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Adour Alain Ducasse
Category: Restaurants French French [Edit]
2 E 55th StThe St. Regis Hotel
(between 5th Ave & Madison Ave)
New York, NY 10022
Neighborhoods: Midtown West, Midtown East
(212) 710-2277
- Nearest Transit:
-
5 Av/53 St (E, M)
57 St (F)
5 Av/59 St (N, Q, R)
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
94 reviews for Adour Alain Ducasse
Review Highlights
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"Foie gras with rhubarb and hearts of palm - so delicious." In 19 reviews -
"Celebrate your next special occasion at Adour." In 11 reviews -
"Amuse bouche: foie gras chowder: damn foie gras chowder." In 11 reviews
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94 reviews in English
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Review from Kelley L.
Los Angeles, CA
4/2/2012 4 photos
Came here for my birthday last weekend. It was my first visit to NYC, and I really wanted to try a renowned restaurant in the city. Service was really excellent. My boyfriend and I made our reservation on time and was seated promptly. We had great service throughout the dinner, and the recommended wine was also delicious.
Regarding the menu items: there were fewer items than I expected, but the duck foie gras is a MUST. It was my favourite part of the entire meal. The Cote de Boeuf was very generous in proportion -- and I mean, it was really big, they let you see it before they serve it to you -- but I felt it was a bit too much for me.
For birthdays, they offer complimentary desserts. Unfortunately, my boyfriend forgot to tell them about my allergies, so I could not eat them. ):
Overall, I would love to give Adour 4.5 stars. Great atmosphere, great service, great food.Listed in: NYC Adventures
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Review from Eric W.
Hoboken, NJ
3/18/2012
Quick summary: boring modern French food with a fantastic wine list.
I took my wife for a night at the St. Regis for a "just because" special night out, and we came downstairs for dinner. The wine bar is interesting, with projector menus that I can't really explain but google them.
We were seated in a side room with three or four tables, even though the main dining room was only about half full. We felt ostracized. Anyway, it seemed like most of the people there were tourists who wanted to try a Michelin starred place while they were on vacation. A lot of poorly fitting cheap suits.
Our waiter didn't introduce himself and just took our orders. He didn't smile once the entire night. I remember laughing about the reviews complaining the aggressive bread service and thinking how bad could it be? They were right. I was bread-raped.
The food was okay but nothing special, memorable, or even a little bit interesting. Everything felt phoned in. -
Review from Brittanie M.
Manhattan, NY
2/1/2012
Decided to have dinner at Adour after finishing drinks at King Cole Bar (very swanky and gorgeous place). Adour is what you'd expect decor wise being located inside the St. Regis. Classy, elegant, plush, a hooker/escort dining with "her date" to your left, with a little touch of glamour. I love the little bar area at the entrance. I guess its designed to remind you of champagne, very different from the actual restaurant.
We ordered a bottle of wine and for an appetizer I ordered the vegetable cookpot. It was delicious and the best part of my meal. For my entree I had the colorado lamb truffle, which was good, and finished with the hazelnut souffle for dessert. Another yelper described my experience here best by saying it was perfectly nice. It speaks volumes when the best part of my meal was a vegetable cookpot. For the price and for the name attached to this place I expected to be blown away. -
Review from Susanna C.
Manhattan, NY
4/1/2012
I came to a friend's birthday dinner party here and it was excellent! The food was delicious, wine was superb and the service was exemplary. The hamachi with Meyer lemon was light and fresh. The halibut was flaky yet melted with sauce into a wonderful taste of spring. The dark chocolate sorbet took my breath away -- the gold lead shavings and caramelized croutons really make this dish awesome!
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Review from Tara W.
1/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
We had a perfectly "nice" meal here. "Nice" being the operative word. Nothing was inventive or wow-eliciting, the service was sparse, and the decor felt a little dated.
The vegetarian tasting menu was mostly hits, with a pumpkin soup with nuts and cream; a shaved salad that could've been a little crisper, an artichoke ravioli that needed something else, and a sweet little entree of a baby eggplant halved and stuffed with ricotta salata and shaved local root vegetables (local? Were they foraged in Central Park?) The sommelier recommended the perfect wine to straddle my choice and my husband's omnivore tasting menu (but why does that have one more course than the veg? Makes it a little awkward)
The dessert was the shining star. Chocolate soup with gold leaf; and a surprisingly light but satisfying tropical fruit sorbet/gel/meringue.
With so many great Michelin starred and French restaurants in the city, I'd be hard pressed to recommend this to someone else. Sorry Adour I think you need to step it up :( -
Review from Chasitiy P.
New York, NY
12/11/2011
A SUPREME Failure.....
Ok the bill is high ass Italy Debt Crisis and the only thing that's memorable was my brandy infused cocktail? WTFITS (translation: What The F Is This Shisss)
Nevertheless, the ambience is very classy and they waiters provide excellent service. However, the cuisine is not desirable on any level.
Now you officially have: "The Supreme Touch" -
Review from mike d.
New York, NY
12/2/2011
Do yourself a favor. Take $1500 cash out of your wallet, walk into the center of Adour, pull down your pants and take a hot steamy crap on the floor. Walk out smiling - this will be a better use of your time then eating here.
Seriously - food was a 5/10, service 7/10.
The food is really boring - no one at my table was wowed by anything.
Sure the King Cole bar around the holidays is fun, so go there and get a few manhattans and then take a cab to Artisanal or any other French Bistro in this town - order anything you want, and get a few $200 bottles of wine and you will have spent your money well.
I've been to a few of this towns so called "spots" - this is not one of them.
If it wasn't for location/atmosphere this place would be shut down!
PS...I know I am a bit particular about my after dinner drinks but if you claim to run a French resturant in the city you better have fucking Marie Brisard Anisette or at least Fernet. When the last note of your mediocre symphony is a glass of Sambuca with 3 coffee beans in it I feel like I'm at Christina's in Murray Hill - no wait - they have Marie Brisard. I should have gone there!!! -
Review from Randy S.
Manhattan, NY
11/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
When you stack this place up against some of my favorites, like Daniel, Per Se and French Laundry, I want to give Alain Ducasse a 4.5. Too bad Yelp doesnt let you give half stars (yet again) because there are many restaurants that I have given 4 stars, that do not stack up to Alain Ducasse when comparing establishments of equal caliber (price, service, ambience)
I would give this place a notch above Grammercy, Madison Park and a few notches below Daniel, Aureole, Per Se, etc...
All in all the food was spectacular, especially the scallops which were so tender and buttery they fell apart on the plate.
Of course the service was 5 star, and the decor, although not my style, was as luxurious as it gets.
Thumbs up! -
Review from Raffi M.
10/13/2011
This really is a 4.5 star review, but I am rounding down. We recently visited Adour for a special occasion. I had been meaning to come here for a long time, honestly since the previous Alain Ducasse experiment failed a few years back, and AD decided to open up Adour as a slightly down-market sop to the New York market. Yes, seriously - Adour is down-market, for Alain Ducasse, at least.
