Wine & Spirits - April 2018 - 36

Le Coucou
The dining room is a scene from Amadeus with a splash of New York
chic, with white stone, candlelight and steel chandeliers woven into the
view of the open kitchen. The menu is classical French, as interpreted
by chef Daniel Rose: Picture leeks with hazelnuts, quenelles de brochet
with sauce Americaine and tout le lapin. And the list, by Charles Puglia,
previously of Blue Hill at Stone Barns, is a tour de force, filled with the
finest shooting stars of wine. But in among the DRC, Raveneau, Lafite
and other high-priced bottles, there are many super buys, especially
in Beaujolais and Alsace. Given the sheer volume of wine that flows
through the dining room, the list changes often, making it a veritable
treasure hunt at each visit. -S.S.L.
138 Lafayette St.; 212-271-4252, lecoucou.com

Madre Mezcaleria

This small space, with its Talavera tiles and extensive mezcal selection,
looks like it's been airlifted into Brooklyn direct from Oaxaca. There's no
printed menu, just a list of bottles scrawled on the mirror behind the bar, but
the bartenders are happy to offer guidance, and they serve glasses up, with
authentic accoutrements. Food options are limited, but owner Denisse Lina
Chavez also runs El Antoradero next door, and encourages ordering in. -R.D.
706 Washington Ave., Brooklyn; 718-399-0706, elatoraderobrooklyn.com

Le Garage

The fastest way to get to Paris from NYC these days is the L train to Bushwick, where Catherine Allswang and her daughter, Rachel, set up shop in
a former garage. The menu, with its duck-fat-fried potatoes and moules
marinière, speaks to Catherine's years cooking in Paris; Rachel keeps to
the theme with the all-French wine list, a keen selection made with sustainable farming, price and season in mind. This winter, that meant whites
like Berthollier Chignin Vieilles Vignes for the leeks vinaigrette and Franck
Givaudin's Irancy for braised pork shoulder au lait. Don't miss the silky,
light crème brûlée-and order a glass of Lions de Suduiraut Sauternes for
just $14. -S.S.L.
157 Suydam St., Brooklyn; 347-295-1700, legaragebrooklyn.com

Maison Premiere

Absinthe reigns in this Belle Epoque-style bar. Twenty-five
brands are available, in a classic drip or mixed into a cocktail.
Order a dozen oysters from the 30-some varieties offered daily
or dive into La Grande Plateau, with crab, scallops and lobster,
and don't skimp on the bread and seaweed butter. -R.D.

The Lobster Club

WINE & SPIRITS

APRIL 2018

If ever there was a place you might run into Carrie Bradshaw
and her "Sex and the City' posse, this would be it. Designed
by Peter Marino, with Michelin-starred chef Tasuku Murakami
leading the kitchen, the Lobster Club is Major Food Group's third
and final restaurant in the Seagram Building. There is a new
way to eat oysters: on the half shell drowned in green tomato
juice, cucumber and shaved wasabi. Take your server's advice
on sashimi. The seafood is flown in from Japan, and might be
rare and delicious shiro-ebi (sweet baby shrimp) or herring row,
crunchy and briney, like oceanic Pop Rocks. Go for a cocktail
from Thomas Waugh's list or, better yet, try their elevated sake
bomb: ume, kobosu or yuzu sake paired with one of the many
Japanese beers on the list. -D.G.
98 E. 53rd St.; 212-375-9001, thelobsterclub.com

photos: Le Coucou by Corry Arnold; Lobster Club by Teddy Wolff

298 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn; 347-335-0446, maisonpremiere.com

http://www.lecoucou.com http://www.elatoraderobrooklyn.com http://www.legaragebrooklyn.com http://www.maisonpremiere.com http://www.thelobsterclub.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - April 2018