Now that Alex is back in the area, we decided to go to Josephine’s. I have heard great things about Josephine’s and have eaten many times at their sister restaurant, C’est La Vie. I haven’t been to this area of the building, though, since my brother was married here over a decade ago when it was Carr’s.
Funnily enough, Alex and I were seated in the same room where we’d held my brother’s wedding and reception dinner. It definitely looks different! I love the old Hollywood feel the restaurant has. On Friday night there were live musicians playing in the front rooms. The walls are festooned with black and white photos of actors. The theme even carried over into the restrooms. I must say, restroom stalls named Marilyn Monroe and Josephine Baker were a little weird, though. Inside each stall, the walls were covered with photos of their namesake. There was a third, but I don’t remember who that was dedicated to.
Service is not hurried here. You should expect it to take some time. I wouldn’t recommend Josephine’s to someone in a hurry, but we were not in a hurry Friday night. We started with cocktails. Since I adore coconut, I had the Betty White. Alex had the Lucille Ball, a gin-based cocktail.
We typically share starters, so we ordered Escargot, Beau Soleil Oysters, and Torchon de Foie Gras. The escargot was very good, with a fun bit of blue cheese on toasted brioche. The mignonette served with the oysters made them bright and light, with a citrusy kick. I was concerned about the foie gras. This group also owns 401 Prime and I had been less than impressed with the foie gras there. The foie gras at Josephine’s, however, was plated very differently. We were presented with slices of foie gras on toasted brioche with a lovely marmalade and cauliflower puree. It was so much more enjoyable.
One of the evening’s specials was a surf and turf: Chef Daniel’s Signature Crab Cake and a filet. Both Alex and I decided to have that for our main. He ordered his filet rare and I ordered mine medium rare. At first glance, I wasn’t sure about the cook on the filets, but that might have been the lighting in the room. They were both done perfectly and the meat was meltingly tender. The crab cake is a staple for this restaurant group. It is also on the menu at C’est La Vie and 401 Prime. It is one dish I have ordered multiple times because it is simple, without any fillers, and is consistently well prepared. Friday night was no exception.
For dessert, I had one of the specials – Chocolate and Orange Decadence. I love the combination of dark chocolate with citrus and this did not disappoint. Alex ordered the Profiteroles and seemed quite pleased with his dessert, as well.
I did not order the 1 oz pour of the Louis XIII cognac that I would have loved to have enjoyed with dessert. Instead, I had a perfectly serviceable Remy Martin 1738. I still cannot justify spending over $ 350 for 1 oz. Someday!
Josephine’s was a lovely, relaxed experience. If you are looking for a special evening out, or just want to treat yourself well, I highly recommend dining here.