Upstairs at Bouley is a market + bakery + dining room all in one. It's across the street from Bouley, David Bouley's much revered NYC institution.My boyfriend took me to Bouley for my birthday a couple of years ago. It was delicious. Grandiose. Fancy. Great for a special occasion. But Pricey. Pricey. Pricey. Plus the average age of the patrons is closer to my parents age than mine.
Our waiter, oh so helpfully told us to come back - but next time to go across the street to Upstairs at Bouley.
We did. And oh are we glad we did.
The dining room at Upstairs at Bouley is fantastic. Keep in mind, the chefs from Upstairs share ingredients and dishes with the chefs at Bouley. In fact, many of the same dishes are available at Upstairs, for a fraction of the price.
How come more people don't know about this place?
Well, lets just keep this between you and me...Go there, go quickly. I mean, our waiter at Bouley was essentially telling us where the 50% off sale was.
The menu at Upstairs is diverse, somewhat strange, but all the while delicious. If you and your partner can't decide where to eat - he wants continental, you want sushi? No problem. Upstairs has both.
Upstairs is a tiny room with an open kitchen and a sushi bar. Now I love open kitchens. It's like a free show to boot! Plus you know how your food was made, and you know it was made to order. Open kitchens are a chef's nightmare, but a guest's dream.
A popular appetizer is the Chicken Meatballs - but get here early, they often sell out.
My favorite dishes include the Stage Harbor Day Boat Scallops with ginger wild mushrooms. The scallops are huge, and the ginger mushrooms add a bit of an asian twist. It's a steal at $18 bucks.
The Pennsylvania Roast Chicken is also very good. Now we know I don't usually recommend chicken, but this one is done perfectly. One of the juiciest chicken dinners I've ever had.
On the sushi side- there is a sushi chef, and a full Japanese inspired menu. Everything from Broiled Yellow Tail to Uni and Toro Nigiri sushi.
For dessert I recommend going with whatever the special is. Usually it's exactly what they are serving across the street at Bouley for half the price.
Upstairs at Bouley is a small space and can get crowded at times, so the wait can be unpredictable. Tip- go on a rainy night. Other people won't want to trek all the way down to Duane St.
Their loss is your gain.
(picture from nymag.com)
Upstairs at Bouley
130 West Broadway, New York, NY
212-219-1011
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