La Petite Auberge

CLOSING UP SHOP. Great place to eat, i had a wonderful meal during its last days, friendly staff. Sad this place will be gone.

In terms of ambiance, I was very much reminded of a restaurant that I might have the luck to find on a road trip in northern France. 5 stars for the classy setting: tablecloths, attentive service, cozy atmosphere, the ability to hear your fellow diners (all 7 of them) in a NYC restaurant on a Friday at 8pm. Food was 3.5−4 stars We had the $ 29.99 3 course prix-​fixe. My veal chasseur was delicious, I also tasted the steak — not special, the chicken breast with apple-​brandy– pretty good. The appetizers & desserts were good. If I return, I would like to try the duck a l’orange, the rabbit and the coq au vin. They also have great bread.

This is a dated, wood and brick, dark, French ambiance local eating place, that has a strong local following and older crowd. If you’re looking for modern glass and chrome new, fancy French — this is not the place. It is a «standard» — old school, consistently decent, limited menu, prix fixe available French experience. Onion soup was only fair this time, escargot good, duck served crispy as requested, fillet mignon done nicely with good bearnaise sauce. Bread was crisp and plentiful with a decent wine list and a house wine that was above average. I like the fact that the red is served slightly chilled. This fits the bill for a neighborhood restaurant, with good French food, fairly priced for decent portions and attentive service. It is a place that doesn’t try to impress, but just to feed you in an old world pleasant way. I would give it 3 ½ stars if Unilocal would cooperate.

While the last confirmed siting of the dodo bird was in 1662, and its ultimate extinction occurred soon thereafter, 17^th Century biologists predicted the dodo bird’s ultimate demise for a number of years prior. Hence, the expression developed «dead as a dodo» or «gone the way of the dodo» to symbolize a concept or thing that will or has become out of date. I mention all of this for two reasons: first, some of the patrons of La Petite Auberge may be old enough to have hunted the dodo bird before its extinction, and second, I feel confident in saying that the restaurant will soon «go the way of the dodo.»
La Petite Auberge deserves a one star because its ambiance, food and service are unquestionably poor. I visited with seven other family members to celebrate my uncle’s 60^th birthday. Because of the size of our party, I had a chance to see and sample a large number of items on the menu, none of which were good.
The food: universally poor. Appetizers: the various vinaigrettes (avocado, leek, and artichoke) were all one-​notes; the shrimp cocktail had smaller, frozen looking shrimp and the french onion soup was watery, the onions were not caramelized, and it was remarkably under-​seasoned (this was really a shocker to me because the easiest way to do french onion soup poorly is to over-​salt it, but La Petite Auberge cunningly avoided that problem by adding no salt whatsoever). Entrees were even worse. The duck à l’orange was very dry and well past well done. The poulet du chef (chicken of the day) was coq au vin, which I suspect was the chicken of the day for the past 10 years. Anyway, the coq au vin overwhelmed the plate with a thick, heavy-​handed sauce. Incidentally, the sauce had developed a skin as a result of either lengthy exposure to a heat lamp or time in a microwave. With the coq au vin was a circular disc made of mashed potatoes (literally, this had the look and consistency of a hockey puck). Also mushy was the sole, which we returned; it had the consistency of mashed potatoes (unlike the actual mashed potatoes). The various steaks were all overcooked and the accompanying french fries were mushy. The béarnaise sauce with one of the steaks was entirely congealed, — pretty disgusting. The desserts ranged from one notes to inedible. The chocolate mouse was thick as fudge; you could turn it over and it would cling to your spoon, like heavy aged frosting. The worst thing I had at this restaurant, though, and nothing else was even close was the crème caramel. Truly a spectacularly horrific dessert. This flan had a curdled, mealy texture and had a flavor resembling something that had been frozen for so long that it took on the essences of other more savory items it was stored next to in the freezer.
The service was no better. It took an eternity for the wait staff to provide us menus. Our waitress was abrupt and when we informed her of the sole, she was difficult and questioning. The soufflé, which must be ordered at the start of the meal, arrived thirty minutes before the other desserts were served (in fact, it arrived before the other desserts were ordered). When we wanted to escape this lowly existence of a restaurant it was impossible to get the bill. There are also just some bazaar practices here; for instance, when the bread is served, one waiter comes around with a huge dish and drops a number of butter squares haphazardly on your plate. The real absurdity to this, in addition to the patent inefficiency of serving butter in this way, is that the waiter appears to size each guest up and apportion them the amount of butter the waiter believes is appropriate. For instance, I received a bounty of butter — five squares — whereas most of the women at the table received a mere pittance of butter — two squares. I do not know the cause of this disparity; perhaps it is the classic French emphasis on maintaining a woman’s figure or a relic of the gender stereotypes from when this place was popular (more on that below).
Last, but certainly not least, is the ambiance. It has been decades since this place saw any form of renovation. The walls are dark wood paneling occasionally accented with 1970s «classical» paintings. Each table is ornated with a carnation you would expect to see at a funeral home. Speaking of funeral homes, and with no disrespect meant for the octogenarian crowed which seems to frequent this place, almost all of the patrons at this restaurant are very, very old. In fact, the mushiness and blandness of the food should not really be a shocker given stereotypes associated with the preferences of our more senior citizens. Now I am not, by any means, arguing that one should not attend a restaurant with an older crowd, but the patrons here were entirely homogeneous in age: all over 70. I would go on, but I’ve run out of words on Unilocal.Suffice it to say, given the quality of the food and service and the mean age of the patrons, I suspect this place will soon go the way of the dodo.

