Review: GRAND BRASSERIE Takes French Cuisine to New Heights

There’s simply no other restaurant in the city like it!  Grand Brasserie, located in Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall, delights guests with their daily brunch, dinner, and beverage service.  This sophisticated, yet welcoming destination is ideal for locals, guests of the city and commuters.  With the charm of a Parisian brasserie, an extraordinary food and drink menu, and superb service, it’s no wonder that people return again and again and are spreading the word to co-workers, friends and family.

Grand Brasserie has a stylish, captivating interior designed by the renowned Rockwell Group. It showcases the timeless, classic beauty of Grand Central Station with unique modern touches.  The venue includes a 300-seat main dining room, a 100-seat Green room, comfortable leather banquettes, tables for all size parties, two spacious, stunning bars, and gorgeous lighting throughout. Sit back, relax and enjoy the exquisite ambiance.

The experienced team behind Grand Brasserie is Vizz Group created by CEO, Rick Blatstein and President, Justin Blatstein. The Executive Chef, Guillaume Thivet brings his impressive experience and talent for French cuisine to the restaurant with a finely curated menu that has just the right variety to please everyone’s tastes and dietary preferences.

We stopped by early on a Tuesday evening for dinner.  Begin every meal with Hors D'oeuvres.  The Fried Artichokes are delectable, lightly fried with fennel pollin.  Other savory apppetizers include their Lobster Bisque, Beef Tartare, Shrimp Cocktail, Escargot Persillade, and more. Salades are also great starters such as the beautifully presented Beets Salad with quinoa and feta or the Salad Lyonnaise with Frisée, Lardons, and Poached Egg.

For the table, the Plateaux de fruits de mer is a tower of the finest seafood that includes shrimp, oysters, clams, lobster and crab claws.  Order a small or large tower.  The Charcuterie and the Smoked Salmon Tower are also very popular for sharing.

As a main, a customer favorite is the Steak Frites.  Served with tasty string fries, the beef choices include Filet, Entrecote, or Skirt Steak accompanied by your choice of sauce like au poivre, béarnaise, maître d hotel or bordelaise.   We opted for the tender Skirt Steak cooked to our exact liking. Other tempting mains include Trout Almondine, Ravioli a la Parisienne, Crispy Cauliflower, Lamb Saddle, Duck Confit, and more.  There’s also entrees designed for two such as the Dover Sole Meuniere, Poulet Roti or the Cote de Boeuf. You’ll want to order some Garnitures to accompany your meal like Roasted Sunchokes or Sauteed Mushrooms.

The beverage program, managed by hospitality veteran Vito Centrone, is ideal whether you are stopping by after work for an artisanal cocktail or toasting your dining companions. The unique signature cocktails elevate the classics to new heights.  Sip the La Vie En Rose, a vodka rosewater Cosmopolitan or the Devotion, a spicy pineapple tequila margarita.  In addition to exquisite cocktails, the extensive wine list curated by Cetrone features over 400 labels, with the option of forty wines are available by the glass to create perfect pairings with your meal.  And there’s great news for our readers.  If you’re hopping on a train, you can order a cocktail to-go.

Dessert is a must so relax a little longer.  The Profiteroles are simply the best with creamy vanilla ice cream and a rich chocolate sauce, they will top off your meal. The Baba Au Rhum, a traditional French rum-soaked cake served with whipped cream is also a favorite. 

We’ll be back soon for brunch offered daily with offerings that include Lobster Omelette, a Smoked Salmon Tower with bagels, housemade Viennoiserie pastries, Sandwiches, Salades, and entrees. 

Grand Central Terminal is one of the most iconic and bustling transportation hubs known to travellers. And Grand Brasserie is wonderfully positioned to charm and please all those who visit. It’s a great destination for those travelling, visiting the New York Public Library on 42nd Street, Bryant Park, and the local business community. And if you’re headed for a nearby show, just let your server know.  They will be certain to get you there on time! The Grand Brasserie is truly a grand experience.

Grand Brasserie is located at 89 East 42nd Street, Vanderbilt Hall, New York, NY  10017. It will be open seven days a week, with service beginning when Grand Central Terminal opens and continuing until it closes, with brunch service beginning at 5:30am - 3pm, and for dinner from 3pm - 2am.  There is a daily lunch prix fixe available. Reservations are available via OpenTable. For more information, please visit grandbrasserie.com and follow on Instagram @grandbrasserienyc.

Photo Credits:  Interiors by Scott Frances; Cuisine by Jovani Demetrie.

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