L’Absinthe

One of the best meals I have ever had. Chef Jean Michel is a culinary sorcerer. He was gracious enough to personally cook for my wife and I back in my Absinthe Radio days. He is a genius. I recently read that they were closing due to issues with the building. Is this true??? UGH! TRAGIC!

CLOSED. They lost their lease and shut the place down this week, to my surprise.

I am sure this neighborhood spot works well for some nearby residents, in fact, it may be home away from home for some local diners but don’t go if you are in NY for a couple of days and looking for one of the great restaurants that the city has to offer.
I am not saying that the baked Endive salad was bad it was just serviceable as was the Dover Sole.
If a fantastic food experience is on your radar screen for the evening then skip this place and head elsewhere but if you want «easy» and comfortable and not busy then ck this place out.
Nice people, reasonable service and decent food but nothing memorable or worth making it a destination location.

Excellent restaurant, has the ambiance of an authentic French brasserie, with classic french dishes. The foie gras was to die for. The other dishes were excellent as well. Only the soufflé for desert was «only» good. A bit pricey, but on par with similar restaurants in NYC.

A nifty place, with very tasty food and decent service. We got a table on a Saturday night with no reservation. The food was terrific, from a potato leek soup — both hot and cold, and a wonderful mushroom and tomato and goat cheese salad, through mains which included a duck confit and a hangar steak and a grilled octopus. For dessert we split a wonderful Paris Brest pastry.

We have been going to L’Absinthe 1, 2 or even three times a week intermittently for years and and when I say years …25…and we live LITERALLY across the street.
Tonight we realized «Nothing lasts forever» .
The staff is really nice people… The chef is French… but, not FRENCH like in Jean-​Georges or Alain Ducasse…
One of our two 12oz. 40 $ NY strip steaks that came to the table tonight came to us perfect… dry and beautiful having been pan cooked to dry, dark brown perfection but, was total carpaccio inside and sent back… and it was returned to table in «a dried out version» less than a minute later in a puddle of it’s former inner juices and a untouchably hot plate.
They should
a) throw the microwave out of the window
b) learn how to use it
or
c) expect and exodus rather soon, I should imagine.

Welcome to Très Bön french cuisine. This excellent restaurant is a gem in a big city of skyscrapers. I truly enjoyed my dining experience at L’Absinthe, starting with their nice elegant décor, white tablecloth booths, to the excellent food they serve.
Lets begin with something most people enjoy… BREAD!!! They start you off with these small cheddar puffs… OH​.MY. Cheesy GOODNESS. Just Delicious. AND They serve a french baguette with every entrée. The company I dined with claimed the bread was just as good as in France (They’ve Been quite a few time)… That says a lot. Prices are Moderate to High, but definitely worth it. Portions are not big but moderate compared to how traditional french Cuisine is known to be. Yes they have real Foie Gras. Gorgeous sear and just melts in your mouth.
Très délicieux foods to try: FOIE GRAS, SNAILS GRATINÉS OVER SHIITAKE CAPS (Escargot), PAN SEARED MARINATED HANGER STEAK.
All exceptionally good. I was very surprised the steak came out cooked to perfection and very nice cut of Hanger, which is usually very chewy and known to not be a great cut of meat. Came out to be a nice portion and very flavorful.
Oh and how can I forget. They end your meal with these gorgeous delicate chocolate truffles. Mmmmmmmm… #Winning

I was completely satisfied with all my three courses, that included foie gras, crispy duck (not the official name of the dish), and soufflé. The service staff was supremely attentive. It was a Friday night and it wasn’t too crowded and we were not rushed. It’s a neighborhood restaurant with an upscale food and service.

Best French food on this side of the pond.

We love this upscale French bistro. Lovely warm atmosphere. We both had the charcuterie which was excellent except the pork loin was small and a bit tough.
The service is wonderful!

