Openings

Daniel Boulud Shows Off DBGB Menu and Space, Weighs in on Obama Burger

Photo: Courtesy of Dinex Group

We’re just back from a preview of Daniel Boulud’s DBGB Kitchen and Bar, and while a photography ban prevents us from showing you images of the still-in-progress space (expected to open in June), we can show you the menu as it now stands (or as much of it as we could scribble down before the powers that be interfered). Though of course this won’t be a burger joint as first rumored, there are a few of them on the menu, including a mustard-smeared “Frenchie,” so we just had to ask Boulud how he felt about Obama opting for Dijon. Needless to say, Chef was in complete agreement: “American mustard is not good enough for hamburgers!” he laughed. For the record, the chef, who will be serving a DB Dog here, also like his wieners with mustard (and sauerkraut).

The crux of this menu, as previously noted, is housemade sausages inspired by varieties from all over the world (sitting on a ladder amid temporary tables, Boulud assured media that a Berlin-style curry sausage was in the works). But that’s just the start of it — there will also be a tableside ice-cream cart doling out six flavors created by pastry chef Mimi Eberhardt, “tete au pied” dishes paying homage to the current nose-to-tail trend (bone marrow? You betcha!), shellfish platters, entrées of both the surf and turf variety, and much more.

Then of course there’s the much-ballyhooed tap wine, which sommelier Colin Alevras told us would cost somewhere between $5 and $7 (other wines from the glass will range from $6 to $12). Alevras, who is no longer involved with Lesly Bernard and will be working the tables here, told us he’s less worried about wine snobs and more worried about beer geeks busting his chops — “they’re somewhere in between comic-book fan boys and rabid sports fans.” His drinks menu will list 22 tap beers and 30 to 50 bottled beers ($6 and up) by alcoholic percentage.

As for Thomas Schlesser’s design, the surprisingly intimate but sure-to-be boisterous dining room (think Springsteen, Doors, and a lot of Talking Heads, since Boulud and David Byrne are buddies) is surrounded by dark-stained ash shelving units holding dry goods and china as well as pots from various celebrity chefs (somehow we doubt Anthony Bourdain will burst with pride when he sees his pot next to Emeril Lagasse’s). The kitchen is visible behind those shelves. Six plush high-backed booths run the length of the opposite wall (they’re steel-colored like much of the room). And through the kitchen is a fourteen-seat private dining room that we hear will host chefs’ poker night. There’s also a spacious front café (floor plans call for 28 two-tops) where we hear a television was going to be installed at the bar until young members of Boulud’s staff objected (good call).

Anyway, on to the menu. As we noted before, this is just what we managed to scribble down — there’s a bit more in addition to this, and everything is subject to change. Your head chef is Jim Leiken, a Grub Street favorite.

To Start
Jim’s matzoh ball soup - $8
Tomato bisque - $9
Oysters Parisienne - $15
Grilled octopus - $12
Red curry mussels - $10/$17
Spicy crab cake - $15
Escargot - $14
Duo of mackerel

Fruits de Mer Plateau
$30 / $60 / $90

Oysters - $3 each
Eggplant caviar - $5
Smoked salmon crostini - $7
Rilletes de jambon provencal - $7

Charcuterie
$7 to $9

Hot
Crispy artichokes - $6
Oysters Parisienne - $4
Grilled shrimp - $8
Duck meatballs - $6
Crispy tripe - $4
Crispy lamb ribs - $7
Fries - $6

On a bun - $8 each
DB’s dog
Tunisienne
Chipolata

Tartines
Jamon de Paris - $8
Saucisson sec de Lyon - $7
Pate champagnard - $7
Olive & anchovy - $5
Mackerel and capers - $7

Cheese
Choice of 3 – $9
Choice of 5 - $15

Burgers
The Yankee - $11
(5 oz. beef w/lettuce, tomato, onion, on sesame bun with New York pickle)
Frenchie - $16
(w/ crispy pork belly, caramelized onion, arugula, with cornichon and mustard)
Piggie - $14
(w/ Daisy May’s pulled pork, jalapeño mayo, lettuce, Cheddar-cornbread bun with mustard vinegar slaw)
Menage a Trois – all three with the works - $45
Monster – any of them double stacked - add $5

Tete au pied
Fromage de tete - $10
Veal tongue sauce gribiche - $12
Roasted bone marrow - $11
Tablier de sapeur - $9
Pig trotters - $12
Ris de veau forestiere - $18

Mer
Saumon a l’oseille - $19
Paprika and sage crusted monkfish - $23
Skate pistou - $20
Fish & chips - $18

Terre
Steak frites - $29
Lemon and rosemary roasted chicken - $19
Roasted leg of lamb - $22
Etc.

Sausages (descriptions are from press materials)
Toulouse - $12
“made with pork and braised duck and comes cassoulet style.”
Boudin Basque - $14
“spicy blood sausage over mashed potatoes”
Beaujolais - $13
“inspired by the tradition of making sausages with meats marinated in red wine and then cooking the sausage in boiling hot ‘must’—what’s left in the still after making eau de vie.”
Parisienne - $15
“small veal links with carrots Vichy”
Chipolata - $13
Viennoise - $13
“made like a kaiserkrainer stuffed with cheese, served over beer steeped sauerkraut”
Munichoise - $12
Anglaise - $13
Espanole - $13
“chorizo style with piperade”
Vermont – $15
Polonaise - $11
Tuscane - $12
DB Dog - $18

Ice Cream
One scoop - $5
Two scoops - $8
Jumbo (“your call”) - $12
Flavors such as apricot-pistachio, beer-cherry, berry-fromage blanc

Toppings – 50 cents
(such as marshamallow, vanilla cookie, etc.)

Sugar Fix
Baba au rhum - $9
Coffee almond cake - $8
Etc.

Earlier: Boulud Collects Famous Pots for DBGB

Daniel Boulud Shows Off DBGB Menu and Space, Weighs in on Obama Burger