A restaurant that showcases how quality ingredients and French refinement can lead to one of the best meals in the city.
The Upper East Side is a haven for classic European cuisine, and Monsieur Bistro is a delightful addition to the scene. Tucked away between 64th and 65th on Lexington Avenue, this unassuming gem serves up some of the most delicious French food we’ve encountered in the city. Monsieur Bistro takes the essence of classic French cooking and translates it beautifully for the New York palate.
Our meal began with a complimentary black olive tapenade and crostini. The tapenade was a perfect balance of briny olives and pungent anchovies, a savory and impactful bite to kick things off.
For appetizers, we couldn’t resist the classics: escargot and beef tartare. The escargot was divine, each morsel melting in our mouths with a rich, buttery flavor. The garlic enhanced the earthy notes of the snails without overpowering them. With such little bites, there was a level of balance achieved by all ingredients where it felt fresh, clean, and not overdone at all.
The beef tartare, prepared with tomato, capers, cornichons, parsley, parmesan, and a balsamic dressing, was a standout. This dish was absolutely one of our favorites of the night. Not only was the beef incredibly tender that it melted in your mouth, but it was incredibly complex with the flavors being used. There was a beautiful and clean citrus flavor that was present throughout the dish. The usage of tomato was very smart with this dish as it added an additional brightness which helped compliment the notes of citrus. And the chopped capers and garlic dispersed throughout the tartare added a nice sharpness to the dish both with brine and funky spice. This is served alongside bread which makes for the perfect vessel for this dish.
For our main dish we decided on something our server recommended which was the Lamb Parmentier. If you’re unfamiliar with this dish, think of it as a classic Shepherd’s Pie but instead of the ground beef at the bottom it is with a savory slow-cooked lamb shoulder topped with mashed potatoes that are roasted and toasted ever so slightly. As for the taste, it was savory,, rich, and bursted with flavor in each bite. The lamb shoulder was shredded underneath and was cooked to perfection where it melted in your mouth. The lamb was seasoned beautifully having enough salt and herbs in it to accentuate the natural flavors of the lamb. The mashed potatoes on top were silky and decadent and complimented the lamb so well. And our favorite part was the top of the mashed potatoes was slightly overbaked to give it a nice crispy exterior to it while still being smooth underneath. Not only was this dish delicious, but the way it was constructed and thought out from the way the lamb was cooked to the slight crunch on the potatoes demonstrates the incredible technique the chef has when making this dish.
No meal is complete without dessert, and we were persuaded to try the Cookie XL. Our server’s favorite, and with good reason! This massive cookie arrived, taking up the entire plate, and topped with caramel sauce, shaved chocolate, and crunchy macadamia nuts. The exterior was perfectly crisp, giving way to a gooey, molten chocolate center. The macadamia nuts added a lovely textural element and a hint of nuttiness. The accompanying scoop of vanilla bean ice cream was exceptional, with a clean, pure flavor that complemented the cookie without being overly sweet. The contrast of warm cookie and cold ice cream was a symphony of textures and temperatures.
From the impeccable service to the exquisite food, Monsieur Bistro exceeded our expectations. We will undoubtedly be back (especially for that Cookie XL and the Lamb Parmentier!), and we highly recommend it to anyone seeking authentic and expertly executed French cuisine.