One of the reasons I liked Adour is that one is not necessarily roped into an elaborate tasting menu. Of course, there are some days that seven courses, with an amuse before and mignardises afterwards is an appropriate meal, though in the present environment one wonders whether all of this is not a little obscene. But Adour lets you dine somewhat more modestly - so pick two courses and a shared cheese, if you like, or perhaps skip dessert. In addition, the great benefit of a la carte dining is that the main course is more substantial - even though I'm always filled to busting after a tasting menu, I also always feel like I could have used more of the primary dish and less of the other things (or, perhaps, just the other things and no main course).
In any event, the food we actually ended up ordering was excellent, if perhaps boring in the sense that really well executed classic French food can sometimes be. Take, for example, my main dish. Roasted lobster with cranberry beans and lobster reduction. The lobster quivered between cooked and raw, just as I Iike it. The beans were just cooked through, creamy without mush. And the reduction a dark treacle of great complexity. This was all food executed at the highest level. But did it startle me? Make me think new things about food? Inspire me to wonder where this dish has been all my life? No. If "startling" is the word you want to describe your food splurge, Adour is not your place. Adour is where you come when you want someone to serve you a hazelnut souffle un-ironically, and have it be flawless.
Having said that, some of our dishes were remarkable. One was my appetizer of sea urchin and pasta, an vegetal orange froth of the shellfish, pureed and whole, beautifully saucing some ethereal pasta. Those who have had sea urchin only raw, on sushi or otherwise, are missing out - cooked, the textural problems that sometimes put people off disappear, and the untuous fat remains. So too my wife's dessert of apple ice cream with a sort of caramel sable. It was as if a candy apple from my wife's childhood trips to upstate New York grew up, like we have. We will remember these dishes.
Service follows the same pattern. Efficient, without the over-the-top hysterics of Per Se. Not quite as stuffy as Daniel. The meal was well paced, and people understood that we were there to celebrate.
A last note about wine service. Adour has a very strong wine program, including a much hyped holographic wine display. I am no great wine expert. But when confronted with a list of this depth I've found the best approach is to simply call the sommelier over and give him a price range. Don't be bashful - in the end, it's just a restaurant, and the sommelier is nothing more than someone whose job it is to leave you satisfied. Adour's sommelier took my modest budget of $80 for wine and got us an excellent bottle of premier cru Beaune, to match my desire for a red that we could drink with fish. But if you have really deep pockets, I'm sure Adour can take you some surprising places. -
Review from Jeff M.
Beverly Hills, CA
8/13/2011
Went to Adour 2 years ago while staying at the St Regis and Loved the food. As I read the reviews and saw that Adour is only One Michelin star; I'm not sure if that's for this year only? Because it's a beautiful restaurant their service was excellent and the food was excellent. But I know that the cheif moved to LA. So I don't know about now.
I went to Daniel (over rated and the food wasn't great) and Adours food is much better! -
Review from Jay I.
8/14/2011 5 photos
(This is the review for my experience on July 6th).
First of all, I think the overall experience at Adour was 4 to 4.5 stars. However, if you taste something that you never tasted anything that good before, and if you may never have that experience anywhere else, I think it is worth giving 5 stars. To me, the Almond Souffle did the job that night.
My then-fiancee and I decided to try this place after taking our wedding photos. We decided to go with the 3 course meal. She ordered the Sea urchin pasta, beef entree and no dessert. I went with Foie gras (for the first time), pork entree and Almond Souffle. I wasn't a big fan of a non-chocolate souffle, but decided to try it somehow.
Their amuse bouche was a panna-cotta-ish soup with citrus touch. It was good but wasn't spectacular. The bread and butter was good I though. My first course, foie gras was actually very tender, juicy and full of flavor. However, because of how the livers are prepared I am skeptical if I will have foie gras again. My fiancee said her Uni pasta was quite tasty.
My main course was the pork chop with the eggplant side. The pork was so tender and juicy. However, I actually enjoyed the eggplant side even more. It was prepared on a slice of cooked eggplant topped with other vegetables and cheese. It was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Her beef entree was good but not memorable.
Then here came the souffle. I had one bite, and then had to cut my wife's phone conversation so that she could taste what I just did. It was amazing. The creamy almond flavor, so full of flavor, comes into your mouth and melts in there. It was indescribable. I still remember, after a month, how the first bite tasted like. You too will say OMG the moment you taste it.
Lastly their petit four was the macaron, which was very good too. Overall it was a great experience anyway, but the souffle made it a night to remember. -
Review from Sai S.
Berkeley, CA
9/21/2011
Adour
Lovely regal space. A bit stuffy crowd wise but what would you expect --- it's the St. Regis.
Friendly maitre d who greeted me without any arrogance.
I was dining alone and was asked after being seated if I would like a newspaper to read at dinner. I was offered 3 choices brought to my table. Nice touch.
Bread
Sourdough or French as the option. Salted and unsalted butter offered.
Amuse
A mini caprese salad of sorts. Mozarella, 50 year aged balsamic vinagrette (not sure I believe the age). Served in a small glass with a spoon. Delightful, really nice and refreshing.
Starter -- $27
Sea urchin pasta
Sadly I was underwhelmed by this dish which is supposed to be a signature dish here. That's not to say it's not good. It is. But after having world class uni in Tokyo (or for that matter, at Sushi Yasuda) and having world class pasta at Babbo or homemade by a friend who is a masterful chef, this had neither world class uni nor world class pasta. It was rich and had good flavor but missed the "wow!" element I had hoped for.
Main -- $42
Trout with shrimp and scallops
I was talked out of the chicken dish and recommended this one.
The scallop was a huge juicy flawless piece. The trout was perfectly cooked as well. The whole dish was pretty much spectacular top to bottom with a sauce that was the right amount flavorful without being spicy or overwhelming.
Dessert -- skipped
Yelp reviews panned basically all the desserts here so I saved the calories and skipped dessert.
Post dinner sweets
4 pieces of chocolate and 3 jumbo macarons compliments of the kitchen. Chocolates were delicious, macarons were good not great. Certainly lacked that buttery flaky crispy perfection of the ones at, say, Jean Georges or One Madison Park.
Service
Attentive. Good recommendations from my waiter and he did not make me at all feel bad for passing on dessert (as the stuffy wait staff at certain high end nyc places might do for an a la carte dining patron). Also the wait time between dishes was perfect.
Overall, a solid 4 star place. This place is not in the same league food wise as some of its other 1 star Michelin friends like OMP, Gramercy Tavern, and Annisa. That said, I recommend it for a special occasion given the opulent space, the excellent service, the very good food. -
Review from Food X.
Corona Del Mar, CA
12/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Service, presentation and the food was amazing. I only wish it was less expensive, but you get what you pay for. Great meal.
