La Ripaille,

605 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014, United States

"Charming restaurant on Hudson with creative, light, and delicious French food. We had the specials and the escargot, each was fresh, flavorful. Escargot preparation was unique and a must try. Staff and owner were fantastic and provided great service. A hidden spot in the West Village."

"As a food lover, I always enjoy trying new restaurants, but I usually write reviews when I feel that I have something to say. At La Ripaille, I was happily surprised by the taste of a unique dish named "broccoli mousse." It turned out to be the creation of the restaurant's owner 43 years ago! What an achievement! For my main dish, I ordered the shrimp with saffron sauce. Besides its elegant presentation, the dish was so delicious! I used to order a similar dish years ago, but never found it again until I dined at La Ripaille! The servers were very attentive and hospitable, and the owner was so charismatic, ending almost all his sentences with "s'il vous plait." My husband and I left the restaurant fulfilled by the food and the whole experience."

"What a happy, yet chill, place to meet friends for dinner. That's the most striking thing about La Ripaille. Server staff also quite attentive and professional. The food could be more tasty and balanced, though. Had a veal with mashed potato special - veal was supposedly slow-cooked for 10 hours, and, it tasted like that too. The meat cubes were dry and tasteless, like an overcooked stew meat. Wines were a bit overpriced, perhaps this is typical for Village restaurants (I'm not from NYC). Don't know if I'd dine there again - but, the atmosphere is really terrific."

"I discovered this French comfort food gem a few years ago, and I keep coming back to share La Ripaille with friends. The owner, Alain Laurent, manages every detail from the moment you walk in. His passion for food and life is really the main ingredient here. The escargot is my favorite—it’s prepared in a way I’ve never been able to find anywhere else (Cassolette d’Escargots à Notre Façon). The specials are always amazing. I’ve never opened a menu, I just let Alain make all the decisions and he never disappoints to surprise and delight. This place will always be special and dear to my heart."

"We ordered the Steak Au Poivre, which was, cooked to the right temperature and I actually loved how much pepper was in the sauce. As for the bread, it was warm, and the butter was pretty good. The baguette was good. Now, I have to talk about the escargot. It was AMAZING. They came already de-shelled and the flavors were just garlicky enough. I dare say this is a must-order item. We didn't have room for dessert, oh and I really liked their martini's (kudos to the bartender). All in all, this was a great meal, get there early for the burger and must order the escargot."