The Dining Destination In The Heart Of Grand Central Station

Forbes

2 days ago

Grand Brasserie's main dining room.
Train stations in the United States aren't exactly known for their great restaurants. In fact, as any regular train-goer is likely to say, the opposite is usually true.
Naturally, I was skeptical when I heard about Grand Brasserie, a new and supposedly splashy hip restaurant in Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall. Several months later, literally on a whim, I decided I wanted to give it a try. The train station is walking distance from my apartment, so getting there wasn't inconvenient, and it would only be a single meal out of the countless in my life.
After one dining experience, I was more than impressed, and a second trip later, I could see myself easily becoming a regular. This is a place with excellent food and a setting to match that truly transports you to a historic brasserie in France.
The sought-after architecture firm Rockwell Group designed the space, a showpiece with its towering ceilings and classic French brasserie aesthetic. A 300-seat main dining hall is a buzzy and grand dining perch immersed in the historic architecture of the station, while the intimate 100-seat Green Room is handsome with its rich leather banquettes and marble bar.
A spread of brunch doshes at Grand Brasserie.
The restaurant is open daily from 5:30 am to 2 am. Come here for breakfast, and tear off a hunk of a just-out-of-the-oven baguette, slather it with salted premium French butter, sip great coffee, and kick off your day. Brunch means beautifully-executed omelets and the like, lunch is a time for the best burgers and entree salads ( my favorite goes to the chicken paillard), and dinner offers both light and hearty choices.
You can't go wrong with drinks here either. The wines, cocktails and spirits are expansive- one of the best and most diverse I've seen in town.
As the executive chef, Guillaume Thivet is behind the cuisine and really knows his stuff. He honed his chops at respected establishments such as Veronika, Bouley, Brasserie Les Halles, and La Grande Boucherie.
I spoke with him about his concept for Grand Brasserie and the way it's changing the perception of how memorable a meal at a train station can be.
Excustive Chef Thivet of Grand Brasserie
What is your vision for the restaurant?
I want to be able to transport diners back to their favorite memories and meals in France. Or if you've never visited France, I want to make sure you can imagine yourself there. Grand Brasserie is a destination to experience elevated French brasserie cuisine – while dining at the backdrop of one of New York City's most iconic and historic landmarks.
What is your inspiration and approach to the menu at Grand Brasserie?
We want the menu to be elegant, affordable and approachable to everyone visiting our restaurant. You can find refined dishes including caviar or our indulgent Plateaux de Fruits de Mer, as well as our well-balanced Onion Soup or Ham and Brie Cheese sandwich. We have something for everyone and want our guests to feel like they are in France without leaving Grand Central.
Is there a specific region in France that the menu is inspired by?
Our goal is to bring and enhance the authentic and bold flavors of France into the menu. We aren't focusing in one specific region, but showcasing an array of different regions and complex flavors of France. You can have a flaky, warm croissant with a strong café that can make you feel like you are stopping into a Paris brasserie or indulge in a cassoulet to transport you to Languedoc region, a coastal area in southwest France. We are gathering all this in one place at Grand Brasserie.
Since the restaurant is open from 5:30 am to 2 am, which are hours of the Terminal, is there a recommended time to visit? When do you get the most buzz?
If you want to be in the middle of the action, come during rush hour which is between 5-7:30 pm during the work week. It's a spectacle and the entire place is buzzing. If you want to get a seat and enjoy a leisurely experience, late lunch mid-day between is 2:30-4:30 pm is also great. Weekend brunches are also very popular with families, New Yorkers and tourists.
If you had to pick an ideal meal for a first time diner, what it be for breakfast and then lunch or dinner?
Ideal breakfast will be at 8am, when the second batch of Viennoiserie are just out of the oven. You can start with a coffee and a hot croissant that has been baked to perfection. If you are partial to savory dishes, I always recommend our Gruyère omelette, which is moist, buttery and served with roasted potatoes (or a salad.) For something lighter, you can opt for our Avocado Tartine with a poached egg and sumac. It's perfectly tangy, creamy and a lighter start to your day.
For lunch, we have a great daily prix-fixe menu available at $35 (7 days a week from 5:30 am to 3 pm) which includes three courses. You can start with the Beets Salad or the Onion Soup, followed by our Quiche of the Day or the Moules Frites that will transport you to northern France. Finally, you can wrap your meal with our Dark Chocolate Mousse, topped with whipped cream which is rich and decadent.
Finally, if I had to pick my ideal dinner meal, I would let myself explore dishes that I always wanted to try – including the Escargot Persillade or the Steak Tartare. Or, if I feel extravagant, start with the Caviar and even a glass of Champagne, then go to would any Steak Frites with the peppercorns sauce or the Branzino, which is light, flavorful and absolutely delicious.
If I still have some room, I would order L'Assiette de Fromages – a cheese plate which the French typically serve after the main course – or the Apple Tarte Tatin.
Tell me about your bar program and your cocktails and wines.
Our Beverage Director David Orellana and Bar Manager Lucas Dimitriu designed a creative cocktail menu and an incredibly robust French wine selection from Champagne, Burgundy, Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Rhône Valley and beyond. We of course have local wines from the Finger Lakes of New York State, California and Oregon too. With over 400 seats, our cocktail bar program is also designed for speed. We chose to batch many of our signature cocktails to help speed up service since many of our guests can stay within a short window, considering many of them have to catch trains from the Terminal.