Le Lunch at Le Cirque

Le Cirque is back, and it's mmm mmm gooood. The original restaurant opened in 1974 at NYC's Mayfair Hotel (where restaurant Daniel is now located). In 1997 it relocated under the name Le Cirque 2000 to the New York Palace Hotel (where Serena VanDerWoodsen resides, for all those Gossip Girl fans out there). Then, in 2004 owner Sirio Maccioni announced he would be packing up the restaurant yet again. Alas, I never got to taste Le Cirque during its golden years. But in 2006 Le Cirque opened its doors again...right near my work. So today, I finally went, and let me tell you -- it's so worth it. Well, for lunch it is. In fact, it's a steal at just $42 per person for the three-course prix-fixe lunch. And let me also tell you, my arteries are deliciously clogged right now. I did have the salad Le Cirque to offset the delectably unhealthy braised short ribs (mmm). And then, my party of four shared four desserts. The best, by far, was the creme brulee, le Cirque's signature dessert. And all the while, one of the best parts of the experience was the gorgeous main dining room, with its tall, bronze, circus-tent ceiling. Very soothing. So, if you're in NY and looking to lunch somewhere fancy, this is the place to go.