'Bon Appétit' Means Cheap Lunch and Charity

Mario Batali's mixed nut brittle. At $1 a piece, it's the cheapest dessert.

NEXT »

« PREVIOUS

As if to exorcise the ghost of a harmonica-playing Bruce Willis, the old Hard Rock Café space has once again been converted into a ‘temporary restaurant’ called the Bon Appétit Supper Club and Café. (It actually has nothing to do with the ghost of Bruno; it's a benefit for Chefs For Humanity) For two weeks, wandering midtown lunchgoers can enjoy menus designed by celebrity chefs and the discerning kitchen of Bon Appétit magazine. Sandwiches (like the Yellowfin Tuna Niçoise number, above) cost $7 or $8, desserts run from $1-$3, and nothing at the café is more than $10.

The interior of the former Hard Rock Café has been reimagined as a collusion of Crate & Barrel, ski lodge, and briar-patch chics; twiggy bundles creep around the room and stretch across the ceiling, and a makeshift cafeteria of stainless steel tables are arranged plumb in front of the Temple of Cuisinart, or chef demonstration stage. While the experience at Bon Appétit’s temporary restaurant is entirely underwritten by corporate sponsors (the space includes an upstairs lounge, where Maybelline reps will create a Whole New You in 2 minutes flat), food preparation is under the able stewardship of Hudson Yards Catering. More on the charity bit here; menus here.

Bon Appétit Supper Club and Café // 221 West 57th St., Midtown West // 11am-3pm, M-F