Mirabelle*

I had lunch at Mirabelle with my friends and colleagues Juliana and Diane on 4-26-2017. *Full disclosure: Mirabelle is not in the Michelin Guide but that’s only because it opened in March 2017 and the Guide came out in late 2016. My prediction is this gem will not only be in the guide, it will actually garner a star. The space was exceedingly elegant and the food was outstanding. This is definitely my new go-to recommendation.

Atmosphere: 5 out of 5
Food & Drink: 5 out of 5

How stunning is this space? It’s at once both modern and classic. The leather booths and bar cart have such an old school feel while the gold accents add an updated twists. It’s like the grill room at the Four Seasons was redecorated by Tory Burch.

The bar was equally gorgeous. A few people came in without reservations and were seated there for lunch. With a view that lovely dining there would be just fine by me.

How beautiful is this delicate absinthe fountain?

Despite being pretty busy, the atmosphere was calm and serene. Nothing felt rushed, the service was impeccable, and it was never noisy.

Have I mentioned how amazing the food was??

Bouillabaisse Mirabelle (fish and shellfish of the season in a flavorful broth scented with pernod). It’s nice to see menu descriptions that aren’t just a list of ingredients. The broth was outstanding with little floats of oil that were delicious. The seafood, consisting of fish, shrimp, and scallops, was perfect: tender, not dry, and very flavorful. The crostini was great on its own, perfectly toasted with just the right amount of oil, but the topping was fantastic. I forgot to ask what it was but it tasted like a red pepper aioli.

Yukon gold potato and red quinoa gnocchi (potato and quinoa gnocchi, quinoa porridge, swiss chard stems, creamy goat cheese). Juliana, the vegetarian in our party, was happy to see not one but two vegetarian entree options on the menu. According to her this dish was amazing, both creamy and light, and definitely tasted like both potato and quinoa.

Oven roasted poussin (sauce of morels, asparagus, crayfish, wheatberries). Well, this was the best chicken I’ve ever had. It was incredibly tender and flavorful., which may be partially due to the brining process it undergoes. The morels complimented it nicely.

Such a nice touch to freshen up after the bouillabaisse.

And now for dessert! How gorgeous is this dessert cart? I want it in my house. Besides its utility as a piece of furniture, it’s was so nice to get to preview all the sweets before ordering.

Butterscotch cremeux (whipped vanilla creme fraiche, sea salt). This was good and tasted like very authentic butterscotch, as in an almost alcoholic buttery flavor. The sea salt added a nice crunch and the short bread cookies on the side were perfect.

Tarte tatin (buckwheat puff pastry, caramel sauce, vanilla whipped creme fraiche). This was terrific. The creme fraiche reminded me of vanilla greek yogurt in the way it was both sweet and tangy. The caramel was decedent while the apple topping was divine: tart, sweet, and soft. The pastry was like a flaky little biscuit.

Overall this meal was just perfect. I can’t think of a word better than “elegant” to describe the space, the service, and the food. It feels special to be here and I cannot wait to go back.