This restaurant is a mystery to me. After several visits in the span of a year, my objective opinion is that the food, service and ambiance are all wildly overpraised. I lived in Paris for several years and return often, so I recognize high quality French food. It simply is not in evidence at l’Absinthe. Let me please qualify that statement.
The appetizers nearly always taste as though they have been sitting, prepared earlier to hasten the pace of service. That’s fine and a standard practice, yet should not be noticed. Some specifics: a small savory goat cheese tart wrapped in phyllo pastry was unpleasantly tough, bland, and simply awful. The «mouth feel» was similar to biting a stack of index cards with sand between them. The foie gras starter was a meager portion, simply average. Wrapped endive salty and odd, like a project from the cooking portion of a home economics class (overly handled, badly seasoned, haphazardly conceived). The small plate of winter vegetables was better, yet also bland. We were unable to distinguish between the vegetables, or even identify some of them.
The entrees are similarly poor. A strip steak ordered medium arrived charred, set alone on a plate, ungarnished («sauce» was presented on the side, yet was merely a small stainless pot of minced shallot, seemingly undercooked and, like the appetizers, seemed to have been sitting for a long while). The meat was of average quality, so it is fair to call this entrée simply mediocre. Flank steak came presented in a row of rare disc-​like pieces, attractive in a way, with a small smear of quite good pureed potato. The Bok Choi accompanying this entrée was a disaster; salty, fibrous, tough. Absolutely inedible. Playing safe by ordering short ribs is a mistake, too, as these are overcooked, mealy in texture (gray, fibrous, unpleasant). The sauce accompanying the short ribs is too acidic (tasting actually spoiled), and the chestnuts waxy (to be fair, that is their authentic texture). The short ribs at Artisinale are simply much more flavorful, tender, higher quality. Yet at l’Absinthe, they are more akin to eastern European hospital food, or perhaps food that would be served in a French prison.
Unfortunately, the while the food is overall quite poor, the service at l’Absinthe is worse. The hostess is slim and very pretty, yet when she is thanked or acknowledged, she repeats «my pleasure» again and again, and addressed our party again and again as «you lovely people». The phrasing here is very nice in the abstract, yet the robotic way it is repeated again and again reads as terribly insincere. The head waiter, too, is officious and pretentious, and in my three visits repeatedly, slyly «goaded» my guests into ordering more (and more expensive) items than they would have preferred. This is a marker for a tourist trap.
This is a handsome restaurant, in a quiet section of an upscale neighborhood. Several reviews comment on the elderly clientele, and that is a fair description of the early evening sitting. Later, there is a more diverse mix.
I offer this review with a heavy heart because I know that many couples want to treasure their time at l’Absinthe. Yet the honest truth is that the food and service are simply not special, yet actually badly executed and overpriced. I’m not in the business of giving advice, but I would tell couples seeking a special French meal to step up their game, visit someplace truly sensational and gracious, as La Grenouille.

TREMENDOUS! Absolute greatness. Bravo, L’Absinthe!
I was treated here for my birthday/​early Valentine’s Day. What a wonderful staff! I am smiling from ear-​to-​ear thinking back on the flawless experience I had here. The coat check lady (I REALLY WISH I got her name) made me feel like family and it actually felt genuine. You cannot teach these things!
This restaurant has a very «Old New York» feel to it which I found relaxing. The jazzy soundtrack that they were playing was perfection (example: acoustic/​saxophone version of MJ’s The Way You Make Me Feel).
The food and drinks were on point, especially the warm bread. The first time that I’ve been to a French restaurant and thought to myself, «Wow, I’m actually kinda full. Nice!»
Not only were the waiters and staff absolute gems, the clientele (though Old New York style) weren’t stuffy and actually sweet. A couple next to us was very welcoming and made conversation throughout the night. Little things like that really gave me hope for humanity! I love New York. :)
Even the bathroom was appealing to my olfactory senses as it smelled of dried roses. LOVE!!!
L’Absinthe and the people here are the definition of class & elegance. Cheers!

We chose this restaurant to celebrate NYE with friends. Even though the restaurant was full to capacity (and we were a bit tardy) we were seated right away. The staff was very pleasant and accommodating to our needs and the service was well choreographed. The menu offered a special three course meal pre-​fixe meal with suitable selections to choose from. The food was not out-​of-​this-​world amazing, but well prepared and overall pleasing. The staff distributed party favors close to midnight and was happy to tolerate our hollering and even took the time to snap pictures for us.

Surprisingly charming! We made last minute reservations for 3 for dessert and drinks only and even though the menu was Prix Fix for Thanksgiving, they wiggled us in. The bar looks lovely and they serve absinthe in the traditional fashion, so I’ll be back soon to indulge. Embodied a very warm feeling that contributed quite positively to the holiday.

I took my wife to L’Absinthe to celebrate her birthday last weekend and we both felt it is an excellent restaurant.
The hostesses who greeted us when we entered were both very friendly and warm. Also, we instantly loved the décor of the restaurant! We were seated within a minute of our arrival, despite being slightly early for our reservation.
To be completely honest, I picked L’Absinthe because they have a pretty fantastic selection of Absinthe, which is pretty rare. I tried a couple and was not disappointed. My wife ordered the braised duck leg, and I, not feeling particularly adventurous, ordered the country pizzette. Both dishes were delicious and very well made!
Something that I feel makes L’Absinthe a great place, is the ambience and the staff. Having been to several French restaurants in New York and elsewhere, I have grown to expect a somewhat stodgy atmosphere. L’Absinthe was refreshingly different! I I thought the staff were warm, friendly, attentive and eager to make sure we had a nice evening.
For those who care, the clientele at L’Absinthe is slightly on the older side — my wife and I were the youngest people there by at least 15 – 20 years. But this is a really nice restaurant and I know i will be back!

Look at the pictures on the website. They are either pictures of hot young models in the restaurant or the restaurant with no one inside. Not that its a terrible thing, but this place is crowded w the elderly, and had I known I would not have taken my husband here for his 27^th birthday.
Other than that things were okay, the menu was promising but the food itself wasn’t that good. I was really excited about the beef tartar but it was a bit bland, quite a contrast from the saltiest fries ever that it came with.
The best thing about this place is the service, the servers seemed to know exactly what you wanted just by looking at them from across the room.

