Petite Abeille.

Unfortunately, our stay in the city was drawing to a close. Mic was leaving New York to head home to Hong Kong for the summer and from there, she would return to the United States to transfer to Indiana University. To celebrate this bittersweet moment, we had a going away dinner at one of our favorite little spots, Petite Abeille, which is situated right on the edge of the Gramercy neighborhood.

To start our meal off, we ordered two appetizers. Above is the Petite Abeille Crab Cake. It was a very light crab cake, the meat very tender and not chopped, with an excellent crispy crust. The saffron-aioli sauce was tangy, a French twist on tartar sauce, and it complemented the crab cake very well.

The other appetizer that we ordered was the Croquettes de Fromage. The gooey cheese in the middle wrapped in a lightly breaded crust was like a mozzarella stick for grown ups and sophisticated folks. It was simply luxurious.

Roomie, who was feeling dietary, ordered a Salade Mesclun, a salad of mixed seasonal greens, with balsamic vinegar dressing. This was nothing out of the ordinary.

Kitty wanted to try the Petite Salade de Betteraves et Fromage de Chevre, a roasted beets salad with goat cheese and watercress. She complained that it was small, but said that it tasted good.

H wanted to try the Petite Abeille, a cheeseburger with the restaurant's namesake. H was very unhappy about the size of the burger, but that's what you get at some of these higher end restaurants. He didn't complain about the taste, but was also unhappy about the price of the "tiny" burger.

Roomie also got Le Potage du Jour, the soup of the day, which was a chilled gespacho. He seemed indifferent to the soup, but he did say it was refreshing in the warming weather.

Squishy and I shared the Grand-Mère Moules, the steamed pei mussels in a cream beer sauce with essence of bacon. It came in a small pot and we ate out of the pot. The mussels were delicious and tender. The sauce was not as salty as I had expected it to be and it did not overpower the taste of the mussels. It was a well-balanced dish and wins great approval for me for presentation. I must go back there to try their other flavors.

The mussels come with a side of pommes frites, Belgian fries. These were probably some of the best french fries that I have ever eaten in my life. Period. They were so crisp, but were not dry on the inside. They were perfectly sized and had just the right amount of salt. I would go back to this restaurant just to have the fries! That's how good they were.

Dessert soon rolled by after a great meal and we indulged. I got the Crême Brulée. Though good, I actually think that the crême brulée from the Dessert Truck was better. This one was not creamy enough. Even though the taste was good, the texture was off this time.

Squishy got the Fondue de Fraises et Marshmellow au Chocolat, a chocolate fondue with marshmallows and strawberries. This was a fun dessert and it was well presented. The chocolate was warm and rich.

Last, but not least, was the Belgian waffle with chocolate sauce and whipped cream. Mic was in heaven while she was eating this. It was warm and fluffy and the chocolate was decadent.

Overall, the experience in this restaurant is great. The staff is very friendly and the service is excellent. The entries were generally delicious, though I would not stay at the place for dessert. I really liked the ambience in this restaurant. It has really great atmosphere and a great soundtrack playing.

Price: <3<3<

Taste: <3<3<3<3<

Atmosphere: <3<3<3<3<3

Opinion: Highly Recommended

Balthazar.

As our semester living in Manhattan came closer to the end, we all wished to really make one of our food outings really special. Shortly after deciding this, we decided to go to Balthazar in Soho to sample some exquisite French food.

This exclusive restaurant is situated slightly off of Broadway and Lafayette St., but it is quite close to the hustle and bustle of the nearby shops. You can't miss the bright windows which provide you with a view of the warm room within.

We decided to start off with some appetizers. Above is the Chicken Liver and Foie Gras Mousse with red onion confit and grilled country bread. This was the first time that I have ever tried foie gras of any kind and was pleasantly surprised. It had a salty flavor, and you can definitely taste a meat flavor. When spread on the crisp toast, it was a nice match, the cold spread contrasting with the warm and toasty bread.

The other appetizer that we ordered was the Escargots in garlic butter. The snails were so tender and the flavor of the garlic was wonderful. I mean, what's not to like? The critters were sitting in butter and garlic. A great way to start the meal.

Mic's friend Al got the monkfish, which was wrapped in strips of bacon. Though small, Al said that the fish was tender and the bacon flavor permeated through the fish, though, not overpowering it. He approved of the dish.

M got the Steak au Poivre with spinach and pommes frites. The steak was very tender and the sauce complemented the flavor of the meat very well, according to M.

W got the grilled brook trout. The fish, with the crisp skin, was extremely moist and the warm potatoes beneath were tender and delicious.

Mic got the Roasted Cod with gigante beans, onions, tomato, and basil. Mic had meant to order something else, but picked the wrong thing on the menu. Likewise, though the fish tasted good, she felt that it was a little dry and needed a sauce of some kind.

Squishy and I both got the Steak Frites with béarnaise sauce. The steak was alright, but I felt that it was a little too charred, with the burnt parts taking away from the steak. Overall, it was tender, but the char was disappointing. The fries were crispy and yummy and the tart béarnaise sauce was a great accompaniment to the steak.

H got the Duck Confit with crispy potatoes, wild mushrooms, and frisée salad. H never had eaten duck before this moment and he praised the dish, stating that the crisp skin of the duck encased the moist flesh below. He enjoyed this dish very much.

Overall, this was our foray into fine French cuisine. It would be a rare occasion for us, so we savored the moment. The service in this restaurant was excellent and food was superb, for the most part. It is definitely a place to check out because you might even spot celebrities if you're lucky.

Price: <3

Taste: <3<3<3<3

Atmosphere: <3<3<3<3

Opinion: Recommended