Upstairs, Downstairs

I’ve been to the Café at Chez Panisse, and think that I should finally treat my food-obsessed college student self to the real thing downstairs.

I’m terribly fond of the Tavern Room (though I don’t actually find the food spectacular, I just really like the inviting atmosphere), and odds are that I would also quite enjoy dining at the fancy restaurant at Gramercy Tavern.

But for some reason, despite the fact that Bouley Upstairs delights me so, I’ve never been curious about the fine dining experience at Bouley. In some ways, I think of Bouley Upstairs as an ultimate New York restaurant. It feels like I’m inside David Bouley’s kitchen and he is cooking for me and dozens of his closest friends. The space is extremely cozy (read: extremely cramped), the selection eclectic (you can get sushi, Italian, meats, and fish -- usually a sign that not one thing will be very good, but not at all the case here), and the diners likely owners of oversized Tribeca lofts. On my one visit there, I had the Chatham Bay codfish, seasonal mushrooms, sweet pea puree, and potato puree, followed by a thoughtful selection of cheeses. Nothing fancy, but it left me wanting for nothing.