Capsouto Freres Bistro

one of the best french restaurant i been too in NY… so sad it closes!

I am so sad to see that this grand old place has closed. It was long rated the best place to propose during the many years I lived in New York. I was lucky enough to enjoy a long, leisurely lunch there during restaurant week a couple of years ago. I had fantastic grilled salmon and my first savory soufflé ever — — a mushroom soufflé that was out of this world. The chocolate soufflé for dessert (well worth a little extra since it wasn’t on the RW menu) was absolutely divine, especially with the perfect whipped cream in the middle. The service was excellent, with friendly not-​at-​all-​stuffy staff. As an added bonus, I introduced a French friend to the place that day and we were both delighted.
What a terrible shame that it is closed. I hope the Capsouto family is doing well and perhaps may return one day in the not-​too-​distant future.

Sad to see it’s closed. Was a great spot…

This place is gorgeous! It is beautiful and spacious and in a nice location near the water. The brunch food however, is just okay. Eggs benedict were average, the raspberry soufflé was good, but not great. Definitely can’t be the best souffles in the city. I also sampled the french toast and the chocolate chip profiteroles. Everything was decent, but nothing left me dying to come back.

Why all the negative reviews? I went there on a Saturday around 12:30pm. The place had a large party throwing a baby shower, but they were quiet and didn’t disturb us. Being the only other party in there, the service was very good.
The waiter, an old french gentleman was patient with us while we decided on what to order. I believe most of the items on the menu were in written in French, we tried to decipher what some of the more obscure ones were. He explained to us what each dish in question was made of and helped us pronounce the lovely names.
Apperitiv
Peach Bellinis with Sparkling WIne, wondered if it would have been better had we opted for the Champagne version which was $ 4 more.
Appetizers
For our party of three we ordered the Terrine de Foie Gras, Saucisson de Lyon, Terrine Provencale as appetizers to start. The Foie Gras was delicious, the waiter informed us when we were thinking about ordering it, that it was real foie gras and not made from pâté, and it was made in-​house. That sold it for me being a foie gras lover myself. Saucisson de Lyon — a really yummy pork sausage, I didn’t care too much for the lentils on the side. Terrine Provencale — its hard to describe except as a slice of pastry with some meats and some veggies. It was an excellent combination with the flakey pastry top.
Entrees
For the entrees, we ordered the Marseillaise Egg with Scallop & Spinach, and Wild Mushroom & Cheese Soufflé. I highly recommend the Marseillaise egg — it is exactly as it sounds, the egg was just right, slightly running. When I cut it with the knife, it went pop and the yellow goodness started flowing out of it. The Mushroom and cheese soufflé was okay, though we would give a savory soufflé a chance, but it wasn’t anything special. Alas our idiot friend ordered a Sirloin Burger which was a total miss. It was overcooked to the point where it was still a bit pink inside but it was dry. The fries were soggy by the time they got to the table.
Desserts
I had the Fig Soufflé, which was the special of the day apparently. The others had the Praline. I would have ordered the Praline too, but I figured since they were both ordering it, I would try something different. It turns out the Fig was just right, slightly sweet but not overpowering. The Praline Soufflé was pretty good too, but I did find it a bit sweet for my taste — at least when they are compared side by side.
Conclusion
I was stuffed to my guts. The bill wasn’t that cheap, approximately $ 70 per person pre-​tip for the food extravaganza described above. I highly recommend the appetizers. Overall, I will go back to this place but next time we will share a soufflé!
BTW the place started bustling around 2:30pm on Saturday. Perhaps people just don’t get up so early to travel all the way out on the west side.

Best Souffles in NYC!!!
I’ve ate many delicious Souffles in NYC, but this is the first one that is puffy and soft. As the waiter pour the raspberry cream into the Soufflé, I can see the soufflé grow larger for two seconds (it looked like it was eating the cream).
The food is good too. I will definitely come back to this restaurant.

