Fine dining is often attempted, but rarely done. Why? Few and far between are the chefs with the cooking skills to design an unforgettable menu, and fewer and farther between are the cooks with the skills to pull those menus off flawlessly, all night long. Few and far between are the dining spaces with the elegance, design, and elan to frame a man in a really fine tuxedo. Few and far between are the wine lists with enough depth, variety, and connoisseurship to entertain and amuse wine's passionate hobbyists, while simultaneously offering comfort to those on a budget. Few and far between are the service staffs knowledgeable or well trained enough to interface between complex menus and diners in the throes of the most meaningful celebrations of their year. And then we have La Belle Vie. La Belle Vie is a world-class restaurant, fit for the biggest events in your year. The chef, homegrown superstar Tim McKee, designs five- or eight-course menus, costing $65 or $80, menus which span the fanciful, the impossible, the substantial, and the lovable, all in his unique, intensely flavored Mediterranean style. Please note that the spectacular desserts and most of the fine-dining menu at La Belle Vie are available in the lounge, a big martini bar of a party space, which is sexy and stylish and dark, and perfect for birthday drinks or anytime indulgences.
5 of us ate in the lounge area on a Friday night. A review said that the lounge tasting menu at $40/person plus $25/person for wine was the city's best food value. We spent $400 (including tax and tip). I found it disappointing and the experience was not nearly as good as the last one in the main dining room where we ordered a la carte.
First, it is quite disappointing that the La Belle Vie is sloppy in maintaining their website. Information about their lounge menus was wrong for weeks, despite 4 phone calls to the restaurant pointing this out. I think they do not get it: the web page is their menu and needs the same care as the document they present to you in the restaurant.
Second, although the food was good to very good, the portions were minuscule. There were about 4 bytes of food per portion. Another couple of bytes per portion would have made me much happier.
The service was excellent. Hordes of staff presented each course with great flair and gracefulness. An explanation of each dish was given at each course. But I think most of our $40/person was spent on service, rather than the food.
The wine supplement was an excellent bargain. All four wines were really excellent, although, again, for $6 per glass (served in elegant glass ware) the portion was relatively small, but still satisfactory.
I was a little startled at the abrupt end of service after serving one cup of coffee. We never saw the staff after paying the bill. Was 20% too small for a tip?
It may be that a truly satisfactory tasting 4-course menu cannot be presented for $40/person (soup: ****, fish: ***, meat: ***, dessert: **.) I have tried the 8 course menu in the main dining room; it had truly excellent quality and portion and also the same excellent service.