Brasserie Cognac Upper East Side — Restaurant in New York

When I first started coming here years ago I gave this place 5 stars. Loved it. Used to bring people here all the time. Then I had some bad experiences and removed a star. Tried it again tonight. (Sept 2016) Now I'm removing another star. The only reason I'm giving it 3 is because the waiter tried very hard and the food wasn't bad tonight. We used to come here all the time but then we had some bad experiences, mostly with management, but we stopped coming here when the food went downhill. The last few times the escargots were like rubber and the beef bourguignon, which should fall apart at the touch of a fork, couldn't be cut with a knife. The waiter was nice but management had an attitude and it just wasn't worth the money. We decided to try it again tonight and the food was actually pretty good. However, if you go here, make sure you check your check carefully.

We ordered two martinis for which they charged us one price. We ordered another round and they slipped a larger charge ($8 more) into the middle of the check. When we pointed it out to the waiter another man came over and he said "The computer does that and charges the wrong price all the time but we fixed it for the second round." Now, I can understand a mistake but if you know the "computer does that" wouldn't you fix the computer or at least have pointed this out to us if it was an honest mistake? Instead of just apologizing, he pulled an attitude. I asked for his name and he said "I don't have to give it to you." I guess he doesn't but I never heard such a thing. Who refuses to tell you their name? We weren't being nasty. I asked if he was the manager but he said he was the owner and again said he didn't have to give me his name. I suppose he doesn't, but since it's a matter of public record that made no sense to me if he's actually the owner. If you were the owner wouldn't you just apologize for the mistake? I guess he has enough business that he just doesn't care. My husband said "Why are you talking to him? Can't you see he doesn't care? Look at him, he's not even apologizing." But I feel people should be given the chance which is why I tried to talk to him. I guess my husband was right though...he doesn't care. We left the waiter a 20% tip anyway because I got the feeling that he probably isn't paid well and relies on those tips. No sense cheating him. I just hope the waiters here actually get to keep their tips. But there are too many better restaurants in NYC where the owners do care and you'll...

NYC Restaurant week Winter 2020: The restaurant has 2 floors, with first floor for small groups, cozy decors that are elegant but not ornate, feels history thru photo but not old, small to maneuver but sits comfortably. Popular destination for affluent locals from opening till closing. Located near Hunter College.

Area is clean, service is efficient, staff are friendly, menus are clear, wine list is lengthy, price and quality are proportionally high. We didn't ask for plates for sharing, so there was no plate sharing fee.

We ordered escargots, lobster bisque, duck leg confit, and codfish. Under price comparison, the items seem cheaper than others by a lot, while still retaining its wow factor, but size of proportion is understandably smaller by a bit.

The escargots are between soft and chewy, with the flavor of extra virgin olive oil, parsley butter, and minced garlic. There is no alarming flavor or texture. It is also served with crispy garlic bread, and a slice of lemon for an optional added flavor.

The lobster bisque is savory and thick with the smell of lobster or other crutacean's juice. Combined with some whip cream for a smooth and appetizing soup. There are no other solids such as lobster chunks in the soup.

Duck leg confit offers 2 leg pieces, cooked to juicy crisp perfection with some skin and fat. Balanced the grease with red wine sauce, perfectly cooked smooth textured baby carrots, and a pinch of mixed herbs with strong flavor, such as cilantro. All served on top of the butter smooth mashed potato soaked in duck juice. Overall, it comes out to be a very satisfying entree.

Codfish is boneless and cooked to a juicy perfection where its meat almost flaked apart. The potato slices are soft with a hint of codfish juice. Spinach stews between codfish juice from the top and the smoothly flavored and textured tomato soup from the bottom. Codfish is not fishy, and the dish is very satisfying.

We close off this great meal with bubble tea from the nearby Gongcha. But you could definitely go further and explore their regular menu for more tasty treats. In fact, I was so curious about their culinary presentations that I checked out their regular menu from the outside. The price is a bit outside my range, but definitely worth it for a...

Pretty bistro with standard French fare. Place is pricey, which I’m fine with, so long as the food is good. Started with a salad, it was very tasty, decent portion with a house made vinaigrette. Went on to the French onion soup. Everyone knows one of the best parts is eating the slightly crisped cheese on the outside. This cheese was melted but the chef did not really brown it all. Once I got to the soup part it was off tasting. Hard to describe, maybe it was just freshly made or even perhaps just watered down. It was very sweet, like someone added sugar to compensate for not caramelizing the onions. For $18 I sent it back. My next course was the fondue. Also a huge disappointment. Terrible flavor and consistency. No cheese pull at all. Points for adding wine but maybe too much wine? They paired it with stale bread. Not sure what other posters were talking about with the veggies that come with it, but I didn’t get any. I ended up using the bread from the basket they provided at the beginning of the meal. I also didn’t eat much of it because I didn’t want to send back yet another awful dish.

My daughter got the beef Bourgogne. That was very good. The meat was fork tender and not dried out at all. The sauce was rich and the plate well balanced with veggies and well made mashed potatoes.

The service was good.

I’ve eaten here before. Had the French onion soup last time and it was tasty so I’m thinking perhaps the chef was...