Yummy prix fixe lunch with decent and decently priced wine. could use an update in the décor, that’s for sure.

Escargot & Chocolate Soufflé (needs 30 min pre. order) are fav. here.

Listen to me only! This restaurant is one of the worst I have ever been to in New York. The menu is so lame… 90% of the dishes are just classic french dishes taught to every french culinary student. These dishes are generally very good BUT… the cooks in the back nuke the shit out everything and I know it’s not their fault but the clientele. It’s all dinosaurs that eat there and they are dusty ass dinosaurs. Everything is cooked beyond well done because old people can’t eat steak and duck med-​rare like normal people. It’s kinda my fault I should have known when the waiter didn’t ask me how I wanted my duck cooked. Oh yea, and my portion was insane… I know old people like value but portion control PLEASE! I like to see some white on the plate.
Eat here if you’re about to die, but if you’re still young and like to live then run for your life cause if you even think about coming here it means you’re getting freaking old.
Also if you like bland food… then you will LOVE this place
Food — 1.5 Décor — 3 Service — 5.5

Yes they have classical French dishes but they are extremely bland! We had 8 people in our party, many of us ordered different items — all bland. This restaurant’s decoration is a bit dated and the people are all elders. Service was mediocre. Soufflé was huge and delicious but then again it was nothing memorable or special.
Food: 3
Décor: 3
Service: 4
*ratings out of 10

What a wonderful place! I went there to lunch today and I got a pre-​fix lunch. The food was really great-​salad, fish and dessert were delicious. My espresso was very good.
The service was so good, that it’s rare in the city. The bill was around $ 20. I was in a hurry and I didn’t have to wait at all. I haven’t seen such polite waiters in years.
Highly recommended!
But, last time I went here, it wasnt as great and the service really suffered…

Reasonably good old world French. Service is attentive. Much older crowd. Price point is a bit high, although my sweetbreads were very yum and worth it.
Space is a bit dreary, which is my primary complaint here. A bit of decorating would definitely make this a much better choice. The prix fixe looked to be a good value.

Old school country French! One of my favorites. Yes, their regulars are old school, this place is not a scene, go here for the food.

The prix fixe I ordered started very handsomely: the Parmesan cheese layer blended just right with the underlying onion soup. The green salad is clean and fresh with a light touch of ranch sauce. Butter for the bread was fresh. The entrée, daily special chicken, was less than impressive: plainly broiled, and the sauce did not make the boneless chicken better or worse.
The clientele on a Saturday evening contained very few young people on a Saturday evening. Partly because of the neighborhood, but I would say their kind and courteous service should take the credit.
Bring your parents.

