La Grande Boucherie
145 W 53rd Street
New York, NY
This one is under the same management as Boucherie Union Square.
I went on the coldest day of the year: 20 degrees. Thought of going into a warm
shelter to warm up … not to be: the elegant and 
charming restaurant is COLD, inside out.
Decor: top notch with high ceilings, inside and out.
Service. Great. Waiting staff is attentive, asking me if I’d like a cup of hot water. YES and thank you! … Well, Chinese oldies prefer hot water and I’m being asked rather frequently lately = getting old -:) … ha ha ha.
Food:
Great bread and salty butter
Pate: so so. Don’t look delicate nor taste refined
Salmon: very dry (Trump’s Waterfront is the benchmark).
No drink: just to think of it makes me shiver.
The bathroom. Last time there I went to the wrong side. Today, I was like, no way I’ll repeat that. … yap did it again. Thanks lord no one was in … ehhhhrrr
Hope Tosca at the Met can warm me up!
An update, Jan 25:
Ok, we dined at the restaurant again after the Marriage of Figaro: the manager apologized for the cold: out of their control, without elaboration. I ran into temperature situations before elsewhere: the restaurants were way too hot in the winter but unable to lower the temp due to the buildings. “We don’t have control.” I lived in a condo for a short time and knew first hand how US wastes their energy. (Residents complain ‘cold’ when they couldn’t wear shorts and t-shirts!) LGB’s problem was just opposite.
Anyway, other reasons to return: I loved their decor; a restaurant uses Spiegelau glasses can’t be too bad; and not many places open on Sunday night. So we went after the Marriage of Figaro. Very glad we did: we enjoyed it thoroughly.
Temp: warm. Feeling cozy. I even noticed the grand piano by the entrance. Do they have someone come to play from time to time? Hope so …
Service: as usual was great.
Food and wines: delicious
~ Bourgogne Pinot Noir
~ M
