Lutèce (restaurant)
Lutèce was a famed French restaurant in Manhattan that operated for more than 40 years before closing in 2004. It once had a satellite restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip.[1]
It was famous for its Alsatian onion tart and a sauteed foie gras with dark chocolate sauce and bitter orange marmalade.[2]
[edit] History
Lutèce opened in 1961 by founder Andre Surmain who brought young André Soltner, a chef, to run the kitchen. Shortly thereafter, Surmain became partners with Soltner and they ran the restaurant together until Surmain returned to France, where he opened a restaurant in Majorca, followed by Le Relais, a Mougins in Southern France. Soltner became chef-owner of Lutece until it was sold to Ark Restaurants in the 1990s. Lutece closed on February 14, 2004, after a period of declining revenues attributed both to alienating longtime customers with a change in menu following the restaurant's sale, and more general industry changes such as a decrease in lunchtime expense account diners and the effects on New York City's tourism industry following the September 11, 2001, attacks.[3]
Julia Child[citation needed] and a panel of food critics for Playboy magazine[4] each proclaimed Lutèce the best restaurant in the United States, a rank it held in the Zagat's survey for six consecutive years in the 1980s.[3]
[edit] In popular culture
The restaurant's reputation has led to it being used as a touchstone in film and television work made or set during the period when it was open.
- In season two of Mad Men, set in the 1960s, there are several scenes that are set at Lutèce and the restaurant is mentioned several times in other episodes.
- The 1971 film A New Leaf shows Walter Matthau's character, now broke, visiting his favorite restaurant for the last time.
- During the restaurant's 1980s heyday at the top of the Zagat's survey, it was mentioned in Wall Street by Gordon's call girl when talking to Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen).
- Mentioned in Crossing Delancey by Isabelle Grossman (Amy Irving) as the place of her intended birthday dinner.
- Mentioned in The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy in a scene where Dr. Susan Lowenstein and Tom Wingo dine together.
- Mentioned in the movie Arthur, where the wealthy title character visits his dying butler, Hobson, in the hospital, and places an order, "l want the trout almondine from Lutèce. Tell Henri it's for me."
- Mentioned in Other People's Money when Kate Sullivan (Penelope Ann Miller) invites Lawrence Garfield (Danny DeVito) to discuss a proposition about New England Wire and Cable Company.
- In the 1963 Ian Fleming story Agent 007 in New York, James Bond refers to Lutèce as "one of the great restaurants of the world".
[edit] References
- ^ Eat and Be Merry; On Saturday 2 Classics Die
- ^ "Au Revoir, Lutece". Gothamist.
- ^ a b John J. Goldman. "Ah, creme de la creme Lutece dies a la mode – NYC French eatery catered to the rich, famous, powerful," Chicago Tribune, February 16, 2004, page 11.
- ^ No author. "If Lutece is open, Soltner is at the stove," USA Today, September 10, 1987, page 4D.
- Lutece creator back in the United States; Andre Surmain 'starts over again' at Le Relais a Mougins in Florida, Nation's Restaurant News, Jan 13, 1986 by Marilyn Alva
- America's Best French Restaurant, By Mimi Sheraton Monday, Mar. 10, 1986 Time Magazine
