PrintWhat to Eat at the Bon Appetit Pop-Up Cafe, Open This Week Only
The "JLT," by José Andrés. [Photographs: Carey Jones]
Daniel Boulud and Mario Batali aren't usually crafting your weekday lunches. But once a year, Bon Appetit assembles some of the nation's most acclaimed chefs for a one-week-only pop-up cafe, where you can stop by and grab lunch from the likes of Rick Bayless, José Andrés, Emeril Lagasse—plus desserts by our own Gina DePalma. Open each day this week from 11:00am to 3:00pm, expect cooking demos, book signings, and more along with your salad and sandwich.
[Outside the café, at 11:00am. New Yorkers like lining up for things.]
Let's be clear: Bayless is not actually back in the kitchen stirring up your soup, and the food here isn't on par with anything at these chefs' outstanding restaurants. Don't go in expecting Babbo takeout or Gramercy Tavern-caliber desserts.
But as a Midtown sandwich stop, it's an pretty impressive operation. And with prices kept low ($8-$10 mains, $2-$3 desserts), service as prompt as they could be, and more seating than any city deli I know, it's more than worth a visit during your lunch hour.
The café entrance. Everything's a market these days.
The sandwiches.
Rick Bayless's creamy corn soup ($6.50, with roll). I wanted to like this more than I did, given how rarely I get to try anything that's come from Bayless's real or temporary kitchen. Fresh-tasting and full-flavored, it definitely tasted more of fresh corn than your average corn soup, but was otherwise unremarkable.
There are rotating specials, and today's was from the winner of the Gourmet Pizza Classic, a "Heavenly White Porcini Pizza" ($8) made by Lisa Kielas. Though Adam gave the toppings his seal of approval—Porcini mushrooms, with garlic, Fontina, and Parmesan—the crust was pale and a bit bready.
Nate Appelman's tuna and bread salad ($9) was quite good—sparsely dressed, with high-quality flaked tuna, fresh cucumber and tomato, and enormous, olive-oily bread chunks that seemed to fall somewhere between croutons and panzanella-style soaked bread. A pretty substantial meal.
The best thing we ate was definitely José Andrés's JLT ($9), on crusty bread with Jamón Serrano and Manchego cheese. I'd return just for this sandwich.
Well, and for a few desserts.
I don't think I've ever eaten anything touched by the hand of Gina DePalma that I didn't love, including this surprisingly dense, almost nutty Venetian Apple Cake ($3), with the extra bite of polenta and stickiness of honey.
And this pumpkin whoopie pie ($3) from Nancy Olsen is everything you'd want a fall dessert to be: sweet, spiced, and pumpkin-heavy.
Last stop? The coffee stand, where head barista Danielle from the new Stumptown cafe in the Ace Hotel is brewing their Hair Bender and Guatemala Finca el Injerto drip coffees.
Expect a bit of a line and the normal pitfalls of pre-made lunches—not everything is as crisp or as hot as it could be. But for a welcome change from your usual weekday lunch, it's a decent culinary adventure. Where else will you find Daniel Boulud's terrines for $8.50?
Bon Appetit Supper Club and Café
101 West 57th Street, New York NY (map)
This week only, 11am-3pm
Full menu here
basupperclubandcafe.com
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4 Comments:
I ordered panzanella once, but found out I'm not fond of olive oile soaked bread. The desserts are probably the star of this event.
gargupie at 4:14PM on 09/21/09
I thought all items were stellar! I got the Heavenly Pizza, and it truly was heavenly. The Pumpkin Woopie Pie was unbelievable. Coffee was grand. Gold stars all around from this hungry lunch breaker. Can't WAIT to get the Vegetarian sandwich tomorrow!!
I think some of the Serious Eats reviewers are wee bit bitter. Enjoy the indulgence of eating a nice lunch out and with the help of celebrity chefs to boot! Of course things are not going to be as hot as it should be when catering to such an amount of people. It's expected. As is the queue of people. The buzz ... the energy ... the free wine. It's so much fun. Enjoy this one week experience for what it is.
rockinTACO at 5:09PM on 09/21/09
@rockinTACO: Glad you enjoyed the food! We did, too. Our goal is to give our readers a real sense of the highlights and lowlights of each place we visit, so that they might get a better idea of what's worth their time and what's not. It wouldn't be fair to lead anyone to believe that the food here is of the quality that you'd expect at any of these chefs' restaurants. Of course, it is a massive catering effort and the fact that the food is pre-made is understandable (and probably for the best), but it's worth mentioning, as are the lines, for anyone in a rush. That said, there's a whole lot worth eating, as mentioned in the post!
Carey Jones at 5:27PM on 09/21/09
We spent quite some time yesterday (enough that the BA photog knew us!) - but it was worth it! Loved the meatballs and peaches special by Jose Andres...and of course, meeting Chefs Andres and Boulud!
We finally edited our photos down to a few:
http://highlowfooddrink.blogspot.com/2009/09/bon-appetit-supper-club-and-cafe-our.html
HIGHLOWFOODDRINK at 10:38AM on 09/23/09