NYCReview
photo credit: Kate Previte
Frenchette
Included In
There are bands you’ll go see just because someone has an extra ticket, and there are bands that you really get up for. Frenchette in Tribeca is a restaurant that we always get up for. This place seems to have one goal, and it's to make your eyes roll back into your head because you haven’t tasted anything so rich and decadent in a very long time.
photo credit: David A. Lee
While the food here is predominantly and unapologetically French, you won’t see a ton of classic preparations of dishes like coq au vin or escargots in garlic and butter. Instead, you’ll find beignets with smoked eel and escargots over creamy scrambled eggs. We strongly advise that you start every meal here with at least one item from the “Amuse” portion of the menu. Two standouts among these starters are the cod cheeks dressed with a bright orange butter sauce and the razor clams with leeks and fennel. True to the title of this section, these perfectly-composed small bites won’t put a dent in your appetite, but they will leave you looking forward to what’s to come.
Every section of Frenchette's menu (including wines by the glass) varies from one day to the next. Owners Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr, who both cooked at Balthazar, are clearly not interested in dishes that remain unchanged for decades. We've seen three different preparations of duck here—and, if you’re lucky enough to come on a night when it’s available, order the duck frites. It's seared to medium rare with crackly skin covering a visibly thick layer of fat, and it comes with a side of béarnaise (which is just as important for the fries as it is for the duck). You should also get at least one baguette for the table. The various rich sauces you'll encounter throughout your meal demand this.
photo credit: David A. Lee
With its worn wood floors and dimly-lit atmosphere, Frenchette feels warm and familiar—as if this place has been around since before Twitter existed (although it’s only been open since 2018). During peak dining hours, the room can get frenetic and loud, but in a way that makes you remember why you live in this city. If you want to stop by for an impromptu meal or something from their all-natural wine list, it’s often easy to walk in and get a seat in the bar area. But if you’re celebrating a special occasion, book a table in the dining room a few weeks in advance, then spend a couple of hours here working your way through the menu.
Given how many great places there are to eat in NYC, the question “What are your favorite restaurants?” can be a hard one to answer (even for us). It’s kind of like asking: “Are you happy?” A little more context would be nice. That being said, we’re glad restaurants like Frenchette exist, because they make answering that way-too-general restaurant question a whole lot easier.
Food Rundown
photo credit: David A. Lee
Côteaux Casino
photo credit: David A. Lee
Cod Cheeks À La Diable
Gnocchi Parisienne
photo credit: David A. Lee
Brouillade
photo credit: Kate Previte
Duck Frites
photo credit: David A. Lee
Aile De Raie Grenobloise
photo credit: David A. Lee