Photos: Gentl + Hyers
Le Rock from chef-owners Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr is now open at Rockefeller Center. The midtown brasserie marks a new chapter in their partnership, which began in the kitchens at Daniel in the early 90’s and strengthened as the two earned multiple stars helming Balthazar, Pastis, Minetta Tavern and in 2018, Frenchette which scored three stars by the New York Times.
Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson (Left to Right)
With Le Rock, they bring their spirit of elegance and simplicity to French classics, both in the design and on the menu. “It’s always important that our restaurants are places you can go to celebrate — or get a quick bite,” says Hanson. Nasr adds, “It’s classic in our own way. We wanted to create something with longevity that feels like a treat to be there.”
To begin, Le Rock will be open for dinner service only, eventually shifting to an all-day menu from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., with breakfast to follow. Executive chef Walker Stern (Battersby, Dover) is leading the kitchen. Look for French classics like Steak Haché, Cote De Boeuf, Bison au Poivre, roasted chicken, niçoise salad, escargots and leeks vinaigrette. Shellfish also abounds with fresh oysters, poached prawn, dressed crab, razor clams, live scallop and more.
A playful plateau de dessert, a stand of confections for the table, is available to share. Other reimagined classics include a large-format baba sliced at the table, where the guest can choose from four liquors to finish, as well as a profiterole served with a variety of ice creams.
Wine director Jorge Riera, a longtime Hanson/Nasr collaborator who has received acclaim for his natural selections at Frenchette, has created a list of 100 whites and 100 reds, with a focus on small growers producing natural wines. The 30-seat bar area will highlight herbal cocktails and low- and no-alcohol drinks made with French spirits, developed by Estelle Bossy (Union Square Hospitality Group, Del Posto).
Hanson and Nasr collaborated with the Brooklyn interior design studio Workstead on the soaring, 130-seat space, united in a vision inspired by Rockefeller Center's historic features, materials, and motifs. It feels quietly grand with its burled wood tables, plastered walls in the faintest blue, and hints of dirty rose within the new terrazzo floors.
Le Rock is located at 45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY
For more information, visit www.lerocknyc.com
