Cafe Moutarde: Pouces Au Dessous?
Though someone named buzzika on Chowhound recently dissed their Steak Frites, we’ve heard other people speak highly of Cafe Moutarde’s brunch. About the only thing we found online about the place was a glowing, albeit out-of-date, review of the Fifth Avenue restaurant’s brunch: I appreciated the pain au chocolat and buttery croissants in the breadbasket….
Though someone named buzzika on Chowhound recently dissed their Steak Frites, we’ve heard other people speak highly of Cafe Moutarde’s brunch. About the only thing we found online about the place was a glowing, albeit out-of-date, review of the Fifth Avenue restaurant’s brunch:
I appreciated the pain au chocolat and buttery croissants in the breadbasket. The orange juice is not fresh-squeezed, but the coffee is good and strong. The menu mostly consists of egg dishes such as omelettes and scrambled eggs with caramelized onions. I did enjoy my generously hollandaised salmon Eggs Benedict with mesclun greens and roasted potatoes; the English muffins were crisply toasted.
Brunchers were in full swing when we walked past at around 11 am last weekend and seemed to be enjoying themselves, but we’d like to hear from someone who’s eaten there more recently than 2003 before we try our luck.
Battle of the Brunches, Part I [Salli Vates’ NY Food Page]
It was good when it first open, not anymore. Last visit 3 years ago I sent my steak back 3 times and even the waiter said the place was inpossible. The owner came over and argued with me (he was pretty drunk too)for sending my food back. I had been there at least 3 times a month back then. Not since. With all the other placed on 5th, why go there? This is not a good choice anytime as far as I am concerned.
It’s your cousin Matthew here. Parents and I ate here for dinner recently, which was generally very good–particularly steak frites–when Al di la had too long a wait. No brunch, though, so I’m not really answering your question…
Ive only eaten there once, and I was quite pleased with it — granted, that doesn’t say much about how they are now, day-to-day.
It would be a shame to lose it over bad reviews, given that it’s really a good addition to the area. There’s always people sitting outside during nice weather, and it seems consistently busy.
i agree with greenwood medium well to well done is just wrong. if you want your beef cook through order braised beef. plus, pps-er, you do realize that chefs always use the worse cut of beef (end cuts, grislely cuts, etc.) for med.well and well done steaks. why waste great cuts of beef to just overcook anyways, just a fyi.
I just don’t get this fascination with brunch:
restaurants still see brunch as a high mark-up
opportunity to prepare eggs, french toast and breakfast meats, while using low-quality ingredients. If you want someone to serve you mediocre food while you sip an alcoholic beverage at 11 AM, that’s fine. Personally, there are far better things to do with a Sunday morning.
Of the 3 bistros mentioned I’d rank them 1. Belleville, 2.Stone Park, 3.Moutarde. The friendly atmosphere and service at Belleville brings me back often. The food at Stone Cafe is better & more varied. I’ve never been disappointed in Moutarde but agree brunches are consistanly better than dinner.
been there 3 times this year- a lunch, brunch, and dinner- the atmosphere is great, inside and outdoor area. food was fine- i’m vegetarian so not my favorite, but great salad, bread, complementary mustard samplers, etc. and no one i’ve been with has complained about their food. they always have at least 1 vegetarian entree which is nice, and rare for french restaurants. mostly i like it to bring out of town guests for an atmosphere they don’t get outside of new york. from what i understand, the couple who owns it brought the furnishings from their former bistro in paris, pretty cool.
I actually do NOT like Moutarde for dinner and had pretty much given up on the place, but recently tried it for brunch and have now made it a regular brunch place. I recommend the croque monsieur (or what they call a croque monsieur with an egg, which should really be called a croque madame), or the spinach omelette with goat cheese. The French bistro atmosphere is authentic, and you could linger with your Sunday Times over coffee and imagine you’re in Paris…. I haven’t tried Stone Park Cafe for brunch as it’s a longer hike from my home in the North Slope, but their dinners are out of this world.
Moutarde brunch is delicious. we ate there on labor day. try the champagne mojito. Dinner is also delicious – we eat there fairly regularly. foie gras and escargot are musts each time, and we’ve sampled many entrees with mixed but always favorable reviews.
Service at stone park is awful, food is ok. I wanted to like it, but even on the second try they dissappointed.
PPSer, it was your fault – medium well?