This is my first review of place outside of the Atlanta area. Not that I haven’t been traveling, but this trip is the first where I wanted to focus on my dining experience, so it made sense that I should review those places on Unilocal as the trip went on.
New York is a place I visit relatively often, as I have family that lives in Manhattan. This place was chosen more for location than anything else, being more or less downstairs from the apartment I was staying at.
They have a Prix Fix menu that runs about $ 30. As far as New York eateries go, this is relatively inexpensive for a decent restaurant, and it’s a pretty good deal in terms of quality. My sister’s fish was extremely well prepared, but my duck was a little dry.
That being said, the food was good enough that I would go there again. And, at the end of the day, with as many options as one has in NYC, isn’t that what counts?

I went here a couple of Saturdays ago.
From the moment I stepped in and saw the homely almost farm style décor and the authentic French chef beckoning us from the kitchen at the far end of the 1^st floor I loved it.
We were then ushered upstairs where there was a button accordian player perched upon a stool in the corner.
The food was excellent. Very fresh and well prepared. I had poached eggs which were amazing. My friend had breads and fruits which were equally fresh and good.
The only let down was the cappucino I ordered, which was strong but the crème was bubbly. It was basically very hot coffee with a few frothy bubbles of milk on top.
Aside from this my experience was amazing. A real gem and a suprise find in curry hill.

A+ for décor. I grew up in Belgium and France, and sitting in the dimly-​lit restaurant secluded from the rest of New York, I felt like I was back home. The wait staff was friendly and had an air of French hospitality, while maintaining a New York state of mind (if that makes any sense). The ceilings are low, with exposed rafters, and the smell when I entered reminded me of the homes of my neighbors in Belgium. It’s great for first (or second or third, but definitely not fourth) dates, with the combination of candlelight and intimate table seating providing the «je-​né-​sais-​quoi» that all romantic evenings inevitably need.
On the other hand, the menu is severely limited, with most items on the menu overpriced, or lacking in originality. I could get similar food elsewhere for ¾ of the price. That said, their leek soup is filling and most items on the menu are hearty and will satisfy any hungry stomach. As for the desserts, the mousse left a lot to be desired. It was like ice cream, and sank, rather than swim down my esophagus. They do have a «pris fixe» menu, but even that is dependent on what you order. Some items on the pris fixe menu actually cost more than others on the same menu.
Overall, I’m glad I went to La Petite Auberge, but the next time I’m in the area, I might pass on this intimate restaurant for something a bit more exciting and more tasty.

August 13, 2003. I remember the day well. It was my first meal, alone, as a resident of Manhattan, the day before that monster blackout.
So I sauntered around the Murray Hill area, where I lived at the time, looking for something that looked decent. I happened upon this little gem, well, because it had that «familiar» look to me. Because I was a little too timid to go in and ask, I got the number and called to see if reservations were needed and if there was a dress code (because, as we all know, «French» begins with an «F» just like «Formal» does.)
The maitre d’hotel just laughed at the first question, and to the second, he responded – in a classically French accent but with an authentically New York sarcasm, «You come with shirt and shoes and pants.»
I thought, «what a d**k,» at first.
But I was hungry and that was the only thing that was appealing in the area. I wasn’t used to public transport or walking around town at the time. to find something else.
So I went. And I was glad to have done so! This place is totally old-​school, a classic bistro that time forgot.
It is, how you say, «one of the last of a dying breed.»
But you want to know about the food, right? Here’s what I had at that first meal:
1. A truffled foie gras terrine. With the usual accompaniments of gherkin and toast points (but I always opt for more French bread instead of the toast). Paired, of course, with a glass of Sauternes. It was a special, not on the menu. Is foie gras even legal in New York anymore? I’ve been gone for over a year.
2. Filet Bordelaise. Well, I’m a big fan of Beef Wellington and that seems to have gone the way of the Polaroid camera, so the next best thing is a nice big slab of tenderloin with bordelaise sauce.
3. Crème Caramel. Flan. You can never go wrong with that.
I can also vouch for the their sweetbreads, rack of lamb, frogs’ legs, escargots, steak au poivre, and chocolate mousse. All were solidly done.
Service was attentive and friendly.
It’s definitely your grandfather’s French restaurant. And something I’m afraid we’re seeing less and less of lately. Don’t let this sort of place become extinct! We don’t need another highfalutin nouvelle fusion celebrity-​chef bistro.
It’s solid, honest French food. Go. Before they sell the block to some developer with «bigger plans.»

