Below 14th Street

Two great high-end restaurants, neo-classical cuisine and sushi, plus the best burger in NYC ...

Scallop tatare with caviar at Le B.

Le B.

Long before COVID, I met my wife Ann at the corner of West 4th and West 12th after her New School creative writing class. It was 9:30 p.m. We sat on a bench outside Cafe Cluny discussing where we might get a bite to eat at this hour. Zero Chinese restaurants in our neighborhood so that was out. Maybe we could pick up some ribs somewhere—we both had a hankering for them. Then I spotted the renowned chef, Angie Mar, rising up the steps of her below-ground Beatrice Inn across the street. She wore street clothes, having just finished a busy dinner service.

She leaned against a railing and lit a post-work cigarette, looking fairly well fried.

“Angie?” I called.

“Ruhlman?”

Ann and I left our bench to cross the street to say hi.

After de rigeur small talk, she said, “Wait, have you guys eaten?”

“No—we were just discussing where to go.”

“You’re going right here. I’m cooking for you.”

She wouldn’t take no. We descended the steps, sat at the bar and in moments, Angie appeared in her chef jacket to officially welcome us and check on allergies (none). And she was back in the kitchen. After an already busy night.

My point in telling this story is to say that while Angie (above) is a chef, she’s a cook’s cook. She loves to cook. After a busy night and on her way home, she turned right around and spent another hour cooking for me and Ann. I don’t remember what she cooked (it’s unfailingly outstanding), only the extraordinary generosity.

And it’s a prelude to my account of her new place, Le B., right next door to the old Beatrice. (After COVID hit, her landlords raised her rent, she gave them the finger and rented the place next door. It is now Le B. (She owns the Beatrice Inn named, smart of her).

We’d yet even to step into this new incarnation. So when Ann abandoned me for another book event, I thought, it’s high time I checked out Le B. I frankly was worried that a full meal would be prohibitively expensive, but I could at least sit at the bar, have a martini and a burger (she still serves her Beatrice Inn burger to nine bar patrons) and check out the food she was serving.

A perfectly executed duck/pork pâté

She is at her restaurant every night that it’s open. When I entered, she saw me, barreled through the elegant dining room, hugged me, and we talked about how long it had been. I explained I just wanted a martini at the bar.

She said, “Will you stay? Can I cook for you? You’re staying, I’m cooking for you.”

Reader, I truly do not merit such generosity, but this is Angie, and I was delighted to get a taste of what she’s doing at Le B., at the northwest corner of 12th and West 4th. I was also delighted to find that the prices were not nearly as high as I expected them to be. I knew she was into super high end classical French cuisine (which I truly admire), and this gets pricey. But I was happy to find the prices NYC reasonable for what she was serving.

After the above pâté, the scallop tartare arrived, and Angie arrived to serve her Vidalia onion soubise.

Next up, the best of the night, was an extraordinary “lobster blanquette” with seared scallops, leeks and a soy-butter sauce.

She followed this with a rabbit papperdelle, and following this a duck breast, with a flamed tableside duck sauce seasoned with creme de violette.

I passed on the cheeses, though I truly admire its economy. Not a daunting array, just a simple but diverse selection.

When I tried to beg off on the dessert, she said, “But I made you a soufflé!” Well, then, hard to say no to that!

Pricey? Yes, but not for this level of food/ingredients/service, and normal for NYC. First courses run from $14 to $54 (the scallop dish) or a foie gras torchon for $68. Entrees from $54 to $76, unless you want to opt for a cote de boeuf for $275 for two.

Exquisite technique, fabulous dishes, a welcoming, lovely, small quiet restaurant. Can’t believe The Times hasn’t reviewed it! But then, they seem to be down on classical French cuisine. Which is a shame, because done well (as it is at Le B), there’s no better cuisine.