Le Coucou

[Melonius Thunk]

Reading the reviews, it seems the first visit was well received and the second was much less so. I went just once and that was enough. I think five of us generally panned the place second time around. But I did not recall the place at all until you mentioned it,

[taion]

Did anybody else get one of these at LC?

 

[Sneakeater]

Unlike my bud Aaron, I somehow forgot to go there with Didier Elena.

[taion]

Why do they even have caviar?

[Orik]

I don't think I'd serve Elena caviar, who knows what he might do to it.

1週間前

• pocketforkfalafel, crème fraîche, caviar – @didierelena

[GerryOlds]

Langue de veau au caviar américain
veal tongue, american white sturgeon caviar, crème fraîche

[rozrapp]

On Eater's 7/9 Journal, Patty Diez provides this short review about Le Coucou:

 

Dinner here last week was something special. The room is stunning but not at all intimidating, and the staff moves so elegantly, you feel instantly at ease. For a brand new restaurant, they have seemingly nailed their timing and coursing. All the food ranged from good to really great. A highlight was the poached egg with salmon and artichoke, though the server did not care for my likening the dish to eggs Benedict. The duck with cherries was delicious and I could have had three more of the summer scallops, but a few dishes leaned on the heavier side, leaving me without dessert.

 

[Sneakeater]

Wimp.

[rozrapp]

Wimp.

I presume you are referring to her not having room for dessert?

[joethefoodie]

 

Wimp.

I presume you are referring to her not having room for dessert?

 

Hey - we didn't have dessert the first time around either!

 

Though we certainly didn't avoid the cheese.

[Sneakeater]

 

Wimp.

I presume you are referring to her not having room for dessert?

 

 

Yes. (Not to mention a cheese plate before dessert.)

[rozrapp]

So I guess that makes Michael and me semi-wimps since we had dessert but passed on the cheese.

[Sneakeater]

Only semi!

[taion]

On Eater's 7/9 Journal, Patty Diez provides this short review about Le Coucou:

 

Dinner here last week was something special. The room is stunning but not at all intimidating, and the staff moves so elegantly, you feel instantly at ease. For a brand new restaurant, they have seemingly nailed their timing and coursing. All the food ranged from good to really great. A highlight was the poached egg with salmon and artichoke, though the server did not care for my likening the dish to eggs Benedict. The duck with cherries was delicious and I could have had three more of the summer scallops, but a few dishes leaned on the heavier side, leaving me without dessert.

 

I think this further demonstrates my point that the environment at Le Coucou is something a bit special – maybe not novel in absolute terms, but certainly a significant draw for that restaurant in the context of dining in New York circa mid-2016.

[Sneakeater]

Putting aside the rabbit, I think I've figured out the reason for the disjunction between Wilf's view of this place and that of others of us.

 

I think it comes down to taion's observation that Le Coucou is so usable. I think most of us reacted very favorably to a restaurant that serves very good versions of a kind of food we like, in socially comfortable surroundings that nevertheless provide a level of service and physical comfort that casual restaurants in New York have unfortunately abandoned.

 

Wilf, OTOH, appears to have expected a "great" restaurant. But nobody is claiming Le Coucou is "great" in the Michelin sense. Just a very very good, very "usable" one. ("Stunningly" good in the context of what it is.) I mean, come on, Le Philosophe wasn't in the same universe as this. And I'd be surprised if the food at L'Express were anywhere near as good as the food here -- but it's been ages since I've been and I'll have to go back. Maybe I'm missing out on what ought to be a favorite. It'll never have the decor and service, though.