Le Cirque
New York City
The small black and white striped awning doesn't intrude over the
sidewalk of East 65 Street. Instead, the umbrella-shaped cupola hugs
the stone walls of the Mayfair Regent Hotel--only the scripted Le
Cirque signaling that inside is a small haven of discreet culinary
charm. There's no sprawling entry. Just a modest black iron-and-glass
doorway with a tiny foyer in front of a curtained second door, all
better-suited for the arrival of quiet couples, not boisterous parties
of eight. That's the way proprietor and overseer Sirio Maccioni likes
it: intimate, with the air of a place where you are treated like home.
Contrary to its larger-than-life reputation, both in culinary and
power table terms, Le Cirque's main room is an understated blend of
Old Money chic softened with modern pink, blue and yellow pastels. The
L-shaped room affords few blocked views of the front door, although
some are more visible than others. Be assured. Even on slow August
afternoons, Maccioni glides through the dining room, stopping to chat
with regular customers, and keeping a close eye on his waitstaff.
Service is almost impeccable here. The waiters are ever-present but
not overbearing. If there are shortcomings, it is in the timing of
certain substitutions; on one visit, a pigeon pâté had
been substituted for a hare pâté on the menu, but the
diner wasn't informed until after his order arrived at the
table. Wineglasses also had a tendency to empty without a waiter's
notice.
But those are quibbles. The food and the scene lead the way at Le
Cirque. Of course, the restaurant is headed for a period of transition
which won't be complete for several months; Daniel Boulud, an
extremely talented French chef who maintained Le Cirque's cooking at a
world-class level, has left to start up his own restaurant. Maccioni
has selected Sylvain Portay, sous chef of Louis XV at the Hôtel
de Paris in Monte Carlo as a temporary, possibly permanent,
replacement. In the meantime, Boulud's team, sous-chef Sottha Khunn,
and pastry chef Jacques Torres, continues to turn out excellent fare.
Recent appetizers included tuna tartare seasoned with curry, radish
and celery root ($14), grilled fresh foie gras and apple with
Chinese black pepper and green cabbage ($23) and a pigeon
pâté ($15.50). A lobster salad with lemon grass and
fresh greens is served with an entire, perfectly cooked lobster tail
($19.50). A luncheon menu with daily specials is available for
$28. A sea bass in a crispy potato crisp ($29) was excellent, and
perfectly cooked. But a saddle of rabbit seasoned with sage, came on
top of a rabbit stew in which the sage overpowered the other
flavors. Nonetheless, the food was beautifully presented and
delicious.
A luncheon menu with daily specials is available for $28. A sea bass
in a crispy potato crisp ($29) was excellent, and perfectly
cooked. But a saddle of rabbit seasoned with sage, came on top of a
rabbit stew in which the sage overpowered the other
flavors. Nonetheless, the food was beautifully presented and
delicious.
Dessert is a must at Le Cirque. The options are attractive, and diners
are advised on the dinner menu to make their selections at the
beginning of the meal. Two "signature dishes" from Torres are worth
sampling. Le Cirque's crème brûlée helped
popularize the dish in New York in the 1980s. And a puff pastry bag
filled with melted bitter chocolate and a raspberry paste is simply
one of the great desserts of the world: la fontaine croustillante
au chocolat amer et framboise.
Wine is a simple passion for Maccioni. He covers the bases with the
great first growths of Bordeaux and the top producers from the
Burgundy region; prices are fair for these wines but not
inexpensive. For instance, a 1981 Château Latour costs $195 and
a 1978 Mouton-Rothschild runs $248. But the real bargains are
Maccioni's special wines of the week. Prices range from $16 for a
Louis Latour Chardonnay to $74 for a 1990 Louis Max Meursault. Red
wines recently on special included 1978 Niebaum Coppola Rubicon for
$78, but some were under $30, too. The list also includes three pages
of Champagnes and sparkling wines as well as selections from Italy and
California.
Cigars are welcome at Le Cirque, with a couple of caveats. A waiter
suggested that lighting up a cigar was "fine, as long as no one
complains. Then I'll have to ask you to put it out." Past experience
has shown that the maître d' will move the smoker to the bar,
where he can enjoy his cigar in peace.
-- Gordon Mott
Le Cirque
58 East 65th St.
(212) 794-9292
Prices:
à la carte, $75
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