Brought the folks here for an early Father’s Day brunch, having remembered going here on a similar occasion as a youngster. To tell the truth, I didn’t recall what the food was like (not that it matters, given that my adolescent taste buds were not very discerning), but I did recall being wowed by the vast, elegant space, and the charming French owners who casually dropped by our table to check up on us and share some high-​minded observations about life, mortality, and generational ties. And possibly flirt with my mother. Mais oui, how French.
I was pleased to see that in the intervening, say, eight years little had changed, although there were a hell of a lot of empty tables for 12:30 on a Saturday. On the one hand, I can see why, since, as previous reviewers have noted, Capsouto, while refined, isn’t a trendy TriBeCa yuppie crowd-​pleaser. And the service was pretty raw. But hey, my ratatouille omelet was delicious, the coffee was strong, and the buttery french fries were a nice extra. For dessert, I had the berry plate. Like everything else here, it was surprisingly simple, straightforward, and inarguably great. My dining companions enjoyed the soufflé — probably a good thing, since it is the house specialty.
I hope CF stays around for a while longer, although one has to wonder since it is a bit of a dinosaur (for this neighborhood/​borough/​city).

Came for mother’s day brunch, when my eggs came they were so overcooked they were rock solid hard. The owner then came over, I assumed to apologize, and proceeded to ARGUE with me over how eggs should be prepared. I finally got a new plate, which was average at best, that came just as the rest of my party was finishing their meals. Outstanding.
The best part of the negotiation was having the owner ROLL his eyes at me and walk away, a truly spectacular display of customer service.
Even the French onion soup, which one would assume to be a staple for a French restaurant, was average at best. Also, the soufflé was nothing to write home about.
Will definitely not return, a shame because the atmosphere was lovely. Too many other options in the immediate area and definitely not worth the price.

My girlfriends took me to Capsouto Freres for my 23^rd birthday. The moment we walked in, the service was phenomenal and welcoming. The ambience made me forget the hustle & bustle of NYC and I felt like I was taking part in a beautiful movie scene. The décor was romantic and the food was one of the best French cuisines I have ever tried. I cannot wait to come back for another beautiful evening =)

Very expensive even for NY standards. Service not very friendly.
Good news: Restaurant is large and accommodating without reservations for large groups and families.

I had been wanting to try Capsouto Freres ever since one of my attendings recommended it and Jeol Robuchon introduced me to the lovely cloud of heaven called a soufflé. Nonetheless, I could not help but feel that I had walked into the wrong place after reading the reviews, for I did feel that the décor was outdated and the place was empty despite them not being able to move my reservation ½ an hour.
We were seated at a table by the open window which was pleasant as it overlooked a quaint street in lower Manhattan on a serene Sunday afternoon. We started by zoning in immediately on the souffles but decided that the rest of the menu was simply too tempting to ignore and settled for souffles to share. For a started I ordered the beet salad and followed with the tuna. The soufflé of cheese and broccoli was decided on for savory, while we ordered 3 souffles in advance for dessert. THe food was good, and the execution was fine, but it was not very memorable. The side dishes consisted of vegetable medleys and were bland. The soufflé was good, but not great, and the same can be said for the dessert souffles. Even the famous hazelnut soufflé was acceptable but not phenomenal.
All in all I enjoyed the dining experience here but I do not know if I would really bring anyone here as a must see.
I hate ending any ok review on a negative note, so I will say the champagne was delicious!

Capsuto Freres will forever be a classic and a great rest in my book. I have been there three times and each time my experience has been glorious, not good, not OK, but literally something to remember!
The owner or manager was a gem, the first time I came here I got caught in a rainstorm and the owner saw me all wet and upset when I walked din and he immediately made me feel at home, the place is so beautiful, to me this is a REAL NYC restaurant.
I usually have the fish special when I’m here, I’m not a soufflé lover so I never ordered that but all their other desserts are incredible!

