MY HEART BROKE YESTERDAY ...
... WHEN I HEARD THAT LA GRENOUILLE RESTAURANT IN NEW YORK CITY IS CLOSING ITS DOORS THIS WEEK
La Grenouille, a beloved NY City institution and my absolute favorite French restaurant is closing its doors this week after 60+ years. I enjoyed my first meal at La Grenouille in 1973. Forever after it was my first choice of French restaurant in New York City. My husband and I enjoyed many a lunch and dinner at La Grenouille over the years. And after we moved back to NY City from Paris, I always felt like I was back in Paris each time we dined at La Grenouille.
La Grenouille (translation: The Frog) was located at 3 East 52nd Street, just off Fifth Avenue in midtown. It attracted celebrities and power players in NY City for decades, including Gregory Peck, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sidney Poitier, Salvador Dali, Sophia Loren, David Bowie, Truman Capote, Lee Radziwill, Katherine Hepburn, Henry Kissinger, John F Kennedy, just to name a few.
What made La Grenouille an iconic restaurant for many years?
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The elegant atmosphere: with its red-and-gold interior and the most amazing flower arrangements you could hope to see. Yet, while elegant it also felt cozy. To support the elegant atmosphere there was a dress code. Men were required to wear a jacket and tie. And if a man arrived minus a tie, the maitre d' would provide one.
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Unmatched service: white-gloved waiters who spoke French and made you feel as if you were actually dining in Paris. The waiters were professional waiters... no out-of-work actors, artists, etc.
- Classic French cuisine: which included some of the best escargot and onion soup I've eaten anywhere. And while I don't normally eat fish, I would often order the filet of sole. The steak tartar was also outstanding. For dessert their souffles and floating island were the best in NY City. And if you couldn't decide on which souffle to order, there was the trio of mini-souffles.
More information about and pictures of La Grenouille.
Renowned Chef Daniel Boulud told The Post that, when he first came to NYC in 1982, “La Grenouille was the reference of French dining with its Old World elegance, charm, cuisine and service that no other restaurant could imitate. It is sad to see it closing.” I couldn't agree more! Although La Grenouille saw its share of problems in the past 10 years and especially during and post-Covid... I'm still sad to see it go, as it holds so many wonderful memories for me of good food and good times.
And while I'm sad to see another iconic French restaurant in NY City bite the dust, I'm grateful that I've had the opportunity to dine at many of the most famous classic French restaurants in NY City that closed their doors long before La Grenouille, including: Lutece, La Cote Basque, La Caravelle, La Goulue. Those dining experiences with Old World elegance, charm, service and outstanding cuisine will remain in my memory forever.
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