La Luncheonette

For years, I’ve been waiting for the appropriate moment to go to La Luncheonette. I first heard of the pioneer Chelsea restaurant from a culinary-obsessed professor of mine at Columbia. He’d been a Chelsea resident for longer than I’d been alive and always raved about it. A few years later, my boyfriend at the time had his office around the corner from the quaint French spot and would talk about it constantly. He had a friend who was a waitress there, and the meals that would ensue had all been memorable and much appraised.

I always wanted to go with him but we never found the time. I would stop outside of the small building and peer in at the happy couples forking little piles of marinated vegetables and fulfilling roasted chicken breasts. The blackboard specials were always enticing: cassoulet in the winter and dishes with vibrant veggies in the summer.

I’ve long been broken up with that boy, but luckily we’ve remained friends and even more fortuitously, we decided to go to La Luncheonette on a warm eve a few weeks ago.

The ambience was how I’d imagined it from those times I’d gazed inside: a charming, calm space that instantly relaxes its patrons.

Upon sitting, our waitress leaned the esteemed chalkboard against the wall on our table. I was dizzy with the decisions but with the aid of my guy friend, we settled on the artichokes vinaigrette (my kick continues), the sautéed mushrooms with herb butter, and the skate.

The two appetizers were divine. True French dishes: simple, buttery, and satisfying. We were glad that we’d split the skate (which the kitchen did for us) because the portion was enorme. The fish was pan-roasted and served with blanched green beans and a superb potato gratin.

We had a little room for dessert that we filled with refreshing crème caramel. I was happy to at last have enjoyed a La Luncheonette experience and now that I’ve finally broken the seal, I can only imagine becoming a regular at this twenty-year-old treasure.