Bagatelle

On Thursday evening following the new year, the crowd was as sparse as I've ever seen. Under 12 guests, including this writer and guest. The service was good, although not great, probably due to a language barrier, where the server spoke French fluently, and English to a functional manner, but did not seem to understand "tap water no ice", and poured Evian, subsequently billing us $36 for that. He did remove it upon request, and was professional, seemed kind, and was attractive. I ordered the whole fish special, and the $135 was never communicated to me, and while it was delicious, it was not worth that price. The mashed butter, with potatoes were creamy, indulgent, and rich, and table bread perfect - crisp and satisfying - with just enough flavor to balance the meal. Another language discrepancy was that I asked "Are my left overs packed? Is the spinach there." to which the server ordered another spinach dish. Annoying, but not painfully so. Based on this, I would recommend Bagatelle, especially for Sunday Brunch, at which point it is a zoo of beautiful people, and loud music, a far cry from the intimate dinner I attended.

The food at Bagatelle often gets overlooked for the atmosphere, but it absolutely shouldn't. This little gem in the Meatpacking District serves some of the strongest French dishes I've yet to try, and as the latest revamp of the menu for Spring should not be missed. From the starters, I have to recommend the signature Black Truffle Pizza (flatbread topped with creme fraiche, mozzarella, and black truffle shavings) as well as the pillow-y Truffle Gnocchi, which are made from a homemade choux pastry and coated in a creamy truffle and Parmesan sauce. For those looking for a lighter starter, the Beet Salad, Beef Tartare, and King Crab Salad are strong alternatives. And when it comes to the mains, I absolutely loved the Lobster Linguini, which is impressively presented with a whole lobster and a generous amount of linguini pasta coated in a "secret sauce" - which had plenty of tomato and lobster flavor. And the simple but elegant Chicken, served with country potatoes and mushrooms (and a hint of truffles) was delicious as well - the chicken was moist and flavorful, and paired perfectly with the sides. To finish, the restaurant now offers a smaller version of their signature Dessert Sundae, which is perfect for groups of 6-8; and if you ask nicely, the server will put in more than 1 sparkler so you get the perfect photo!

Late dinner service is pretty average. But can't blame them when you are having the time of your life dancing and meeting ppl. Food was good staff great & decor ok.

Well can I just say WOW- what an experience that was!! That was the funnest time I had in a bar atmosphere EVER, and the craziest part was that it was at 3 in the afternoon no less ("party brunch" from 3-6 pm on a Saturday-- booked WELL in advance)! Everyone was awesome- wait staff, the champagne hotties, and of course, BORIS! It was worth every penny- the energy was INSANE and they clearly aimed to please, extremely pricey but it was worth it to me. Everything was perfection- the food was amazing. Every one of my senses were affected- I hope to experience that again someday!