Poissonnerie

An elegant, intimate, primarily seafood restaurant in Chelsea. The food was amazingly fresh and the wait staff pleasant and knowledgeable.

Goodness knows this venerable eatery [50 years of age] does not need my five stars but I’m compelled to write nevertheless about the remarkable meal my wife and I had there this eve.
All was perfect! The captain took in my blah-​blah about the wine I wanted [dry, minerally, no floral etc] and brought the perfect glass. Same with the oysters: what have you close to fine de claire and the nine he brought were perfection. And the ultimate triumph: a perfectly grilled on the bone Dover sole.
My wife was equally happy with her superbly prepared scallops and boiled potatoes
All was relaxed and quiet, adding to the pleasure.
Why can’t I have this same experience in NYC?

85%
Great traditional French seafood restaurant. I loved the Dover Sole in particular.
***
Came here with a small party, Dec ’13.
Poissonnere appears to be a French seafood restaurant. The style of cooking here seems more traditional. Items can be cooked with heavier sauces or without. During my trip to London, it was agreed by all of us that this was our favorite restaurant. We agreed that much of the seafood we tried was exceptionally fresh and well prepared. We also loved the floating island dessert.
I’ll break down the review based on the dishes I sampled. I wasn’t that hungry prior to the start of the meal, so I had little of what others ordered. After the food, I’ll look at other categories, such as value, service, and ambiance. Nothing here was less than pleasing.
Sole de Douvres Grillée £33.00 or approx US$ 55. Grilled Dover sole (dish rating, 90%)
PIC of Dover Sole, simply grilled:
This was a straightforward dish. It was a whole bone-​in fish, with skin, cooked over a pan with some oil, if I recall correctly from our server. In addition, I requested that no salt or any other seasoning be added. It came with some lemon and a side of tartare sauce, most likely made in house.
Everything worked very well. The flavor of the fish wasn’t aggressive, but it had a pleasant mild fishiness in a good way and was subtly sweet. I wasn’t sure if it was the oil the fish was cooked in or it’s fat that gave a nice finish. It was a little buttery to me. The skin seemed to have a nice light sear with a bit of browning, although one that doesn’t draw too much attention. I did not find it necessary to add lemon or their tartare.
Having the chance to compare my relatively minimalist Dover sole to my dining companion’s version prepared Menuiere, I found that although rich and delicious, the preparation obscured the sole’s fishiness almost entirely and obscured some of the fish’s default flavors. I had only a bite or two, so I don’t feel confident making a fair comparison.
PIC of whole Dover Sole Menuiere, also £33.00 or approx US$ 55:
Texture of the fish was wonderful. I found the dish to be more dense and bouncy. It was rich with oils, although not greasy in an unpleasant manner. It was a moderately heavy fish, and one that’s veering towards hearty considering the larger than average portion size. I find that the fish is cooked just right, and I cannot think of any way it might improve.
The side of french fries we had (£3.50 or US$ 6) was nicely prepared. It was seasoned subtly, had a light crunch throughly, and delicious with the oil, not unlike the fish. Portion size did appear a tad modest for the price, but not unreasonably so.
PIC of fries and haricot verts:
Oeufs à la Neige au Caramel £8.50 or approx US$ 14 (dish rating, 80%)
This was a ‘floating island’ dessert, of what I understand to be an egg white merigue drizzled lightly with caramel and some subtle crème anglaise on the bottom. It was notably light in flavor and texture, which was a welcome compliment to the heavier fish I had earlier.
The texture of the dessert was my favorite part. I liked how the meringue was soft and light. It resembled almost like a foam, but retained it’s shape throughout. The crème angliase likewise was also light and delicate.
Flavor wise, I found there to be a good balance between the vanilla in the merigue, light custard sauce, and the caramel. I was thankful the caramel was used very sparingly to keep the dish light and sweet, yet never close to aggressive. Its fairly straightforward, but it works.
Value of the meal seemed very reasonable. Although the fish is by no means on the economy end of dining budgets at £33.00 (close to US$ 55, or so I’d guess), I found the quality of ingredients, execution, and generous portion size to more than justify the cost. I’d be more than happy to return a few times a year if I lived a little closer.
Service was more cordial and professional, rather than warm. The professionalism and promptness of service was much appreciated. Our main server was knowledgeable about the food and preparation. One of the bus boys and our host was more friendly.
Ambiance is more old fashioned and charming. At times, it felt like a time capsule back to the 1970’s. I find it to be part of the appeal. Acoustic levels are comfortable. The restaurant appears more formal without being uptight.
PIC of dining room from my table:
Highly recommended

As one reviewer has mentioned, this is definitely a restaurant with an older clientele. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing but as a patron in my early 20s, it was definitely apparent whom this restaurant serves. The décor was very old-​fashioned. Many paintings of boats. Nonetheless, the staff was more than welcoming. One waiter, the Italian one, was very entertaining. Everyone was attentive.
Poissonnerie had the variety (an endless number of specials) but the food wasn’t spectacular and I assumed for the price that it would be. The risotto was good. To my surprise it was a little sweet probably due to the butternut squash. For my main course, I ordered the turbot steak with Hollandaise sauce. The sauce was flavorful and I couldn’t find anything particularly wrong with the sauce. The turbot steak was quite bland and I needed a lot of sauce to make up for that. My mother ordered the haddock filet and complained that there were still small bones in her dish. I didn’t try her fish so I can’t confirm her or deny but she claims the fish wasn’t that fresh. My sister order the lobster thermidor and didn’t complain. The portion was very large given the price. Personally, I didn’t enjoy the lobster thermidor but that it probably because I dislike the wine taste.
Overall, the service was great but the food does not merit the perfect rating that some other reviewers have given the restaurant.