I had dinner here two days in a row because the help are warm, the food dependably well-​made and I can think and write without being disturbed.
The atmosphere is low-​key and intimate. Most of the clientele appear to be well-​to-​do regulars, more gray in the hairline than not. The music, like the lights, are soft but perceptible.
It’s a restaurant for couples that have loved each other many years.
I had the lentil soup and the duck a l’orange. To drink: a vermouth dry and neat to start, and a Cotes du Rhone 2004. The waiters are warm, helpful and appear to know the food in and out. They aren’t afraid to make a recommendation if you ask for one.
The flavors are subtle, not boisterous, and the food well-​cooked across the board. I’m emphasizing this because there is one go-​to French restaurant in Ithaca, and they only properly cook the visible parts of your dish. =P
For dessert: chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Exquisite! I want to live under the table and spend my life catching Auberge crumbs with my tongue.
The place is authentic. Best of all? No BlackBerry-​blaring executives and no screaming children. I’d come again just for that.
One setback: it took over 20 minutes to get my bill, and finally I had to flag a waiter down to ask for it. It’s possible they were waiting for me to ask (and indeed — on the second night, I got used to asking). It’s nice to feel there’s no rush; most of the patrons linger a long time.

While the crowd was a little bit more gray haired than I would have prefered, we had a great meal. Here’s what we ordered.
Appetizers: Onion Soup, Butternut Squash Soup (Soup Du’Jour), Coquille Saint Jacques
Entrees: Two orders of Le Filet De Boeuf
I probably should have gotten the duck.: (The appetizers were the standouts, and I can’t say that I’ve ever had a better Onion Soup, but the filets were not so good. They were cooked perfectly, but the cuts were just WAY too fatty and sinewy.
It’s totally worth a one-​time visit, but I cannot see myself going back, at least not for the food and definitely not for the atmosphere.

This restaurant will always hold a special place in my heart and memory… my first (and only) visit here was over 9÷11÷01.
My friend and I had an amazing meal here… The pâté was superbe. His duck was perfectly cooked as was my chicken. We drank a fabulous bottle of Chateauneuf with dinner, and the desserts were wonderful.
I am a huge fan of French Food, and this place is one of the best meals I have ever eaten in my life.

Classically old-​school restaurant Francais. Your parents were taken here by their parents, especially if your parents’ parents were from France. Everything flows smoothly, competently, pleasantly, with an occasional happy surprise. They’ve been doing it for years, well, and the experience shows. What’s better than a well-​run French restaurant?
Dark-​paneled wood walls, the feel of an old-​style mountain inn. Classic menu, with offerings that may not have changed in years, equally split between fish and meat dishes.
Prix Fixe a good deal at $ 25: starts with a choice among 10 different appetizers, with salad not counting as one of them like most places … and merci beaucoups for that, Auberge. I hate having to give up the chance to try an interesting appetizer just to have salad, which you pretty much have to have, at least once a day. I had pâté, because I don’t have it every day, although if it’s always this tasty without being too moist, as some pates tend to be, maybe I’ll start. Then came the automatic salad, without any of us having to request.
Unlike a lot of restaurants’ prix fixe offerings — limited to 3 – 4 choices that feel like leftovers you wouldn’t order unless you are doing prix fixe, La Petite Auberge lets you try any of 8 – 10 interesting, attractive main dishes. My scallopini de veau avec des champignons was excellent, just as I expected it to be. But then, I’m a sucker for anything avec champignons: pizza, salad, cereal, beer, toast, you name it, I’ll take it avec moi champignons. Hey, if I’m in the park, I might try the toadstools.
Prix fixe finishes with another good range of choices for dessert. La crème caramel came with slices of orange rind, a perfect offset taste to the fresh sweetness of the delicious caramel. My only complaint is that they politely stopped me on the way to the kitchen to get my own seconds.