Eating at Le Coucou. One Michelin Star. The Most Popular French Restaurant in NYC
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- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2024
- I eat at and review Le Coucou right near the SoHo neighborhood of New York City. The fine dining restaurant serves French food and is very popular. Le Coucou earned a Michelin Star and took home the James Beard award as the Best New Restaurant in America. It may also be one of the most beautiful restaurants in NYC.
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Spending nearly $200 per person and still leaving the restaurant a bit hungry is the tragedy that plagues we who love fine dining, I feel your pain, James. Fantastic review, definitely adding Le Coucou to my list.
So someone who enjoys nice food but doesn’t eat much would be perfect for a tasting menu?
As someone who hates large portions and having people constantly saying "eat more" I wish I had this problem.
I was thinking the same, too many times I've gone to a Michelin star restaurant and left feeling like I was still a bit hungry. But each dish was excellent!
Thank you! Yeah, it's a little frustrating leaving a place when I know that I could eat more, but it's still worth it to me to eat such amazing food. I just wish that my wallet was as big as my appetite.
@@bkm2797 damn, that does surprise me.
I have been lucky enough to visit well over a dozen starred places and have never once left hungry; more often than not, I've been stuffed. Maybe I'm lucky/you're unlucky.
The lighting in the restaurant was ethereal, the food looked sophisticated yet joyful.
Absolutely!
I love your reviews so much James! From how you describe and the showcase the food, to the information you give, and your shooting/ editing skills... everything is top-notch! Le Coucou looks like an incredible restaurant.
Thank you so much for the nice words! It means a lot to me! Yes, Le Coucou is a special place!
I felt like I was on a movie set. Everything about this was so incredibly beautiful. It brought tears to my eyes!
@@barbaracoffey124 Thank you so much! I do my best to make the best video I can.
Hi James,
Thanks for your review of La Cou Cou. I usually feel intimidated by French food and restaurants but your review was very helpful in making me want to try this restaurant. You are a very gentle soul.
Have a wonderful evening,
Peter
@s.macintosh-jc9rf Thank you so much Peter! Yeah, some places can be a bit intimidating, but thankfully, this restaurant really put me at ease.
Probably the best dialog of any RUclips food reviewer.
Thank you! That really makes me happy to hear because I definitely put a lot of time into my videos.
James, a wonderful review & I'm so glad you enjoyed your experience so much.
Thanks so much!
The atmosphere and ambiance with your videos is much welcome. Thank you sir.
Glad you like them! Thanks for watching!
Steak and cheesecake at a French restaurant. Dear James, I think you need to go for a walk round the block and come back for round two and as a challenge, have someone at the restaurant choose from the menu for you. Your taste buds will thank you I'm sure. Teasing aside, a very enjoyable virtual dining experience and certainly cheaper than a flight to Paris.
Thank you! Yeah, I was having a difficult time deciding what to order since everything sounded so good. Like I said in the video, I ordered the steak since it was one of the dishes not available on the lunch menu and I wanted to take advantage of my dinner reservation.
With those tiny portions, no need to exercise.😊
Wow James, you knocked this one out of the park. Your camerawork and narrative were actually soothing, and I could almost taste the food. I'm so happy when I see a new James post! Thank you for sharing your passion, you are very much appreciated.
Thank you! It really means a lot to me!
dude you are seriously underrated, the amazing camera work and descriptive storytelling make your videos truly captivating.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!
Great review, and what a classy-looking place! Next time I want to feel like I'm eating elegantly, I'll seek out some pleasantly spooky candlesticks and a secondary tablecloth when one just doesn't cut it.
Haha! Yeah, the more tablecloths the better!
Sumptuous. That's what that food looked like, Sumptuous. I thought the lobster bisque sauce was beurre noisette on first sight, but the textures and consistencies of everything were the work of a cuisine master.
It was delicious indeed!
Hi James, great review ! Good to see that traditional French cuisine with a few unobtrusive tweaks is here to stay. If I could go back to France, I would definitely visit the Paul Bocuse restaurant in Lyon. Unfortunately, my travel days are over. Thank you James for treating us to another gastronomic expedition ! All the best !
The Paul Bocuse restaurant in Collonges somewhat controversially lost its third star a couple of years ago but I think Bocuse is still such a culinary heavyweight even after his passing that it would still be worth a visit - a 2* restaurant is not to be sniffed at after all!
Thanks for watching! Yeah, someday, I would really like to visit Bocuse's restaurant. I've read so much about him and the restaurant.
