My First Michelin Star Restaurant Experience: Daniel
At the beginning of my road trip, I had no idea what real fine dining was. The extent of my fine dining was maybe Cheesecake Factory. I totally understand how absolutely sad that sounds, but honestly, I’m a simple girl. As long as it tastes good and I’m fed, I’m happy. However, since traveling with my new friend Alex who accompanied me to several states, he has shared his passion for fine dining with me. I had my first tasting menu experience and now I was about to go to my first Michelin Star restaurant in the Big Apple.
DANIEL is rated at TWO Michelin Stars. DANIEL is owned by the famed French chef Daniel Boulud and offers a luxury fine dining experience on Park Avenue. Upon arrival, I noted the outdoor dining. While Daniel doesn’t traditionally do outdoor dining on the sidewalk, many restaurants in New York resorted to COVID. The inside of DANIEL is designed with luxury touches and marble accents. We were seated inside with large dividers separating the dining tables for COVID. My second observation was that all of the staff was dressed in Comme des Garçons! From the traditional striped long sleeve with the heart logo to their converse collab. So ladies and gents, if you are looking to obtain some free Comme des Garçons, consider applying to DANIEL.
Every time I step foot inside a place that is out of my price range, I always feel so out of place. I make observations of the guests at these places and imagine what they must do for a living. The table opposite from us looked like a young couple around our age but she had Chanel sneakers and he was constantly on the phone on what seemed like something work-related. I also imagine that our server can tell we weren’t rich kids.
Like a true gentleman, Alex covered my Michelin meal. This was definitely also because he really wanted to dine here and there was no way I was going to eat somewhere I absolutely couldn’t afford. Our dinner was a three-course prix-fixe menu that runs $140/person. There was also an additional option for wine pairing that was $72/person. Like a complete idiot, I ordered the wine pairing thinking this would be for the both of us rather than each. I ended up paying the steep price for that, but go big I guess right?
Usually, in fine dining restaurants, the menu is ever-evolving. During our visit, Chef Daniel and his culinary team curated a limited-time menu featuring the flavors of Provence called ‘Boulud Sur Mer’. This menu is supposed to take guests on a culinary journey to the south of France. See what I ordered below:
Starter
POULPE GRILLÉ AU FEU DE BOIS
Wood Fire Grilled Octopus, Eggplant
Black Musto Oil, Burrata–Basil Émulsion
ENTRÉEs
BOUILLABAISSE CLASSIQUE
Fish Stew with Black Sea Bass, Red Snapper
Monkfish, Clams, Squid, Shrimp
Saffron “Rouille”, Garlic Baguette
Alex’s Order:
CÔTELETTE D’AGNEAU AUX PIMENTS DOUX
Elysian Fields Farm Lamb Chop
Stewed Peppers, Merguez, Coco Beans
Sauce “Sisteron”
DESSERTS
TARTE AU CHOCOLAT
Andoa-Lavazza Ganache
Pine Nut Praliné
Alex’s Dessert
Final Thoughts
While the idea of eating at a Two Michelin Star Restaurant was pretty amazing and definitely a bucket list item, I didn’t feel as if the food was anything super special. My favorite part of my meal would probably be the octopus. I understood my main dish was a stew, but it just seemed like different types of seafood in a clear liquid that had no interesting or special flavors. Perhaps I should’ve ordered something else. the presentation wasn’t anything fancy either. It looked like a regular restaurant seafood soup dish. Lastly, the dessert options didn’t look all too great for me so I settled with the chocolate tart. This tart was very dense and rich. I wouldn’t exactly say it was savory. Overall, while I appreciated the experience and the idea of eating at a top chef’s restaurant, I didn’t leave there thinking my dining experience was game-changing. I honestly loved my dining experience at Tasting Counter in Boston so much better.