Cognac East: A Consistently Delicious Neighborhood Haunt
Tucked on the corner of Lexington and 70th st is Cognac East, a French brasserie brought to you by French restauranteur and chef Florian Hugo with the Serafina Group. Despite being owned by a large restaurant group Cognac feels like an authentic neighborhood spot. Its patrons are, for the most part, regulars, and when you walk in the staff greet you warmly by name. During my time in New York I was staying close by and visited often. Some visits were better than others but their consistently delicious classic french fare still has me yearning for a trip to Paris.
Their french onion soup alone makes this the perfect place to escape the brutal winter weather. Its massive amounts of grated Gruyere over a rich beef and onion broth was as comforting as a warm snuggly blanket. Their “burgundy style” escargot with garlic butter, fresh parsley and white wine was exquisitely prepared, to be honest I would order it just to be able to dip bread into the garlic butter. Although it does come with a dressing-less side salad which was a random addition that they could do without.
Fabulous Tuna Tart
One night we were trying to order the tuna tartar and the waiter mistook it for the “tuna tart”, what a happy mistake that was! It is a thin tart flambé with grade A tuna, horseradish cream and some pickled ginger that adds a jolting zing when you give it a bite. Their pièce de résistance is without doubt the filet mignon burger with foie gras terrine. All other burgers pale in comparison to this greasy, heavenly creation, worth every single calorie. If you go to Cognac and don’t order these then you’ve wasted a trip.
Cognac Burger with Foie Gras
A few insider tips, if you do order the burger with foie, have some heartburn meds on hand. Apart from that, always ask what the specials are for the day. They have a list of rotating specials on the back of their menu but there are days when they’ll have something new up their sleeve. Finally, be sure to finish off your meal with the "Floating Island" dessert: a poached meringue with caramel and vanilla crème anglaise. Not only is it a beauty to look at but it is so light and fluffy that you won't feel the least bit guilty about it
Clearly I’m a big fan of Cognac, it may not be a trending hot spot but it is always a sure thing. Their variety of dishes suits every mood and the comfy red leather chairs and large windows on the first floor allow for great people watching.
The Floating Island
The Essentials:
Type of Cuisine: Classic French
Ideal Occasion: A splurge lunch or nice but low key dinner
Best Place to Sit: If small group, first floor near the windows on Lexington, if larger party then their big round dining tables upstairs.
Ambiance: Refined but low key
Service: Extremely kind and attentive
Can’t Miss Dishes: “Fabulous Tuna Tart” & “filet Mignon Burger with foie gras terrine”
Open for lunch and dinner, 7 days a week.
Cognac East
963 Lexington Avenue
(Corner of 70th Street)
New York, NY 10021
(212) 249-5100
