 Artisanal Restaurant Review: At Picholine, his Lincoln Center restaurant, Terrance Brennan made it his business to educate New York diners as to the wonders of the world of cheese. Almost single-handedly, Brennan brought back the long forgotten cheese cart, and even made it de rigueur for serious restaurants to have them. Now at Brennan’s Artisanal, a restaurant modeled after the cheese restaurants of France, those who appreciated their cheese lessons at Picholine will be in ecstasy amidst Artisanal's 200 international varieties stored in a custom-made aging cave. The space, which used to hold the brasserie La Coupole, and then was home to An American Place, has been redone by Adam Tihany. Artisanal's menu offers many options; there is, of course, a selection of raclettes, fondues and soufflés---including a fondue made from three Swiss cheeses. For those less cheese-obsessed that Brennan, there is a menu of classic bistro dishes. There are also pasta dishes such as a carbonara. And---the tour de force---the cheese menu, which allows diners to simply graze on a sampling of cheeses, enjoyed with proper accompaniments like spiced nuts, quince paste or figs, with a glass of wine. We raise our cheese knives to Brennan, and say Fromage.
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Splurging at top-rated restaurants is fun for special events, but where can you go for a good quality meal that won't break the bank? Gather the change out of your piggy bank and sofa cushions and take it to one of our selections for the best cheap eats in your area.
