Le Cirque

Went to the cafe in Bloomberg's giant glass skyscraper for the $28 fixed price lunch. Sat near the bar and spied owner Siro Maccioni, who we recognized from a Top Chef episode, unmistakable in his tinted glasses and mismatched sportscoat. We each got the Australian shrimp with Coconut milk-lemongrass broth (more like a foam, really). Alisa liked it more than I did, but it was nice -- definitely funky flavors. Next we got the monkfish, which was perhaps the best piece of fish either of us had ever had. The consistency mimicked lobster and the flavors, in a yellow curry coconut broth, were sublime. If it were socially acceptable, I'm pretty certain we both would have licked the plates. After the entree, we hit a lull while somewhat forgotten about by waitstaff at the bar. But no matter. It gave us time to polish off the glass of Sancerre ($14) we each ordered with lunch, and which paired perfectly with the seafood. Upon being rediscovered, Alisa chose the Floating Island (creme fraiche, caramel, mixed berries and meringue in a martini glass) and I got the maple syrup rice pudding with a blackberry compote. We each got a scoop of pistachio ice cream. The Island was amazing -- sweet, creamy and balanced beautifully by the tart fresh berries bobbing on top. The rice pudding was also nice, but lacked the maple flavor promised in its name and any there was got immediately overpowered by the berries, served alongside in a shallow glass goblet. The pistachio ice cream we each got with it was fantastic, truly tasting like pistachios and resembling their pale green color, unlike so many of its artificially-flavored relatives. All this cost us $85 before tip. We'll definitely be back!