The Three B's- Part II

...this is a continuation from my post of 5.6.10

After the Bouchon Bakery pit stop, I headed over to Bar Boulud, which is right across the street from Lincoln Center.

Don't you like how the barrel-vault ceiling echoes their restaurant sign?

I've been wanting to try BB since it opened up a few years ago, so this was a long overdue visit.  I'd read about amazing charcuterie platters, but at 11:30 on a weekend, I was thinking Croque Madame, which is done to perfection here (according to Frank Bruni).

The fascination with the Croque Monsier/Madame must have started with our trip to Paris in Christmas of 2001.  There, we saw the McDonald's version...

Don't you love it?  The Croque McDo-available in a Happy Meal!  I'm sure the Parisians were cringing at the American interpretation (or bastardization?) of their beloved dish.

The Italians have their panini, the Americans have their grilled cheese, and the French, well, as only the  French can, they have their Croque Monsieur. This bread/cheese/jambon/béchamel combination is truly amazing.  (The Madame is topped with... an egg!)

The Prix-Fixe Lunch menu had many interesting items, and I was intent on the CM, which fortunately was one of the prix-fixe choices. Everything we ate was delicious— from the flaky mini pain au chocolat

to the sublime Floating Island (steamed meringue in a pool of crème anglaise).

Daniel Boulud, chef/owner of BB, writes a column for Elle Decor and in the March 2010 issue, he shared his recipe for this wonderful dish.  I will have to make it for The Husband, who is quite happy eating a Taylor Ham and Egg on a Portuguese Roll.  With a Croque Madame,  he will be in ham and egg heaven.