The Siren Song of French Cuisine

By Lisa Loverro

It's hard to stay abreast of all the restaurant openings (and closings) in New York City but when a former chef from Le Cirque, Craig Hopson, opens a new establishment you can't help but sit up and take notice. He's teamed up with Frank Roberts, the former manager from the Rose Bar in the Gramercy Park Hotel to create a visually enticing restaurant with an equally enticing menu.

Discreetly located next to the iconic Paris Hotel and Paris Theater, Beautique, is a sleek modern American restaurant, beautifully furnished with a mirror-lined staircase, gilded ceiling, opulent chandelier, large bar area and spacious dining room. There is a piano in the foyer and the Jean Paul Gaultier upholstery gives the entire place a French feel.

If that's not enough to entice you into this 125-seat restaurant, the menu surely will. Using only market-fresh ingredients, Chef Hopson creatively plates meticulously prepared dishes including Wild Burgundy Escargot, Spaghetti with Caviar, Mixed Grill of Lamb Five Ways and Confit King Salmon. There's something for everyone here; from seafood and oysters to a Grassfed aged beef with bone marrow flan, which I think is a "must order." Pastry Chef, Jiho Kim, formerly from Gordon Ramsay at the London, whips up an inventive menu of desserts including Banana Bread Pudding and Mascarpone Custard that closes out the meal in just the right fashion.

James Beard–nominated mixologist Charlotte Voisey has created a list of cocktails just as impressive as the menu. Our favorite, the "King Of Clubs" is a potent elixir of Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, King's Ginger and apple bitters. There's even a cocktail called the Gabrielle, with gin, ginger, oolong tea simple syrup, and lavender bitters as a nod to the House of Chanel from which the restaurant has drawn inspiration.

8 West 58th Street

New York, NY

212.753.1200

Beautiquedining.com