My Dinner at DANIEL

Daniel Boulud is a world class chef, no doubt about it. I've eaten in all of his restaurants in New York, and once had the privilege of watching him run the kitchen at a special dinner at the legendary James Beard House in Greenwich Village. It was an unforgettable experience to see a master chef at work - he literally inspected every dish before it went out to the dining room, and he ran the place with impeccable skill and style. He even came out to our table and dazzled us with his charm and intelligence. He's the real deal.

This week I had the great opportunity to dine at Daniel, his flagship restaurant on E. 65th Street on the Upper East Side. It is the city's highest ranked restaurant by Zagat, The New York Times, and 2010 Michelin Guide, and widely regarded as one of the best restaurants in the world.

First the good news: I absolutely loved "The Revolutionary" cocktail served in the bar - I believe it is made of Woodford Reserve Bourbon, White Creme de Cocao, White Creme de Menthe, and Absinthe, served in a highball glass over one large chunk of ice. It's one of the best new cocktails I have had this year. ($20)

It's hard what to make of the spectacular menu at Daniel. It calls itself New French, but there so many influences from all over the world, it barely resembles what most would think of as French. Everyone at my table chose the three-course prix fixe ($105).

I began with the hazelnut-crusted Maine sea scallops, served under a bed of morel fricasse and swiss chard. Cooked perfectly and presented beautifully, but not spectacular. My entree was a "Trio of Milk-Fed Pig from Quebec." Okay, a Canadian porker is all right with me. Smoked pork belly, ham, and a roasted chop: all cooked to perfection, and all totally lacking any flavor whatsoever. A huge disappointment. It was served with a terrible mixed vegetable side dish, very dry, very tasteless. Around the table, my companions remarked that most of their food (Vermont baby lamb chops, for example), were really subpar, especially considering the price. My honest feeling is that there are many French bistros or New American restaurants in New York that are serving better food. The desserts were quite good, though; I loved the chocolate and peanut butter ganache with caramel ice cream. Overall, it is hard to believe my dinner came from a four-star restaurant; it was completely forgettable.

The wine list is expansive; an encyclopedia of French wine supported by sturdy selection of international wines. We went on against the grain on this night. Our host chose two pinot noirs from California: Sea Smoke "Southing" 2007 from Santa Barabra ($150) which was truly delicious; and Loring "Clos de Pepe" from the Santa Rita Hills ($120) which was fine, but less balanced. There are some wines on the Daniel list under $100, and had I been choosing, we would have been drinking the Rhone or Languedoc offerings, which are in the $70-90 range.

The dining room at Daniel is dramatic but not all that successful: 18-foot ceilings, chandeliers, glass light boxes, and walls covered with odd paintings by the Spanish painter Manolo Valdes. Yuck. I found the room too bright, too quiet (don't recall music of any kind), and completely devoid of any kind of atmosphere. The service was okay - wine service a bit slow but our waitress was pleasant and efficient. And a strange kind of crowd - lots of tourists, tables full of businessman, a few couples constantly looking around the room - no one seemed to be having any fun. Maybe Daniel is too intimidating, but it shouldn't be, because the food simply does not deliver. My advice is to save yourself a whole lot of money (our dinner for four was $868 before tip) and go to DB Bistro Moderne or DBGB, where there's a lot more life and much tastier food.