RESTAURANTS • First Word
The Skinny: Since 2018, brothers Josh and David Foulquier have cultivated a following at Sushi Noz, one of Manhattan’s premiere sushi destinations. Last month, after five years of planning, they introduced a second Upper East Side restaurant, Chez Fifi, a mostly French bistro with a second-floor lounge designed to bring to mind the elegant townhouse of a wealthy New Yorker. With the same attention to detail and good taste as Noz, Chez Fifi is already one of the most sought after tables in town.
The Vibe: Stockholm-based designers Joyn Studio outfitted the 44-seat dining room with polished mahogany wood, crimson burgundy banquettes, and mirrored tiles, making the space — which is small enough to see everyone in the room from your seat — feel larger than it is.
But the best way to begin is upstairs, in the lounge, with its (soon-to-function) fireplace, plush seating, and six-seat bar helmed by former Martiny’s barman Yumi Nemoto. Order a silky blue-cheese-fat-washed vodka martini or any of the Japanese-accented classic cocktail riffs, such as the sakura (cherry blossom) and strawberry gin and tonic.
The Food: Not just your garden variety bistro fare, though chef Zack Zeidman pays tribute to the genre via classics like a very good foie gras terrine, striped with a layer of neon yellow fat. Some starters flash Spanish influences, like a simple plate of jamón Ibérico and a gratin-like Jonah crab dish (wherein the crustacean’s meat is removed, cooked with a sofrito of tomatoes, leeks, and pimentón, returned to its shell, and broiled). The only thing missing is some brioche piled atop. There’s also cote de boeuf and fillet mignon au poivre, both served under a stack of beautifully golden fries, but the most indulgent dish on our table was the dinner omelette, a custardy puddle of fried eggs heaped with tiny chanterelle mushrooms and freshly shaved Périgord black truffles.
The Drink: Besides the excellent cocktails, the substantial French wine list includes bottles that date back to 1922, and include iconic expressions from maisons like Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, alongside more everyday, reasonably priced bottles.
The Verdict: The latest addition to the Upper East Side’s suddenly hot dining scene, and its hardest reservation yet — but one worth snagging. –Kat Odell
→ Chez Fifi (Upper East Side) • 140 E 74th St • Tues-Sat 530p-12a • Reserve.