When I look back on 2006, I will remember it as the year went crazy for opera. Since January, I've seen six operas and I have tickets for 3 more before the Met's season closes in May. It's renewed my matrimonial vows to New York and I encourage you all to go at least once or twice.
For the last two operas, I've hit Bouchon Bakery beforehand for coffee and intermission treats. The seasonal apple tart is crazy-making -- a crisp pastry shell filled with golden apple compote and topped with a beret of browned sugar marshmallow fluff. The bitty financier is two 75 cent bites of crisp-chewy refined carb bliss. The cheapest treat available is the $1 plump madeleine, with pretty lemon essence and crisp edges. Chocolate bouchons are little shot glass-shaped dark chocolate brownies with chocolate chips, maybe a bit sturdier and toothier than you expect them to be. And the delicate, meringue-y macarons filled with flavored buttercream are guaranteed to make you bounce off the walls for a while. Bouchon's coffee blend is excellent.
The sit-down menu looks interesting, but I haven't had time to try it yet. Here's the thing -- the bakery is so eerily perfect, with every cookie in symmetry and not a dot of powdered sugar out of place. But once you turn around, you still have the gross mall-ness of Armani Exchange and Sephora to look at. It's as though someone invited a Stepford wife to a strip club. Don't you wonder if it makes Thomas Keller feel dirty?
I agree with your last paragraph. Environment..is weird. Mrrh. And that huge SAMSUNG sign is a bit freaky.
I knew I would find the perfect pre-opera restaurant on your site! I did the retail counter a couple of weeks ago, so I'll try the sit-down area before Madame Butterfly! Not to be creepy, but I think your website might be my new life partner.