DBGB Kitchen & Bar

A couple of weekends ago, I hopped on a train into the city to meet up with D for a delicious lunch and gab session. Lucky for us, we were scheduled to meet right in the middle of restaurant week. We had the difficult task of deciding where to go but quickly settled on DBGB, one of Daniel Boulud's restaurants. I had enjoyed eating at Cafe Boulud in Palm Beach so much that I had some high hopes for DBGB and I was not disappointed.

DBGB is located on Bowery at the southwest end of the East Village. D made reservations for us at 12:15 and we both arrived just as the snow was starting to fall.

It was already quite busy with other Sunday brunchers.

A smiling waiter took our drink orders - I stuck to just water while D opted for grapefruit juice - and then gave us a minute to look over the menu. He chatted me up about my camera, which might have been bothersome except he was super cute!

The restaurant week menu consisted of a three course meal for $25, a deal way too enticing to pass up so we put in our order and eagerly awaited our meal.

We both started with the roasted beet salad. A pile of golden beets scattered the plate, along with wilted radicchio, candied pecans, and a generous blob of goat cheese. The beets were sweet and tender, the radicchio leaves were sharp and bitter, the pecans added a delicious crunch, and the goat cheese was salty and a great accompaniment to the vegetables.

After our first course was cleared, the waiter brought over a little caddy with ketchup, whole grain spicy mustard, dijon mustard, hot sauce, and salt and pepper.

Shortly after, our main course arrived. D went for the breaded codfish sandwich. It looked delicious, served on a toasty bun. I could tell it was delicious by her smiling and nodding and inability to speak (due to a full mouth).

I went for the Frenchie, which was the only burger available on the restaurant week menu. A juicy beef patty (medium for me, thanks) with confit pork belly (my Lord, was this delicious), spicy rocket, a tomato and onion compote, and melty morbier cheese piled onto a fluffy, buttery brioche bun. It was amazing. I might have to do a burger tour of New York City and just risk gaining 73 lbs. because seriously, every burger I've been encountering lately has been heart stopping-ly good. The thin, crisp french fries and cornichons were the perfect accompaniment too.

For dessert, D had the chocolate mint sundae. She said that even the chocolate swirl was amazing.

I had the chocolate creme brulee cake. It wasn't what I was expecting - I thought it would be a cake with a bruleed top filled with cream instead of a round of cream on top of a piece of roll cake - but it was delicious, nonetheless. The quenelle of espresso ice cream was sitting on a bed of chocolate crunchies (which are the best part of any ice cream cake) and the swirly chocolate cake was topped with a little cylinder of bruleed custard. A perfect sweet end to a delicious meal.

The seating arrangement in the dining area was a little strange to me. It was like they tried to pack as many tables into the small space as possible, which I totally understand (this place is so popular that there was a huge queue of people waiting to be seated whilst we dined) but still found a little odd, as the waiters had to maneuver in and out of the tiny slivers of space between each table and had to jump and hug a wall whenever a customer needed to pass by.

I also recommend a trip to the toilets, as they are wallpapered with cute cookery diagrams. I want this wallpaper too! Except, I would use it in my kitchen, not the bath.

In the two hours that we sat chatting, the snow had piled up so I scurried back to Penn Station and hopped on a train home. I figured I'd share a crummy mobile selfie because D and I were losers who didn't take any photos together and I want to share my burgundy hat! I love it. It's a super thick felt that keeps my head warm but still looks stylish and it kept the snow off of my crown.

Anyway, I definitely recommend DBGB. Make reservations because it gets crazy busy and I don't imagine that walk-ins get tables v. easily. And if you go, get the Frenchie. You will love it.

xoxo.