I love French cuisine, they are like no other!
It was a lovely place with kind lighting, (I call it that because every one looks better in this type of lighting). The food looked sublime, and my goodness that was a lot of sweets for one person,lol. Thank you James for another solid review, are we off to Austria next?👍❤️
Yep, some reports from the Austria trip must be about due now!
Looking forward to them!
Thanks for watching! Yep, next week, I'll have my first video from Austria. I'll also be posting NYC videos intermittently, just to keep things interesting because I filmed a lot in Europe.
The candles are indeed magical
@@amybishop9787 Definitely!
Randomly stubbles on your videos. This is about the 3rd or 4th one I’ve watched. You do a wonderful job of describing the food, textures, etc. I also enjoy seeing the decor/environment. I appreciate the bits about the city/chef/history of restaurant. Thank you. I felt like I was at the table with you. 👏👏👏
Thank you so much! I really appreciate the support!
Outstanding food selection and review but I'm afraid your jacket stole the show for me...BADASS 💪😈
Thank you so much!
Your reviews and editing are far above some other RUclipsrs and definitely deserve more subscribers
Thank you! I really appreciate it!
I dined there in June and it was one of the best dinners in years. The wine list was spectacular; the silverware (yeah, it's silver) was top-notch; and the service was professional and attentive. I work briefly with Chef Rose and his taste is exceptional. This restaurant is a must to try if you're in NY. It's on a pricey side but good things can't and shouldn't be cheap
Nice! I'm glad that you had a great experience!
OMG that dinner was amazing as was your review thank you
@@patriciaroggero1150 Thank you so much! That's so nice of you to say!
Great descriptions man; I really felt like I was experiencing the meal:)
Thank you!
Your videos have been so helpful as some lifelong friends and I plan our foodie trip to NY in September. We're going to Le Bernardin, Keen's, and The Modern (that fried chicken looks insane) largely in part due to your in-depth, approachable reviews. Thanks for doing what you do!!
Thank you! That makes me happy to hear! Those are three great restaurants. I hope you have a great trip!
"Take my wallet and feed me more..." Now that is what I call money well spent! You should have got 2 mains, its not often that food can lift your spirit. The textures look spectacular. I can't imagine the taste...
Indeed! I was very happy with my meal!
love this guys videos
I appreciate it!
Quenelles - man that is some oldschool French. You don't see those every day. I first learned that there were such things from studying Jacques Pepin's La Technique, back decades ago in my youth when I aspired to become a culinary professional (and did become one for about 6 years.)
Nice! Yeah, for me, getting that dish was a no-brainer with just how rare it is these days.
It's so nice to see a menu with some really classic old school dishes.
I agree!
Such a beautiful restaurant. I'm a bit surprised that the fire marshal would allow such candles. All the food looked wonderful. Thank you James.
Thanks for watching! Yeah, I was thinking to myself, I wonder how many people actually knock over the candles, but they added such a great ambiance.
You have to admit New York is still the best fed city in the world. Ruth Reichel once stated that New York has so many restaurants. You can enjoy lunch and dinner every day for a year and never dine in a restaurant more than once. That’s how good it is!
I live in NYC, and for me London has the best restaurants in the world.
I agree!
You have the Best food review channel on all of YT! Much love!
Thank you so much! That's very kind to say!
also my new favorite food reviewer
Wow, that looks like a fantastic meal you had when you had that châteaubriand Omai God I haven’t had that in so long. Thank you for taking us.😊
Thanks for watching! Yeah, this was a truly incredible dinner!
Great video! I’ve heard mixed reviews of this place but glad to know the food passes the taste test. Looks like a great place for a memorable meal.
Thank you! I can only speak for myself, but I had a great time!
Looks like you had an amazing meal and dining experience. Thanks for taking us along!
It was incredible! Thank you for watching!
Thanks for showing us these places, in the upmost quality. Your narration is leaps beyond better than any other food critic on youtube. I was surprised to see the candles, that's so rare nowadays. Food looked great, I would definitely wait 2 weeks for good food.
Thank you so much! Yeah, good things are worth waiting for! I was surprised with the candles too. In fact, I was worried that I would accidentally knock mine over while I was trying to film myself. At the same time, the candles definitely added to the ambiance.
Love the interior. Nice atmosphere. Food looked good. 👍
Definitely!
Thanks for the Book recommendation! I just finished "Your Table is Ready" and I am making sure that my husband reads it next!!
