Pair The Tower Room at The Plaza with dinner at Rotisserie Georgette.
By Jan Walsh, Photography by Jan Walsh It was my family’s mission to make my 60th Birthday memorable. Mission accomplished. The Tower Room at The Plaza is a once in a lifetime luxury. And I shall never forget my beautiful birthday dinner at Rotisserie Georgette—my newfound, favorite restaurant in New York City.
What fun it was to be queen for a week in The Tower Room, the one-of-a-kind room located on the 18th floor in one of the corner turrets of The Plaza. It features a round master bedroom overlooking Fifth Avenue, under a soaring, 23-foot exposed brick turret ceiling and a round bed! I grew up sleeping in a round bed so what better than to return to my childhood for my 60th Birthday. The 550-square foot suite also includes a spacious living space with wet bar, closets galore, and the bathroom boasts mosaic floors and walls, with a gilded floral motif, private WC, and 24-carat gold-plated fixtures.
We dined at both historic restaurants and highly renowned chef driven restaurants in New York City. Yet the favorite restaurant of the trip is Rotisserie Georgette, within a block of The Plaza, was not discovered until my last night in the city. If only I had discovered it sooner… Think, “Louis XV meets the kitchen.” Owner, Georgette Farkas must be my long, lost sister. We share so many passions: French food, French wine, the color of cobalt blue, Antique French mirrors, and so much more. The restaurant’s gorgeous tiles and murals were purchased by her father in the 1960s. The restaurant also serves as a gallery, Lowdy Frame and Restoring Company, showcasing antique, period mirrors.
The food is simply and incredibly divine. Kudos to the three who share the “Chef” title: Farkas, Stephanie Abrams, and Francisco Blanco. And Jennifer Tafuri serves as pastry chef. This “almost” gluten free restaurant roasts whole fish, poultry, lamb, beef, simply seasoned over open flames. And the veggies are farm fresh and gorgeous. Other than Rotisserie Georgette, you will have to go to France for a roasted chicken as succulent and flavorful.
The tender, juicy roasted steak is cooked to perfection. And the veggies are just as memorable. “Never Enough Potatoes” is not just a line item on the menu. Indeed, we cannot get enough of the crisp, golden frites, savory rotisserie potatoes, nor the baked Idaho potato, filled with heavenly clouds of parmesan mashed potatoes. And Georgette’s roasted, sweet, scrumptious carrots are in a league of their own. We pair dinner with an array of French wines paired for each dish by their in-house sommelier. For dessert, a sparkling happy birthday sparkler shooting a white flame is served on a silver tray of pot de crème, ice cream, and cookies—the ultimate contagious dessert. I expect diners at nearby tables took a mental note for future birthday reservations.