Our Restaurants
Artisanal
Artisanal Fromagerie, Bistro and Wine Bar showcases the formidable creativity and passion of Chef-Proprietor Terrance Brennan who adds playful twists to classic French bistro dishes. Brennan’s Osso Bucco, for example, features monkfish instead of meat. Traditionally prepared with beef, Brennan’s Duck Bourguignon is artfully made a La Grand-Mère with Chestnut Pappardelle. Selecting only premium ingredients, Brennan’s commitment to the use of artisanal, sustainable and organic products is evident in the quality of each dish.
Recalling a Parisian bistro, Artisanal’s handsome interior was designed by noted architect Adam Tihany. A mural-sized painting, which had hung in French restaurants since the 1930’s, presides over the 160-seat Art-Deco space. In the back of the dining room is the cheese cave, a temperature and humidity controlled room, where a number of the world’s finest artisanally-made cheeses are aged to optimum ripeness and peak flavor. Adjacent to the dining room is the wine bar, which boosts 160 wines by the glass.
After its March 2001 opening, Gourmet magazine wrote, “as cheese-intensive as Artisanal is, as profoundly as it caters to the basest of lactic desires, the restaurant may already be one of the best bistros in New York, remarkable even without the cheese.” Awarded Best Brasserie Cuisine in the 2002 Zagat Survey, Artisanal continues to delight customers and critics alike.
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Picholine
Taking its name from the small, tender green olive harvested in the Mediterranean, Picholine opened its doors at 35 West 64th Street in October of 1993. “It instantly became one of the best restaurants around Lincoln Center,” according to The New York Times, which gave Picholine a prestigious three-star rating.
The menu at Picholine showcases “the ferocious commitment to quality and the restless inventiveness of its chef-owner, Terrance Brennan” according to the New York Times. Featuring the highest quality seasonal ingredients, his French-Mediterranean dishes are original interpretations of classic flavors from France, Spain and Italy.
Brennan’s 2006 redesign of Picholine transformed the restaurant with a sleek design that mirrors the modern sensibilities of his Mediterranean cuisine. The no-reservations wine and cheese bar features purple leather banquettes and walls upholstered in a grey-lavender stripe. Soaring 10-foot boysenberry velvet curtains separate the wine and cheese bar from the elegant dining rooms, where grey mohair banquettes and custom-made grey leather chairs with deep purple piping are reflected in custom mirrors.
In addition to 84 seats in the main dining rooms, L’Olivier, the restaurant’s spacious private dining room can accommodate an additional 22 guests. Picholine’s intimate Wine Room which the New York Times called “one of the prettiest private dining rooms in the city” can seat 8 guests. Tucked in a corner of the 2,500 bottle-lined Wine Room is the famous Cheese Cave. The restaurant received a James Beard Foundation nomination for the country’s Outstanding Restaurant in 2007, and was awarded two stars in the 2008 edition of Michelin Guide New York City.
Bar Artisanal
Bar Artisanal Restaurant & Tapas Bar in TriBeCa represents Chef Terrance Brennan’s culinary tribute to the simple ingredients, rich culture, and robust flavors of Spain. Seducing guests with sultry colors and sensual beats, Bar Artisanal’s savory dishes reflect Spain’s diverse regional cuisines from Barcelona to Cataluña, Andalucia to Valencia. As with all of Chef Brennan’s restaurants, the downtown location maintains a commitment to the use of artisanal, sustainable and organic products. Bar Artisanal features innovative cocktail list; an accessible regional wine list; and sumptuous Spanish dishes artfully prepared with an Artisanal twist.
Black and white tile floors, wrought-iron latticework, deep, red accents, and vibrant artwork evoke the passion and festive ambience of Spain. Designed by Albert Angel & Elle Kunnos, the spacious restaurant is enhanced by the floor-to-ceiling, multi-pane windows and shimmering birdcage chandeliers. A distinctive feature and attraction in the dining room is the Jamón & Queso Bar where guests can watch experts carefully and delicately slice imported Jamón Serrano, Jamón Bellota and Jamon Iberico displayed next the selection of Artisanal Spanish cheeses.
Organized into Classic and Modern Tapas, Appetizers, Salads, Entrees, and Desserts, the menu showcases interpretations of classic Spanish dishes as well as original, creative fare by Chef Brennan and Chef de Cuisine Ayesha Nurdjaja. Rounding out the offerings are a selection of Flatbreads, Spanish Cheeses and Charcuterie. A closer look reveals delectable Classic Tapas like Salt Cod Fritters with Piquillo Pepper Jam, and of course Patatas Bravas. Sea Urchin Crema with Toast, Liquid Foie Gras, and Potato Cone Foam with Caviar, a savory tuille filled with potato foam topped with organic Spanish caviar are highlights on the Modern Tapas section. The wood fired oven turns out a selection of Flatbreads like one made with Potato, Chorizo and Fried Egg. Signature dishes include Fideos Negros, small pieces of pasta cooked with Squid, Piquillo Peppers and Classic Aioli; Shellfish Paella with Lobster, Clams, Shrimp, Mussels; Roast Chicken with Olives, Lemon, Garlic, Pimenton Picante; and Fabada, a bean stew made with Pork Belly, Chorizo, Blood Sausage and served crackling and hot. Churros, Spanish-style doughnuts, served with hot chocolate and Torta de Santiago, Vanilla Ice Cream, Pedro Ximénez are two of the signature sweets.
The wine list features more than 50 Spanish wines organized by region, and 10 by the glass. Highlights on the creative cocktail menu are the Valencia made with Vodka, Mango and Jalapeno and the PX Cacao Martini made with PX Sherry, Vodka and Godiva. Horchata, a milky sweet tigernut drink popular in Spain, is updated with flavors like Lychee and Passion Fruit.
Visit the Bar Artisanal Website