PAYARD PATISSERIE & BISTRO
1032 Lexington Ave.
212-717-5252
Philippe Bertineau must be the most criminally unheralded chef in New York,possibly because you have to get past those cases filled with François Payard’ssugary sorcery to get to a place where you can enjoy his talents. But his giftsbeautifully complement his benefactor’s, and every night he offers a differentfive-course tasting menu. One meal started with a tuna-sashimi canapé, followedby Maine crab with Oakwood shiitakes, Chatham cod and sweet onions with creamypolenta, roasted pheasant breast and leg confit with apples and black-trumpetmushrooms, then ended with a crêpe Napoleon in a blood-orange coulis and achocolate cube filled with caramel and caramel ice cream. Hearty and heavenlyfrom start to finish, and $68 for the whole deal. The tasting menu at AlainDucasse is $225. Anyone daring enough these days to say it’s only money?