La Tête d’Or, chef Daniel Boulud’s brand-new restaurant, invited the Knockturnal to dinner and drinks to celebrate Matthew McConaughey’s Pantalones Organic Tequila’s exclusive cocktail, the Burnt Velvet, a bold mix of Pantalones Añejo Tequila, Michter’s Rye, Barolo Chinato, Benedictine, and Spiced Cherry.
A bronze plaque on Park Ave. South marks the entrance to this discreet steakhouse. Inside, a friendly hostess and the restaurant’s regional manager welcomed us. We checked our coats and were escorted past a bar into the main dining room where we were seated in a little nook at a table for two. The dining room, aglow in soft golden lighting, was bustling with a well-heeled crowd. Tall ceilings made for a grand décor. Soulful music set a warm mood.
Our waiter served us a complimentary glass of champagne to kick off the evening. Next up it was time to try the Burnt Velvet. This featured drink had a sweet and satisfying tang. As elegant as it was flavorful, the Burnt Velvet was our evening’s go-to cocktail. It complimented well with our entire meal.
For an appetizer, we had crab cake, made of tarragon remoulade, piquillo, and pickled vegetable slaw. It was one of the best crab cakes we’ve ever had. Also, we tried the salade d’automne, made of chicory, apple, red kuri squash, beets, stracciatella, and walnut dressing. It was refreshing and whet the appetite. With our appetizer,s we were supplied with freshly baked bread and butter. Vegetarians will appreciate that the menu has options that do not include meat.
For our main course, we had the striploin Japanese A5 wagyu served with bordelaise sauce on the side, and grilled farmer’s market vegetables, which featured a head of cauliflower, quinoa, mushrooms, turnips and other delicious veggies. The steak was my favorite part of the meal. It was soft, tender, and tasty. The Burnt Velvet was a perfect match to sip with it. The farmer’s market vegetables were delightfully filling. Our sides were ravioles au comté gratinées, spicy broccolini, and pomme purée. All were delicious, but we especially loved the ravioli dish and highly recommend you try it.
Finally, for dessert, we enjoyed soft-serve coffee-chocolate swirl and vanilla sundaes with chocolate sauce and toppings of housemade sprinkles, cocoa nibs, passionfruit, marshmallow, cranberry meringue kisses, freeze-dried cranberries, and brownies. The ice cream was served in silver goblets around which the toppings were arranged. The soft-serve ice cream was perfect. We think Chef Boulud should open an ice cream shop. We also enjoyed the pecan joconde and the citron-framboise tart made of lemon curd and raspberry meringue.
Throughout dinner our service was impeccable. Our waiter really took the time to explain the menu and give recommendations. Their service was well-paced, and we truly felt like V.I.P.s. As we were leaving, Chef Boulud even greeted and asked us how we liked our meal. It was very special to get that kind of personal attention.
Thank you to Pantalones Organic Tequila and the restaurant La Tête d’Or for hosting us for a magical meal that happened to be on our second wedding anniversary. Pantalones Organic Tequila is an award-winning, smooth and flavorful agave-forward tequila that is perfect for sipping, shooting, or mixing up in your favorite cocktails. It is a line of super premium organic tequila crafted to celebrate having fun, doing good, and not taking life too seriously. The liquid is priced between $39.99-49.99 and recently became available nationwide - find Pantalones Organic Tequila at a store near you and on ReserveBar.
Fun fact: Boulud has paired up with McConaughey and Pantalones Organic Tequila in the past, as Boulud’s Centurion New York featured a cocktail from the brand on menu.