Young American - Droning On, and On, and On ....

[DonRocks]

Rye ticks off all the boxes for the current state of New American cuisine - Bacon, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, pork belly, short ribs, pickle platter.  But they do it well.

Duck rillettes served in a glass jar with a thick layer of fat revealed a moist star ainse scented layer of duck served with grilled bread.  Delicious.  Grilled pork belly with braised red cabbage served over grits.  Also delicious.  Cassoulet for two was a larger platter of sausage, lamb shank, duck confit, and beans, probably could have fed three and was equally delicious.  Even the token vegetarian option of ricotta ravioli with butternut squash and a mushroom broth was super rich...and delicious.  A nice cheese plate and a lackluster banana split sundae rounded us out.

Rye is the kind of neighborhood restaurant that any neighborhood would love to have.

Rye

247 S. 1st Street

Brooklyn

I'm sure Rye is an excellent restaurant (which is why I'm moving this post *way* far away from the New York City Forum), but if I see another menu like this anytime in the next month, I'm going to scream.

I can't call this "New American," because it's not new; I'm going to call it "Young American" (with apologies to David Bowie), because the chefs are *always* under 35, have some degree of talent, but trot out all the hackneyed saws on their menus - I don't even have to list them; all you have to do is go look at the menu.

Last night, I got home from a week in the Bay Area in California, and even in the "good" restaurants (and let me tell you, I ate *well*) the menus all started to look alike, and they looked a lot like this one, with their own regional twist, of course.

Where has originality gone?!

[lion]

Is it originality or simply economics? I agree with you a lot of these kind of places have very repetitious menus, just think patrons have expectations that their favorite comfort will be there. 

[zoramargolis]

For those of us who eat in restaurants only occasionally, the problem is not as acute. Originality doesn't mean a whole lot in most of the world, where a limited number of dishes forms the regional cuisine which is eaten on an every day basis and has been for generations.

[Keithstg]

I'm sure Rye is an excellent restaurant (which is why I'm moving this post *way* far away from the New York City Forum), but if I see another menu like this anytime in the next month, I'm going to scream.

I can't call this "New American," because it's not new; I'm going to call it "Young American" (with apologies to David Bowie), because the chefs are *always* under 35, have some degree of talent, but trot out all the hackneyed saws on their menus - I don't even have to list them; all you have to do is go look at the menu.

Last night, I got home from a week in the Bay Area in California, and even in the "good" restaurants (and let me tell you, I ate *well*) the menus all started to look alike, and they looked a lot like this one, with their own regional twist, of course.

Where has originality gone?!

I understand what you are saying - heck, I eat at least 8-10 restaurant meals a week so I feel your pain, or palate fatigue. That said, there is a fine line between "originality" and keeping the lights on and the staff paid - everything is a compromise.