NYCFeature
photo credit: Marcus Nilsson
August 28, 2020
Unless you live in Midtown, you probably haven’t thought about eating there since March - and maybe not even then. But that could change in September, now that two of the city’s best restaurants, Frechette and Estela, are taking over The Rink at Rockefeller Center. And while you won’t be able to take a lap on skates between appetizers and entrees, you will get to enjoy a prix fixe picnic basket in the exact spot where Buddy The Elf took Zooey Deschanel on a date in 2003. Good times.
Frenchette
On Wednesday and Thursday nights from September 3 through September 24, Frenchette will be offering a rotating menu of summery French stuff like corn vichyssoise, terrine de pintade, Spanish tortilla with bottarga, deviled eggs with anchovy, and more. You can eat most of the food with your hands and pretend you’re at a private party with endless hors d’oeuvres and magnum bottles of natural wine.
Estela
On Friday and Saturday nights from September 4 through September 26, Estela will be serving creamy labneh, olive and caper dip, cheese custard, and more at wooden picnic tables. But the real highlight will be the seafood tower stacked with oysters, crab legs, lobster, shrimp, and a bunch of other things you’ll want to dip in miso mayo.
The Details
Both restaurants will be serving guests at spaced out tables under nice, big umbrellas starting at 5pm on their respective nights by reservation only. Tickets are offered for either parties of four or eight, and will run you $125 per person. And just in case you were wondering, cocktails, wine, and beer will be available for purchase supplementally.