@@lkylaurenkay That makes me happy to hear! I'm glad that you enjoyed it!
That bill total was actually not bad. With all that you got. Such quality.
It was worth it to me.
omggg, you went-thank you for going ❤😊
Thank you for watching!
Outstanding review as always...l know you like entrées, especially meat, in bulk, but clearly worth it given the quality of the food. This was a really refined and informative critique - your segments are aging like fine wine my friend..well done 👌
@MegaJacques1234 Thank you so much! I like having a filling meal, but I'll always prefer quality over quantity.
Loved the restaurant decor. The food across the board looked amazing. Any time they bring those little copper pans out with my entree filled with a special jus, it's a grand slam every single time, I swear. I thought the portion on the beef was okay given where you dined. The only ho-hum thing for me was the cheesecake. Pretty pedestrian looking slice for a one star Mich place?? Side Note: The Everest Room on the 40th floor of the building I worked in for years was operated by Jean Joho. He's one heck of a chef. His strength for me though was his deep knowledge on the wine of Alsace. After sitting with him for an hour at the restaurant one night, I ended up at the old Sam's Wines in Chicago. I ordered 20 plus cases total of a bunch of Alsace Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sylvaner, and a few more. They were a great addition to my cellar back in my drinking days. The flavor profiles on a bunch of the wines was literally off the charts heavenly. So cheers to you for picking a great wine with your meal. A great wine with a great meal is a gift. Forget the nonsense about reds with beef and whites with poultry. Drink what you love and enjoy. Yes my friend, this one was really well done. Simplicity, yet so elegant. Cheers James PS Everest closed in 2020...I miss it.
Thank you! I actually had the privilege to dine at Everest when I used to live in Chicago. It was an incredible meal! Plus, the fact that it was on the 40th floor of the Board of Trade Building made it one of the best dining rooms in the city. That must have been a great experience to sit with such an amazing chef! I agree, when it comes to wine or food, one should do what they enjoy instead of simply listening to convention.
I am jealous, that steak looks absolutely spectacular!
It was! Even though it was small, it was one of the best steaks that I've had this year.
That looked like your best visit of the year. Outstanding.
@@WildWing-wl7nj It was definitely a great meal!
This was a top video 🎉 that check tray was unique
Thank you! Yeah, that tray for the bill was a nice touch!
"Take my MONEY! Feed ME! LOL.... Everything looked awesome!
@@jpbanksnj It was a great meal indeed!
Damn. That was nice.
It was a great meal! Thanks for watching!
French restaurants, love them, the price you paid, not so much. But you left happy and satisfied, that's all that matters.
Indeed! Yeah, I didn't like the bill either, but I was happy!
Woof, the price is crazy but it looks very good. I appreciate you doing these reviews - I'm autistic and some food textures I simply can't do (like the foam puree), but I enjoy how descriptive you are, almost like I can taste it!
Thank you so much!
One of your best videos to date. Very entertaining.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!
Great review James. Wow that additional dessert looked spectacular! I’m glad you enjoyed your meal at Le Coucou!
@@tomahern8967 Thank you! Yeah, that bonus dessert was pretty special!
Pro tip - in Paris, many Michelin-star restaurants have cheaper lunch menu called "menu du jour" -- great value for the money.
@@papagen00 Indeed! Great tip!
I see what you did. A French restaurant upload with the olympics taking place in France? That's evil genius levels of planning - i like it!
On a serious note it take skills to make someone who doesn't like seafood look at that starter and think "Yes please". Great presentation/camera work, James, as per.
Thank you so much! Yeah, I figured the Olympics would be a good time to post this video, but in actuality, I just didn't get around to editing this one for awhile and was blessed with good timing with the Paris Olympics.
It is so pleasing to witness the expressions of joy on your face & the words of described pleasure which make ALL your reviews so wonderful & informative. Simply, I cannot but be impressed by your enthusiasm for each dining occasion offered & your sincere ability to describe your dining experience in almost "spiritual/reverent" tones. (Granted - when the review is worthy of your admiration) You are such a joy to watch when reviewing your dining experience. Your offerings are "so real" & "so sincere". Thank you for sharing with us all. This is Peter M. out!
Thank you so much for the nice words! It really means a lot to me! Yes, this was an amazing meal and I'm happy to share it!
Great content James. Thank you for all the work to put it out there. 🌺🌺🌺
@NancyRemling Thank you and thanks for watching!