L’Absinthe is a solid French restaurant. I wasn’t Sham-Wow’d by it, but I wasn’t disappointed either.
their Thanksgiving menu (I was invited here for a Thanksgiving dinner) was a good effort at pulling off American style dishes with a bit of a European twist. the butternut squash soup with crushed almonds was an excellent starter.
in lieu of the usual turkey platter (and knowing there would be much turkey to consume over the weekend anyway), I had grilled lamb chops with apricots and eggplant caviar (no fish involved; it’s a French method of eggplant preparation, apparently). the lamb was tasty, but definitely could have used some more grilling. in retrospect, I shoulda asked for it medium-​well. the apricots had some spice on top, which complemented them well. the eggplant was okay.
dessert was superb, though. those Europeans definitely know their way around dessert! pumpkin soufflé with whiskey cream sauce?! MOAR! FEED ME, SEYMOUR! I totally wrecked this large treat.
service was great, and I really liked the décor of turn-​of-​the-​century posters from France (La Belle Epoque for us edumacated folks) as well as the subtle jazz music that played. most patrons were well-​dressed, if that gives any idea of the atmosphere.
overall, a solid place. I would be interested in checking it out again for some more traditional French fare. the crowd may be a bit stuffy — then again, it’s the UES — but I am more than capable of compensating for this.

Upscale diner for retired old Midtowners.
Their regular crowd is rich and old midtown folks. The ones that always complain that the music is too loud, young people are stupid, good old times were better than current times, who always need a flashlight to read the menu, pillow for their chair, no salt on their dish and help to put their coats one. I was the youngest customer there I guess. Sad vanity fair.
Food-​fits the crowd, a bit bland, unimaginative and made for people with no teeth.
Setting-​very bright, I could see the bra of a lady who was dining at the other side of a restaurant. Music –again fits the crowd, boring and you can barely hear it.
Service-​prompt and that’s it. NO bubbly personalities, cheerful salesmen or flirty waitresses.
Overall– I do get the concept. This spot is designed to cater the needs of mature (very, very and very mature actually) crowd and I guess if you above age of 50 this is the place for you.

Went on a Friday night en famille.
Appetizers were foie gras for number 1 child, pieds du porc for number 2, blood sausage (bouidn noir) for the missus and a special of sauteed roe for your reviewer. All were hits save for the shad roe which was accompanied by a sauce that was too tart.
Mains were scallops, confit du canard, a fish special, and quenelles du brochet. Uniformly excellent.
We had three desserts, profiteroles (the usual), pots de crème and a nice chocolate soufflé that I did not have to order in advance — waited about seventeen minutes for it.
Our server was friendly, professional and proficient, if lacking in French. Would agree with an earlier reviewer that the restaurant attracts an older crowd and the food is traditional not cutting edge. The latter not a bad thing in my opinion. If you want molecular cuisine, go elsewhere.

The 2 course brunch includes an entrée and a dessert for a fixed price ($ 24?). My entrée was great — a hot, savory chicken/​mushroom crêpe with swiss and bechamel sauce, served with a nice salad of greens on the side — but the dessert was the star of the meal. Wow, that dessert cart! It was positioned in the center of my field of vision and I could barely look away all through brunch — all I could think about was what dessert I was going to order. They all looked and, as I found out later, tasted, incredible. Especially exciting was that when we each chose our dessert, we were told we could try more than one. It was almost too indulgent. While you probably can’t go wrong, I recommend the tarte tatin, the floating islands, the crème caramel, the chocolate cake, and the cheesecake.*
Our entrees took a while to come, but service was otherwise very good.
Good coffee, great French décor/​ambiance.
— — — — — -
* I realize this makes me sound like i have a serious problem. There were 4 of us! And we had a great system — eat a few bites, then pass the plate to the right, and repeat.

So, TV5 sent me a gift certificate for a complimentary dinner for two at one of a list of twelves French restaurants in NYC (I also received three $ 10.00 coupons at any of those twelve retaurants. I guess that is what you get when you are a valued customer). I narrowed my choices down to three restaurants: l’absinthe, gascogne and aoc.
I decided to go with l’absinthe because their menu seemed interresting. So, on a saturday night we went there hoping for delicious meals. Making the reservation was very easy, and once we got there, the table was already ready for us. I ordered a glass of sauvignon blanc and it was just right for me, a little bit sweet not too dry and not too strong. As appetizer, I had the salad du marche, made of frisee, leeks, beets, crispy bacon and a walnut vinaigrette. It was good but not memorable. My entrée was a steak disk cooked medium rare served with a side of mashed potato and baked lettuce. I love French mashed potato because it is very light with tons of fatty ingredients in it. I tasted their pizette, it was good as well but not memorable. For desert, I had the profiteroles a la vanille. It was very good, probably my favorite of all three courses of the night.
The restaurant itself is very classy and the clientele seemed sophisticated. The couple next to us was a French couple and it was nice to have a small conversation with them. I felt very comfortable here even though the food was a little bit of a disappointment; and the server was just a darling.