THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Joel Brasserie

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Joel Brasserie Restaurant Review:

Hailing from Volvic, France, Joël Antunes established his eponymous restaurant in a high-rise high-price-tag building. Following Antunes’ departure, his longtime colleague and chef de cuisine, Cyrille Holota, became executive chef and managing partner. Now, Joël the restaurant has transformed into Joël Brasserie, about half its original size, with a somewhat more accessible (thus not as edgy) menu---there’s even a burger---and a somewhat softened price point. The huge kitchen Antunes designed still turns out interesting fare, such as a sumptuous wild mushroom risotto, foie gras with just enough fruit flourish to make it interesting, crab cakes on frisée, and a special treat of a crab napoleon layering king crab meat bound with a bit of mayonnaise between crisp crêpe layers. For main dishes we advocate the duck, the scallops, or the loup de mer, although other selections (such as the venison tenderloin) also tempt. Sommelier James Neander maintains a wine selection that ranges from good value options to four-figure Château Pétrus in at least a half dozen vintages and first growths in multiple vintages. The balance of this extensive list---book, really---is spread all over the planet. Even by-the-glass wine-consuming patrons get good barware.