Le Coq Rico bistro in New York City epitomizes fine French atmosphere

A visitor to New York has thousands of options for fine dining, but one of the most elusive is the atmosphere of the French café found on every street corner in Paris – where the waiters are in crisp white aprons and they briskly move you through the process of a quintessentially French meal. Chef Antoine Westermann’s newest establishment, Le Coq Rico, is the perfect place to experience the delicious wine and food of France and makes guests feel like they have been transported to the city of lights itself when they are inside its doors! Even more so, the General Manager himself, Anthony Battaglia, is there to oversee the operations and to greet every table with offer of service. If you are there for brunch and are fortunate enough to get one of the charming waiters, for example Luca Benedet from the Southwest of France, he will serve you a good strong cup of coffee before you even look at the menu. Always with a big smile and absolutely committed to their clients, locals, visitors and tourists, the efficient staff is ready to help deliver the most delicious meal and make suggestions for your enjoyment of the various offerings on the food and wine pairings.

The specialty of the house is poultry, cooked to perfection. On the menu is of course chicken, sourced from the D’Artagnan distributors (owned by Ariane Daguin herself) whose chickens are ethically raised on a local farm and are given special care. The unique breed, “Westermann’s Baeckeoffe”, is named for the illustrious chef and owner of Le Coq Rico. When diners ask for the Baeckeoff, they will find a delicacy that has been baked in a traditional Alsatian earthenware and is complimented with artichokes, potatoes, tomatoes and a Riesling jus. A restaurant delight! Cocktails include libations with names that remind one of French life. “Sexy Bardot” includes rose’, rose water, and Turkish delight in its list of ingredients. A “Frenchie Bellini” created with peach and lavender, and a “Harry Rico”, named after the famous rooster himself, are also on the cocktail menu. The desserts include L’ile Flottante, the floating island, which is the perfect amount of sweet with which to finish off a meal.

Overall, the light bright atmosphere of the restaurant is charming. Set in an authentic 1908 building, near the Flatiron district, the decor is modern and comfortable. The atmosphere one enters into at Le Coq Rico has the perfect flair for an extraordinary meal. There is even an enchanting tale that is displayed, written by Chef Westermann himself. It tells the story of the original Coq Rico, a beautiful bird named Harry who was born in Alsace, a region in the East of France. An acclaimed chef in France, Antoine Westermann has four additional establishments in Paris. Fortunately, Le Coq Rico is for customers who cannot get to the city of lights, but crave that same experience while in New York City. Assuredly, everything about this restaurant is delightful and a must-visit on anyone’s list when in New York.