Tuesday Night: La Promenade des Anglais

Towards the end of  one year, my friends thought that we weren't hanging out enough. It's true, we weren't. So they started Tuesday night get-togethers. Every Tuesday, we'll pick a bar to drink, eat, and hang out for a couple of hours. Whoever can make it will attend. If you're busy, it's okay. There's always next week. So this is Tuesday Nights on Tasty Eating where you will find bars that serve food and how we like them.

On this recent Tuesday Night, we headed out to: La Promenade des Anglais

Every month or so, my friends and I hit up a restaurant for dinner instead of happy hour to discuss our newest book. It's easier to talk about the details, characters, and plots when it's quiet inside the establishment. This month, we chose La Promenade des Anglais for dinner. I suggested it because I'm a fan of Chef Alain Allegretti and was never able to go to his flagship restaurant, Allegretti, before it closed.
La Promenade des Angalis decor is modern yet cozy. I could see myself coming here often if I lived in the neighborhood. The service from both the host and server was friendly and attentive.

As we looked over the menu, they brought over two bread baskets each containing a popover, a mini baguette, a wheat baguette, and a oat dinner roll. These came out warm so we dug right in.

Instead of butter, they served seasoned olive oil with their bread service.

We started the meal with some plates to share as our appetizers. This is the fried gnocchi ($10) which was excellent. Thin crispy shell holding onto an ever so soft and creamy mashed potato inside. A shaving of parmigiana cheese adds nuttiness and pungency. The cheese was not necessary but it certainly was delightful.

A order of the burrata was requested ($15) which was just okay. It was difficult to share and wasn't as creamy as I have had in the past. I'm used to a molten center with soft fresh mozzarella on the outside.

The whipped ricotta ($10) with thyme and honey fared much better. Pillowy soft from the whipping, and ultra creamy from the milk. The thick crusty bread was an excellent pairing.

And now our entrees. This was the Cod ($29) poached in olive oil served with grilled octopus and shrimp, coco beans, and fennel saffron sauce. As you can see, the fish was very tender and basically fell apart with the slightest pressure.

The Skate ($25) came out so crispy. It was served with artichokes, baby carrots, red pearl onions, and a crispy bacon ravioli on top.

The Scallops ($29) looked really interesting with the seaweed crust garnished with spring lemon vegetables and prosciutto chips.

The Whole Branzino a la Plancha ($24) was definitely a stunner coming to the table fully intact. The lemon olive oil on the side for extra richness.

This was the Wagyu Skirt Steak ($27) with orange braised beef cheeks, roasted carrots, and olive oil crushed potatoes. Tender and juicy looking meat. I wanted to try a piece of that beef cheek.

The Farrotto ($22) with braised veal cheeks and spinach was a nice take on risotto. Instead of arborio rice, the chef uses farro  which is a heartier whole grain with a chewy texture and nutty flavor.

I had the Ratatouille Raviolini ($19) with chorizo tomato sauce and manchango cheese. This was delightful. The pasta was cooked perfectly holding the mix of vegetables inside. The chorizo was a little lost in the sauce but added just enough smokey paprika flavor to make it slightly different. The manchengo cheese added some funk which is common with sheep's milk.

To share, we had a side of brussels sprouts ($8) with bacon which were roasted very well giving off a sweet caramelized flavor.

And we also had a side of roasted mushrooms ($8) which were excellent. Deep, earthy flavors that were concentrated through roasting. A great side dish.

I really enjoyed La Promenade des Anglais. The upscale French brasserie food matched the cozy yet sophisticated interior. The service, again, was sweet and efficient. I wouldn't hesitate to come back. I hear brunch is also very good here.

La Promenade des Anglais
461 West 23rd Street
New York, NY 10011
(212) 255-7400
lapromenadenyc.com