Bar Americain – The Grand American Eatery
Just two week ago, I reported on Canadian celebrity chef Susur Lee’s New York restaurant Shang. Mr. Lee, while a glowing culinary icon in Canada, was virtually unknown in the United States until one night, he tied the American Icon Bobby Flay in Kitchen Stadium. It so happens that this past weekend, I was given an “assignment” by my mother to dine at Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain, the massive midtown restaurant. So while the flavors of Shang are still fresh in my mind, I am going to judge the dishes on taste, plating, and originality. You know the drill.
One thing is clear when you arrive at Bar Americain, this is an All-American restaurant. Located in the prime area of midtown Manhattan, just slightly off the madness of Time Square and Fifth Ave., and within walking distance to offices, it is ideal location for New Yorkers and tourists alike. Signs are big, and the “store front” is really wide. You will not have troubles finding this restaurant. The grandeur continues inside as well. Over-sized lighting fixtures hang above high ceilings, and a wide bar backed by huge mirrors makes an already airy environment truly a sight to behold.
It's big and grand at Americain
The crowds are mixed. You have the fancy, impeccably dressed New Yorkers, and you have the tourists in tank tops. While I genuinely hope people put in the effort to dress for nice dinners, I do understand how Chef Flay wants to make his food accessible to all, especially those who might have made their first trek to New York.
The menu offered a wide range of choices, and specialized entrees for each day of the week. While the waiter was explaining the menu, I noticed that I recognized EVERY ingredient that he spoke about. Quite rare nowadays as restaurants flaunt their assortment of cheeses and spices.
We decided to start with some oysters (my new obsession), which were fresh and absolutely delicious. Instead of the usual horseradish, the oysters, 2 of each type, came with a special vinaigrette. It was slightly tart, especially when used with the lemon. Still, beautifully done and an incredible value.
Some really fresh and delicious oysters
For appetizers, we went with Chef Flay’s southern flavors. The red-pepper crab cakes had just a hint of pepper, and tasted wonderful with the light shredded cabbage. It was more crab, less cake, just the way I like it. Deep friend squash stuffed with roasted pork was extremely creative, and the pork tasted absolutely sublime. I could have eaten the pork all meal. Was the squash presentation really all that necessary?
Red pepper crab cake
I can eat the roasted pork inside the squash all day.
For entree I had the steak, done “Philly Cheese Steak” style. I was really amazed by how a piece of flavorful steak would taste with caramelized onions and cheese, and it worked great. My only complaint is that the steak wasn’t as tender as I expected, and that the burnt edges combined with the cheese was a bit on the bitter side. Flavor wise, it was great.
It's a Phily cheese Steak, literally.
The other entree we got was the duck steak. We’ve always craved duck since we had the amazing duck steak at Town last year, so ordering this was a no brainer. The flavoring was spot on, with the bourbon really bringing out the flavor of the meat. The bad news? the meat was tough, and a bit of a workout.
Duck steak, looks beautiful, a tad dry.
All taken into consideration, would I consider Bar Americain a good restaurant? Absolutely. I would gladly recommend this to any people venturing into midtown or want a pleasant dinner. Was I blown away? No.
Back to my iron chef game. Taste was a split decision. Susur Lee was perfect with cooking the meat and fish, but Bobby Flay takes the edge on the flavoring. Susur had nicer originality, and Bobby wins in plating. It’s a tie, honestly.
The judges have spoken.
CS
Rating: 
Bar Americain (Make a Reservation)
152 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019-6004
August 31st, 2009 at 10:50 am
I met friends at Bar Americain yesterday for brunch. It was our first (and will be my only) time there. The server was pleasant and really encouraged my choice of brunch entrees. When the omelette I ordered arrived, however, it was the most bland and tasteless thing I had eaten in months! I waited for her to return so I could advise her that something had obviously been left out, but she never again came back while we sat there for almost an hour! Even when she brought the check, she never said ‘how was the meal’ (althought mine remained almost 90% untouched) – so I simply paid and left with the intention never to return. The only staff we saw between ordering and paying was the person who refilled the water and the always lukewarm coffee A real disappointment. When one orders an egg dish – in which the ingredients cost almost nothing, one expects their $17 will pay for some artistic and tasty treatment of the basics. Not so in this case. (by the way – no accomodation is made on their website for feedback – which I why I am writing this here)
August 31st, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Hi Doc Voskuil,
Thanks for sharing your experience with us here, I’m sorry to hear about your experience at brunch. Personally I’ve never been to Bar Americain for brunch, and doubt I ever will after your feedback. My favorite brunch spot in Manhattan is at 7A, on 7th Street and Ave. A. Kind of an eclectic crowd, but the food is great and of amazing value.
February 20th, 2010 at 11:14 am
[...] and Italian restaurants pride themselves in a sense of grandeur. Outside Bar Americain you’ll see the name displayed on every pane of glass, and you can easily look in at the [...]