There are endless opportunities in New York to immerse yourself in international arts and cuisines, this past Sunday it was 100% French.
We started off at the Paris Theater on 58th near The Plaza for a showing of “You Will Be My Son” it’s about the travails of a French Vineyard owner and those who try to love him. Then we strolled across town to one of NY’s most authentic French Bistros, Le Bateau Ivre, the Drunken Boat, on 51st for some great wine, food and jazz.
The Paris is one of the few movie houses in NY that has not changed over the years, still just one screen, and though showing its age, looks very much the same as it did decades ago. I love seeing French films here because it is often crowded with people speaking French, I feel like I am in Paris or at least Montreal.
We missed the showing of “You Will Be My Son” at the Montclair Film Festival. We heard it was wonderful, and that it was, with a very surprising ending. It tells a tale, that we sadly see all to often, of an autocratic patriarch struggling with his sons good willed yet awkward effort to rise to the throne. The story could be set anywhere, any business, but occurring in a prestigious vineyard in the famous Saint Emilion region made it all the more pleasurable to me. The visuals were magnificent and story riveting.
Our walk from the theater, across town east and to the south was filled with interesting sites like these. It is amazing what you notice if you put your mind in tourist mode.
That was not hard given the scores of tourists who were wandering the streets with us. These Designated Landmark Buildings are the Central Synagogue to the left and The Lever House to the right.
We reached our destination to find our fantasy prolonged in this charmingly inviting place that could be found on either side of the Seine.
To our delight there was a live jazz trio playing, a regular feature for Sunday brunch.
As we hoped it was quiet as you would expect on the last weekend of the summer.
I perused the rich wine list of over 240 French wines, 100 by the glass, that covers every region from Alsace to Corsica. I spotted a white Languedoc, Paul Mas Marsanne, which I knew Diana would love having tasted it at a showing of Paul Mas’s great wines this past spring. I went for a simple Muscadet Sevre et Maine from the Loire Valley. Both utterly delightful.
We ate well from the Sunday Brunch menu. Including this creamy farm fresh Zucchini soup.
A fantastic mustard vinaigrette over these crunchy just picked and torn greens, thinly sliced red onions and quartered grape tomatoes.
Mussels are perfect or awful, there is nothing in between. These were of the first quality. So delicious.
And of course Frites.
By this point I had ordered and begun to enjoy a fabulous Vin Rouge from Domaine Vico of Corsica. A marvelous blend of Syrah and Nielluccio (Sangiovese). The vineyard was founded in 1901, making it one of the oldest estates in Corsica. Something only a wine geek like me would appreciate. Just know this, you’d love it.
Of course the regular dinner menu is filled with an abudant offering of French delights.
230 E 51st St #1 New York, NY 10022
(212) 583-0579
4 W 58th St New York, NY 10019
(212) 688-3800
Things to do, places to see, with food and booze
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