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Review from Madhuri I.
New York, NY
11/2/2010
There used to be a time when the man and I would be on the prowl for new fine dining restaurants in the city with vegetarian menus. We haven't done that in a while now, and it wasn't until the article about Adour's new menu fell into our lap that we realized that.
And glad I was that I did!
Adour is in a warm intimate space lined with interspersing wood panels and wine racks. While most people are rather formally dressed, I did spot a gentleman in a grey flannel sweatshirt. Smooth.
The waiters dazzle you with their knowledge of food and wine. What I did find a little perplexing though, was their overbearing eagerness to serve us bread. Every single time we politely declined, a different waiter would show up with new bread. I. don't. want. bread. OKAY?
Also, there do seem some mix-ups in the service. We asked for tap water at first, but the second and third refills were that of sparkling water. I didn't bring it up because the combination of still and sparkling water is an odd, but unique one. Also, despite our request that we did not want cheese, parmesan was shaved over two of our courses. It was almost like they employed this little guy who stands at the door of the kitchen and shaves parmesan into the outgoing plates. Okay maybe he's a big guy. Who knows, but you get the picture.
But despite all this, I did walk away from Adour a happy customer. The food really did wow us. The stars of the evening were the beginning and the end. An earthy mushroom soup & quail egg coupled with surprising little bits of pickled chanterelle and balsamic vinegar reduction was an absolute delight. And to end the meal, we had a passionfruit/coconut concoction, which tasted every bit like the tropical summer of my dreams. The macarons that followed the meal, though, were only strictly okay.
Oh boy, do I love the good stuff. I shall be returning, Adour.Listed in: Wallet-emptying,…
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Review from Natasha L.
Washington, DC
10/10/2010 3 photos
Walking into the St. Regis Hotel, it's not totally obvious where Adour is as there's a bar area and you kind of have to walk to the back, but as soon as we got to the right entrance, we were greeted by a lovely hostess and led into a vast room, that resembles a pretty large wine storage room. The sections of the restaurant were in fact aligned with wines and champagnes, therefore setting the tone that cuisine at Adour is designed for the wine connoisseur.
We were seated and promptly welcomed with a delicious watermelon soup, pureed zucchini with a crostini covered in an olive tapenade and lastly a fish croquet as our amuse bouche. This wonderful display of color, texture and flavor really set the tone for what was to come.
For my appetizer, I went with the local fluke ceviche. I am always a fan of ceviche and this was wonderful. Bursting with flavor and color, I enjoyed every bite. It was so refreshing and with the avocado, the fish just melted on my tongue. I would have been happy having this as my main! It was substantial enough
Already a little full, they brought out my main which was the Slowly Cooked Wild Bing Salmon sauteed vegetables, heirloom tomatoes, barigoule . This was prepared rare which I think most people would have enjoyed a lot, but I think I would have preferred it to be cooked a little bit longer. It was delicious though. And I absolutely LOVED the heirloom tomatoes. The vegetables really complemented the fish quite well.
We skipped dessert which was fine because they brought out macaroons and chocolates petit fours which was more than enough to go with the French press coffee we ordered. That was a little over-priced by the way. $20 for a cup and half of coffee a piece. Delicious, but pricey. I really enjoyed the strawberry macaroon! Normally i don't care for macaroons at all because they are just too sweet for me, but these were really nice.
In sum, this is a great place to go to dinner to celebrate a special occasion or simply to have a romantic and delicious meal. Recommended!Listed in: Michelin-Star Love
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Review from Megan M.
San Francisco, CA
6/27/2011
This restaurant isn't just about the food, it's about the experience. Set inside the gorgeous St. Regis hotel, the restaurant is a classy French oasis to enjoy a spectacular French meal. We stuck to the tasting menu with the wine pairing and everything was spot on. The dishes are fair sizes so save space for the later dishes!
I highly recommend this place for a romantic meal. -
Review from Rich W.
4/21/2011
This is an upscale French restaurant in the beautiful St. Regis Hotel. Location is premium, as is the namesake. My expectation couldn't be higher for a restaurant owned by Alain Ducasse.
Amuse bouche was rather bland, not a good way to start. The sea urchin pasta appetizer redeemed the reputation of the restaurant beautifully. The sea urchin was fresh and flavorful - certainly more so than the version at Basta Pasta. The bread service was adequate - the baguette being the best I've had in New York. The Elysian lamb was cooked to perfection - very tender and had a balanced lamb jus. The crusted polenta and the artichoke garnish seemed like an afterthought - didn't really add anything to the lamb. The souffle was surprisingly average. While the flavor was fine, it was underdone. If you want a perfect souffle, go to Bouchon in Columbus Circle, or fly to Chicago and go to L2O. The petite fours was kind of disappointing. The macarons were Americanized - the shell was not airy and tasted like cookies. What a shame! Jean Georges and Daniel do a much better job.
Prior to coming here, I had wondered why an Alain Ducasse restaurant only had 1 Michelin Star. He had done much better in New York when he was at Essex. The dining room was beautiful. Service was superb. And the sommelier was very helpful and knowledgeable. The problem was the food.
While there were dishes like the sea urchin pasta and the Elysian lamb that were good, there were also a few missteps. And even though the overall experience was pleasant, nothing was amazing or really wowed me. From the food, I see a competent team, but I don't see the vision or ambition of a world renowned chef. I guess I was just expecting too much from this New York outpost. -
Review from Marlene D.
New York, NY
10/23/2011
Alain Ducasse.... but then affordable. YES...it exists! When seated at Adour you can have the VIP treatment in a gorgeous, historic, luxurious environment, without too much financial damage. I mean: $115,- for an esthetically pleasing and tasty 5 course dinner is not the end of the world. I felt a bit cold, and right away they offered me a scarf to keep me warm. The service was superb. Now if only there would have been less of a geriatric crowd around me, I would have given that 5th star too. I don't think I saw anybody below 50 years old around me.
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Review from Jim U.
9/15/2010 4 photos
My quest to visit all of the Michelin-starred restaurants in NYC continues with an evening at Adour. Located inside of the St. Regis hotel a few blocks away from Central Park, the restaurant has all of the trappings of elegance one is accustomed to seeing at a high-end hotel. Unfortunately, aesthetically, there were no bold notes or the presence of a distinct personality. For example, while some restaurants will include beautifully crafted walls of wine, vaults, and the like; at Adour, they are simply on display as an afterthought. Reflecting back, there was nothing distinctive about the layout of the restaurant or its ambience. The food, however, is a different story.
Dinner began with a trio of amuse bouches. I absolutely love when then come in threes, and this arrangement was just gorgeous with its interplay of color, texture, and fragrance. To my left, there was a shot glass of watermelon soup. In the middle, a cup housing pureed zucchini capped by a crostini generously covered in an olive tapenade. And to my right, a small fish croquette. The watermelon soup was smooth and refreshing. The tapenade was especially flavorful from its use of fresh olives. The croquette was perhaps too salty though, disguising the flavor of the fish.
