A little taste of New York has finally arrived in London. French brasserie and Soho's Spring Street institution, Balthazar, has just recently opened, to much anticipation, in Covent Garden. Serving only dinner at the moment (breakfast and lunch will follow in the middle of March for all-day nonstop dining) Balthazar is already packed to the gills and teeming with energy. They have gone out of their way to replicate the interior style of the NYC original and thankfully, the homemade bread and pastries taste just as good as they do stateside.
I was there this past Saturday night and I cannot say enough about the level of service we received. The bartender decanted our bottle of wine, which was relatively young, without us having to ask. The food was not outstanding, but I imagine the kitchen is still working out the kinks of being open for such a short period of time. The dessert, as you would expect, was simply delicious.
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Château Pavillon Rocher ‘05 from St. Émilion
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ROASTED FILLET OF COD with crushed potatoes, olive tapenade and pistachios
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BALTHAZAR BAR STEAK with french fries and maître d’ butter or bearnaise sauce
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BRUSSELS SPROUTS
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APPLE TARTE TATIN with butterscotch sauce and Calvados crème fraîche
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Not to be forgotten is the adjacent bakery serving breakfast treats, pastries, bread, salads and sandwiches for takeaway. Everything is baked in-house, and I dare you to walk by the boulangerie window without flinging yourself inside immediately. I, for one, never resist temptation.
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| © Sophie Loves Food |
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| © Sophie Loves Food |
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