By far one of the best restaurants/selections you've had in awhile...sooooooo delish...jealous
Thank you! I'm glad that you enjoyed it!
Thanks for the excellent review, as always. At Usd 200 inclusive of tip sounds reasonable for a fine dining Michelin starred restaurant. I cant see clearly your watch this time. Looking forward to more reviews.
Thanks for watching! Yeah, it was costly, but in comparison, it's on par with most Michelin Starred restaurants of that caliber in NYC.
Awesome review. Will try to dine here this weekend.
Thank you! I hope that you enjoy it!
Those same bottles of Lambic beer are about 8 to 12 USD in a posh café at the Grand Place in Brussels! The prices at Le Coucou (at least for the Lambic) are pure theft. By the way...loved your review!
And here I was thinking they were some kind of super top-shelf lambics. I've only tried Lindeman's...sadly lambics don't seem to be a thing in the US, but maybe their time will come...
Thank you! Of course there will always be a serious upcharge for any alcohol on a US menu, but that's a bargain! I never saw those beers for that price when I was in Brussels, nor have I seen them available online in that price range. Clearly, I've got to make a return to Belgium!
@@Jamesnu You do and let me know when you are coming. I'll take you to wonderful restaurants and the most famous Lambic brewery.
@@singbike5832 They are great Lambics. In origin, Lambics were brewed during the black plague in the Middle Ages as they could not contain the virus. Lambic was drunk by everyone including children. In Belgium, we've often had excuses to drink our beers.
Great vlog James! You ordered everything I would have selected! Especially the appetizer and main!
Thank you! Yeah, I was pleased with my selection.
It's nice to see a restaurant with a warmer ambience. It seems like a lot of places these days tend towards being a bit stark. And it's cool to see lambics on the menu. They don't seem to be something a lot of people are familiar with. Have you ever tried Lindeman's Frambois? It's a Belgium raspberry lambic which is very sweet and also a bit tart. Anyway, this looked like a great dining experience.
Yeah, it was definitely a nice atmosphere! Yep, I've had that before, it's pretty good! Normally though, I'm not the biggest fan of strong fruit flavors in beer.
Hello Le Coucou. Very good place. They unfortunately switched the Duck Montmorency for 2 with a single style but the rest of the meal was excellent when I went there a year ago. My dessert was the Marjolaine which was excellent
It's a good place indeed! Yeah, I've noticed that they've changed the menu a bit. I know that they even once had a tasting menu.
When it comes to potatoes, regardless of how they are cooked, I want to be able to experience an earthy potato taste.
@@Montecitodesign Fair enough. I know what you mean.
I would have ordered like half a dozen of the meringues to go, lol! Looks sublime, thanks for another great video experience!
It was an incredible experience! Thanks for watching!
Thank you for this video.
Thanks for watching!
Another fantastic video, THANK YOU!
@@shane9209 Thank you!
Your videos make me dream, thank you very much for sharing
Thanks for watching!
Production is almost as good as „Alexander the Guest“
Thank you! Alexander the Guest is one of my favorite channels!
@@Jamesnu Mine too! And you are very close!
Nice to see some starred places hitting the channel again (though I guess it's tricky when you've been travelling to places where Michelin isn't present!). I enjoy the research part of it too, it's part of my planning prior to making a trip. Running petits fours together is an American thing - when you're in a French restaurant you probably want to pronounce it as two distinct words like we do in English (and as the French do!) ;)
Thank you! Yeah, there will be more Michelin Starred restaurants in upcoming videos. I try to space them out so that my channel isn't just fine dining.
@@Jamesnu it seems to work well for the audience. I watch the reviews of steakhouses and BBQ places that have nothing to offer me as a vegetarian so you're doing something right!
Fantastic review!
Thank you!
Fantastic review.
Thank you!
Wow!! Love your channel!! Question, Do the restaurants know you are a Food Critic?? Keep the
Good FOOD coming to Sunny San Diego.🌴
Thank you! Yeah, I think some restaurants know who I am, especially when I make a reservation.
I love your channel. I wish I could hang with you in the city lol.
Thank you!
If you're going to Vienna, I highly recommend Steirereck. It was phenomenal
Thanks for the recommendation! I'm actually already back from Austria, but that restaurant was a place that I was actually considering going to.
Thanks for posting another great review! This has been on my list for my fall trip and now I'm even more excited. My mouth was watering during this video!
Thanks for watching! I hope you enjoy Le Coucou, I sure did!