For the first course, I had the sea urchin homemade pasta. A most understated description because it in no way captures how amazingly good this dish is. To begin with, the noodles are freshly made. Their texture, size, pliancy, and taste were all perfect. Mixed in with the noodles was fennel, garlic, and of course uni. The uni was just splendid as it was incorporated in three different ways: directly, as a creamy sauce, and again as a foam. A decadent dish that was pleasing all around because the uni was so good. The only slight was that it was a largely monochromatic dish, but that is a nitpick at best. I definitely recommend this dish.
For the entree, I ordered the Maine lobster. The online menu shows it served en cocotte with carrots and a red wine reduction. My lobster was not served en cocotte (a specialized cooking vessel), and there were no carrots. What I had was a bit different. The morsels of lobster were impressively large. There was another creamy sauce with foam, and apple added in for texture. The dish was highlighted by 3 spears of narrowly cut Romaine lettuce. The color composition was more interesting in this dish. The lobster was fairly good being both fresh and embodying a lot of flavor. I was generally pleased with this dish, though it is not my favorite preparation of lobster.
The dessert menu eventually arrived, but we were simply not taken with any of the fruit-centric selections. Instead we both just opted for a service of organic Nicaraguan (Matagalpa) coffee. Strangely, we were both presented with individual services (and charged twice). Each service contained about 1.5 cups of coffee. Taking it black, I was very pleased with the deep flavor. I just couldn't recommend it at $20 for 2 people though. Along with our coffee, we were served petit fours. We had 4 macaroons and 4 chocolates between us. I really enjoyed the macaroons and thought the nougat chocolate was just wonderful.
The service was minimal which I found surprising. There was no explanation of the tasting menu, no entreaties for wine pairing, and not all of the dishes that we did order were explained.
Overall, Adour has wonderful food at slightly higher prices than is typical for this level of dining. I think it is worth seeking out for particular pleasing dishes like the uni pasta, but the ambience and service are underwhelming enough to make one aware that Adour is not a complete package deal. I think they just barely garnered 4 stars from me because ultimately I did enjoy the food enough to overlook the rest.Listed in: Michelin Madness
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Review from David M.
2/18/2011
Ducasse deserves his great reputation. This 1 star Michelin restaurant is under-rated. It fully deserves 2 stars. Go and try the tasting menu with paired wines. It will be pricey, but for a special occasion, well worth it.
Adour's cooking bursts with freshness and originality. No other-worldly molecular cooking here. Rather, layers of well blended taste-on-taste that explode in your mouth. Favorite dishes: the halibut with wild mushroom crust; the divers scallop with artichoke; and the chocolate crisp dessert.
The staff, from the head waiter, to the servers and sommelier, all were kind and professional. The ambience is elegant old-style hotel. Bottom line, one of NYC's finest restaurants. -
Review from Michael L.
San Francisco, CA
2/16/2011
There are a few things that separate good restaurants from great restaurants. It doesn't need to always be the Chef. It doesn't necessarily need to be the decor. Not even the food has to be perfect. Sometimes it's just the ability of the staff to see a problem and do whatever is necessary. In this case, Adour has succeeded at every level.
As you might imagine the food is world class. The amuse was rich with lobster and delicate flavors of the sea. Keeping with the "surf" starters, both the divers scallops (large and buttery) and the King crab with celery root remoulade were both fresh and distinctive on the pallet.
The entrees were surprisingly LARGE and worth their commanding price. In fact I would have loved to taken some of my chop and polenta back to the hotel for a late night snack, but with all those fashion week celebs staring at you.. Dessert was a "chocolate leaf" with hazlenut mousse, and sorbet. Quite the presentation with gold leaf and I seem to recall something poured in the middle, but my memory became a little fuzzy after the martinis!
This is a special occasion restaurant, BUT given the ample size of the entrees could easily be a fun night out with a few foodie friends and not break the bank.
+1 extra star to Karim for his kindness and professionalism. -
Review from Annie H.
2/2/2011
We ventured through a snow storm that night to come here for dinner, and it was definitely worth the adventure - spectacular space, beautifully appointed furnishing, delicious food, and wonderful service.
The place is an experience, as the decor surround you with dreams of grandeur and you envision yourself in another era. The service is friendly and warm - perfectly welcoming and not pretentious. The food... while I have had better, is pretty darn amazing and the presentation top notch, especially the chocolate sorbet with gold foil leaves over the chocolate. And the wine was delightfully tasty.
Adour, you have my heart. -
Review from Ariel G.
Manhattan, NY
2/4/2011
It was an amazing experience. I got a free three-course dinner and a free glass of champagne just because I finally got my degree from Columbia.
I was very glad that I chose Adour to celebrate my graduation. Not because of the free meal (okay, it was because of the free meal) but also because the restaurant treated us as wonderful as it treated other customers who actually paid the bill. It was like Adour was sincerely happy for our graduation and warmly welcome us to celebrate our big moment with it.
Everything was so perfect and the sauteed duck foie gras was to die for. I've graduated for more than half a year and I still remember that taste. -
Review from Buo Z.
7/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
This place is amazin' (as Michael Buble would say). The decor is ultra romantic (more than If One by Land...) but the main dining room might be too open for couples. For a date, I'd probably sit in one of the more private rooms where it feels more intimate. The service from the get-go was fantastic (unfortunately no orchestration of plates) as can be expected of nice hotel restaurants.
The food:
Foie gras with rhubarb and hearts of palm - so delicious
Uni tagliatelle - finally a uni pasta dish that doesn't skimp on the uni or turn it into a viscose form - the best uni pasta I've had in the city
Halibut - pretty good
Short ribs - pretty good
Risotto - good
Ceviche - good
The stand-out dishes were definitely the foie gras and uni tagliatelle. This place is definitely a place I'd revisit. A star well deserved.Listed in: Ze Michelin List
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Review from Nomad M.
New York, NY
1/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
What a pleasant experiences!
I came here for 2010 Winter Restaurant Week with a friend. It is quite exceed my expectation. Sure I know this is a 2 Michelin Stars restaurant. But I am kind of skeptical about restaurant week menu, since my previous restaurant week experiences have not been impressive - you just don't get the same quality food as on the tasting menu. But my experience in Adour is one of the best dinning experiences I have had in the city.
The restaurant is located inside of St.Regis Hotel and has lots of old world charms: high ceiling, painting, antique,chandeliers.It is warm and welcoming.
We were greeted by friendly staffs and led to our table in a semi private section. We ordered two appetizers, two entree and two dessert for share. I also ordered wine paring for an extra $20 dollars. What a good deal! For appetizers, we had the scallop tarter and Wild Mushroom Risotto with Parmesan. It was perfectly executed and beautifully presented. The risotto was outstanding - creamy, cheesy with a twist of parsley.The scallop was also good, but not outstanding.
