Daniel — Restaurant in New York

Daniel is about serious food, serious service, and serious wine. I am not using the word 'serious' in a derogatory way. This is not a stuffy pretentious place as some reviewers have written. Rather, it is a serious staff doing everything possible to give the customer the very best dining experience. If I could give this place 6 stars, I would. If you want the best, then hold a gun to your credit card and book yourself a reservation. That's the short of it. Read on if you care for some details. [update: 4th visit was still excellent in all respects.]

First, the service. The entire staff is completely dedicated to ensuring that every customer is happy (not just a few) and they do this by paying attention to every last detail, no matter how small. They are pleasant. They are attentive. They are knowledgeable. They are accommodating. They are complete professionals and among the best front of the house staff I have encountered at a restaurant of this (ultra high) caliber. These are people who understand that if you order tea at the bar, that when the first pot is finished, they quietly brew another pot (without asking), and keep pouring tea when your cup runs empty, quietly move the pot to the dining room when you go there, continue to pour tea throughout the meal (always hot and from a fresh brew as needed), and never ask you if you want a fresh pot. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Believe it or not, it's not all that easy to move so seamlessly. They recognize what you want, when you want it, and they don't question it. Ever.

Second, the food. This is serious food (again, I am not using 'serious' in a derogatory manner). Seriously prepared. Seriously refined. Seriously beautiful. Seriously excellent. What is so difficult at this end of the spectrum is to bring dish after dish after dish without having at least o ne or two relative duds. The diner's standards and expectations are so high that there is inevitably going to be something that is not up to par. But I was simply amazed that Executive Chef Jean-Francois Bruel and Chef de Cuisine Eddy Leroux were able to keep going through so many courses without missing a beat, without any duds, leaving no question in my mind that they are masters of their domain. In this kind of take-no-prisoners environment where only the best is good enough, it is always difficult for the pastry chef to hold up their end of the bargain. But Mr. Boulud has solid backing with Executive Pastry Chef Ghaya Oliveira who cranks out desserts at the same Everest-like elevation as Bruel and Leroux.

Third, the wine. Daniel's cellar is one of the best. Anywhere. Period. The depth, both horizontally and vertically is mind boggling. But restaurant wine is not just about what's on the wine list; it is about the staff's knowledge of that wine list, and how to pair those wines with the output from Daniel's kitchen. Head Sommelier Raj Vaidya (yes, a restaurant of this caliber has multiple Somms on the floor on any given night) is truly a master of his domain. He has the knowledge of the cellar. He has the knowledge of the wines. He has the knowledge of wine in general. He has the knowledge of the vocabulary to talk about the wine at any customer's level. He has the industry cred (I have talked with several others in the industry about him and they have a lot of respect). And he can pair those wines like no one else I've seen.

You might think that with such an established restaurant that Chef Daniel Boulud would be no where in sight. Not so. When I visited he was speaking with patrons dressed in his chef whites. I can only believe that his continuing active role in the enterprise helps to maintain the high standards.

Daniel is a place you go for the absolutely highest...

Our meal at Daniel was one of a kind featuring tastes from South France. What composed of a three course prix fixe was filled with flavorful anticipation and delight with each bite around the table.

Our three course prix fixe was comprised of an appetizer, entree, and dessert.

Pre-appetizer we were served bread (baguettes, three grain sourdough, and focaccia) where focaccia was my favorite. The bread paired with olive oil imported from Provence was a perfect starter to our French meal. The olive oil was very fragrant alone and had a nutty spicy taste much different to common store bought olive oil.

Prior to our appetizer we were also served a complimentary amuse-bouche which resembled a savory, flaky puff pastry topped with crème fraîche. The taste was similar to a less oily version of a scallion pancake and more flaky. This was a new taste and joy to eat for me.