When you see a french restaurant menu chock full of souffles, you think that must be their specialty. Sadly, that assumption could not be further from the truth at this place.
My savory salmon soufflé was dry, and flavorless. I figured the chocolate dessert soufflé would have made up for it, but instead, it tasted like watered down hot chocolate. The rise was impressive, but I’ve made better chocolate souffles in tiny nyc apartment kitchens.
Aside from the lack of flavor, the restaurant was also lacking in service… overpriced items, and long waits for food, despite the place being close to empty.
Save yourself and head to the nearby 508 greenwich instead.

I come here every now and then. It has a very cozy atmosphere. I love the European ambiance! The food is pretty good, and there are always specials for the day. What I like is the personal touch of the restaurant, the owner is always there, making rounds and greeting all the customers. I enjoy the pâté they give with bread. I also highly recommend the soufles. Hazelnut is my favorite!
Everyone here is always super nice. The food is always delicious. This is one of my favorite spots in the city, it is a little tucked away from the busier parts of Manhattan. When the weather is warmer, the restaurant opens up their windows which are almost the full length from floor to ceiling! You can catch glimpses of the Hudson River and watch the sunset. Also, there is outdoor seating when it is warmer. It def. gives a nice European vibe. I think this is the perfect, quaint little French restaurant when you sometimes just need a little get away from the busy in the city. This is the perfect spot to relax!

Went there for my mother’s birthday last night. My meal and my mother’s meal were both good. My father’s meal was awful, as was my wife’s.
I didn’t get a taste of my dad’s but he came hungry and most of it was left on the plate. My wife’s artichoke appetizer tasted like it came from a jar.
The service was poor also: The waiter forgot my wife’s dessert (she placed her soufflé order when she ordered her appetizer), and my brother’s as well.
And, to top it all off, management came back to negotiate with my MOTHER (remember, it was her birthday) over the low tip that my father left for the poor food and service.
This was the go-​to special occasion place for my family for years. I’m sad to say it, but we won’t be back.

Had a great dinner here with the boyfriend.
We arrived at about 6pm on a Friday night, and the restaurant was mostly empty as 6pm is not quite dinner time in Manhattan. Consequently, we got a great seat… in the corner of a raised platform in the back of the restaurant. We could see everything (the interior is nicely decorated and the restaurant fills with a nice energy as it fills with people) and we were tucked out of the way, which was kind of romantic.
We went all out for dinner. He ordered a bottle of wine (don’t ask me what… I am a wannabe beer connoisseur) and throughout the dinner, they made sure that our glasses were never empty.
We both started with onion soup because really what’s a better appetizer at a French restaurant? My only complaint is that a tiny square centimeter of my cheese was burned and tasted like char. It was otherwise perfect, so I am ok with sacrificing that square centimeter for widespread perfection.
Dinner for me was steak and frites. Best frites I have ever had, anywhere. The steak was good, too but it wasn’t exactly what I wanted. There was nothing technically wrong with it, it just wasn’t The Perfect Steak for me. But I’m a picky eater. Boyfriend had filet mignon with Madeira sauce which came with mashed potatoes and asparagus and perhaps another side dish? It looked delicious. I didn’t get any of it, but it’s ok because he didn’t have any of mine.
For dessert we did NOT have souffles. I had the assorted fruit sorbets because I’m obsessed with sorbet, he had chocolate mousse because that is what he wanted. I did have a taste of that and it was fluffy and delicious. The sorbets were packed with flavor. There were four of them. One was raspberry — my favorite. Both desserts came with fresh fruit and candied orange peel. I had a chamomile tea, which came with tea cookies and candied ginger. So dessert was basically perfect.
And a quick note on the dress code — Unilocal says «dressy» but we were both wearing dark jeans and sweaters. With boots and nice shoes, of course. And we were some of the better-​dressed people there.

