A few weeks ago I was invited to come try out the new menu at Brasserie. I had just eaten a meal at Benoit during its opening week, at Florent during its closing week, and had found myself sharing a bottle of Sancerre one night at Pastis with friends after seeing Olafur Eliasson's Waterfalls exhibit. I was suffering a bit of bistro fatigue. All the polished brass and tromp l'oleil were turning into a blur, and how many frites can one person eat, anyway?

Thankfully, I was in for a change. Despite its traditional name and its 1959 opening date, Brasserie's decor (pictured, left) -- redesigned in 2000 by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the same visionaries responsible for New York's High Line project -- evokes Battlestar Galactica more than Brasserie Bofinger. Definitely a nice change from frescoed angels and gilt.

The menu, on the other hand, didn't seem at first glance to stray much from classic French offerings. But Luc Dimnet (pictured below right) -- who returned to the restaurant in March as executive chef, having held the same position from 2000-2005 -- translates the restaurant's modern sensibilities onto the plate in the form of inventive twists on traditional dishes. Kumamoto and Beau Soleis oysters were served with a sprightly, frozen mignonette. Foie gras beignets -- small, molten pockets of rich liver -- were countered with a tart, pleasantly viscious balsasmic gastrique. Order these at the futuristic bar if you don't have time for dinner.

The whole grilled durade was light and aromatic. For something more substantial, tuck into the lobster thermidor (which half the patrons seemed to be eating), from the seasonal Lobster Celebration menu. The tarragon hollandaise was not too heavy, and the aged parmesan delivered the right amount of bite. We were somewhat wary of the addition of the (seemingly omnipresent) truffle oil to creamed spinach, but found that with a light touch, it worked perfectly. The unobtrusive and uber-professional wait staff at Brasserie -- which received two stars from William Grimes in the New York Times -- was adept at picking the perfect wine for each course; we happily left our choices in their hands. Pastry chef Kenneth Larson offered up a juicy and buttery seasonal plum tart; if you visit during the winter, the cheesecake is what you should order. Our only gripes: the leather on some of the dining chairs would benefit from a buffing, and a place to set a handbag in the sleek ladies' room would be a nice touch.

As for the frites? I found they were good enough that a person can, in fact, eat many more.

Brasserie
100 E. 53rd St.
New York, NY 10022
(212) 751-4840

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Erin Schulte is the web editor for Town & Country Travel.

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