Augustine NYC is housed in a magnificent space, and though is brand spankin’ new, it can already be viewed as a New York classic. See the special lunch we had here, and a glimpse at the space.
Who To Take: Someone who appreciates a top notch French Brasserie lifestyle or a client for an important business lunch
The two restaurants at the newly refurbished Beekman Hotel have been the talk of the town, so I thought I would kick off my birthday celebration with a lunch at Augustine, Keith McNally’s latest project. I met up with my friend Peter, who I really needed to catch up with, and we got to linger in the new, made-to-look-old space.
New, Yet Old
The vibe here was comfortable, like other McNally spots, and felt as if it had been there forever. To boot, we had warm and jocular service by Nanci which made the lingering even more fun. The menu is a sea of traditional French and American bistro-style dishes.
Keeping with my healthy regime, we started off with the beautifully presented Avocado and Crab Salad which also had hearts of palm, mâche lettuce, Sancho peppers and was served in a grapefruit vinaigrette (seen in the photo at the top of this post). Light and nice.
For my entree, I could not pass up the Grilled Fish of the Day, which arrived beautifully marked in a criss-cross pattern, and quite a large double portion. The dorado was grilled perfectly, with a subtle charcoal flavor.
Peter went for the special of the day, which we eyed at a neighboring table. The sandwich housed thinly sliced prime rib and was topped with onions, au poirve sauce and wild mushrooms. This is “guy food” at its best! He was pleased with the choice.
Rounding out our meal were a couple of cocktails. A Bloody Mary for Peter, and a Morrison Hotel for me, which was described as “slightly spicy” and was delivered as such. It was comprised of Siete Leguas Reposado Tequila, falernum, and pineapple juice. Excellent.
A gorgeous tea service and a scoop of ice cream ended the meal on a high note.
Related: HOBNOB’s drink post about Temple Court, also located inside the Beekman Hotel
Augustine, in the Beekman Hotel, 5 Beekman St (btw Nassau/Park Row); the restaurant is located through a door on the left side of the hotel lobby
