By Lucy Komisar
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At this New York French bistro, game ” often venison and quail ” comes from Texas all through the year, but there‘s an annual festival featuring game till mid-March. I went to a press dinner featuring some of those specialties.
This is a very French restaurant owned by a family in which Christian, the executive chief, is Austrian! No matter. It‘s a long story. He fell in love with the owners‘ daughter!
I‘ve been here three or four times, and the food and wine are always a treat.
This evening, I started with a welcome drink of Welsh Riesling. Very nice. Sel et Poivre has 20 to 25 wines by the glass.
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We began with appetizers of grilled venison and wild boar sausage. They reminded me of a country paté, only slightly spicy. Have to admit, they weren‘t my favorites. Not moist enough.
But I forgot that when I moved on to the next course, classic delicate garlicky snails (Went well with a C´te du Rhone.) Couldn‘t be better!
Then a soft velvety Red Pepper Bisque made with sweet mild red bell pepper, potatoes and cream. Quite nice for something bland in between spices.
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I loved the cod fish, its delicate flavor enhanced by creamy lentils and mustard seeds, making it slightly spicy, soft and rich. (Went well with a New Zealand sauvignon blanc). Fish starts bland, so it‘s always a challenge to bring out its flavor. This recipe works perfectly. And the dish almost looks like a work of art!
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A favorite was quail stuffed with goat cheese in a port wine reduction. It was accompanied by a soft mild rice set off by a fruity sauce. (And a Languedoc red wine) Again, fowl needs fine tuning, and fruit and port for this collection were an excellent choice.
The final touch was a favorite, cr¨me brulé, with its lovely soft creamy center covered by the very slightly burned crust. Also an apricot crªpe with vanilla ice cream. Both delicious.
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Owner/ma®tre d‘ Christian stops at all tables, greets, chats, discusses the dishes. Many of the patrons are regulars. If you come here, you will meet him. And you‘ll become a regular, too.
If you go
Sel et Poivre
853 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10065
(212) 517-5780
This restaurant, 28 years old in June, is open for lunch through dinner from 12 to 10:30.
Photos by Lucy Komisar.