible floral arrangements throughout the night's edible presentations were smashing! Great color and style.
The other salad we tried was the Octopus Salad.
The octopus was ideally grilled and its majesty perched upon a throne of roasted peppers, red onions, cranberry beans mousse, green plantain chips, black olives, plum tomatoes and arugula.
Note in both salad cases they listened to Ms. Superpicky and put the dressing on the side.
A fetching onion mustard vinaigrette came to this nutritious endeavor!
Note pictures are absolutely never edited.
These pictures only reconfirm why these two spectacular guys are among our very first Movers and Shakers.
In Lilly Pulitzer-esque pink and green, the Tuna Tart emerged as the next Brasserie Cognac beacon of excellence, confirming to us why we picked them first in 2009. It will remind you of an upscale pizza! It's a tremendous flavor sensation that sings a song of springtime with of course TUNA teaming up with wasabi cream, pickled ginger, scallions and fresh ginger oil ready to tantalize your palate.
The calamari was crisp and delectable as it dove into the tartare and cocktail sauces respectively, and the breaded deep fried nature appealed to our nutritional devil on our shoulder and we could not stop eating it! Actions speak louder than words, readers.
The staff at Brasserie Cognac is fabulous and we also have been pleased to meet Manager Nick Granato, who actually was the first person we met at this location once when we checked it out, and Manager Rachel Hammersley, whom we met on this visit. Executive Corporate Chef Luis Gutierrez's obvious talents are on display in this entire article and we look forward to meeting him someday.
Next off the fashion runway of Brasserie Cognac beauty are the Pan Seared Scallops!
Served with an innovation of Parmigiano Reggiano asparagus risotto, they rocket to another culinary stratosphere with the spinach Champagne foam which is exactly what you didn't realize you absolutely needed in your life yet. You do! Pinkies out and delicately devour, readers.
Of course these guys know what they are doing but we like to show you as well as tell you.
When you order steak, automatically you get a steak knife.
Believe it or not this does not always happen in New York.
And of course at Brasserie Cognac, the steak knives are FROM FRANCE.
Details matter.
We ordered it medium rare and the 10 oz free-range, grass-fed, certified Angus steak was a carnivorous wonder in each and every bite! Arugula and rosemary also heightened this meat euphoria and the french fries were crisp and super enticing. And, bernaise sauce confirms this classic winner!!!
If you order one entree, this is the one you ought to pounce upon first!
Cappuccino and Tarte Tatin-apple of course-are the perfect conclusion.
https://www.brasseriecognac.com/location/brasserie-cognac-517/
Six superlative sides are also great choices you can make at Brasserie Cognac, and the Sauteed Spinach is deserving of a blue ribbon with its blue flower and the Brussels Sprouts will confirm that here you do love vegetables!
Brasserie Cognac continues to be Highly Recommended by Whom You Know and we could not be more thrilled to introduce you to their 517 Lexington Avenue location at 48th Street!
https://www.brasseriecognac.com/location/brasserie-cognac-517/
Restaurateurs Vittorio Assaf and Fabio Granato opened Brasserie Cognac de Monsieur Ballon in April 2008 and it was named a Peachy's Pick in 2009. The duo brought their love for French culture and cuisine to New York City and gave the Big Apple an authentic slice of such, with a brasserie style menu combining French classics with modern creations.
