Rise: A Diner’s Tale

Ever since I heard about Rise No. 1—when Peggy Levinson was writing about it for the current issue of D Home—I couldn’t wait to try it. True, it’s pretty close to my ’hood (Midway Hollow, A Treasure To Keep!), but mostly I just wanted to eat a bunch of soufflés. Last night I got the chance, and I’m happy to report it was delightful. I won’t go into the details of the décor, because you can see it (and read about it) for yourself in Peggy’s piece. I just wanted to say the hearty onion soup, piping hot underneath its toast-and-cheese crust, and the jambon and Gruyere soufflé (reminiscent of a classic ham-and-cheese quiche) made me long for a cold, rainy night in Paris. No meal has made me feel warmer inside. Rise might as well refer to the steam coming out of those little pots of goodness. But don’t be fooled by the light-as-air texture of these beauties; they are surprisingly filling. I didn’t have enough room for a bread pudding soufflé, the evening’s special. Next time.