La Pomme Rouge
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Success could spoil La Pomme Rouge. Unlike Sugar, which once occupied the same signless space, Jerry Suqi and Jackson Miranda’s vision of a belle epoque Parisian salon depends on a romantically decadent ambience rather than a high-energy buzz. Fill it with noisy crowds and no one will fully appreciate the luxurious fabrics, gilt mirrors, Victorian ceiling fixtures, and art nouveau artwork. Worse yet, executive chef Jeffrey Mauro’s sophisticated creations will become mere props for the beverages: pricey champagnes, martinis with French twists, classic cocktails. La Pomme Rouge’s grand opening was July 24, but late in the “soft opening” month before that, I eagerly took a bite out of the apple and found it surprisingly polished. A caviar napoleon, at $14 the poor person’s alternative to osetra or sevruga service ($300 and $200, respectively), was a cute if salty conceit: three mini English muffins mounded with scrambled eggs, crispy pancetta, and American sturgeon caviar, crowned by potato-bacon foam. Silken foie gras torchon surpassed most pates and, being contraband, perfectly fit the temptation theme. The menu doesn’t distinguish between appetizers and entrees, so “roasted chicken breast” turned out to be a lovely little salad with watercress and apricots matched with a foie-filled tortellini, while the pan-seared rib eye with melted onions and fingerling potatoes made a deliciously rich meal. Simultaneously sweet and savory, the individual Roquefort-apple quiche works as a cheese course or dessert. I might skip the mousselike gianduia cremeux–but only reluctantly. La Pomme Rouge is closed most Friday nights for private parties. A caveat: if you actually want to read the menu, bring a flashlight. –Anne Spiselman
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