For entree, we ordered OLIVE OIL POACHED CHATHAM BAY COD and the beef. The cod was to die for! The portion was quite generous compared with other restaurants. The fish was cooked just right - juicy and tender. Cooking seafood is tricky, since it is very delicate and hard to control the timing. I had blacken cod at Jojo, one of Jean George's restaurant before. It was over cooked and completely dry and tough. I did not try the beef, since I am a pescatarian.But according to my friend, it was juicy and meaty.
For dessert, I had the dark chocolate sorbet. It was intense! My friend had the CONTEMPORARY EXOTIC VACHERIN with mango marmalade, coconut and passion fruit twist.
The food here is absolutely top notch. The service is even superior. Our waiter was very knowledged, who patiently answering our questions and eloquent about the food options.
All in all, it was a great experience. I will definitely come back some time for the tasting menu. -
Review from Laur T.
New York, NY
1/23/2011
While not a great fan of the "open restaurant" concept... (the restaurant seemed to only take up part of the lobby / open space within the St Regis, and didn't really have a true enclosed space to call its own), I was blown away by the cuisine.
We started our meal with a lovely amuse bouche followed by the foie gras (fantastic), mushroom risotto (good), beef 2-way (awesome), fish (OK), and ended with lovely desserts, petit fours.
Can't wait to try out Alain Ducasse @ the Plaza Athenee. -
Review from Atif I.
12/31/2009
Knives, chopsticks, cookbook, macarons.
It's instructive to learn that while these four may not be the four primary elements of culinary life, but are still considered essential to constitute the range of items available for online purchase through the Adour, Alain Ducasse at St. Regis (mouthful, eh?) website. I suspect the underlying motif is that no meal is complete without them?
Indeed macarons are enjoying such an unprecedented surge in popularity that only a handful of top tier restaurants have the audacity to consider a meal complete without featuring them as at least a supporting act in the grand finale.
However, this is the first time that a prominent restaurant is offering this delectable confection available for retail purchase. The Fall collection offers two flavors: Mandarin / Orange and Passion Fruit / Chocolate, however, these are available in boxes that contain a minimum of six macarons. So, to try the two flavors you need to order two boxes, resulting in a minimum purchase of 12 macarons for a cash outlay of $30.
This is my biggest gripe with Adour, Alain Ducasse. The charm of macarons is to have multiple flavors available in glorious, bright colors and symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing shapes. I find the requirement of purchasing 12 macarons to sample just two flavors as restrictive and unappealing. The website makes it clear that custom orders (more flavors) are available, but for quantities in excess of 200. Boo!!!!
That said, both versions are visually attractive. In terms of execution, I have minor grievances: the Mandarin/Orange had air pockets that led to some brittleness, while the Passion Fruit/ Chocolate (clearly the more flavorful one) was just a tad too chewy. Again, minor annoyances as opposed to palpable misfires.
I'd be curious to see whether a large number of customers agree to walk through the opulent surroundings, repeatedly, to request the macarons. Even if the service is courteous and gracious, there is no mistaking that a number of pretentious souls (mainly the nouveau riche visitors) are judging your every movement to gauge your monetary value. This is not the first time I have been inclined not to return as a number of high end restaurants started offering gourmet ice cream for sale last year, and they haven't seen any repeat business from me. That I agreed to visit Adour despite my reservations is a result of inquiries from two yelpers.
The first was from good friend Chris R, who has solemnly sworn to be the first to inform me anytime the word macaron flashes before his eyes. Now, I have absolutely no doubt that he's a warm human being and has my best interests at heart, but lately a sneaking suspicion has crossed my mind that given his recent rigorous exercise regimen and resolve to save calories - he's engaged me as his unofficial macaron taster :)
The other inquiry interestingly was from a reticent orange head, who has already written dozens of insightful reviews. Hoping that she's another case similar to Mama Unlucky in eventually making the transformation to a respected, contributing member of the yelp community, I assured her that I would research and revert with a review anon.
Here's to everyone living up to new resolutions for 2010! Salud!Listed in: Sniffing for great macarons!
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Review from Megan C.
5/16/2008
Romantically French Kissed
...and happy about it.
Even if I didn't come here for dinner (which was scrumptious) I would order every dessert on the menu. SINFUL!! The bitter chocolate and the passion fruit flavors are still lingering in my mind.
Date Rating: 9
Pick up Scale: 2
Strong Suggestions: Plan on indulging and come dressed for the occasion. The wine list is beautiful and Ducasse's team did an excellent job with everything.
Note: Sitting at the bar to dine i no where near the same experience as the full dining experience inside (hence the 2 star review fro the diner at the bar). However while you wait check out the wine list ever so craftily projected onto the surface of the "mini" bar in the front. Touch it... not only will it move it will inspire you. -
Review from Pam S.
1/17/2008 1 photo
Excellent food + wine, coupled with a surprisingly comfortable ambiance (spatial, lighting, music volume, warm and friendly service) not often associated with a restaurant of this caliber. Alain Ducasse brings Adour into the St. Regis, seriously - it doesn't get any classier than this. Dark wood, coupled with warm lighting, and tempered glass. I forgot to check out the interactive table by the wine bar though :(
Extensive wine list with an impressive array of choices. We tried one lovely white - Lys De Vol by Domaine Alain Paret (2006) from Rhone Valley. My dinner counterpart almost pee-d his pants when he took a sip. It was divine.
Appetizers:
The hamachi with an almost invisible layer of duckgooey and beets, and a side of apple mustard, was a generous size for sashimi - a fresh way to pique the palette.
The lobster was great, although "precious" in size - served with thin slices of grapefruit. Nice mix of flavors and textures.
The gnocchi was plain delicious.
Mains:
The scallops were very good, but nothing too too special.
The steak and ribs entree' ($49) however, had me grinning from ear to ear. It was a little small if you're looking for a Peter-Lugeresque experience.. but I thought the portions left a lingering "must come back for this dish" in my stomach. I asked for the steak to be medium-rare to rare.. and it came medium-rare to rare. Impressed. Served with carrots prepared three ways and a dark sauce, it was the highlight of the entire meal.
Dessert:
The chocolate layers and apple souffle were distinct and unique with multiple textures and flavors blending together in a soothing harmony of sweetness and richness. The dessert that stood out most was a mango-passionfruit-lime flavored one... when you see it on the menu you'll know what I'm talking about. It was refreshing and tasted like nothing I've ever tried before.
An overall satisfying experience. Good for business lunches, dinners, special dates, impressing your in-laws, and for when the parents are visiting.Listed in: I like animals...they taste…
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Review from Tim W.
