What was once Reynard has been reborn as Le Crocodile at the Wythe Hotel. As one might expect with a name like that, the now lighter and brighter space leans heavily into French cuisine on its rather extensive menu: From fruits de mer (Jonah crab with avocado and yuzu kosho, cured salmon with sesame and crème fraîche) to hors d’oeuvres (leeks with vinaigrette and hazelnut, country pâté with fois gras and pistachio) to escargots on the entrees and steak frite au poivre on the plats principaux, it’s an indulgent affair all the way down through the desserts and beverages.
On the sweet side, there are classics such as Madeleines (for 6 or 12) and a raspberry mille-feuille, and the cocktails are classic—yet the best possible versions of themselves. The daiquiri is made with a house blend of rums, for instance, while the six different gin and tonics provide perfectly complementary pairs, such as the Hendricks with cucumber tonic and Dorothy Parker Small Batch with Elderflower.
I recommend going for the silky beauty of the omelette, though, which is rich as hell and cut brilliantly by the addition of a simple, brightly acidic salad of greens and a few cold Chanterelle mushrooms. Pair it with the martini (gin, please), made with Miro Extra Seco Vermouth—and which comes with both olives and a twist. The well-worn bad-day cure of French fries and a martini gets an upgrade here that feels fancy, fancy, fancy—because it is. And everyone deserves such a moment. Thankfully, Le Crocodile delivers.
