Balthazar in Midtown? Le Rock brings hip vibe to Rock Center

Le Rock makes Rockefeller Center rock — and roar — again. The great Midtown landmark was a culinary desert for three years after its old, over-the-hill sit-down restaurants closed. The loud new French brasserie from chef-owners Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr, of downtown’s Frenchette fame (and before that, Balthazar), might be the most fun addition to the complex since the first Christmas tree went up in 1931.

Le Rock at 45 Rockefeller Plaza (West 50th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues) targets a younger, hipper crowd than did the center’s previous high-end eateries, the Sea Grill and Brasserie Ruhlmann. Millennials and Gen Zers want lots of noise, an airy atmosphere and vats of natural wine. Le Rock delivers on all counts.

But the French menu is anything but light. A slightly more conservative cousin to the offerings at Frenchette, it offers both year-round traditional dishes such as poulet rôti d’Espelette and seasonal offerings that change weekly like cod with coco beans and chorizo.

The 130-seat setting designed by Brooklyn’s Workstead studio is a made-for-celebration stunner that’s like nothing else at Rock Center. The design is comfortable, despite hard edges, and especially at cushioned banquettes that line the walls, where Nasr said he wants people to be “elbow to elbow.” (There will be 70 outdoor seats by the fall.)

Open sightlines, pastel tones so pale you could mistake them for white, an aged-looking terrazzo floor and minimal decor fairly scream “We’re downtown-cool!” And scream is what you need to do to be heard, especially in the rollicking bar-lounge where my meter registered more than 90 decibels. (A sound level above 79 can be dangerous, ear doctors say.)

The menu is well-priced by 2022 Manhattan standards. Portions are more than generous. The moist, juicy and powerfully herbed $40 poulet rôti was a half-bird that my guest couldn’t finish. Perfectly turned out under executive chef Walker Stern on the restaurant’s second night, its rich flavors blew us away, as did saucisse au Comté puree (a kind of kielbasa sausage) and agnolotti with peas, corn and chanterelle mushrooms.

We balked, though, over “dressed crab” for $72. Was it dressed in Chanel? No, the restaurant’s rep explained, the Dungeness crab is dressed in a time-consuming, labor-intensive prep of mustard seed, horseradish, mayo and other elements. Next time!

Le Rock might face a challenge with the wine list — 100 whites and 100 reds, every single one natural (i.e., wine made directly from grapes without “intervention,” sugar or stabilizers, a style that often yields funkier, sometimes unstable flavors). Although I cringe at most, they’re super popular at Frenchette in Tribeca.

The waiter let us sample a sparkling Spanish rosé, Vinos Indar Venturi. “I can’t say enough for it,” he said. Three of us made faces over its shrill, medicinal taste. On the other hand, Chateau Sainte Anne Bandol was enjoyable. But it wouldn’t surprise me if wine director Jorge Riera later adds a few so-called “industrial” wines to appease Midtown dinosaurs like me.  

Le Rock is the flagship of the “new” Rock Center, which landlord Tishman Speyer and its CEO Rob Speyer aim to make more compelling to New Yorkers who don’t work in its office towers.

A summertime roller-skating rink replaced sunken al fresco cafes. Vinyl music mecca Rough Trade and other Brooklyn-esque stores draw youthful crowds.

New eateries include the three-level Pebble Bar, chef Ignacio Mattos’ Italian bakery Lodi and fast-casual spots from David Chang and JJ Johnson. Three sit-down concourse restaurants are coming in the fall from major New York chefs — Five Acres (Olmsted’s Greg Baxtrom), Naro (from the Atomix team) and Jupiter (from those behind Soho trattoria King).

A few years ago, George and Ira Gershwin’s classic lyric “They all laughed at Rockefeller Center” might have been true of its food. Those days are over. Bring a big appetite to Le Rock — but don’t forget your earplugs.