I went to Adour for restaurant week. it happened to be on bastille day which was an extra treat. but, i cant believe AD had an availablitiy thanks to my great bud Yvette G. scoring the rezzie. So it was nice to be able to experience the "haute" french old country on a 35$ budget. i uploaded a pic of the menu if you want to see...while i felt a little sheepish because MY black amex is "in the mail" it was a good evening and worth the trip as follows:
A visit to the bar is worthwhile as the have the new "interactive" wine selection experience with the computers and vacuum preserved wines. Similar to SD-28 (i think that is what its called) over in Madison Square Park area)...otherwise on to the evening...
The dining room is intimate with big cases of wine bottles on all four walls. Smaller group rooms border the main dining room and look really nice if you have a group. I hear one can "rent" space in their celler for your 500$ bottles of rothschild and crystal champagne. intimate yes, but still retains an air of that pretentious french style dining room. i thought AD was trying to tone it down a little after leaving Essex House, but it's still quite a suit and tie kind of place with blax amex's being waived about and UES snobbery to cut with a butter knife.
I have to say that they were generous with what was on the restaurant week menu...see my upload pic of the menu. I know there is a great debate on Yelp re:restaurant week love/hate. But for me i do love it however, I wish restaurants wouldn't do a special menu for restaurant week. I liked the early days of the 2 week trial of NYC restaurants. Used to be we could order from the main menu so we could actaullly try what the "real" food was like. I mean the whole point is to get people in to try and generate return business right???!! A "special" menu for the restaurant week is not really IMHO an accurate depiction of what the true experince is. But this one was good none-the-less.
The amuse bouche was pleasant basil and gazpacho foam. Very pleasant for the hot night. We also took a half bottle of sancere ($40)which was very grapefruity and crisp. Two choices of bread (olive triangle and mini-baguette) rounded out the pre-meal selection.
For the 1st course I chose the chilled english pea soup and Yvette G had the CLEAR winner risotto with calamari. My spoon was in her dish a few times (eww that could be another review)...the other options were ceviche which the table next to us had and looked impressive, but wouldn't fill a guy up if you know what i mean. The pea soup was light and pleasant a nice summer dish, but get the risotto if you go.
Main courses were cod with mussels for both of us. VERY simply prepared. I was almost dissapointed at first glance because it was so simple. But the flavor was light and perfect for the summertime heat. Sizeable portions of cod as well. The other options were salmon with veggies and a meat choice of the ever present fine dining menu---short ribs. The table next to us got both and they looked nice, the salmon looked really well prepared and presented.
Dessert was well executed, typically fine dining style excessive, but a beautiful presentation and tasty. Both of us had the caramel (gold) leaf with caramel ice cream, the winner looked like the chocolate sorbet or the other choice which i cannot really describe but looked like a crushed ice with foam?? Dessert was rounded out with a petite four of dark chocolates and macarons (the French style obvi.)
The service is what i keep reading about on Yelp, and while it was deliberate and friendly not the best i've experinced. There was a long lag between each course and we had to ask for the bill even though we were sitting with an empty table looking around...
Overall it was a good experince on a budget!! I'd like to go back for the main tasting menu ($115). But like I said the black amex is in the mail. -
Review from Ray Y.
New York, NY
3/16/2008
Situated in the St. Regis, Alain Ducasse's new restaurant is fairly low key, for a special occasion restaurant. The space is elegant in an understated way. One thing that stood out, though, was the music. They played a wide variety, including some jazz and some deep house (yes, house music at an Alain Ducasse restaurant!!!).
They have a tasting menu for $110, but my friend an I decided to go it on our own. We split 4 appetizers and 4 entrees. Without further ado, let's talk about the food:
Raw hamachi with geoduck: I have to admit, I generally don't think that non-Japanese chefs handle sashimi that well. The hamachi here, however, was excellent and rivals the best sushi restaurants I have been to. They placed several slices in a square approximately 4" by 4", and they drizzled vinegar along with what seemed like some pepper mixture and some salt. This was a great, light way to start the meal.
Sweetbread meunier with egg purse. Wow! This was definitely the highlight of the appetizers. They give you three chunks of sweet bread (sauteed, I think), with a poached egg in the middle. The sweetbread was really tasty - enough of a oil/fatty flavor with no aftertaste whatsover, and the egg purse was fantastic - right up there with Babbo's 3-minute egg. They also serve it with brioche to lap up the egg yoke. I'm not a big organ-eater, but if you get one appetizer, it has to be this one.
Sauteed duck foie gras with lentil casserole: The lentils were interesting, served over an onion, and the foie gras was some of the best I've had. It was served alone, without any major accompaniments, other than the sauce.
Ravioli foie gras, with optional black truffles: The ravioli pieces were like pillows, with a burst of foie gras flavor inside. The truffles added some nice earthiness to round out the flavor. This would have been even better had I not just had a dish of foie gras, but my friend, who ate these before the regular foie gras, thought the combination was perfect.
On to the main courses:
Diver scallops with truffles, salsify, and spinach: I don't usually like cooked scallops, but these were great. They were properly firm, without being too dry, and sweet without too much of a fishy taste. The combination with the truffles was mindblowing. The salsify root (first time I've had it) was great - it looked like white asparagus, but the texture was more firm, and it was very light and delicate.
Pork tournedos (pork loin + glazed pork belly) and boudin noir: This is their signature dish, and it does not disappoint! The pork pieces were extremely moist and juicy, and they were flavorful, unlike most pork dishes you taste. The boudin noir was spicy, almost like a very earthy minced hamburger. I didn't do this, but my friend said the boudin noir eaten with the loin was fantastic. The third part of the dish, the pork belly, was just decadent. Imagine the softest, most moist, crispy pork belly you've had anywhere, and this exceeds it. This is a must-order dish.
Venison medallions plus venison chop on the bone: This was probably the most disappointing dish. The venison medallions were waaaay to gamey for me - I've had better. The venison chop on the bone was more mild, but it was also not that flavorful.
Beef tenderloin with braised ribs: I have to admit that I like more robust cuts, so tenderloin usually doesn't do it for me. Those of you who are filet mignon fans would love that piece though. The braised shortribs, however, were extremely tender and tasty, and they were a nice end to the savory part of the meal. Also, I have to mention the carrots that accompanied this dish were amazing. In fact, I would say all the vegetables served alongside the dishes in this meal were among the best I have ever had.
For dessert, we got the apple souffle and pear clafoutis. My friend loves souffle, but we both found this to be disappointing. The "crust" was suitably light, but the balance of apple vs. crust was too heavily balanced toward the apple, which happened to be really tart. The pear clafoutis was served with lavender ice cream with honey drizzled over it. That little side dish was the best part of dessert.
Their wine selection is daunting, but they have a few types of seasonal wine that they serve by the half decanter. This was great, because we were able to get a fantastic white and a red ('97 Amarone) without drinking too much.
