Boulud Sud
M-F 11:30am-12am; Sa 11am-12am; Su 11am-11pm
Living in the neighborhood and a frequent visitor to the ballet, I have found Boulud Sud’s convenient location across from Lincoln Center to serve me well since it opened in 2011. I have had consistently excellent meals where I have sat in the dining room as well as grabbing a quick bite while seated at the bar. Never has one of the Mediterranean-inspired dishes disappointed either myself or my guests. Most recently, I was thrilled to introduce the restaurant to Erika, one of the Manhattan Sideways team members, as she was thoroughly impressed with each of Daniel Boulud’s creations. The special that night was a savory seafood risotto with shrimp, clams, and uni (sea urchin), all sourced from the Eastern United States that Erika described as intense and outstanding. I ordered the seasonal chilled asparagus soup, which was a summery green and tasted as bright as it looked, with a dollop of preserved lemon yogurt to top it off. We shared the crispy artichokes alla romana, a favorite of mine, served with a nipatella aioli. I could not allow Erika to leave without indulging in the dessert that always steals the show. The grapefruit givre comes served in a hollowed-out grapefruit resting on a bed of ice. Inside, there is an entrancing study in texture and contrast. A tart grapefruit sorbet studded with cubes of loukoum, or Turkish delight, and then topped with a mountain of sweet, shredded sesame halva. It is as much an experience as a dessert.