We’re Celebrating Balthazar Turning 20 Years Old In NYC
Ahh…that French onion soup and steak frites.
In a city like New York, where the restaurant scene is constantly in flux, it’s nice to know that certain establishments, like Balthazar, will always stay the same.
The iconic French brasserie in SoHo turned 20 years old this year and the restaurant continues to celebrate its endearing role in New York City.
Rumor is that restauranteur, Keith McNally, drew the layout of the exquisite bar on a napkin for an investor. And then, Balthazar was born in April 1997, and has been serving up breakfast, lunch and dinner, 365 days a year ever since.
It’s not difficult to see why the restaurant has managed to attract gourmands from all over the world constantly for 20 years. From the outside, Balthazar is unassuming and tucked away, while on the inside it’s incredibly poetic and romantic. With high vintage columns, dim lighting and lots of lively chatter, Balthazar does an impeccable job recreating the perfect Old World French bistro, where everyone from glamorous celebrities to local families are welcome. The bakery attached to the restaurant churning out delicious French breads and pastries simply adds to the restaurant’s charm. It’s like being transported in time and space as in Midnight in Paris.
Chef Shane McBride, elaborates on what continues to make Balthazar one of the most iconic restaurants in New York:
“First of all it’s the room. You feel transported when you walk in here. You feel like you’re in France. Like you’ve gone into another era of New York City. It’s 20 years old but it looks and feels like it might be 100 years old and it’s been in the neighborhood for that long. People are always amazed to know it’s only 20 years old, not 60 years old, because it just has that feeling. It’s warm, comforting and inviting.”
Despite filling all the requirements of a high profile destination restaurant, Balthazar still feels like a familiar neighborhood restaurant. The servers are down-to-earth and personable, all friendly faces that you’d be happy to see time and time again. The menu has special dishes that change seasonally but for the most part it remains the same with items guests can fall back on regularly.
“It’s changed in the fact that we change the menu seasonally every year. That was one of the reasons why I was brought on board, to freshen things up a little bit. And it stays the same where there are classics like steak frites and French onion soup that people come back for all the time. Because the main thing about Balthazar that sets it apart is its consistency. You ate here 20 years ago and came and had the French onion soup or steak frites or buffalo salad, it’s going to be exactly the same as it was. That’s a big part of the success that happens here… There’s service staff that have been here since the doors opened so people come to see them. Multiple parts of the puzzle of what makes it such a great restaurant.”
Balthazar’s famous go-to’s are the steak frites and French onion soup, which you can always count on being hearty and delicious. Other classics are the Bouillabaisse every Friday and duck confit. Being a seafood lover, my personal favorite was the grilled trout and octopus carpaccio, both of which were prepared with a simple, elegant balance of herbs to bring out the flavor. Balthazar has everything you would want to order at a high-end steakhouse, but with French sophistication and flare.
“If I had a perfect meal here it would be the seafood tower from our raw bar, a bottle of great champagne and the steak frites with a great glass of red wine.”
Chef McBride says the main challenge of remaining a top destination restaurant for two decades is staying on top of maintenance and infrastructure:
“Being such a big operation, if something goes wrong here, you have to be prepared for the worst. The basement is a city block long. There are pipes, electrical stuff everywhere. Always be ready. We’re always keeping things tuned up and repairing stuff. Really to keep something in the building that’s this old and a restaurant that’s 20 years old, it’s well-worn. You really have to stay on top of every little detail.”
Thankfully, Balthazar’s chefs and staff continue to pull off superb consistency and familiarity with every guest who comes through its doors day in and day out. With a team that’s extensively dedicated to upholding the restaurant’s illustrious tradition, it’s no wonder that Balthazar continues to remain a prominent fixture of NYC’s food world for 20 years. And there’s no doubt that it’ll continue to attract travelers and local New Yorkers, looking to take part in the dreamy French renaissance taking place inside its doors each day.
