Bar Americain

[Ron Johnson]

The cocktail that was touted in that piece sounded like a julep hit with a shot of seltzer with a lemon wedge squeezed in.

Sounded like a good way to ruin perfectly fine bourbon.

[Wilfrid1]

The menu is now available at menupages.com. The artisanal ham tasting appetizer sounds interesting. It may, of course, not be interesting at all. I have the impression that, in Manhattan, it was easier to get regional American food in moderate to upscale surroundings eight to ten years ago: An American Place, Cafe Beulah, Grange Hall, Gage & Tollner, Arizona 206, not to mention JUdson Grill itself. Bar Americain is swimming against the tide.

[maggie]

.  I am just tired of everything being called what it is not.  This is a pet-peeve of mine.

Welcome to 21st century America, where lots of things are called what they are not.

Ahem, HELLOOOO...you people live in NYC, original home of the COFFEE SHOP. Where the coffee is actually dishwater, and you certainly cannot shop...

 

Apparently I am going to BA for Mother's Day, will report back.

[maggie]

The menu is now available at menupages.com. The artisanal ham tasting appetizer sounds interesting. It may, of course, not be interesting at all. I have the impression that, in Manhattan, it was easier to get regional American food in moderate to upscale surroundings eight to ten years ago: An American Place, Cafe Beulah, Grange Hall, Gage & Tollner, Arizona 206, not to mention JUdson Grill itself. Bar Americain is swimming against the tide.

I had bad break-ups at Arizona 206 and Grange Hall. I'm pleased they're closed. Good riddance to bad memories.

[Rail Paul]

Steve Cuozzo of the Post visits, and finds much to like about the place.

 

 

Bobby, breaking a sweat

[Rail Paul]

I imagine it would be hard to remain angry for long after you tasted the food Mr. Flay is serving at Bar Americain. (I didn’t have to wait for mine; I was recognized—but nevertheless, I never received a breadbasket.) His dishes are executed not only with flair and wit, but also with a flawless hand for seasoning and combining ingredients, beginning with the wonderful shellfish cocktails. I chose a tasting of all three ($19). They’re served in glasses lined up on a plate: lobster in a creamy dressing tossed with chunks of avocado, two shrimp with a sharp tomatillo sauce, and crabmeat and coconut with diced mango.

 

I nearly didn’t order the tuna tartare, because it’s been worked to death in so many restaurants. I was glad I changed my mind. The tuna is cut in chunks, subtly spiced and shaped in a patty garnished like a traditional steak tartare with capers, finely chopped onion and hard-boiled egg, served with grilled country bread. It’s outstanding. At lunch, red snapper comes with soft tortillas and a trio of salsas; you place a filet on a tortilla, top it with a lemony coleslaw and some salsa, and roll it up. Delicious.

 

A tasting of Kentucky ham is a witty concept, too, showcasing the ham in three different ways. It comes on a long plate divided into sections: Slices are served with pear chutney and micro greens, layered with mozzarella, and tucked inside a small biscuit spread with honey mustard

 

 

 

Moira's Take

[foodie52]

Bobby. Don't these guys ever sleep?

[Ron Johnson]

I believe we have an existing thread about this place.

[Daisy]

And here it is. Will a moderator merge, please?

[Rail Paul]

(That's what I get for setting my search feature for 30 days, missed it by about a week)

 

Sorry

[Wilfrid1]

A nice looking refit in shades of beige, but still a tall and noisy room. The bar, shifted to the rear of the dining room, is smaller than I expected, but the specialty cocktails do include some classics like Ramos Gin Fizz.

 

Hard to assess from the lunch-time menu, which is tilted toward upscale sandwiches (although the steaks are available). I liked all the appetizers ordered by a table of experts; the entrees were good enough but lacked excitement.

 

The artisanal ham "tasting": three small portions of the same tasty ham, each with a different preparation - with tiny slices of peach and watercress, with a jalapeno-accented biscuit, and with some yolky srambled eggs and tarragon. Very enjoyable. I also snaffled a fat shrimp with good tomatillo sauce, and tasted some nice tuna tartare.

 

I couldn't resist ordering the Kentucky Hot Brown, which our South African waiter identified as a delicacy from San Francisco . Essentially an open-faced smoked turkey club, with crispy bacon and melted cheese on a brioche slice. The cheese needed to be much punchier. It was a dumb order, as I'd eaten a Viand turkey club yesterday.

 

I'll let my companions weigh in on their entrees.

 

Note: I thought there was some serious bargains on the wine list. For example, Lopez de Heredia Tondonia Gran Riserva, 1985: $145. I liked the $55 Ch de Chamboreau Savennieres from which we ordered.

[Daisy]

Whatever you want to say about the name, it's an attractive place and does have a brasserie feel. Lots of orange tones and nice lighting, inlaid marble floors in an oversized earth-toned pattern, a fairly long bar separated from the dining room by a strip of etched glass, waiters in aprons. It's noisy and bustling and there are extensive seafood and shellfish selections on the menu. Very nice appointments: glasses, plates, little copper tubs holding the bread.

 

Portions are enormous. If I go back, and I think I will, I'd order two appetizers for lunch. The bread selection included nice cornbread, each piece shaped rather like an oversized madeleine and nicely spiked with jalapeno. Our waiter was very sweet, but he described the 'Kentucky hot brown' one of our party ordered as 'a special sandwich from San Francisco.'

 

My shrimp cocktail consisted of five tasty large shrimp, served a touch too cold, and a wonderful tomatillo sauce enlivened by lime and cilantro. The presentation was awkward--the shrimp were draped over a large glass and several had to be removed from it in order to get to the sauce. I foisted two shrimp off on my companions so I might save room for my grilled swordfish sandwich. This was tasty but messy: a knife and fork sandwich. Attempting to pick it up resulted in the grilled fish, tomato, watercress, and avocado, all spread with a bit of lemon ailoli, sliding out all over the plate. But all delicious, especially the citrusy ailoli and the fish. I didn't care for the bread, a rather characterless pullman loaf, and left it.

 

Our wine expert chose a lovely,lovely Savenierres that was a bargain at $50-odd. He also commented that the list contained many bargains. Lunch prices are reasonable considering the size of the portions.

[Wilfrid1]

thanks

[tanabutler]

He's a good guy to hang around with. An absolute babe magnet. Stood next to him at a craps table in Las Vegas and the parade of groupies was quite impressive. I lost a bundle but I didn't seem to care.

Did he jump onto the table when he lost?

[yvonne johnson]

I agree with Wilf (on other thread--can a mod please merge?) that the appetizers were much stronger than the mains. My spicy tuna tartar with capers and grated egg was delicious. The portions are quite big, as Daisy says, and I had to leave some of my starter to leave room for the next course which for me was Red Snapper Tacos. This was attractively presented: four mini white flour tacos on one side of the plate, a red cabbage slaw (tired and didn't add much) in the middle; and to the other side, three chunks of fish (looked grilled) and in a fruity sauce (we thought mango) and in three cups (that rested in holes in the plate) sauces ranging from hot to sweet--the best was one that tasted Bajan. The fish was very nice, but I don't think the fruity sauce on it was a sound decision.

 

Most of what I tasted from other plates was very good, but I didn't much care for the Kentucky Brown. A Wilf noted, the cheese sauce over it wasn't the best. All dishes, we noted, were prefectly seasoned!

 

A good-looking, airy place and the M'ds are welcoming and the service was efficient. I too would like to try the dinner menu, as the main courses for lunch feel more like brunch food.