Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Two Stars for Le Cirque
By
Laren Spirer
Published Jul 17, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Laren Spirer
Published Jul 17, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Adam Platt takes a first stab at the new Le Cirque, awarding it two out of five stars in New York Magazine this week. He's certainly not wowed, but not thoroughly disappointed either. Some excerpts to whet your whistle:
- On the space: "a great, polished, cruise ship of a restaurant"
- On the crowd: "assorted aging contessas and paleo-billionaires dressed resplendently in their charcoal suits and pastel (occasionally pink) summer ties"
- On the menu: "conflicts between old and new are evident" "The best entrées at the new Le Cirque tend to be the safe and stolid ones as well, the dependable kind of big-ticket items favored by elderly plutocrats with settled tastes and fat pocketbooks."
- Overall: "[E]dginess is not what the new Le Cirque is all about. During the course of his long career, Maccioni has employed his share of diva chefs and engaged in all sorts of culinary innovations. But he seems content now to take a kind of victory lap, to serve the food he himself enjoys, to mingle among the tables with his friends. This approach may find a new audience, but for now the old one is out in force."
Since we weren't particularly close with Sirio for the last incarnation of Le Cirque (not to mention the fact that our pocketbooks are not fat in any way, shape or form), we think we may not be rushing there anytime soon.
Le Cirque, 151 E. 58th Street at Lexington Avenue. 212-644-0202
Photo courtesy of Le Cirque
Tagged
Adam Platt
elderly
food
food news
friends
le cirque
lexington avenue
new york
new york magazine
restaurants
this week
Laren Spirer
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Oct 19, 2026
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .