The Consulate Midtown — Restaurant in New York

Celebrating my birthday at this French restaurant was undoubtedly an exquisite experience from start to finish. The ambiance alone sets the stage for a memorable dining affair, with its sophisticated charm and inviting atmosphere that elevates any special occasion.

The culinary journey began with the artichoke appetizer, a delightful prelude to the culinary delights that awaited. The Wild Mushrooms Truffle Pinza stole the show with its medley of sautéed wild mushrooms, creamy goat cheese, fragrant truffle oil, and fresh chives atop perfectly baked Pinza bread. Each bite was a symphony of flavors that danced on the palate.

The French onion soup at this remarkable restaurant is a culinary masterpiece that deserves special recognition. The richness and depth of flavor in every spoonful of this classic dish is truly something to behold. The sweet caramelized onions, savory beef broth, and decadent melted cheese perfectly meld together to create a symphony of flavors that warms both the heart and soul.

The presentation of the French onion soup is as exquisite as its taste, with the gooey, golden-brown layer of cheese cascading over the rim of the bowl, inviting you to dive into its comforting embrace. The sight and aroma alone are enough to evoke a sense of nostalgia and anticipation for the culinary delight that awaits.

Each spoonful of this soup is a journey through layers of complex and harmonious flavors, with the slight sweetness of the onions balancing beautifully against the savory richness of the broth. The melted cheese adds a luxurious creaminess that ties everything together, creating a truly indulgent and satisfying experience.

Moving on to the main courses, the Pesto Reginetti Pasta showcased the simplicity and elegance of classic French cuisine, with al dente pasta coated in a vibrant pesto sauce that celebrated the freshness of the ingredients. And then, the pièce de résistance – the Tomahawk Steak for 2. The 48oz of perfectly cooked steak, accompanied by roasted herb potatoes, chimichurri sauce, and tender broccolini, was a carnivorous delight that left a lasting impression.

Complementing these culinary masterpieces were the exquisite cocktails. The "Oui Mademoiselle" cocktail, with its tantalizing blend of vodka, elderflower, blackberry puree, lemon, and sparkling wine, was a true work of art in a glass. Its harmonious mix of flavors and elegant presentation added an extra touch of glamour to the evening.

Overall, dining at this French restaurant was a sensory experience like no other. From the impeccable dishes to the outstanding cocktails, every detail was crafted with care and precision. For a birthday celebration or any special occasion, this restaurant promises an unforgettable culinary journey that will linger in your memory long after the last bite has...

Upon opening the doors, you are greeted by the custom tile insignia giving notice that what you are about to experience is a little bit more than expected. The space is on point for whisking you away to Paris. Greeted immediately, we hardly had time to absorb the warmth of the bar to our right - glowing and humming with staff’s anticipation of treating their guests. The iron detail of the bannister, anchoring unfurling curved staircase calls you to the second floor dining space. Warm tones of aged brick, wood and dim warm lights made the otherwise cavernous space cozy. The music was a menagerie of contemporary US and French selections. My only wish is that they would have stuck with one or the other as the shifting felt jarring in the otherwise blissful moments. Cesar made our visit very special. He was attentive yet leaving us enough time to anticipate our next course. We began the meal with steak tartare - this including a quail egg, a good dose of Dijon and pepper. I would have only added a touch of capers to lend a bit more to the well composed plate. Next was the marrow bones which was the first time I have had them dressed in a fig demi gloss. The bones themselves were less full of marrow than I would have expected though the marrow was perfectly rendered. Dinner featured the creamed spinach and short rib cavatelli. These were nothing less than spectacular. The luscious cream was perfectly studded with fresh garlic and introduced to the fresh spinach with such a gentle touch that the two were intertwined without becoming an indiscernible paste. It was the most incredible creamed spinach I have ever tasted. I commented to Cesar how much I enjoyed it and he sought out the chefs technique so I could recreate it at home. The cavatelli was nothing short of indulgent with its braised richness almost buttery silk of the short rib, a slight sweetness from a bit of red wine used to bridge the savory profile to the hand rolled cavatelli acting as a soft vehicle and adding the necessary balance to the dish. Small dollops of fresh ricotta added the touch of cream but inventively the chef allowed me to customize my experience by varying the amount of cream I used in each bite. If I had more time I would return to see Cesar and explore this...

The Consulate Midtown is a beautiful restaurant and we were greeted with a smile and kind hostess. We were seated at a quiet upstairs table per my reservation request.

As far as the service I’m truly torn. Our server was very nice, but seemed she might be new, if not, she should know more about the drinks and menu.

Everyone enjoyed their specialty cocktails. I will add that the Tito’s vodka soda w/a splash of cranberry was $24 +$7 for an extra shot — $31! It didn’t even taste like a double. We know drinks are pricey and are fine with it, but seriously?

And then it was time for appetizers. I wanted the Tartare Trio (tuna, salmon, crab), but I don’t eat salmon, so requested to switch it for another of the offerings within the trio, to which I was told “we can not do that.” I did not ask to switch the salmon to lobster tail, so this was very off putting and I decided to forego an appetizer all together (they lost $22 and a star on this review for declining that very easy accommodation).

The other appetizers a pork rib special and crab cake were all very good.

When it came to ordering our entrees we all decided on steak; two filet mignon and two rib-eye. Again I asked to substitute the mashed potatoes for crispy mushrooms (exact same price on the menu) I was told she would have to check with the chef. However, my husband was able to choose any side with his rib-eye, so he ordered the mushrooms and we just swapped.

Both of the filets were delicious and the crispy mushrooms were fabulous. Unfortunately, my husband and our friend who ordered the rib-eyes medium rare were given medium. Anyone that orders steak and has to send it back knows it’s a kill joy for the meal, so they both said the flavor was decent and they would just eat them.

We were full and decided to pass on dessert, BUT, our server brought out a Creme Brûlée for our friend’s anniversary. That was extremely kind and appreciated.

As we were leaving, the same hostess was kind enough to take a few photos of us.

Overall our experience was clearly mixed. The problem is in NYC where there’s so many restaurants to choose from, you really have to hit all the marks. So, we’re not sure if...