One of the most famous names on the New York dining scene, Le Cirque blends the cosmopolitan élan of Paris with the metropolitan sophistication of Manhattan – no wonder that you’ll find it in the Ritz-Carlton hotel.
The meu specialises in French cooking with an Italian accent of the sort you might find on the Cote d’Azur or Monte-Carlo, so it’s hardly surprising that it’s proved a big hit in the equally moneyed environs of Dubai.
Starters range from steak tartare and veal carpaccio to salmon rillettes and scallops escabeche: simple stuff with an emphasis on good ingredients and strong flavours.
Main courses are even more classic and every bit as classy. Duck à l’orange is prepared as breast and crispy leg and served with a parsnip orange marmalade. Beef tenderloin and braised short rib comes with onion and truffle jus. There’s cornfed baby chicken, navarin of lamb, veal milanese and rib-eye steak.
If you’d prefer fish to meat, there’s the Marseille classic of seafood bouillabaisse, cod à la grenobloise with the classic caper and parsley sauce, plus a couple of impressive showstoppers to share: sea bream en papillote in pastry wrapping or Dover sole with a lemon brown butter.
Pasta is another option, especially for vegetarians, who can choose from smoked pepper risotto with tomato and pepper or spinach and ricotta gnudi with summer truffle, creme fraiche and walnuts.
No French meal would be complete without a creamy dessert, and Le Cirque comes up trumps on that front. There’s the classic pastry confection of Paris Brest or soothing crème brulee with its crust of burnt sugar. For something fruitier, try the tarte fine of apple with cinnamon ice cream and caramel sauce.
Note that there’s a smart casual dress code with no sportswear allowed. To really embrace the corporate New York vibe, go for the two-course business lunch.