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Table for three at Balthazar Restaurant. Reservation done. We’re on our way to try a restaurant recommended by my New Yorker friend. Martha Stewart has also featured the restaurant’s owner on her show and declared many times that it remains to be one of her favorite dining places in New York. Well let’s see if it is a tourist trap.

My friend and I arrived in SoHo an hour early for our 6pm dinner appointment with my other friend so we first dropped by at….

Dean and Deluca for….

…iced coffee and people watching….

….and more intense people watching.

Then we roamed around SoHo within 4 blocks of the restaurant.

SoHo never fails to amaze.

SoHo has the greatest collection of cast-iron architecture in the world.

It has a lot of shopping outlets.

A lot of Renaissance-style building.

A lot of eager shoppers.  We too got hooked and we bought loafers at Cole Haan.

It was almost 6pm so we had to head back to 80 Spring Street between Broadway and Crosby, the location of Balthazar Restaurant.

The airy restaurant (plus its Zinc Bar) can accommodate 200 people.  It opened in 1997 with premium French cuisine.

The restaurant is known for its exceptional design wherein its building was converted from a leather wholesaler warehouse to one of New York’s top restaurants.  There was nothing fancy in the restaurant’s interior.  I liked it but it did not give me chills.

We first had a Bordeaux Chateau Jonqueyres and chicken liver & foie gras mousse with red onion confit and grilled country bread.

Shortly the main course was served. From left, Wes, myself and Roseller.

For main course: Roseller had CRISP BERKSHIRE PORK BELLY with heirloom tomatoes, rocket, pickled spring onions and tzatziki sauce. Wes had a DUCK SHEPHERD’S PIE.  I had BALTHAZAR BAR STEAK with pommes frites, maître d’ butter and béarnaise sauce.

We were just actually seated next to the bread area.

And for dessert, we had a pavlova and…

…profiteroles. I am not fond of sweets but I loved our choices especially profiteroles.

It was a fabulous dinner with my two friends (who met each other for the first time) and it was certainly one of my better dining experiences in America.

I have attached the menu for dinner. You can visit http://www.balthazarny.com/ for more information on Balthazar, a Michelen Guide 2011 Recommended restaurant.  It is not overly-priced. The restaurant’s brunch is highly recommended so if I would get another chance to drop by, it would be in the late morning.  I love brunches and eggs benedicts!