How fortuitous! To be located at 45 Rockefeller Center Plaza and able to enjoy some of the best French cuisine outside of Paris.
Brasserie Ruhlmann is a meticulously crafted restaurant that pays homage not only to fine French dishes but also to the great Art Deco designer Emile-Jaques Ruhlmann, for whom the establishment is named.
Great food always tastes special in lovingly conceptualized surroundings. Elegantly designed and created by Jean Denoyer, the eatery evokes uniquely French impressions, featuring decorating standards that adhere to simplicity, detail, and elegance. Restaurant goers are surrounded by rich, dark hues and burgundy-colored banquettes. Tables are draped in fine white linen, which provides a perfect complement to the traditional Christofle flatware.
No wonder that executive chef Laurent Tourondel does himself proud to show off his menu skills, to regale diners with the best he, his sous chef, and other kitchen staff create. The menu changes frequently and specializes in delectable seafood.
Smiling, he said that fishing excursions with his grandfather in the south of France and his grandmother’s love for baking were the impetus that led him to attend cooking school. His early fishing experiences and his dedication to fresh seafood ever since are evident in his cookbook, “Go Fish: Fresh Ideas for American Seafood.” The book was reviewed in the former Gourmet Magazine, in Bon Appetit, and in Food & Wine magazine.
Meals at Ruhlmann’s run the gamut from light fare to fabulous full-course dinners. Everything is made in-house. The salads are a standout. One, the goat cheese salad at $14.00 is particularly appealing. Chef Tourondel’s version adheres to southern France preparation style: a layered presentation of mixed greens, like lamb lettuce, raw mushrooms, frisée, chopped chives, parsley, tarragon, augmented by smoked and warmed goat cheese, topped with sautéed, double-smoked bacon. Even the croutons are made in-house.
The kitchen at Ruhlmann’s benefits from executive chef Tourondel’s vast repertoire of seafood recipes, making the Grilled Branzini at $31.00 outstanding! Branzini, also known as Mediterranean sea bass, or in France as loup de mer—sea wolf—have firm, white, flaky meat and a mildly sweet flavor. Ruhlmann’s preparation owes its unique flavor to the addition of fennel pollen, a widely used seasoning in gourmet circles. The fish arrives at table presented with fresh tomatoes, Herbs de Province, drizzled with fragrant olive oil, and decorated with fresh basil.
It is an incomparable presentation of a sugar-dusted, split chou paste ring, sprinkled with toasted hazelnut pieces, filled with crème Chantilly, and flavored with vanilla and a bit of sugar—a show piece! This is absolutely addicting. I would definitely give this dessert five stars.
Managing partner Bernard Collin created an impressive wine cellar to augment any menu choice, even the Paris Brest!
45 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY, 10111
212-974-2020
Open for lunch and dinner.
Weekend brunch.
Live jazz Thursday evenings.
Reservations recommended.
Brasserieruhlmann.com
