Renowned California chef Thomas Keller (French Laundry, Per Se) provides a bit of the french bistro experience at Bouchon Bakery.
Trying the Bouchon Bakery location in the Time-Warner Complex at Columbus Circle in New York City just makes me want to return to try more of the menu.
The cafe portion of the Bakery sits on the mezzanine, overlooking the huge windows with a vista over Columbus Circle and Central Park South, making it feel like an outdoor dining experience. The busy bistro is bustles with activity as the throngs of lunch goers and shoppers line up for the short wait for a table. The turn over is fast so the waits don’t seem to be too long, we waited about 10minutes for a table.
Sitting down the friendly, fast and efficient service manage to make the experience feel leisurely but still lets the working crowd get back to the office within their lunch break.
My companion recommended the Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Tomato Soup, judging by the number of tables with at least one of the diners with that before them, it looks like the most popular item on the menu. I can see why, it was comfort food done best, savoury, fresh tomato soup was perfect to dip the melty, Fontina & Gruyere grilled cheese sandwich into. The amazingly dense but light pain au lait was perfectly crispy and held the tomato soup well as the strings of cheese pulled away with each bite.
Watching plate after plate of the other comfort-food menu items, like ample Cobb Salads, Mac & Cheese, Bouchon Bakery “Franc-Furter” (sausage in a bun), streaming from the kitchen really makes a return trip to sample more of the fare a must.
The bakery selections for dessert looked spectacular but there is also a take-away retail counter adjacent to the bistro so diners can take a box of macarons, madeleines or pain au chocolat home or back to the office.
Bouchon Bakery has 2 locations in New York City; Time-Warner Building and Rockerfeller Centre. There are also locations in Yountville, CA, Las Vegas, NV (in The Venetian) and Beverly Hills, Ca.
