A Broken Palate First Take: Le Chêne
Si Willis pops into the new restaurant from French chef Alexia Duchêne and husband Ronan Duchêne Le May
It was 90 degrees out in the middle of summer and already a small line had formed outside Le Chêne, just before their 5 o’clock opening. The hot new restaurant from French chef Alexia Duchêne and husband Ronan Duchêne Le May opened a couple of months ago, and I was glad to see the buzz was still there after our first visit around that time.
Having previously sat in the main dining room—which felt like you could be stepping into a place that's been part of NYC’s dining scene for years—I booked a stool at their white oak and quartzite bar this time around.
The menu opens with an amuse bouche section. My first bites came from there: a sweet, delicate shrimp tartlette and a tiny slice of pillowy French toast topped with uni and bone marrow—decadent and balanced. I paired those with a refreshing Anacapa cocktail before moving on to a white wine when the next bite arrived: a cod cheek nugget with caviar.
Seemingly a nod to both New York’s fried chicken and caviar obsession and Alexia’s British heritage on her mom’s side, the battered cod wasn’t just a vessel for the caviar—it stood on its own as a highlight of the meal. Succulent white fish filled my mouth with flavor, and the crisp, light batter added a perfect contrast in texture.
Next up from Chef Duchêne’s kitchen was a lovely dry-aged tuna carpaccio with an unexpected kick of spice. Made from a whole tuna caught off Montauk, broken down and aged in-house, it reflects the restaurant’s focus on sourcing and seasonality—not in a preachy way, but in a way that’s baked into the place’s DNA.
Whilst Alexia runs the pass (which you can see from the dining room) with calm precision, Ron works the front with charm, greeting nearly every guest personally from the host stand.
I don’t know why he looks so serious in all the press photos—he’s an effervescent character, full of stories, especially if you’re talking wine. That side of the experience is his domain, along with sommelier Simon, and he’ll take you on a journey—or a few rabbit holes—if you’re open to it. The wall of finished bottles, many far above my pay grade, says plenty about their clientele.
I’d thought about ordering the pithivier again—the house specialty meant for two, and something we loved last time—but decided to explore more of Alexia’s dishes. Once the spiced duck landed in front of me, the plating alone (and maybe my reaction) made the couple next to me order it too.
The dish—two pieces of duck served slightly pink, crispy skin, and a rich, glistening sauce—typifies the menu and the restaurant: indulgent and exacting. Dinner here isn’t cheap, but it’s worth the splurge. Same goes for the caramel and vanilla millefeuille I ended with. The place feels fancy and luxurious without tipping into pretension. The food requires real technique, but nothing is overcomplicated for the sake of it.
»Book your dinner here or preview menu here.
Si Willis is a food writer and content creator behind Consuming Couple and Eating With Experts on Instagram, where he shares thoughtful reviews and behind-the-scenes stories from the hospitality world. And he and his wife Lauren are now on Substack - Eating With Experts
This is the first of a series of upcoming restaurant reports done by guest editors.