Essential by Christophe التقييمات

David and the rest of the staff were great. First class all around. Food and service was outstanding. Wine they picked for our dinner was perfect and his description was spot on. Beautiful presentation. Atmosphere was comfortable and relaxing which is unusual for a 5 star restaurant. Truly enjoyable.

Wonderful service, food and atmosphere.

Wonderful New Year’s Eve dinner here. Excellent Michelin star service. Food was exquisite, with traditional fine dining that showcased the chefs’ talent but fused with immense creativity for every course. Expensive, but worth the value.

I want to leave some of the bad vibes in 2024 and look forward to this excellent restaurant having a great 2025. The food was good. Chef Christophe clearly put a lot of thought into creating and preparing the Essential Menu, which blends classic French cuisine with flavors from around the world. In my opinion, the food deserves a Michelin one-star+ rating and isn’t too far from a solid two-star level. It wasn’t mind-blowing, but within its well-structured approach, I found touches like Mexican BBQ and Thai Tom Yum flavors, which was fun. What really let me down was the wine pairing. I ordered the most expensive option at $295 per person for the premium pairing, but it was far below my expectations. I was hoping for something creative from the sommelier, showcasing rare and unique wines, but the pairing felt like a series of “standard answers.” Out of the six wines, I’d already had four of them before. First, the promised premium cru Champagne was swapped out for a $20 bottle of generic Bourgogne Aligoté. I don’t understand how a wine like that makes it into a “premium pairing”—it was bland and simple. Then came wines like Hans Wirsching, Lynch-Bages Blanc, and Dönnhoff, all of which are extremely common and easy to find. The combined market price of all the wines served wouldn’t even reach $295. The only highlight was a 2015 Meursault, but even that wasn’t 1er cru. The biggest disappointment was the red wine paired with the meat: a weak, diluted Rhône Syrah that just didn’t work. What’s more, I noticed the restaurant served almost everyone who ordered the wine pairing the same lineup, except for the Meursault. I really don’t understand how a village-level Meursault, priced under $100 per bottle, justifies a $130 premium in the pairing. Overall, the wine list was boring and didn’t reflect any effort or taste from the sommelier. I’d honestly think other restaurants in New York at the same level nailed their wine pairings way better. Otherwise, I could pair my own wine by myself. One last thing I found pretty annoying: the waitstaff listening on my conversations with my companion.

Recently been to this restaurant twice for celebrations, absolutely love how each dishes are thoughtfully curated and prepared. Really cozy & modern decor, the service is excellent as well.

Dinner was fantastic. Only thought we were gonna have a beverage but the menu was intriguing and wonderful. We ate at the bar and had great service there. Really great night and a perfect end to our last night in the city.

Hidden away in the upper west side of Manhattan, Essential by Christophe is one of the best prix fixe menus I have ever tried, beating out other one- and two-star restaurants. The atmosphere is bright, warm, and quiet. The restaurant is clean, with the bathrooms being especially clean. The temperature was slightly too high for a jacket, which was a distracting factor. When walking in, we were greeted warmly; the host did a good job of knowing our name, always adding to the meal. There is an intimate lounge and bar, serving a decent amount of drinks and snacks. Drinks and cocktails cost right around what you might expect; an example being the martini, placed at $24. The main dining room is directly next to the bar; the essential menu is the prix fixe, set at a reasonable price of $245. The menu consists of 8-9 items; options are located at the second, sixth, and last course. Starting with a very well-balanced sweet potato and mushroom soup shot, fittingly called a Mushroom Cappuccino, sets the warm tone each dish has. The scallop, sea bass, and wagyu were the most memorable after the first course. The scallop sits in a thick sauce with a zucchini blossom; the zucchini blossom is what stood out to me. It had an extremely unique flavor and texture that I cannot fully describe. Our server mentioned that the sea bass was one of Chef Christophe Bellanca’s most staple menu items; I understand why. This dish demonstrates Bellanca’s talent to break norms and expectations. Many components of sweet, punchy flavors, including pomegranate, were hidden beneath the sea bass. I have never had fish with such a unique flavor; it is truly a beautiful dish. The wagyu was not special; it was perfect nonetheless. It was cooked well with a nice, thick, somewhat barbeque sauce. This satisfied my craving for delicious meat. Service was the just right amount of attention, not distracting from the dishes. Other than the balance of attention and timing, I do not feel anything was extraordinary about the service. Overall, Essential by Christophe is an amazing restaurant with some truly unique dishes at a fair price point.