So how does Adour fit in the pantheon of special occasion restaurants? The food is right up there with the others, though it is a little more traditional, as opposed to the more fusion-y L'Atelier and Jean Georges. Adour is also a little more low-key, so if you do not want to go for the all-out opulence of, say, a Daniel, this a good bet. It is definitely worth a try though. Also, attire is business casual, but 80% of the gents wore jackets. -
Review from Oanh N.
1/11/2010 12 photos
I stumbled upon this restaurant through Yelp and the interactive wine bar totally lured me in since there are so many great restaurants in NYC This was my last dinner for my NYC trip and I hoped it was better than my Jean Georges lunch and u know what? It was! The food here is AMAZING! It's a good sign when you can't pick out which dish you liked best and that you loved all of them because that's how I felt here!
Decor & atmosphere:
It's absolutely BEAUTIFUL inside. I don't get why one of the Yelpers was so picky on the decor. They must have impossible expectations or something. The mauve, taupe, white, dark brown, and gold color palette creates such a delicious atmosphere! There is wine displays just everywhere in the dining room. There was seductive Maxwell like music on. It all created a very sexy environment. I loved it!
Service:
Right when you walk in they ask for your coat and I thought that was nice. Our maitre d was very knowledgeable and the all the servers were so welcoming and warm. The service was excellent.
Food:
Complimentary bread: they were like cheese pastries and they were soooo good! I wish I had more and just pop 10 of those babies into my mouth. It wasn't heavy cheese balls ... they were very airy and light with a taste of cheese.
Amuse bouche: foie gras chowder: damn foie gras chowder?? That is some fancy schmancy soup! The best amuse bouche ever!! I was scraping the sides of the cup to get every bit of it! It was chunky too... not sure what it was... more foie gras?? Sigh... so good.
Appetizers:
Sweetbread "Meuniere" egg purse: this sweetbread was much better than Jean Georges but I think Bouchon in Beverly Hills was better. It's sauteed with mushrooms, carrots, snow peas, and a poached egg in a thick like sauce. The middle is not fully cooked to taste like chicken and had a softer middle.
Duck foie gras terrain: I never had it terraine style before and it is just as good as seared ones! I am seriously having a whirlwind of foie gras tastings today in so many different styles. This one was full of flavor and had a silky texture. So delicious. Those red balls are some sort of fruit. It cleansed my palate every I took a bite of it so that I can have the full body taste of the foie gras again. The bits of sea salt sprinkled on top was just the right amount of salt. VERY lovely dish.
Main entrees:
Berkshire pork tournedos: It had boudin noir, polenta gratinee and spaghetti squash medallions.This looked so cool and it tasted so good too! I loved the boudin noir and polenta gratinee. Each medallion had a different flavor. Awesome dish.
Butter poached Maine lobster with royal trumpet mushrooms and salsify in a champagne sauce emulsion: I was in love with this dish! The sauce was super flavory and the lobster was cooked perfectly! Nice and succulent and not chewy and dry like AnQi in California (Crustaceans chain). They gave a whole lot of lobster where I was just enjoying every single bite!
Desserts on the house:
Macaroons: these were softer and not as sweet as the one at Jean Georges.
Chocolates: very nice with a good middle filling... again... not too sweet.
Comparison:
I'm very wowed by this restaurant. Adour was granted 1 Michelin Star while Jean-Georges was granted 3 but overall Adour trumped Jean-Georges! I have to give Jean-Georges big accolades for their foie gras brulee because that was so innovative but Adour wins me overall.
I don't know what the full Alaine Ducasse experience is and this is the "water down version" but whatever it is it must be beyond fancy because this place was fancy already. I had a really great culinary experience here because ALL of the dishes we ordered was SO good. I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone from CA to NY because you don't have to leave your leg or arm at the door and you get high quality and delicious food with excellent service.
Cost: 2 appetizers and 2 main dishes with tax and tip: about $150 total -
Review from Max M.
11/4/2008
Alain Ducasse flips the script with Adour.
Here the food plays a supporting role to the star wine list that carries over 500 selections. Don't be alarmed though. Bottles start at $30; the wine list and sommelier are very "user-friendly."
I celebrated my graduation dinner here in May. The restaurant is seductively lit with warm lighting. A deep burgundy color palette echoes the restaurant's raison d'etre. The restaurant, despite being somewhat small) has a spohisticated grandeur perfectly suited for a celebratory dinner. So I as I entered the dining room I couldn't help but think "Yes! Good choice Max!" Don't you love that feeling?
I sat in the smaller back room which I actually preferred to the main dining room. It felt more intimate which was appropriate since it was a family affair.
The service was excellent granted the restaurant was only half full. Honestly, even I was a little intimidated since the restaurant is branded as a serious wine-centric destination. Never fear. Adour behaves as a normal restaurant. The servers and the sommelier were very gracious. They were there to help me and my guests. I don't remember what I had, but it was a perfect pairing with my crispy sweatbread and poached egg app. Ditto for my main course wine pairing.
The food here is flawless in execution. Every course was beautifully presented. The menu is French of course. So you get that clinical and sterile level of detail that you normally associate with brain surgery.
I sampled an app of pea raviolis with pistou (perfect round lttle jewels of pasta). I loved my sweetbread app which had a poached egg in the shape of a pumpkin! My main course was Rack of Lamb with eggplant gratin and herbs (mild flavor with a bold meaty texture). For dessert, I had the MOST PERFECT SOUFFLE EVER. Check out the photo:
http://static.px.yelp....
The restaurant is now offering its Fall Menu and a White Truffle Menu! Adour's check average is based on your wine consumption. The food is $80-$90 a la carte (including app, main, dessert) and $110 for a tasting menu. Celebrate your next special occasion at Adour. I am def heading back soon when I save up beaucoup d'argent. =)Listed in: Max's Fave 10 NYC
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Review from Richard A.
West Hollywood, CA
11/24/2008
wow, Wow, WOW! Fantastic food and Starpoints!
I recently dined here with a friend and enjoyed five courses of sheer elegance and luxury. The software (service) was impeccable, the hardware (decor) simply amazing, and the food above reproach.
I was ready to b--w the chef in appreciation. -
Review from Al J.
1/2/2010
A tremendously enjoyable meal - left full, happy, and satisfied. Yes, it's not the full-on Ducasse: not the cutlery tourbillon of his Louis XV in Monte Carlo, nor the over-the-top desserts and pens of his eponymous restaurant in the Essex House. This is toned-down Ducasse, a modest and humble ("American" as most New Yorkers would term it) interpretation of haut-French sensibilities. I found these less stuffy flourishes agreeable - and certainly more commercial in a recessioning economy - than other iterations.
