I was looking for a place to take a group of 6 last night, and L'Orange Bleue was nearby and still had spots open for dinner. My group was a mixed crowd looking for a number of things from the... More

I was looking for a place to take a group of 6 last night, and L'Orange Bleue was nearby and still had spots open for dinner. My group was a mixed crowd looking for a number of things from the evening: exotic food, good music, a NY experience (there were some tourists in the bunch), a good place to gather with friends, etc. L'Orange Bleue ended up being the perfect choice. Just so we're clear, this is not a quiet little family establishment. The place gets loud and rowdy and there is dancing and pulsing Arabic pop. There were several birthdays in the restaurant last night, and each one was feted with live sparklers, cheers, music, and some special attention from one of the handsome male employees. A belly dancer made an appearance and focused on one person from each table, drawing them onto the dance floor with her flying hips and long red scarf. The music was loud, the lights were dim, and atmosphere was nothing but festive. If you're up for that kind of thing, this is a great place on a weekend night. We were all dancing in our chairs as we ate. Everyone was very pleased with their meal, and between the 6 of us we tried a nice variety of the menu. I had a salad and spicy pasta with meatballs and vegetables, which was excellent. One friend had the spinach crepe, which was lovely and fluffy and came with a wonderful light tomato sauce. Another friend was very pleased with his shrimp. The show-stoppers were the tagines -- everyone who ordered food cooked in these traditional little Moroccan ovens raved about their dish. I tried a bit of my friend's lamb tagine -- the meat was unbelievably tender and the tiny couscous was the best I've had. We all shared pitchers of decent sangria (nothing special, but not terrible either) and had a perfectly respectable creme brulee for dessert. Overall, everyone in my group of 6 had a great time and a meal they enjoyed, which is a rare feat, especially in NYC. If you're up for a fun evening (especially a birthday), I'd give L'Orange Bleue a shot. Note: Amex and CASH ONLY.
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L'Orange Bleue is a very atmospheric French/Morrocan restaurant. The food is delish, but the live entertainment is great. So if you're bored and want some noise, really, check this place out. It... More

L'Orange Bleue is a very atmospheric French/Morrocan restaurant. The food is delish, but the live entertainment is great. So if you're bored and want some noise, really, check this place out. It will enliven you. I was here and got a bit carried away with the dancing and the singing.
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I was out with a friend and we wanted to try something different. We saw this BRIGHT orange and blue restuarant and it called to us. But it was a BAD choice. We wanted some healthy, tasty food,... More

I was out with a friend and we wanted to try something different. We saw this BRIGHT orange and blue restuarant and it called to us. But it was a BAD choice. We wanted some healthy, tasty food, but the food here was very mediocre. It's French-Morrocan (?) but I've had much better French food in the past. There was a lot of dancing and singing and it was difficult to talk. But if you're into that type of thing. L'Orange.
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The line at Balthazar was too long and I was trying to impress my editor from San Francisco with the coolness of SoHo. The word was that L'orange Bleue was a fun place with decent brunch. The fall... More

The line at Balthazar was too long and I was trying to impress my editor from San Francisco with the coolness of SoHo. The word was that L'orange Bleue was a fun place with decent brunch. The fall air was cool enough for a sweater but warm enough for an alfresco nosh. I had a tasty chicken salad and my editor had eggs. They serve a respectable cup of coffee and the price was in line with the quality. I hear the scene heats up in the evening but for brunch, it was a nice fall back. The only surprise was the "cash only" policy. I will visit again, but only in the warm weather when I can score a table outside.
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