Note: I was invited as a guest of the establishment and received a complimentary meal. This was not in exchange for a positive review and opinions expressed are my own.
Why Come Here? NYC’s best fondue, incredible cheese blends
The idea of fondue garners romantic notions of sharing meats and vegetables over a boiling pot of oil or cheese on a cold winter’s day. But it’s not something that’s easy to find in New York these days. And where it is offered, it’s often an afterthought with dull blends and weak dipping accouterments. Which kind of takes the romance out of it.
But at Taureau, fondue is all they do. And with Chef Didier Pawlicki of two of my favorite French restaurants (La Sirene and Le Village) at the helm, you know it’s going to be done right.
The meal is served in a cozy space in West SoHo. The two dining rooms look like they came straight out of an old Burgundian villa. The first features brick walls with vaulted ceilings while the second offers up fabric-upholstered walls and beamed ceilings. Both offer the comfortable leather banquettes and metal chandeliers creating the romantic setting you always envisioned sharing a pot of bubbling cheese in.
The food is also everything you hoped fondue could be. The menu features three styles: cheese to start, a middle course of meats in oil (vegetarian option available) and dessert of melted chocolate.
The cheese fondues were fantastic. I mean it’s a pot of warm melted cheese – how could it not be? But the blends are perfect. Didier spent over a year perfecting them and I’m happy to say he has. They come with an unlimited portion of the crouton and salad below so there’s no excuse not to finish every last drop. You also have the option to add some dipping veggies. Should you accept it, I recommend the broccoli and mushrooms. We tried three types:
Devil’s Whiff 
If you like spicy this is the one for you. It’s a blend of sharp and tangy cheddar with a great kick from some pepper jack. I will dream of eating this on many cold nights this winter.
Perigord This is a blend of Parmesan and American with truffles. Yes, it’s melted cheeses with truffles. I could go on but I assume you’ve already made a reservation at this point.
Old Swiss 
A more classic style, this is a 180 day aged Swiss cheese. It’s delicious.
As if you have any room after the cheese, next up come the meats. You can pick among chicken, pork and beef and which oil you’ll cook them in. They’re served raw and the beef cooks to medium rare in about 15 seconds while chicken and pork take closer to a minute. Personally I preferred the beefs and not having to worry about under cooking them. You also get 5 sauces to dip them in. The peppercorn and truffle were my favorites.
Canola Oil Pot 
The canola is light and good for cooking the meats but doesn’t add too much flavor on it’s on. I would like to try the red wine or peanut oil next time.
For dessert, you have the choice of two chocolate fondues: milk or dark. Luckily, we got both. They come with a tray of fruits and are both excellent. I have to say normally I’m a dark chocolate guy, but I actually preferred the milk here. It’s a little lighter and reminded me more of the delicious milk chocolates you find in the UK than the overly sweetened garbage we make here.
Milk Chocolate Dark Chocolate
Taureau
558 Broome Street (6th Ave & Varick St)
New York, NY