The best way to lure new customers is through excellent food during Restaurant Week. That’s the only time I venture out of my comfort zone or my wallet cap.
I was looking forward to a nice French dinner, just like the pleasant RW dinner at Brasserie. Much to my disappointment Capsouto Freres was less than stellar.
I had the pâté appetizer, monk fish entrée and blueberry crêpe for dessert, nothing screamed come back and try other dishes. The pâté was no different than the ones I eat from cans, the monk fish was ok, I did enjoy the sweetened sauce that came with it as well as the rice but the dessert was way too sweet and tart for my palette.
The service was ok, not bad, not great, though the interior of the restaurant made you wonder what this building was like 50, 60 years ago. The nice brick wall, the ceiling fans and an interesting corridor that led to the ladies’ room was all the quaintness that came with older buildings.
I wouldn’t go back even if I were invited to dinner. It’s sad that restaurants don’t put more effort in their RW dinners, cuz a great RW meal is what makes me go back.

I came here for lunch with some co-​workers for my first Winter 2010 Restaurant Week experience.
Mind you — we’re all creative-​types and get to wear jeans and tees to work if we want. We walked into the restaurant which is fairly nice and plays classical music. As we sat down, I swear we were waiting for a scene right out of Muppets Take Manhattan to happen. As much as that would have amused me, I was there for the food.
I ordered the Pâté de Cannard for my first dish. It was a full plate of flavors! Delicious, but it came with a mere three melba toasts. I would have liked more.
The Navarin d’Agneau was extremely flavorful without being overpowering. I enjoyed every last bite of the very tender lamb. Had a bite of my friend’s Coq Au Vin which was a decent portion. It too was extremely tender and flavorful. I was surprised that I liked it because I’m generally a bit picky with my Coq Au Vin (due to a bad flavor experience).
My dessert experience was the chocolate mousse cake. It was rich, but not heavy. Paired with a cappuccino, it made for a lovely ending to the lunch. The cappuccino’s foam was surprisingly good — it wasn’t swimming in the flavor of the cappuccino.
Service was so-​so. It was a weekday late lunch, so there weren’t too many parties there. Empty water glasses sat on the table for a good 15 minutes before being refilled, nothing too big, but again, it’s the small things that matter. Props to the man at the table over who had a scotch on the rocks AND a glass of wine AND two beautiful girls at his table.

I had a craving for souffles one day so I decided to come here for a meal of a savory soufflé and a sweet soufflé. They were delicious and fluffy, and one of the few restaurants where I’ve managed to find savory souffles. I had an earthy mushroom soufflé, which kind of reminded me of the flavor of cream of mushroom soup (with cheese, of course), and the hazelnut soufflé, which was very light.
WARNING: The souffles are very large. Even though I have been known to eat more than most people I know, I was extremely full and couldn’t finish my dessert soufflé. I do not recommend that you order as much food as I did; sharing is caring.

Perfection personified. We have been coming here on and off to celebrate birthdays for many anos and yesterday for lunch to celebrate my friend Mark’s birthday.
Warm rolls and house made preserves start the service. One note about the service. It does not get any better. The brothers who own Capsouto have one of the best trained servers, period! The setting in it’s large lofty space with lots of exposed brick is simple and elegant.
I went with the prix fix which was a starter, entrée and dessert for $ 29 and for an extra $ 5 you could add on their famous soufflé– done.
My starter of mushroom soup, also the same for Mark was rich, full of mushrooms and delish. Main was a salmon with a creamy sauce, rice with carrots and steamed broccoli– tasty. Mark’s pasta with shrimp and scallops in a creamy sauce which he always orders is downright delish.
My dessert was a chocolate soufflé with raspberry sauce, I asked and they created. Out of the ball park. Topped with powdered sugar and looking much like the pic below they scooped a hole the whipped cream and raspberry sauce– frantastic. Mark’s homemade chocolate chip ice-​cream was also yummy served with real and candied fruit.