Sarabeth’s Central Park South is one of my new New York eatery discoveries. Part of the multi-location Sarabeth’s Kitchen, which first opened in the early 1980s, the restaurant offers delicious modern cuisine for breakfast, lunch, weekend brunch, tea and dinner.
Steak frites
At my recent visit, I ordered from their prix fixe menu. It’s $35 US for a three course meal – a great price for that part of the city. The choices are limited – two starters, three mains and two desserts. I chose the baby lettuce salad, steak frites, and, for dessert, the Napoleon puff pastry “igloo” (a very interesting delight). My husband ordered the same meal, replacing the salad with the cream of tomato soup. The soup was interestingly presented with a bit of “food art” – the letter “S” written out in basil oil, chives and gruyere. The salad was a bit artsy as well, looking like a flower or bush. The fries that came with the steak frites were neatly separated in a different container, with a dish of ketchup on one side and bearnaise sauce in another. The steak itself, which I ordered medium, was cooked just right. However, the fries were just a little too…standard, not too different from what one would get at a fast food joint. Perhaps something thicker cut and more potato-ey would be nice. As for the dessert, the pastry was very creamy and rich. Though delicious, it was a little too much for us after the steak. A smaller sized piece would have been better.
Napoleon Puff Pastry “Igloo”
The food at Sarabeth’s CPS was excellent, but there were some glitches to the meal. The soup, for example, did not come with a spoon and needed to be requested. In addition, we were asked whether we were ready for dessert before our mains even arrived. It was not only our table – the women sitting next to us had their cutlery taken away before THEIR entrees came.
I wouldn’t, however, fault them. The food was amazing, especially for that price range. Other than pubs and larger chains, it’s not easy to find $35/person meals (prix fixe or not) in that part of town. It’s definitely worth another trip.
Sarabeth’s Central Park South is located at 40 Central Park South. Phone number is 212-826-5959.