For my and my husband’s first ever Michelin star dining experience, Essential met our expectations and then went well beyond them. Our server, Lucas, was kind and helpful with explaining menu items and made wonderful suggestions based on what we told him about our taste. We did the 4 course plus wine pairing for each of us. My husband ordered the cuttlefish, frog legs, wagyu, and then the vacherin for dessert. He was very impressed with the dishes and the wine pairings alike. He’s the son of a trained chef and loves trying new and interesting things and this did not disappoint in any way. I ordered the sea urchin, scallops, poularde, and the l’ardechois for dessert. I was looking forward to trying some new things and that I did. Everything was cooked to perfection and so delicious, and the wine pairings for our dishes were just amazing. As a born and raised New Yorker, bringing my husband to spend his first Christmas here and it being almost our one year wedding anniversary is a special occasion to us; We mentioned this to Lucas and they brought us a small extra dessert and wrote “Happy Anniversary” on our individual dessert plates as well, just the perfect special touch. I would 1000% recommend Essential to anyone looking for a true fine dining experience, whether it’s your first, like ours, or you’re used to it.

My experience at Essential by Christophe was nothing short of amazing. I did not have a reservation. Though, after walking in, I was warmly welcomed by the host, and then shortly by the manager. They kindly escorted me to a seat at the bar as if they were already expecting me. The bartender, Jose, greeted me with both their dining room tasting menu and their bar menu. I hadn’t realize I went in a few minutes before their last call on food, so I quickly perused the menus. I inquired with Jose on several menu items and he provided me with such concise descriptions and details of the dishes in such a swift manner. I was quite impressed. He did not at all make me feel rush, despite the time constraint. Hats off to him. I don’t drink alcohol. However, their selection on non-alcoholic beverages, other than soft beverages, was abundant. Amongst their non-alcoholic wine, beer, & mock tails, I selected their Riesling. I’ve never experienced a non-alcoholic Riesling before, so it was nice to have that option for me, especially to pair with my food. Prior to enjoying my meal, I was sent an amuse bouche: their “mushroom cappuccino”. What a pleasant surprise! Presented in a clear espresso cup, was what seemed like a sweet potato puree, with a truffle foam filled to the brim. It was a great combination of flavors. It was even better that it came as a surprise as I was not expecting a gift from the chef to start my meal. As an appetizer, I enjoyed the scallops. There were two luscious scallops, with caviar on each, with a buttery, yet light, champagne foam surrounding each scallop. There was so much flavor and texture within this dish. Truly, there is no description that would do this dish justice. For my entree, I ordered “Leo’s Favorite Burger”. Every component of this burger consisted of ingredients well thought out and crafted; the romaine with a light vinaigrette; the shoe string fries with the house-made spicy ketchup; and the caramelized onions on top of the prime beef patty between the sesame buns. Chef Christophe impressively executes an elegant burger. I did not order dessert, however they sent me petit fours that were delectable and great palate cleansers. Another delightful surprise from the chef. Overall, my experience at Essential by Christophe exceeded my expectations. My only regret is that I did not experience more dishes on the menu. I’ve already booked my reservation for a full tasting menu in the next few weeks and am looking forward to another wondrous experience.

I recently dined at Essential with a friend who was in from Mexico City. The experience was delightful & the service and atmosphere were top notch. Try “Leo’s Favorite Burger” !!

Fabulous new discovery for me on the UWS (thank you Bill Ackmann for recommending). Such a warm, inviting, and elegant spot (and altho music was being played, the sound level was optimal for conversation). Since I was solo dining, I opted for bar seating and it was perfect. Food is fantastic. The chicken dish is amazing. I ordered a la carte but other diners around me ordered the set menu which looked great also. I will definitely be back.

Such a great way to celebrate my birthday! Hector was incredible. I ate the octopus too fast to get a photo but it was the perhaps the best thing I’ve ever eaten

It was a tremendous and lovely dining experience. I especially enjoyed the attentive service, and everything I tasted was very good. We had 4 courses. The soufflé for dessert was extraordinary. Their Michelin star is more than deserved!

The food and wine pairing was amazing. Everyone was very helpful and knowledgeable. Very cozy atmosphere for a Michelin star rated restaurant, which was amazing to have. But the food was the star!

If you’re looking for a can’t miss dinner, this is it. We had the Essential 7 course meal and after each course we were amazed that they could keep getting better. There was not a single course that not a 10/10. The service and the presentation was top notch without being stuffy. Cannot recommend this place any higher. A must try.

That was the best dining experience of our lives! Quite a hidden gem in NYC

By far one of my favorite Michelin experiences. I’ve been coming to essential for special occasions for the past 2 years, and they never disappoint! Lobster rigatoni and scallops> Thank you David, Tyler and others for your hospitality!