Day Tripping: La Petite Auberge

If the food reviews are to be believed (and I think they are), La Petite Auberge restaurant, just north of Gramercy Park, is reminiscent of 1950s Paris. It certainly exudes an authentic flair, as the entire staff is French, from the coatcheck to the chef. Local 9-to-5ers like the restaurant because of its consistently good food over the course of 30 years and because there is no catwalk music or loud chit-chat. It is a place where a business, casual, or romantic lunch can happen without distraction.

My tablemate and I chose the pre-fixed lunch, a New York institution that may confuse out-of-towners who don't know the term prix fixe. At La Petite Auberge, diners are charged a flat rate for a three-course lunch of appetizer, entree, and dessert. Each course is expertly choreographed.

I started with a green salad. It was perfect in its simplicity, with the freshest field greens and juicy endive I've had, and a creamy salad dressing to die for. (It hinted of buttermilk, but I can't be sure. Todd Wilbur, the Top Secret recipe guy, would know!) Accompanied by crusty baguette and a cool pat of butter served with tongs onto a paper doily-covered bread plate, it was a great way to start a meal. The server cleared our plates, then took to smartly removing all our bread crumbs with a tool that looked like a tiny, unmarked metal ruler.

I'd been previously pleased with the roast chicken and mashed potatoes on another outing there, so this time I tried the Sole Meuniere (with lemon and butter) served with sauteed green beans and boiled fingerling potatoes. Though the beans were slightly overcooked, they were still delicious and buttery, so I forgave Chef Alain for this small oversight, considering I burned the last batch of green beans I made at home.

I finished with a divine chocolate mousse, garnished with the tiniest dollop of whipped cream and a vanilla cigarette-shaped tuile cookie. My lunch partner was focused only on her creme caramel.

Considering the quality of the food, and the expertise with which it was made and served, I'd say $20 for an authentic French luncheon is a steal.

Go there. It's good.

La Petite Auberge

116 Lexington Avenue (at 28th Street)

New York, NY 10016

(212) 689-5003

www.lapetiteaubergeny.com

Day Tripping: Lannam Vietnamese Restaurant

On Monday, January 26, which happened to be the lunar new year (some call it the "Chinese" new year), I was in New York City to deliver some work downtown. I was looking forward to having lunch with an old friend. We were going to meet at Zen Palate, my favorite Asian vegetarian place, in Union Square. Zen Palate had been open since at least 1995 and was a regular lunch stop when I'd last worked in the Flatiron Building not far away.

Sadly, Zen Palate had closed its doors. After doing a vigorous business for more than 10 years, Zen Palate's closure had more to do with the recent, precipitious economic decline than its food. Instead, we went to Lannam Vietnamese Restaurant, a first for me. Hopefully not my last.

For starters, the staff welcomed us as if we were Norm and Cliff and this place was Cheers. The waiter arrived after we'd had a chance to settle in and took our drink order. His timing was just as good throughout the meal--he was attentive but not hovering, let us have our space but didn't make us feel forgotten.

My friend, an Asian food enthusiast, ordered the Vietnamese rice noodles (commonly known as Pad Thai) with shrimp, shredded vegetables, and crushed peanuts in Nuoc Cham sauce made with garlic, red pepper flakes, fresh lime juice, and fish sauce. I ordered the sauteed chicken, sliced thin, with crispy snow peas and nearly opaque slivers of lemongrass, which gave the pale, nearly clear ginger sauce a burst of spring that was pleasing on a blustery winter day. This was all served on a bed of white rice, though brown rice and fried rice are also offered. The portions were huge for lunchtime.

But perhaps the best part was the bill. Turns out Lannam is one of the best bargains in the city, named one of the Top 100 Buys for the Buck by Zagat survey. I used an Andrew Jackson to pay for drinks, lunch, and the tip. Now that's a happy new year!

Lannam Vietnamese Cuisine

121 University Place

(one block south of Union Square West @ 13th Street)

New York, NY

(212) 420-1179‎