This New York import from Joël Robuchon looks like a fine-dining restaurant from a network TV show: floor-to-ceiling windows peering out onto a courtyard, suited servers, tiny pieces of protein on huge plates, edible flowers. All that might not sound terribly exciting, but we love it, especially since the fussy French food is actually incredible. Think touches like caper-raisin coulis underneath fat Maine scallops, or calamansi juice in a hiramasi crudo that honestly does taste better if you spring for the pile of caviar add-on. And the two-course Art Lovers lunch, for $45, feels like it was designed specifically to impress your visiting relatives.
Le Jardinier gets bonus points for being inside one of the best art museums in the country, so it’s a great place for an extended date, or an icebreaker with business associates who have a white truffle tagliatelle-friendly expense account. If you’re coming for dinner, the $185 tasting menu is the way to go, and you can add on dishes as you please. Or you could just come in for an espresso martini after you’ve got your fill of ancient Roman artifacts. No matter what price level you’re operating at, it’s going to feel luxurious.
Dining and Cooking