It’s a true New York immigrant story!

I hadn’t been back to Chez Josephine since before the pandemic. During my first visit, Jean-Claude Baker, the adoptive son of the restaurant’s namesake, Josephine, welcomed me. This time, however, it was Manuel Uzha, the current owner, who greeted me. Jean-Claude entrusted Chez Josephine to him when he passed away. Their connection began in the 1980s when Manuel worked as a dishwasher while Jean-Claude was the maître d’ at an Upper East Side restaurant.


After enjoying the always entertaining “Little Shop of Horrors” at the Westside Theatre, we arrived at Chez Josephine. I noticed that the front table in the window was empty but needed to be cleared. When I met Manuel while requesting that table, I learned about his journey from washing dishes to becoming the owner.

The restaurant felt even cozier than I remembered, probably because we were nestled into that quiet window table. With options available for Restaurant Week, two of us chose from the $45 three-course menu. I started with a slice of their Country Pâté, accompanied by a tangy celery remoulade and cornichons. One friend enjoyed the red and golden beet salad with baby arugula, candied walnuts and balsamic vinaigrette, another the organice baby greens in a lemon vinaigrette ($14).

For the main course, I ordered Moules Marinière, which featured mussels in a white wine, tomato, and garlic sauce, served with pommes frites. I chose it for the fries.

We indulged in dessert, which was included with the meal. We shared the poached pear in a red wine coulis and the Coconut Panna Cotta—both of which I would recommend.

 

Chez Josephine
Hells Kitchen
414 West 42nd Street
New York, NY
212.594.1925
chezjosephine.com