By Ava Stryker-Robbins
While traveling or staying in France with friends, Laurence Edelman would enjoy a unique concept — on sidewalks or in butcher shops with open windows, there were large rotisseries where people could easily buy chicken on their way home from work.
“It’s a ritual,” Edelman said, during a phone interview with West Side Rag. “The idea is that you should be able to feed your family really nice, healthy food for not too much money.”
Edelman wanted to bring the concept to New York City, and after opening Left Bank in the West Village 12 years ago, he, along with co-owner Micheline Gaulin and general manager Danielle Avvento, opened this “sister” restaurant on the Upper West Side in 2018.
Poulet Sans Tête is a small restaurant with a few tables and a cozy ambience. It is both a takeout and a charming, friendly eatery where customers can order a half or whole Rotisserie Chicken that can feed up to four people, with red beans and rice or a host of other sides.
The Chicken Baguette Au Jus is a sandwich with Poulet’s signature rotisserie chicken, plus provolone, broccoli rabe, garlic baguette, and an Au Jus sauce made with parts of the chicken. “Pretty much everyone loves it, which is such a big compliment,” Edelman said.
When developing the menu, Edelman knew he wanted to include a chicken sandwich. “The rotisserie chicken is really good when you let it simmer on its own with some onion,” he said. “I was like, let’s just add some garlic bread and leave it.” After a few weeks, though, he decided to add the vegetables and cheese and created what the dish is today.
Edelman has been in the hospitality industry practically his entire life, from delivering pizzas and washing dishes in high school and college, to becoming a head chef and chef-owner, and everything in between. While attending college in New Orleans and working in bars and grills, Edelman discovered his love for cooking. That led to his work as a sous chef at a restaurant in Chelsea and executive chef at The Mermaid Inn on the Upper West Side.
“It’s a very exciting line of work,” he said. “You are introduced to all sorts of interesting people. It’s a different kind of lifestyle.”
Edelman finds that his inspiration for his dishes is “the amalgamation of everything that [he’s] experienced.” Part of the success of Poulet Sans Tête, he emphasizes, comes from his business partnership with Gaulin, who he has known for about 15 years. Avvento has also been critical in turning the restaurant into what it is today.
Poulet Sans Tête values community. “In a place like the Upper West Side, connecting to the neighborhood could be the single most important thing,” Edelman shared. “I want to add value. I want people to come in and really enjoy the food, their time there, and feel like they’re getting good value for their hard-earned money.”
The Chicken Baguette Au Jus costs $17.
The Dish: Chicken Baguette Au Jus
The Restaurant: Poulet Sans Tête (590 Amsterdam Avenue between West 88th and 89th Streets)
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— “The idea is that you should be able to feed your family really nice, healthy food for not too much money.”
versus
$17 for one chicken sandwich.
Sorry, but I think that says it all.
I’ll explain the prices:
1. Landlords expect rent to be paid.
2. Employees expect to be paid.
3. And etc.
Running a restaurant is no picnic.
Those factors definitely explain the prices but $17 for a takeout sandwich may not be everyone’s idea of “not too much money.”
Local restaurants should offer 10-20% take out orders which do not require delivery. They are still ahead of the 15-40% the apps gouge from the restaurants.
Why should there be a discount for pick up.? It does not cost the restaurant less money. It’s the apps that make the delivery fees.
I agree. I do use apps on occasion, but if a restaurant has their own website I’ll always use that, plus their employees deliver the food. One fine example is Utopia. Kudos to them for being one of the surviving diners on the UWS! I wouldn’t expect them to give me a discount just because I picked up the food myself.
I agree, I stopped by when it opened and when I saw the take out roast chicken at $27, and the family meal at $96 I turned on my heels.
A whole chicken should feed a family with two kids, and the carcass can go into the pot for stock for another meal. $27 isn’t the cheapest around–try Costco for that, no shame in that game–but for a good-quality bird, well-prepared, it’s hardly exorbitant. For a single person, that’s three dinners at least.
Its not a meal. For a meal you also need sides.
Says what? There’s nary a croissant or cookie in the neighborhood below $5. That sandwich literally feeds two.
yes, Peter and Cato, consider that at $17 it’s large enough that I had half, then took the other half home for lunch the next day. And yes, it is very delicious…
Looks messy, but delicious. And with the rabe you can tell yourself it’s healthy!
*Order pick-up discount.
Not for nothing, but you can get GREAT rotisserie chicken at Flor De Mayo for half the price. And it comes with rice and beans.
Agreed, it’s one of my favorites, also Malecon does a mean rotisserie bird and their Dominican red beans and yellow rice is YUM.
Yes! Sometimes I’ll have their red beans and yellow rice for a meal. And you’re right: the red beans are the ones to get.
We lived in the West Village for 25 years, and Left Bank was one of our fave spots! Please Mr. Edelman, expand your UWS menu to include more ‘Left Bank’ dishes (like your shaved brussel /hazelnut salad and fish dishes (love your seared calamari and Brook Trout!) We will be there every weekend if you do!
My husband and I love this sandwich. We split it — it’s huge! And when we order other meals, we always have leftovers.
I’ve purchased rotisserie chicken all over the Upper West Side. I’m still mourning the loss of Williams Bar-b-que, 86th Street and Broadway, which was just wonderful. Just the thought…oh, never mind…
Poulet Sans Tete makes wonderful chicken. I’ve had their half chicken numerous times and, more recently, the Dripping Potatoes, which are truly wonderful.
It’s difficult to determine how a restaurant pegs their prices for which meals. A reader pointed out that Flor de Mayo charges “half the price” of what Poulet Sans Tete charges for half a chicken. Yet, Flor de Mayo charges, what, $28 for half a dozen shrimps in Garlic Sauce. It does include some rice and beans, but what the heck are we talking about here? It’s shrimps!
I go to Poulet Sans Tete because the chicken, to my taste buds, is really delicious. Whatever they do re: spices and herbs…. It’s two blocks from home. Throw on a coat, walk two minutes and, voila, dinner. Chacun a son gout.
Mr. Edelman is a brilliant chef. I have been to all of his restaurants and love them all. Admittedly the price is a bit high, but you get what you pay for. I hope he opens more restaurants in our neighborhood and throughout the city.
We order from here regularity. Everything is fantastic!
When I get this for our family it is their FAVORITE…. Their food is AMAZING. Worth every single penny.
$27.00 for a Rotisserie Chicken? Hmmmmm….I take a walk to Whole Foods-Organic Rotisserie Chicken-$13.99.
Tried it once. Alas, I found it too salty and greasy. Too bad. Great concept.
Our order of half a chicken cut up, large stuffing and large Mac and cheese feeds two of us for two meals. $17 + !5+ 14 = $48, so it averages out to be economical. Of course if you are big eaters that might not work. But it’s delicious and the staff are very friendly when I pick up.