The famous maitre d at Bilbobquet, Will Abadie.. You might recognize him as Blair Waldorf's father's boyfriend....
NYC’s Le Bilboquet is like the asshole guy you can’t help but love. The more he treats you like shit, the more you want him.
Last week I made a ressie at Bilbo for my girls dinner with KEP, Kage, MBK and Badger. Five girls, 7:30pm, DONE AND DUSTED. All day yesterday I thought about the Poulet Cajun I was going to have for dinner. I honestly couldn’t have been more excited…
At about 5:30, as I was walking home to do a quick gym session, I received a message from Bilbo saying, “We are very sorry. We do not usually take reservations during the week. Whoever took your reservation did so incorrectly. We’d love to have you dine with us but please know your reservation is not valid”. Really? You are going to call me two hours before dinner to tell me that someone, ON YOUR END, mucked up and you aren’t going to be accomodating? My god, I love you.
Once I have my mind set on what I want to eat, I cannot be swayed. So, I emailed the girls, explained the situation and suggested we go check out Bilboquet and hopefully things will work out for us. THEY DID NOT….
First there was a freak rainstorm… Then Will, the long-running Maitre d at Bilboquet basically told us we could have a table next season… I had major sandwich face. As we could not wait the hour drinking across the street at the Lowell (something Will had suggested we do.. and the last time I did that I met an old man who bought M2 and me our martinis and I ended up so drunk that when I got home from dinner, my legs buckled as I exited the cab and I literally was on the ground laughing on the corner of Elizabeth and Houston) we decided to go to Le Charlot.
While Charlot is perfectly lovely, I prefer Bilboquet.. simply because of their Poulet Cajun….
For those of you who don’t know what Poulet Cajun is, it’s the best chicken dish in the world. Normally I steer clear of chicken in restaurants as I feel like it’s something you can make at home… but this bird is different….There is no way I could replicate the delicious butter sauce that comes with it… Just thinking about it is making me drool.
Charlot does not have Poulet Cajun on their menu…however, if you ask nicely they’ll make it for you. Since all of us were in the mood for bird with butter 4/5′s of us ordered it… Not gonna lie, Charlot’s Poulet Cajun PALES IN COMPARISON to that of Bilboquet. Yes, both have that amazing butter sauce.. and come with frites but something about Bilbo’s is just better. Perhaps it’s because they butterfly the breast before serving?
Charlot's Hearts of Palm and Avocado Salad.... DELICIOUS!
Despite the fact that Kage thinks there is no difference, I totes prefer the Poulet Cajun from Bilboquet over Charlot.
Notice how foggy this picture is? I'm fairly certain this Tart Tartin came right after my seventh glass of Rose was poured.
Our VERY cute and VERY young French waiter at Le Charlot kindly gave us an extra Profiteroles dessert
BREAKFAST: Fage with Strawberry
LUNCH: Kale Salad and Chorizo con Papas taco
SNACK: Salt and Vinegar chips…which is why I was adamant about going to the gym before dinner.
DINNER: Le Charlot
