La Côte Basque's Slight Return: 10 Years Ago

[Pink Pig Time Machine by Wilfrid: July 14, 2014]

Bastille Day seems a good day to deal with this history of a little bit of France in New York.

La Côte Basque opened on West 55th Street before I was born (1958--some sources say 1959).  It was created by legendary restaurateur Henri Soulé in the space which had housed New York's first great French restaurant, Le Pavillon (he moved Le Pavillon to 57th Street).

Jump forward twenty years, and the grand dame was acquired by Jean-Jacques Rachou of Le Lavandou.  Under his supervision, David Bouley, Charlie Palmer, Rick Moonen, Waldy Malouf, Todd English, and other known quantities passed through the kitchen.

By 2004, like La Caravelle, it was on its last legs, undone by changing demographics, changing tastes, and a suspicion of old Europe which was part of the fabric of American politics in the early years of this century.

But it was to return for an encore.  It closed its doors quite briefly, to return as a stylishly renovated, plush brasserie--a blueprint for Benoit, which now occupies the building. But its name betrayed confusion: LCB Brasserie JJ Rachou. The initials clung to history, the "brasserie" announced a new casual spontaneity, and the name of the owner reaffirmed the history again.

And the opening menu was indeed historic, stuffed with classics of la cuisine bourgeoise.  It was a gorgeous document. At a lunch shortly after it opened, we dived into:

Pied de porc- foie gras crépinettes, apple salad

Bouchée à la reine Toulousaine with morels

Pot-au-feu ménagère

Rôti de porc charcutière

Fromages

The bouchée was puff pastry stuffed with sweetbreads in a white sauce.  The crépinettes were crisp. The champagne was Pommery, the red wine Bandol, and shared dessert was Café Liégeois.

Ponder that, despite the current booming revival of the brasserie tradition in New York--Lafayette, Cherche Midi, Le Philosophe, Racines, Montmartre--you won't find most of these dishes anywhere, still less prepared as a brigade under Rachou could prepare them.

It wasn't too last, of course, but chef JJR would need to be peeled away from the stoves. He was still in the kitchen, cooking his quenelles, in the weeks (months?) after Benoit opened in 2007.

P.S.  I also need to mention "Byzantium: Faith & Power" at the Met, and Cowboy Junkies at the Beacon Theater, the two blockbuster aesthetic experiences of the week.

Next time: back to Bouley.