For my appetizer, I ordered the Maine Peekytoe Crab which composed of wild Monterey seaweed, half boiled quail eggs, bok choy shoot, and tapioca kelp chips. The crab was tender, fresh, and creamy. Bites of creamy crab and the acidic dressing packed a tasty juxtaposing yummy mouthful. Tender crab and runny yolk from the quail egg paired along side crunchiness from the briny seaweed and tapioca chip was a fantastic mixture of diverse textures. Overall, this was a colorful, flavorful, and textured appetizer.

For my entree, I ordered Scharbauer Ranch Beef which is roasted tenderloin, zucchini, chanterelles, "Pomme Savonette", bone marrow, and bordelaise sauce. The roasted tenderloin was a tender medium rare. Although the meat was tender, I preferred the taste of either the meal or Colorado lamb. The zucchini was a unique aspect of this dish which was diced zucchini wrapped in zucchini flower and was a delight to eat paired with the the tenderloin and slightly acidic bordelaise sauce.

For my dessert, I ordered the Frog Hollow Farms Apricot which comprised of lemon verbena chantilly, "Galil" meringue white coffee ice cream, and apricot configure sorbet. This dish was a winner. The acidic apricot sorbet and coffee ice cream were sandwiched between each other made for a wonderful pairing or creamy sweetness and acidity to balance out any heaviness. The little treats on the side of the decor shaped like white honeycomb and the crust on the bottom of the ice cream sorbet whole were great texture contrasts.

Finally, we were done with our prix fixe meal. Wait...but, not yet! We were served complimentary petit four and a small bucket full of mini madeleines. Oh my goodness, the madeleines were simple and topped off with confectioners sugar, but they were super cute and fresh out of the oven tasted so good.

Now finally, we were done with out meal. Overall, we were treated with fantastic service and delicious food. Daniel is a Michelin restaurant worth checking out here in Manhattan, NY. Although, it may be pricey the food and experience is worth the price. The only downside was the venue of the restaurant which was supposedly to be on a terrace. The terrace is in fact small covered tents/booths along the sidewalk. Because of Covid and renovations, eating outdoor in the tents is reasonable, but I think it would've been more worth it for the atmosphere if we waited after indoor renovations. The temperature outside was also humid and hot which, but thankfully the food and the mini fan inside each tent made it more bearable. I enjoyed my experience and hope anyone else that comes here does as well. I definitely recommend the restaurant....

5.26.18 - I just read the restaurant's reply, which is already 3-days old, to my 5.10.18 review and I will follow up with them as prompted, but I need to stress a few things.

I very rarely give 5-stars, and when I do it's usually when I've repeated the establishment numerous times with consistent satisfaction, like Angel Share; Bistro Petit (now closed); Kadeau, Copenhagen; Han Dynasty (yes...); MACE Bar NYC; or restaurants that exceeded expectations on many levels like Alinae; Sushi Yasuda, Tokyo; Sushi Nakazawa NYC, Contra. I also need to make it clear that I go into all restaurants expecting to be disappointed because I consistently read over hyped reviews on new and old establishments. We are in a time where there is an over saturation in fine dining restaurants, 'foodies', and food-critics.

My point is, I'm biased to the downside because I've gotten around to a lot of places globally in the last 10 years where things aren't so new anymore, but they help you refine old experiences. Plus, I write these reviews more so as a online journey of my traveling/eating/adventuring experiences throughout my life using Google Maps.

5.10.18 - Wonderful French cuisine and attentive staff who enjoy their work. I liked it, but I won't repeat.

For the 4-course a la carte menu there's a lot of highend food. The scallop dish is creamy, rich, and flavorful, the sole was superbly prepared, and the squab is super tender, almost like butter. The Wagyu falls short of expectation, but this is coming from someone who doesn't like beef anymore. The cocktails are also nicely done, but nothing memorable.

The brioche is rich and buttery. You could have 10 and walk away happy.

The decor is interesting, especially the painting to the right wall (facing the entry doorway) in the waiting area. The bar looks charming, but I didn't spend any time there.

All in all the experience is a...