03.04.09
Review of Casanis, Friday January 2009
81 Ludlow St. #2 & Broome Sts., 212-677-9383 (then Le Cubain, now Sebastián)
Great for: brasserie food late if you’re too far from Balthazar
This turned out to be the last time the now-ex-Boyfriend and I would have a dinner date. (He was a great boyfriend for two months and then suddenly Mr. Hyde came out to wreck my life. I gave him the benefit of the doubt for another month, but ruining my birthday was the last straw. We’re friendly now though.) At least we were happy with the food and each other this particular night.
I absolutely loved my duck confit with frisée and haricots verts. The generous portion of juicy, tender duck sat atop ridiculously good salad and dressing. I cleaned my plate and probably could have eaten three more! B wanted the country pâté, which they were out of. His shrimp cocktail in its stead had great sauce, while the shrimp were on the firm side but good.
Though I had a lot of surgery to do on my steak with béarnaise sauce, mesclun salad and french fries, it was enjoyable. The fries were crunchy and a bit bland, while the salad and slightly vinegary béarnaise were lovely. Overall, very satisfying. Poor B was 0 for 2 ordering things that they actually had, as they’d run out of the burger. It turned out to be just as well; his hangar steak topped wtih fried onions in brandy sauce and mashed potatoes was so perfectly great I was not allowed to try it. Of course, I made sure to snatch some bites when he went to the bathroom – I have a duty to my dear readers, after all. I very much liked it too.
His glass of Côte du Rhône and my Champagne were both satisfactory as well. I can’t say as much for our waitress, but she wasn’t awful and I suppose it was quite late. It’s a nice-looking place, too. I’m glad they’re open until midnight every day except Sunday (11pm). It’ll definitely be a go-to spot in the area if I’m ever hungry late. Plus, they’ve just opened a club 2 doors away downstairs called Chloe, supposedly the next Beatrice though I hear varying reports on that.
Rating: 7.5 / 10
Our cost: $95 (2 glasses wine)
Noise level: Euro party
Chance of walking in: better very late or very early. Sadly, it’s closed and has become Le Cubain, a sort of Cuban-French brasserie. It seems to have the same owners and décor.