The steak looked amazing!
It tasted as good as it looked!
Nice review. I think i just want to have the dessert! The freebie! 😊
Thank you! Yeah, that was a great dessert!
Go into a foo foo French restaurant like this and order freedom fries, and hold the waiters gaze without smiling.
Haha!
Congratulations on your food moment = )
Thank you!
Can somebody please find James a date? Why is he always going on his own to these nice places? Ladies! You're missing out!
I thought he was gay.
Another great video bro 👍🏽
Thank you! I appreciate it!
thxing you for review sir
Thanks for watching!
Yet another awesome video. Do you intend on trying 4 Charles in the future? That is if you can even get a reservation of course.
Thank you! Yeah, I definitely want to go there. I've been a little lax on trying, but I'll get there eventually.
Great clip! Keep eating!
Thank you!
@@Jamesnu you are welcome
Loved this review, the food looked amazing, and the ambience looked a great mix between romantic yet modern. It definitely looked worth the price, given how enjoyable it was, along with the extra dessert they gave too.
I always watch your reviews when I’m eating dinner here in England, UK, it makes it even more enjoyable somehow. Keep up the excellent content!❤️😍🥂👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you so much! I really appreciate the support!
You are very welcome! Love to see new reviews from you, always so well filmed & really give the feeling of being there❤️👏🏼
Looking forward to your Austrian food and opera reviews.
@@papagen00 Thank you! I'm looking forward to sharing those experiences!
Looks like plenty of food - beef looks great
It was fantastic!
Hmm...they could of put a couple baby carrots or other veg on the 'dinner' plate..portions were appropriately down sized for any NYC restaurants that has "LE" in its name lol
Yeah, that wasn't the largest steak, but I've seen photos of some of the other mains and there were definitely more sizeable options.
Great review! Your becoming my favourite food blogger! Small food yes but quality over quantity for me 👍
Thank you! I agree! Quality before quantity!
So you were cuckoo for Le Coucou? One of your best videos. I knew of the restaurant but after seeing in this and looking at their menu, this is now a must for me. Your beef looked amazing (and their lobster entree also looks terrific). This is the kind of sophisticated but not snooty dining I am willing to splurge on. And good for you for dining out alone. Some of the best meals I've had were alone in top-notch restaurants in Las Vegas. (I really need to pay twice the amount on some bit of stuff who is not a sure thing?)
Thank you! Yeah, that's a special restaurant for sure. Indeed, I love dining with others, but I've also had some of my best meals alone.
I would have a problem with the candles…paraffin in the air irritates my sinuses. I require (pure) beeswax candles if there must be candles.
Yeah, there are definitely costlier places in NYC. I thought that it was worth it.
They should have given a salad with the beef dish you ordered.
I was at least happy to get the pommes puree.
I love you man and you delightful delicious vlogs 💐🌹
Thank you!
@@Jamesnu you are welcome 🥀
Come to my brewery and I'll treat you to our lambic style ale. Cheers love the channel.
Thank you!
I loved Le Cuckoo went when times reviewed it and wondered why no star at Michelin, same as cosme, still no star after 3 I'm times . Great duck at cosme .
Cosme is still a spot that I have to try, but I've heard great things about it.
You went cuckoo for Le Coucou!❤
Indeed!
gotta have coffee with desert
That's a great pairing, but I just didn't feel like it for this dinner.
@jamesnu You love saying Le Coucou. It's catchy.
It's a fun name!
Best and New... I'm saying this in the first 30 seconds. They better not disappoint. I'll edit at the end. Edit: I'm so glad the tall Chef hats worked out. For a while it became a sign of mediocrity. All hats no hands! Glad they are holding on strong!
Indeed! I felt that the restaurant paid respect to classic French cuisine, but still had a good, modern feel.
Why does 'fine dining' = small portions? You would think with extremely high prices, you would get decent portions.
@independentfilmandhealing Yeah, I wish the portions were larger too.
When I hear these reviewers talk about butter, I always ask myself how much better their butter could be than my tub of Country Crock?
Fair point, but I think butter can really range in quality.
You’d be surprised.
Thanks for doing all of these videos, you have a great way of explaining concepts very simply!
If you want some more topics, maybe go into slightly more hands-on stuff, like how to secure you private keys, which wallets you recommend, how to send/receive transactions, how to set up a node, etc. This is practical stuff that I think a lot of people need help with, beyond simply understanding "why bitcoin?"