Cherche Midi

Cherche Midi is the newest French brasserie (opened in June) from restauranteur Keith McNally and since I love his other restaurants (Balthazar and Minetta Tavern), I had certain expectations for this restaurant. Unfortunately I was not impressed with my meal and will definitely stick to the my usual two in the future.

Steak Tartare - Toasted Baguette and Market Greens 
I liked how the tartare was not too minced and it was nicely seasoned. However, it's better at Balthazar. 

Pot de Fromage - Parmesan Custard with Anchovy Butter Toast 
I really liked the cheesiness of the custard but it was a bit too eggy and the texture got a bit weird after a few bites. I loved the anchovy butter toast though. 

Steak Frites with Béarnaise Sauce
The fries were good but the steak was incredibly mediocre. Just a very meh piece of steak... quite chewy. 

Roasted Cauliflower with Sauce Gribiche
I was really excited for this dish because I heard so many great things on the Yelp reviews but once again while the flavors were delicious... there was also an issue with the texture with this dish. The cauliflower was way overcooked and very mushy. I get that cauliflower is in general a soft vegetable but it was just much too soft. I loved the sauce gribiche though, it was tangy and very yummy. 

Bone-in Skate Wing Meuniere with an Onion Fennel Soubise
This may have been the best dish of the night.  The skate was seasoned perfectly and had a perfectly crispy exterior while maintaining a wonderfully delicate interior. 

It is a shame that I was not too pleased with my meal as I love discovering new delicious french brasseries (hello Lafayette!). I hear that their prime rib is actually a big hit but I probably will not be back to try it out!

Cherche Midi

282 Bowery

10012