The food from start to finish was top notch. Both starter bread choices (olive and baguette) were well-salted, expertly textured, and deliciously soft. Gourgeres (a cheesy amuse-bouche) were addictive and delicate. A sunchoke veloutee was rich and fragrant - the foie gras royale (a spongey puff) a perfect completement to buttery brioche croutons and crisp vegetables. I found myself angling the bowl to scoop up the last possible drop. A massive portion of Diver Scallops (five large shellfish) was dynamite - brown butter jus and herb dressing perfectly pairing a sweet, buttery, beautifully caramelized meat. Endives "two-ways" added some welcome crunch and acidity to cleanse between bites.
Desserts, however, were the unequivocal highlight of the meal. I shared three with my dining companion: a Hazelnut Souffle, an Exotic Fruit Vacherin, and the Dark Chocolate Sorbet. Short of Le Bernardin and Per Se, this may have been the best collection of dessert that I've consumed in NYC. My favorite was the souffle - light, buttery, and not too sweet - the crusty exterior constrasting perfectly with the soft "cake" of the center and a sweet, rich, grainy chocolate crisp at the bottom.
What would I improve about the meal? Well, for starters, it's not cheap. Adour is competing with the Jean-Georges and Per Ses of New York for the same clientele. And, despite being an incredible meal, I didn't find it as transcendent or unique as the very top echelon of restaurants - in which I include the above mentioned Columbus Circle spots, as well as Le Bernardin and Masa. The service wasn't perfect at all times either. Appetizers came too soon, bread too late. There was also a large 20 minute gap at the end of the meal, where the waiter seemed to forget about us, instead of following up and providing the check.
Despite these faults, Adour ranks as one of the premier restaurants in NYC. The wine list (not discussed at length here, but with over 1800 selections) is outstanding and not absurdly priced; the food appears uniformally excellent. I'd recommend paying a visit to the St. Regis for dinner - and thanks to Mr. Ducasse's more casual turn, you can even leave your necktie at home. -
Review from Meredith M.
New York, NY
6/9/2009
Granted, my experience may be a bit biased as I went with someone who really knows the restaurant well, and we kind of got the very special treatment. That said, I really got the impression they give everyone the very special treatment.
The resto itself is absolutely gorgeous-deep purple velvet with gold accents. The crowd is a little older (no shocker here as it is in the St Regis), but the vibe is warm and def not stuffy.
Amazing wine list, amazing decor, amazing everything. Everything we ordered-lobster salad, asparagus and morels, halibut, and exotique vacherin dessert and some chocolate thing were all out of this world. Impeccable attention to detail, texture, and fresh as can be.
If you have the money and want a special evening, Adour is the perfect choice. -
Review from Gracie-C Y.
San Francisco, CA
10/28/2008
What a gorgeous room...
That's all I could think when I walked into Adour. Wine is definitely the focus of this establishment as their wine collection is in plain view for all to see. In fact, you're completely surrounded by their wine collection as you sit in the main dining room. You are never more than a few steps away from the bottles which are lovingly stored in high-tech cryogenic tombs.
For a relatively new restaurant, they've had a lot of hype to live up to. The last Alain Ducasse venture in NY closed and expections for Adour were high. Early reviews seemed to be lukewarm, but Adour must have apparently hit their stride when they earned 2 coveted Michelin stars this year.
Service was everything you'd expect from a stuffy French place.
The menu is restrained, using lots of classical ingredients and techniques, but still managing to make things seem fresh.
I had a nice foie gras ravioli to start followed by a duck entree which seemed almost too spartan. Here was my biggest gripe about Adour: presentation was minimalistic, almost Japanese zen-like without the soothing effect. I had 3 perfectly portioned squares of duck on my plate (each one exactly 1x1x3 inches) with a few root vegetable circles scattered around and some jus dizzled over the arrangement. Pretty, but not what I would expect for nearly fifty bucks a plate.
Wifey ordered the venison that night. It was tasty as well, but guess how it was arranged? Thats right! 3 squares of venison (exactly 1x1x3 inches) with a few circles of root vegetables scattered around and jus drizzled over the arrangement.
Wifey and I put our plates together and couldn't for the life of us figure out which was which....
Bland presentation aside, the quality of the food was excellent and we finished the evening with a kick-ass pineapple souffle (made with about a liter of liqueur) which lifted our spirits... so to speak.
All in all, we had a nice time.
I just hope the kitchen does more next time to differentiate each dish.Listed in: Michelin Stars (NYC)
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Review from diana c.
Saratoga, CA
5/25/2009
I celebrated my 24th birthday at Adour.
Although the atmosphere was a little too stuffy for my taste, both the food and service were exceptionally good. Their wait staff was attentive and friendly without being annoying. I had just gotten sick and was sniffling throughout the entire dinner, and our waiter offered me some of his favorite tea.
I must've gotten lucky because all of the items on their tasting menu (sashimi, lobster, and lamb) were my favorite foods. I wasn't a huge fan of their dessert (it was too sweet for me), but I'm not big on dessert in general. I really enjoyed their freshly baked bread, and asked for multiple helpings.
After we finished our meal, our waiter snapped a picture for us and then offered to go outside with us to snap a few more. He even moved a table aside so we could get a good shot. Talk about great service! -
Review from Jean S.
New York, NY
7/28/2010
Adour during restaurant week and Adour during non-restaurant week are total opposites. I went for non-restaurant week about a year ago and it was a wonderful experience. When I saw that they were part of the rw this year, I decided to come back again and try their rw menu. It was a very disappointing experience overall.
First, we waited about 15 mins for our table even with reservation. After we were seated, we waited another 15 mins or so and no one came to greet us and give us menus. I had to flag down someone to ask for the menus.
The food was mediocre at best. Oily fried calamari on risotto. Extremely salty cod. Dessert was nothing special either. My date had never been to Adour before and he said after this experience he doesn't want to go back again.
If Adour wasn't going to take RW seriously then they shouldn't be part of it at all. It just ruined their image and my previously positive impression of them. -
Review from Sarah Y.
10/16/2009
I got excited when I found out about this 2 Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse restaurant at the St. Regis NYC.
Maybe it was a result of my high expectations and the hype, but I wasn't blown away by the food. It was good, but it wasn't fantastic (especially considering the $$$$ price tag).
I had an amuse bouche, the foie gras dish, sweetbreads, and pork belly.
The foie gras (normally my favorite dish) was good, but not great. I'm not sure if this is because I just returned from a trip to Paris (foie gras capital of the world), but I didn't quite get that "melt in your mouth" foie gras heaven that I usually experience while eating foie gras.
I'm usually also a huge fan of sweetbreads, but I wasn't totally in love with the way it was prepared here.
The pork belly was good, but the bbq-like sauce didn't taste as refined as one would expect.
They did throw in some macaroons for dessert, which were also not bad but not great (especially compared to Parisian macaroons). They were a bit stale and didn't taste super fresh.
Perhaps my expectations were too high (and I'm becoming a jaded foodie) or perhaps I should order differently if I come again, but I'm not sure if I would pay so much again for a meal that wasn't mindblowingly fantastic.