After traveling 5,000 miles that day, I was tired and looking for a nice piece of fish nearby where I was staying. So I set out looking on Unilocal for a upscale seafood restaurant in the Chelsea neighborhood I was staying in. I came upon Poissonnerie De L’Avenue and decided to give it a try.
My companion and I arrived at Poissonnerie De L’Avenue around 21:00. The restaurant wasn’t very busy and the crowd was, as many have previously reviewed, older. Not a bother, though. We were seated at a small table and quickly got to ordering. A 9-​hour flight will definitely have you hungry.
We started with a half dozen oysters. I’m a really big fan of any oysters, especially cold-​water oysters in Europe (trust me, they’re much better than warm water Gulf of Mexico oysters that are common from where I live), and these were delicious. They were served on the half shell with a strong mignonette sauce and a dollop of horseradish. The oysters were very buttery, fresh, and clean. Our only regret by the end of the meal was we didn’t have more of them. I could have made a meal out of them if I would have been a little more patient! We also had a tiger prawn appetizer, which was also very good. 6 prawns served with a rich and savory butter sauce. Great to dip their fresh bread in.
For main course, I opted for the Dover sole. Dover sole is hard to come by in the states, so I had to get it. It arrived deboned, by request, and was served simply prepared, cooked perfectly, with a dash of lemon juice. It was buttery, sweet, and just wonderful. My friend had the bouillabaisse, which in retrospect, I would have ordered. It was amazing! Hearty chunks of fish, prawns, and mussels, in a typically delicious, and very French, bouillabaisse. Also great for dipping bread into.
They have a decent wine selection, but I’m under the impression that it’s a bit dated of a menu. It covers the basics, but don’t come here looking for a big wine event with your meal.
Poissonnerie De L’Avenue is quiet little seafood restaurant tucked away in this neighborhood. It’s unassuming from the curb, but they do serve up some great food.

Along with J Sheekey one of the best fish retaurants in town. Very classic service, classic fish dishes one example of how the term ‘fine dining’ should be practiced. To all fish lovers out there, check it out!

This place is pure class. The clientelle is perhaps a little older than most places but that’s only because they understand what really nice dining is about. The staff greet you and take your coat at the door, but from then on they are amazingly unintrusive. In fact our waiters made at least 3 trips to the table to remove discarded shells without us noticing.
We had the seafood platter for two and there was more than enough to keep us going. They offered to put the remaining seafood in a tray to take home, which I definitely did as this was some of the best seafood I’ve ever had. We were sat near the kitchen and all the other food coming out looked amazing as well.
This is definitely a place for an occasion. It’s a little pricey but that is definitely reflected in the quality of the food. Definitely at least a casual suit kind of place.

Not trendy but reliable with the best oysters in town. Makes Bibendum’s seafood across the street taste like sloppy seconds. The clientele are either early middle-​aged, or blue rinse brigade — with hardly anyone else. Staff suitably obsequious. Quality dining in pleasantly sedate surroundings (no piped music, hooray!) The atmosphere is a tad stuffy but the quality of the fish is very high. Come here for the food and a refreshingly non-​hip, neighbourhoody dining experience.

Fabulous service and food. Most of the people here are over sixty and the food is appropriately traditional but ‘delicious. I had a plate full of homemade lox to start and a spectacular John Dory (one of my favorite fishes) with some fantastic endives. I don’t know how I would feel about it if I was footing the bill, but it’s definitely a place to bring your parents. Yummmm!

I have to admit, this place is a bit good. But you pay for what you get.
It’s the kind of place you might go to for a special occasion, but it’s worth it.
You are treated very well from the off, where they welcome you warmly and take your coats. Complimentary olives and really yummy bread set the tone as you order a splendid wine, maybe a Sancere (recommended!) while you ponder the many fabulous choices.
It’s mostly fish (hence the name) but there are also pasta and meat options, all of which sound and look fantastic. I had the daily special of calamari, and it was the first time I’d had it when not deep fried, but it’s the best I’ve had. Next up was the sea bass, cooked to perfection with a hint of chili and asparagus. To finish, an exquisite crème brûlée with a very crisp topping and lovely creamy centre with a hint of vanilla.
One of the best meals I’ve had in a very long time. Great service — both attentive and prompt, without being over-​bearing.
The custom-​made carpet tells you what kind of place it is… definitely worth a try.