New York - May 02, 2001

Ouest Opens

Ouest Restaurant

Then add Tom Valenti (you know that guy…the man who cooked for us at Alison on Dominick, Cascabel, and Butterfield 81) and pluck him down in a more casual (slightly!), more affordable, warm, stylish spot, and call it Ouest.

(And make sure you say it exhaling deeply, like you are so very French.)

Add a sleek design by renowned Boston architect Peter Niemintz, with rich burgundy leather banquettes, mahogany paneling, forgiving lighting, and fixtures covered in orange and red silk. Up front feels very brasserie-like, the back more formal—with an open kitchen (so you can see that no one spits in your food).

But the French stops right about there. The cuisine is American, with dishes such as salmon gravlax with a chickpea pancake, caviar, and mustard oil; sweet-pea broth with Parmesan custard and morel mushrooms; and a potato-and-goat-cheese terrine with truffles and roasted beets; as well as larger dishes like squab with tomato risotto and roast halibut with fava beans and a chanterelle broth. (The t-bone steak and the short ribs with polenta are no brainers for the carnivore.)

Those 140-seats will fill up fast is our guess. But heads up, DailyCandy subscribers—you can indulge your sweet tooth on Tom’s tab. For the next week, bring in a copy of this e-mail and get free “sweet treats.” (He called it that, not us.)