You know those scenes from the original Sex and the City, where the quartet of protagonists, Cosmopolitans in hand and dressed to the nines, glide from a hot new restaurant’s bar to a see-and-be-seen four-top in the middle of a hot new dining room, and you knew that, even in a transitional moment like that, you were in always-hot and ever-new Manhattan? That’s exactly the feeling I had as I was led to my seat at La Tête d’Or, Monsieur Daniel Boulud’s hot new New Yorkais temple to, if not exactly steaks, then the steakhouse experience.
During my visit on an otherwise ordinary weekday night, the decadent fare and hyper-polished staff were spectacular—as in, resembled spectacles: Chariots of prime rib ($130) whizzed about the place, dispensing 10 ounces of American wagyu ribeye cut, dressed, and served table-side by servers with a flourish that befit the price tag. Though, given that an order automatically comes with accompaniments—bordelaise and béarnaise sauces; spinach and potatoes, both creamy; and a peppered popover—it can feel like a steal, especially with the lavish attention it gets you from the crew and your co-diners. (Common was it for a patron to see another table, point to the prime rib, and say, “I’ll have what she’s having.”)
Aside from the show’s star, scrumptious too are the recurring cast you’d find at a steak joint: the bone marrow, the crab cake, the Caesar salad—also prepped and served tableside. While the dishes here are the types over which life-changing deals are brokered—corporate, romantic, or otherwise—I didn’t notice such contracts being negotiated over La Tête d’Or’s white tablecloths (mind you, the cavernous space is seemingly built for people-watching). All present were simply fêting the good life in New York City, this stage that makes one and all feel like the main character. —Matt Ortile
