When I first read that Antoine Westermann is transplanting his "bistro of beautiful birds" from Paris to New York, I was deathly excited, ecstatic even. For starters, Westermann serves as the brain and hands behind the critically-acclaimed (no fewer than full marks of 3 Michelin stars) restaurant in his native Strasbourg - Le Buerehiesel. And more importantly, it is the proximity of this restaurant to my office that makes it such an attractive, new dining option. It is after all a stone's throw distance away. Surprisingly, however, despite the recency in opening, I have troubles trying to secure a reservation, and can only settle for a slot on a Tuesday evening at normal dining hours (nothing before 6 pm and nothing before 9 pm).
Located in the Gabay building in the Flatiron District, Le Coq Rico gives off the air of an ultra-modern bistro replete with glass panel windows spanning the entire store front. The interior is brightly lit and furnished with modern, minimalistic brooding block colors. In particular, there is a lot of black. One thing I immediately notice is the open kitchen, in which the cooks are functioning together like a well-oiled machine. The noise level is high, as is typical of New York City establishments. Nonetheless, the decibel level is low enough for me to not have to shout. Without hesitation, the maître d' whisks us to our table. And although the chairs are plush, I still feel cramped as if I am stuck in a chicken coop. Pun intended.
As if the name of the establishment is not clear enough, this restaurant focuses on one thing - poultry. In fact, they are so fastidious about the quality of the birds that they have a separate menu explaining the various types of fowl on offer, the sourcing and the age of the birds. In fact, Westermann is so particular (dare I say fetishistic?) that even the names of the inspector who selects the birds are listed, on the menu. That's right. A menu for birds that includes all the categories you would find in a Burgundy-heavy wine list. With that much emphasis placed on the sourcing of ingredients, this can only mean good things.
Although I am not in a drinking mood tonight, I do notice that wine stems are somewhat mediocre. I am not expecting to see Riedel Sommelier bowls, but Zaltos would be nice, especially when the list boasts Premier Cru Roulot Meursault's and Trapet Chambertin. They do allow outside corkage at a very fair price point of 35 USD per bottle. There is, however, a limit of 2 bottles per table only. So I can cross this spot off for wine dinners.
2 people, 2 appetizers, 2 mains and 1 side. Here we go.
Sunny Side Up - Guinea Fowl Eggs, Seasonal Vegetable Tartare
Starting things off with something cool and refreshing are fried eggs and vegetables. I particularly like the eggs from guinea fowl as they boast a slight gaminess to it, almost like that of Mother Nature. And these specimen do not disappoint. The burnoise of chives, carrots, cucumbers and celery undoubtedly showcases the knife skills of the chef. Combined with the acidity of the dressed microgreens, this crunchy tartare helps lift the dish to the next level by acting as the perfect foil to the creamy egg yolks. This is a simple dish done well. It may not be particularly memorable, but it is immensely enjoyable.
Poultry Consommé- Duck Liver Ravioli
For me, this is the dish of the night. While I am expecting a bowl of soup with minuscule agnolotti of duck liver, I get a bowl of soup with a ravioli bigger than my palm, the size of which can span a perfect 11th on the piano. The soup itself is incredibly fragrant. It is dominated by deep chicken flavors and is crystal clear without a hint of oil. It is light yet so packed full of flavor at the same time. But the genius touch here is the ravioli itself. A very generous portion of the liver is first encased in a chicken meatball puree before the entire thing is wrapped in a skin akin to wonton wrappers. As such, the texture of the skin is bouncy and smooth, which contrasts well with the burnoise of vegetables and the gamy, sinful richness of the liver. Visually and texturally, the dish is striking, not to mention the bountiful flavors and aroma. Full marks.
Rotisserie Quarter Chicken - Mixed Seasonal Green Salad. Brune Landaise 110 Days
This is arguably the quintessential preparation for chicken and is a measuring stick of a chef's skills. The quarter bird consists of a piece of drumstick, a breast and an upper thigh. Biting into the breast, the chicken is moist while the skin is delectably crisp as much of the fat has been rendered off. There is no frills to this dish. No adornment, just an accompanying clove of garlic. The star lies in the provided sauce. Much like the consomme, the sauce boasts extreme depths of flavors, a ton of aromatics and plentiful sensory excitement. However, it is too salty for my liking. Combining the chicken with the broth, I get a homey, British Sunday-roast type of flavor, a flavor like home. That chicken taste is particularly intense, and I appreciate this a lot when most chickens in the States are culled and frozen. This farm-to-table provenance surely pays off.
The accompanying salad consists mostly of lettuce and raddichio. Just a touch of acidity to balance out the bitter vegetables. Standard fare here with no surprises. I do like the garnishing of diced chives though.
Maine Lobster and Chicken Fricassée - Puff Pastry Grissini
Initially, I ordered the Poule au Pot featuring a hen bathed in broth. Somehow, the waiter heard me incorrectly and served me the most expensive 1-person-portion entree on the menu. What the fuck?
No matter, as I am a sucker for bouillabaisse and I happily welcome the change. This rendition is twist from the classic as it includes additional components like chicken meatballs, mushrooms and strips of filo pastry. The soup itself is fantastic as I can taste plenty of the shellfish coral in it. The buttery richness of the filo also matches well with the aromatic broth as well. However, the chicken meatballs are slightly hard and tough to chew while the portion size of the lobster is too small. I am also not a fan as both the claw and the tail are served as they have contrasting textures. For 34 USD, I am expecting much more from this.
Now, can I get the hen back?
Thick Cut Fries - Kennebec Potatoes
Standard stuff here. The fries are of adequate thickness but I prefer them to be thicker. Also, the exterior is not crispy enough to my liking. This can be better.
We also ordered a seasonal vegetable fricassée that never came. Although this is strike two, I am glad it did not come as we are beyond stuffed at this point.
There is no doubt this restaurant serves up modern, Bistro-fare that is delicious, inventive and showcases the pedigree of the man behind. However, while the food in general is good, the restaurant suffers a lack of training in the front of house. Service is rather slow, especially for a Tuesday night, and we have wait a long while to get our food. On top of that, there is a missed order and a completely wrong dish. Normally, I would have kicked a fuss but the consommé is a saving grace. I also like that the execution is on point and much attention is paid into the details, such as the micro-sized cubes of the vegetable burnoise. This is worth a try, especially for poultry lovers. However, I do not think I will be back as the money can be better spent elsewhere. (6/14/2016)