Greg F.
Yelp
Five stars for the food, one star for the service and ordering system, so I am splitting the diff and giving Epicerie Boulud three stars.
We had opera matinee tickets and a later dinner res at Boulud Sud, but had an hour to kill and wanted a snack first, so we stopped in at Epicerie Boulud.
The ordering system is a farce. We werent the only customers who couldnt figure out where to go on line to order, where to pick up our food/drinks, etc. The staff were unusually unhelpful, seemed to hate their jobs, and didnt even seem to recognize the names of some items on their menu. When we did get to order, we chose the Quiche Parisienne (with Jambon de Paris, gruyere, leek, mushroom & parsley, served with a side salad) and the Opera Gateau. We wanted wine, and they had a nice list posted by the glass of about a dozen choices, but they told us that none were available except the prosecco and sauvignon blanc. Really? What kind of place runs out of wine at 1pm? Then we wait, and wait. The quiche comes out. That's it. I ask about the Opera Gateau. Blank stare. Doesnt even know what it is. After talking to SEVERAL staff, someone brings out a dessert from the back fridge and cuts off a slice for us. It's not the Opera Gateau, it's the Basque Gateau. Oh sorry, they say, we dont have the Opera Gateau today and when you ordered, all I heard was "Gateau." Sigh. The wine is in little plastic cups (can't give us actual glasses?). Luckily, the Quiche is DELICIOUS, the side salad excellent, and the Basque Gateau, while not what we ordered, is lovely and lemony. It was nice sitting in the patio sipping and munching.
This place would be divine if they developed a logical, efficient ordering system, and trained the employees to know the food they are serving. Oh, and use real glasses, please.