Lunch at Le Bec-Fin, Dinner at Chez Georges

Yes, getting the full dinner experience at the new Le Bec-Fin is expensive. The prix fixe is $150 per person, and that’s before drinks and tip. But there are now two alternatives for those of you who want to experience the most talked-about new/old restaurant of the season without going broke in the process.

First, you can hit the main dining room during daylight hours for lunch. It’s still a prix fixe (and still operates under chef Walter Abrams’s choose-your-own-adventure style of menu presentation), but hits the table at just $55 per. And bonus: Several of the dishes that have been making appearances on the full-price dinner menu are offered here, in roughly similar presentations, for roughly a third of the price.

If it’s not the dining room that’s drawing you (or if you’d rather still make a night of it), the downstairs bar (formerly Tryst, now Chez Georges) is now open and serving as well, offering a la carte service and French comfort food. Or at least Abrams’s version of French comfort food. The prices downstairs (with the exception of a $150-per-ounce Osetra caviar plate) top out at $26, and you can eat very well less than half of what you’ll pay just up the stairs.

But enough chattering. Here are the menus, as they stood yesterday, June 26.

Lunch at Le Bec-Fin

26 June 2012

Vichyssoise, Caviar and Cucumber Sorbet

Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Frog Hollow Peach Beignets, Marcona Almonds and Currants

or

Saffron Pappardelle, Sweet Corn, Bronze Fennel and Parmesan Broth

Atlantic Halibut, English Pea Fondue and Summer Truffles

or

Harvest Vegetable Ceviche, Garden Herbs and Creme Fraiche

42-Day Dry Aged Beef, Chanterelle Mushroom Puree, Spring Onions, Baby Gems and Natural Jus

or

Trumpet Royale Mushrooms, Lemon, Young Beets, Goat Yogurt and Tarte de Rye

Mousse au Chocolate de Michel Cluizel, Poached Cherries and Macadamia Nut Ice Cream

Prix Fixe

Fifty Five Dollars

Chez Georges Menu

25 June 2012

Cape May Oysters

Mignonette and fresh horseradish

Osetra Caviar

Buckwheat blinis and creme fraiche

Poached Hen Egg

King trumpet mushrooms and Quarry Hill Farm young greens

Rhone Island Mussels

Lardon, leeks, heirloom tomatoes and pernod

Cassoulet du Canard Confit

Hudson Valley duck and cranberry beans

Whole Roasted Poulet Rouge

Lavender potatoes, wilted spinach and natural jus

Vanilla and Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches

Wild Blueberry and Buttermilk Panna Cotta