Handsome, Debonair and Robust,
New Dining Destination André Set to Wine & Dine the Upper East Side
Designed by Jordan Mozer and nestled into the newly branded Renaissance Hotel, André will be open for breakfast Monday – Friday 7am – 11am and Saturday – Sunday from 8am – 11am; Brunch on Saturday & Sunday from 11:30am – 4pm; Lunch Monday – Friday from 11:30am – 3:30pm and Dinner Monday – Saturday from 5:30pm –11pm, closed for dinner on Sundays. For
reservations call 212-688-3939 or visit www.opiarestaurant.com.
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By Nancy Walman
The setting, a cozy and intimate restaurant on the corner of 57th Street and Lexington Avenue. The menu, Contemporary-French with American accents, directed by new Executive Chef Ted Pryor. Your host, a new, yet seasoned, kid on the block called André.
Longtime restaurateurs Frederick Lesort and
Antoine Blech (above) have conjured up a new neighborhood staple that will wine and dine locals, tourists and the like for any occasion. Whether you are meeting business associates for a power breakfast over Baked Eggs with truffled shallot cream or Apple Brioche French Toast…have breakfast with André. After a much needed break between Bloomingdale’s and Bergdorf’s on a hot summer day, indulge in a cold, crisp glass of Chardonnay and a lovely salad of smokey Grilled Prawns, Avocado and Mango… have lunch with André. Looking to cozy up with a bottle of Pinot Noir and tasty Hangar Steak Frites with sauce Bordelaise to match … have dinner with André.
“André offers what we believe to be a much needed and welcoming addition to this neighborhood,” says partner Antoine Blech. “In today’s tough climate with iconic restaurants being forced to shut and diners looking for an affordable, inviting and comfortable spot to call their own, André is stepping up to the plate. Between our restaurant know-how from years of service in the community, our ideal location on a busy corner on the Upper East Side and our new chef’s culinary flair, a new restaurant for today’s diner, is born.”
The Inviting bar of André’s sister: Opia.
Chef Pryor has created a very current, elegant and approachable menu for André, named for the middle name both Lesort and Blech share. Each dish presented is neither too large nor too minimal answering the need for sensible portions. Each plate has been designed to offer just the right amount of ingredients, color, texture and satisfaction.
For dinner, guests will enjoy seasonal appetizers such as a fresh and outstanding Jonas Crab Salad with pea puree, zucchini blossom’s and a mango vinaigrette; 
Jambon de Bayonne and Melon Trio with poppy seed vinaigrette (a dish so pretty it’s almost a shame to eat…almost); and tender Lobster Ravioli with summer squash, baby basil and lobster bisque.
Main courses feature several seafood options, including a superb 
Warm Poached Lobster Salad with baby golden beets and osetra caviar; Poached Atlantic Salmon with new potatoes, Jersey asparagus and sauce vierge that is the best rendition of this over visited fish-fellow in town; as well as dishes such as 
Herb-Encrusted Rack of Lamb with haricot vert and pomme sarladaise. Pasta lovers will appreciate Lightly Braised Maya Shrimp with fresh Tagliatelle and Fresh Pappardelle with morels and Jersey asparagus.
Desserts are outstanding and not to be missed. The floating island, molten chocolate cake and cookie plate are memorable.
For a casual lunch a must-have Smoked Salmon Club Sandwich on grilled bread with avocado, red onion, tomato and lemon vinaigrette, is offered along with entrée-sized salads in addition to the full dinner menu. For breakfast, which can be enjoyed on any of the three newly expanded balconies, guests can choose from a variety of egg dishes as well as Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes with apple butter and spiced apple compote, Rise & Shine Shake with yogurt and fresh fruit and Stone Ground Oatmeal with cinnamon, bananas and raisins. A delightful Jazz Brunch is also served on both Saturdays and Sundays.
By day, guests can have breakfast and lunch from the new André menu throughout the entire space and at night the intimate and cozy 36-seat corner dining room overlooking Lexington Avenue serves up André’s top-notch cuisine, while the newly refurbished front area serves as the well-known Opia Lounge. Opia Lounge features a lively crowd for international sporting events, live entertainment on Mondays and a tasty lounge menu which includes a variety of sliders, flatbreads, fresh made sushi and refreshing cocktails.
Let’s not forget the music and if you are lucky, you may catch the movie star handsome and talented M. Bleck. We’ll do a special feature on that soon. IN the mean time go to André’s while you can still get it. Undiscovered and wonderful, it rates A Major on The Walman Report.
Copyright 2009 By Punchin International. All rights reserved.
André’s Summer Menu Tasting
Appetizers
Truffle Vichyssoise
8
Jonas Crab Salad with English Pea Puree, Tempura Zucchini Blossoms and Mango vinaigrette
14
Summer Salad André: Lola Rosa Greens, Celery Remoulade,
Black Mission Figs
8
Imported Buffalo Mozzarella and Heirloom Tomato Salad with
Five Year Aged Balsamic Vinegar
12
Jambon de Bayonne and Melon Trio, Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
12
Lobster Ravioli with Summer Squash, Baby Basil and Lobster Bisque
14
Soft Shell Crab Noisette with Cucumber-Yogurt Coulis
and Herbed Salad
14
Smoked Terrine de Fois Gras with
Concord Grape Compote, Toasted Brioche
19
Main Courses
Warm Poached Lobster Salad with Baby Golden Beets,
Osetra Vinaigrette
28
Poached Atlantic Salmon, New Potatoes,
Jersey Asparagus, Sauce Vierge
22
Lightly Braised Maya Shrimp, Summer Squash, Fresh Tagliatelle
24
Roast Chicken Breast with Quinoa Grains, Butter Beans
and Sherry & Fresh Fig Drippings
22
Whole Fish a Plancha with Summer Vegetables and New Potatoes
Market
Grilled Hanger Steak, Truffle Arugula Salad, Frites, Bordelaise Sauce
24
Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb, Sage Pulp New Potatoes, Snap Peas, Black Cherry Jus
32
Filet Au Poivre, Haricot Vert, Frites
34
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Ted Pryor
Executive Chef
Before taking over the kitchen at the soon to launch André and the newly re-launched Opia Lounge, Chef Ted Pryor had sharpened his culinary skills at kitchens across the world, specializing in both American and French cuisines, as well as trying his hand with Asian fare. Most recently, Chef Pryor had worked at some of New York City’s finest French restaurants including La Goulue, Orsay and Les Halles. Applying classic French principles with an American accent, Pryor prides himself on using some of the best local and imported ingredients in any kitchen he works in.
Pryor began his career working at the famed Belgian restaurant Thierry’s Relais in Bedford Hills, NY, where he worked for Joël Robechon protégé Arie D Haan. After getting his feet wet there, Pryor then took the reins of the kitchen at Dudley’s in Ossining, New York, a hundred year old institution serving classic American cuisine, where he earned two stars from the New York Times. Pryor also worked for two years as chef and partner at Zebo in Charleston, South Carolina, a traditional American restaurant, before moving to Paris, France where he was welcomed at L’espadon at the Ritz Hotel.
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Dessert Menu
