MAJORELLE
A Magic Garden of Haute Cuisine
By Anne Raso
It’s hard not to be dazzled by the Art Deco beauty of the Upper East Side’s Lowell Hotel. Built in 1927, it still retains all of its original splendor including white awnings on the bottom three floors and multi-paned windows that have long been replaced on other buildings of this age. The Lowell is indeed fabulous, and this year, the readers of Travel + Leisure agreed, voting it their #1 favorite hotel in NYC. Indeed an incredible feat considering the stiff competition in NYC.
It’s also quiet and homey at The Lowell. So much so, that many New Yorkers have voted it their top “staycation” hotel. Each room is uniquely and lavishly furnished—many with private balconies. So it comes as no surprise that Majorelle, its on-site French Moroccan eatery has become highly sought after as well. The large array of beautiful, exotic flowers and the outdoor dining area with retractable glass roof make Majorelle feel like a summer garden which restaurateur, Charles Masson, has definitely achieved.
CUISINE & ART
The friendly and worldly Masson discussed the mixture of French and Moroccan cuisines at Majorelle with New York Lifestyles. He said it was an easy decision for him to include both cuisines on his menu: “France and Morocco share many cultural points—cuisine and paintings to name just two. French artists were attracted by the light of Morocco including Delacroix, Matisse, and Jacques Majorelle. It was Majorelle who built his oasis (a villa and garden) in Marrakech in 1917. His father was the illustrious designer and co-founder of École de Nancy.” He continued in a nostalgic tone, “My father, born in nearby Belfort, traveled to Morocco in 1933, met Majorelle and saw the garden. He told me, ‘You must see this magic garden.’ When I did for the first time in 1968, I was struck by its mystical beauty. That garden and the source of inspiration for Majorelle has never left me. Majorelle has an artistically and significant personal influence on those who see, smell, and taste.”
Masson took over Majorelle space in March 2017, and he believes in having his wait staff and sommeliers do everything old school and tableside. Surprisingly, he relaxed and let the transitions in this elegant hotel restaurant space happen organically. Masson revealed: “A restaurant is a living person: it is born, crawls, stumbles, walks and runs. The first year of Majorelle has seen a beautiful development stemming from the inspiration that all good things happen in a garden.”
How would Masson describe the Majorelle clientele? He told us, “Il faut tout pour faire un monde” (It takes all sorts to make the world)—the same is true for a lively restaurant. We have a very interesting and eclectic clientele from all walks of life, of all ages...and extraordinarily loyal who make Majorelle unique.”
THE CLASSICS & MORE
Despite having many of the rich French classics like Steak Au Poivre and Raspberry, Grand Marnier and Chocolate Soufflés on the menu, there is a tremendous amount of light fare featuring exquisitely fresh locally grown produce in generous portions. Tomato Mosaic is such a dish and possibly the most colorful and juicy tomato salad that you will ever encounter in a fine restaurant.
Masson comments that he enjoys the challenge of keeping many unique choices on Majorelle’s menu for the health-conscious that they wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else. “Many of our dishes are vegetarian or vegan without ever labeling them as such. They are delicious and healthy. In the summer we have offered Mosaique De Tomates (a mosaic of heirloom, vine, and cherry tomatoes, lemon, olives, basil, and chives). We serve the Herb And Flower Salad—a beautiful colorful composition of micro-greens, baby watercress, arugula, tarragon, thyme, basil, mint, parsley, nasturtiums, and pansies tossed with a beetroot vinaigrette. This salad epitomizes my belief that you eat with your eyes first. We also feature a delicious and gratifying Tajine of Snapper with braised fennel, Moroccan olives, and lemon cured in sea salt, turmeric, and thyme.”
What new items will we see this fall? Reveals Masson, “I follow what nature offers at the moment. Both for the edible menu as well as what surrounds the plate—just as the flowers in the fall will tend to be Mountain Ash, late viburnum, oak, crabapple, and pear. The fruits and vegetables on the plate and around the table are of the same garden, same palate, and palette. I love the spontaneous true choices prompted by the market.”
Majorelle’s prix fixe dinner of $110 per person includes lots of extras including delightful palette cleansing granites—the classic shaved ice made with the fruit of the season: Champagne grapes in summer, cherries and Kirshwasser in late summer, apples and Calvados in fall, and Clementines in winter. Also exceptional are the mini-French desserts to enjoy at the end of the meal. As we hear, Chef Richard Brower enjoys rotating the “extras menu” quite a bit.
For more information on Majorelle, go to the official site of The Lowell Hotel at lowellhotel.com.
