A Less Casual French Meal at DB Bistro Moderne

French food can be casual, but it seems to be the go-to high end cuisine of American restaurants. We usually enjoy more laid back experiences, but every once in a while we look for an amazing meal. For a special night out in Manhattan, we decided to check out DB Bistro Moderne after hearing good things about their wine menu.

We joined the pre-theater crowd on a busy Saturday night. Busy and trendy is not our usual scene, but we were impressed with the selection of French wines, and the classic French dishes weren't too overwhelming. Like French wine, French food can come off a little opaque, but a little bit of knowledge goes a long way to finding something you'll enjoy. Our waiter was extremely helpful in deciphering our dishes and the wine list, and we ultimately chose their 3-course prix fixe and were not disappointed.

A great dish to look for, if you want a glass of red wine, is Coq au Vin. "Old Rooster in Wine" may not sound too appealing in English, but slow cooking a tough meat in red wine is a great use of ingredients in any culture, and gives you one of the few chicken dishes that can handle a big red wine.

That is a wonderful thing about French cuisine. Years of culinary tradition have turned humble peasant dishes into amazing food. DB Bistro Moderne seemed to embrace that, serving amazing variations on dishes that can be found in any casual French bistro. The extensive wine menu did let us find a bottle at a reasonable value, and stick with wine that has been grown to match the traditions of French cuisine.