NOTE: PERMANENTLY CLOSED AS OF 01/17/2018
Bar Americain, one of Bobby Flay’s high-end signature restaurants situated somewhere in the nether region of Hell’s Kitchen and Midtown East, is a popular after work and date spot.
ATMOSPHERE
I’ve been to Bar Americain previously for drinks, and I was impressed with the ambiance at that time, which is why I made the return trip. The atmosphere is as one would expect in that part of town — high class including great mood lighting and decorative details. It’s a great spot for quick drinks or a nice dinner. The bar is fully stocked with all of my favorite bourbon, and it has a decent selection of wine.
FOOD
I definitely liked what I ordered from the menu, but overall I found it a bit limited. That isn’t to say what was on the menu wasn’t good: the pickled deviled eggs, red snapper, and Bar Americain Fries were all very tasty and worthy of praise. The selections are primarily traditional American faire: steak, chicken, , but then there’s the odd rabbit dish thrown in for good measure.
WINE
I was able to taste three different wines, each very different from one another. The Sauvignon Blanc (Turnbull), Sancerre Rose (Franck & Sylvain Godon) and Sparkling Moscato d’Asti (La Spinetta).
The Sauvignon Blanc was semi-sweet and had tropical notes — it was very citrus, heavy grapefruit from beginning to end. It is something I would replace the usual Cupcake with if I wanted something a bit more zesty.
The Moscato was absolutely delicious! It was a desert wine, but I will purchase a few bottles simply for occasions when I want something more sweet and effervescent. It may unseat Dr. Loosen as my favorite desert wine.
The Sancerre-Rose was my least favorite of the three, but it was the most well paired with the red snapper dish.
Franck & Sylvain Godon Sancerre-Rose
Turnbull Sauvignon Blanc
“Aromatics of grapefruit, guava and melon. Exhibiting lively citrus notes with zest of Meyer lemon with bright, focused fruit flavors balanced by a minerality. The wine is crisp and lively with medium body and a focused finish.” – Wine.com
“It’s an elegant wine flush with ripe berry aromas, a refreshing mineral character, and the crisp, dry finish of a classic French rosé.” – Lastcallwines.com
“Yellow with green reflections. Sweet and sexy, deliciously crisp green apple and honeysuckle. A wine that surprises by its remarkable freshness and brilliant fruit flavors reminiscent of apple, spiced pear and honey.” – Wine.com