Foodie Chat (2): L'Ecole

Exquisite French meal does not have to break your bank. Arguably one of the five most renowned French restaurants in NYC, L'Ecole offers high-end French dining experience at totally affordable price. It serves prix-fixe lunch and dinner all year around. Menu changes frequently, and the only thing remains unchanged is that you will be surprised with delight. :)

Located at the border of SoHo and Chinatown, L'Ecole is the teaching restaurant of International Culinary Center, previously known as French Culinary Institute, which explains why L'Ecole serves mostly classic French recipes. In L'Ecole, the kitchen is the student chefs' classroom, and the plate is their homework. That's the reason why you can have high-end fine dining at such good prices. What you pay is volatility. Unlucky ones may get sub par homework occasionally, but usually the food is really good.

Here is my review of some dishes on their 2013/2014 Winter Curriculum.

Country Pate is classic. Truffle and pistachios add sophisticated rich flavor. One of the best pate appetizers you may find in New York.

Brussels Sprouts Salad is innovative, a happy marriage between French fine cuisine and Spanish tradition. Besides a couple of halved and charred ones, Brussels sprouts are shredded into hair-thin strings. That airy fluffy yellow-green lump is just delightful to look at. When you stab into that lump, you will find boquerones and paper-thin parmigiano-reggiano slices. The fresh bitter-sweetness of Brussels sprouts, the sourness saltiness and fishiness of boquerones, and the cheesy aroma of parmigiano-reggiano make this salad as refreshing as a summer breeze from Spanish Riviera.

Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Winter Vegetables is tender and moist. Classic red wine shallot sauce and winter vegetables are flavorful. Another French classic.

Pan-Seared Wild Black Bass is cooked perfectly. The flesh melts in your mouth. And I drained every drop of the miso-ginger consomme that comes with it. Absolutely delicious. Baby bok choy and shiitake mushrooms added some Asian touch to the dish.

Chestnut Cake has the right amount of sweetness, rich chestnut flavor, and creamy texture. It easily makes the best dessert I've had this winter. The sorbet that comes with the cake is too sweet for me though.

The service in L'Ecole is spot-on. Quick and neat. You also get complimentary appetizer bites and cookie samples. We got dulcetto bars that won the ICC's 2013 Cookie Olympics. Haha, that was hilarious. We didn't even know there was a Cookie Olympics!

Rumor says that, if you are lucky, you may see legendary chefs like Jacques Pepin and Alain Sailhac walking down the hall in their uniforms or asking diners for feedback. I'm not that lucky. The only two celebrity chefs I've met in my life so far are Jean-Georges Vongerichten in Perry St and a much less famous (but a much younger and better-looking) Vikas Khanna in Junoon. Cooking is both an art and a science. I'm always grateful when I finish a good meal. L'Ecole is where the future top chefs are trained, and I'm glad to share part of their experience and homework. :)