Run…Don’t Walk to The One, The Only, Daniel!

I have never really been all that crazy about celebrating  my birthday, sure as a kid I reveled in having November 15th be all about me, but as I grew into adulthood the novelty faded away. Gone are the elaborate cakes and dozens of presents from friends, and now in its place I find stress, anxiety and foolishness from planning a party for myself. But this year it all changed, why? Because my boyfriend simply loves birthdays, parties, anything where you celebrate someone or something else.

I was told for weeks that  all I needed to do was show up at his place around 7:30 on the night of my birthday and he would take care of the rest. The only thing I knew was that our dining destination was somewhere I wanted to go but hadn’t yet, so my mind was racing trying to figure it out. When our car headed uptown on 10th Avenue and then made a right on 65th, I dug deep into my knowledge of Lincoln Center centric restaurants but when we dove into Central Park I knew where we were going.

As we pulled up to the front of Daniel I couldn’t contain my excitement, I’ve been dying to go here ever since I first tried Daniel Boulud’s food (at DB Bistro back in 2007) and at 28 I would finally get the chance!

The location, the style, the decor, the wine list and food is grandiose. Immediately upon entering I looked into the dining room and saw Woody Allen in the dead center of the room. Woody Allen!!!! That was a present alone, to dine in one of New York’s best restaurants with one of the most famous New Yorkers! I hadn’t even seen a menu or tasted anything yet and was already in heaven!

With 4 stars from NYTimes and 3 from The Michelin Guide, you expect one of the best dining experiences in your life. Daniel did not disappoint. The service is top of the line; my purse got its own little seat between David and I, our waters were filled immediately after we took one sip, and our every need was catered to. I’ve never experienced anything close to that.  The restaurant itself is so beautiful.  The decor is refined and classic, not outdated (they recently renovated I heard) with beautiful well-lit art making the room just divine.   

For my first time, I felt a little overwhelmed (everything on the menu was enticing), a little uncomfortable (did I dress right?), a little young (over half of the room was over 50).  For a Tuesday night, the place was packed.

Now I know you want to know about the food….both David and I forgoed the multi-course tasting and went for the 3-course prix-fixe. I ordered Crispy Scottish Langoustines, Wild Scottish Grouse and Sorbet Tasting while David ordered a Yellow Fin Tuna Tasting, Slow Poached Monkfish Tail, and Blueberry Fromage Blanc. Let me tell you though, it was hard to narrow my choices, as I wanted everything on the menu.

Now I’m wouldn’t dare take out my IPhone and take photos of our dishes, I mean this is DANIEL! But I promise you that everything I tasted was exquisite. No detail is overlooked here, everything is rich and brings out the natural beauty of the ingredients. A night at Daniel is like attending a culinary symphony, where everything comes together to create a spectacular experience. Even though I was deep in a flu-like fog, I mustered enough energy and foodie love to enjoy every single minute. 

As our two-hour plus meal came to an end I began to enjoy celebrating my birthday again. It doesn’t have to always be  about big parties or elaborate dinners…. just a day to spend time with the ones you love and those who love you. 

While David treated me to this meal as a birthday present, the 3 course prix fixe for $108 is an absolute steal for the quality of food and service you get. It was one of the most memorable meals of my life (and not just because I was presented with a trip to Buenos Aires as a birthday/christmas present from my boyfriend), and now I have one hell of an entry to put into my culinary memory bank!

Daniel

60 East 65th Street (between Park and Madison Avenue)