Keithstg

Some good info on WFM pricing...

This is very helpful - thanks!

L'Auberge Chez Franí§ois simply isn't that good, and it's pretty far out. The total package is pleasant, but this would be a Michelin one-star restaurant if it had anything resembling excellent food, but it doesn't, and isn't.

This restaurant had become a laughingstock due to the annual Washingtonian "Best Of" Readers' Poll. It took many years, but eventually, everyone realized the emperor had no clothes, and they all stopped looking at the emperor.

Somewhat off-topic, but this recalls one of my all time favorite quotes on dr.com - something like "expensive, boring food served in an Alsatian time warp"... I won't attribute the quote, but if you hunt around I'm sure it's still out there.

To Richard Kiel and Bill Meehan.

*Bill, you'd be happy to know that I was drinking Bud Heavy last night in your honor.

Plume seems to hit all of your criteria, and has a better more comprehensive wine list than the other options mentioned.

Additional information on Mandrel Stuart's treatment and subsequent loss of his restaurant. Hopefully Kevin Palizzi is no longer working in law enforcement.

Fascinating article in the WaPo this morning on police siezures, which indirectly references The Shack. Not sure where this should be posted since it deals with the former tenant, Smoking Rooster's. 

Because they have to get back to Jersey or Queens, natch.

I haven't been to Sparks in a couple years, but was at Keens last week. I'd say Keens, because there is nowhere like Ray's in midtown (or in manhattan) and also where else are you going to find a mutton chop?

Go Golovkin!

So, where did you end up?

Waiting lists for mailing lists are so 2006. I'm not on any at the moment, having just gotten off of the SQN wait list (8 years). I guess since 2004 I've been whittling down the lists I buy from and concentrating on a few producers (like Copain) that make wines in the style I most enjoy as opposed to buying across a lot of lists. Hopefully this will be smarter for me in the long run.

I'd normally say the Oval Room, but since they are closed.... how about Decanter in the St. Regis, or Plume in the Jefferson? Both have good wine lists (exceptional in the case of Plume) and are in the area. I've not had a business dinner at Decanter, but have at Plume and it was a great venue.

I saw this played many years ago at NY's Racquet & Tennis Club and even went down onto a court to look around. Too crazy...even for me.

I can't believe that this is a topic! This is very weird sport. I've given it a try an the R&TC, but now just stick to playing squash there.

Looks like Villard is also done now as well. Time will tell how the concepts are re-imagined, but it had to have been very difficult to execute a Central or Citronelle-esque menu in the Palace's operating environment.

Had a client dinner at Minetta last night. It should be noted that the famous "Black Label" burger is now $28. Our group of three split three appetizers - two orders of Hamachi crudo (radish, fennel, hearts of palm, lemon) and fried quail. The hamachi crudo was excellent - the large pieces of hamachi were slightly chilled, and the accoutrements added the necessary brightness and spice to balance out the dish. Perfect for a humid day in NY. The quail was presented as a mini fried chicken, and it was good, but not particularly memorable.

We had a significant delay in between our appetizer and main courses as the Health Inspector apparently showed up during our stay. Our server alerted us to the issue and apologized, which wasn't necessary. Our mains arrived, and we had a Black Label burger and a cote de boeuf for two. The ribeye was presented whole, then sliced and returned to the table with marrow bones and some watercress. The beef was excellent - perfectly cooked, with a nce crust and plenty of dry age funk. I had a few bites of the black label burger, and it was ok. Very "beefy" flavor, if needing a bit of salt. The onions were very nice, and added a lot of richness to the already rich burger. That said, while this is a very good burger, I'd still put the original DB burger ahead of it in the "tavern burger" pecking order.

Service was uneven - we waited about 5-10 minutes after sitting down to have our drink order taken (the wine list is pretty mediocre, btw), and our server disappeared for long stretches during the meal, which impeded our ability to order another bottle of wine, etc. That was contrasted by the excellent way in which the entree delay was proactively communicated by both the server and the manager. Ultimately not a big deal, but fairly surprising to have two ends of the spectrum in the same meal.

Our client enjoyed the dinner, so mission accomplished on that front. Personally I'd return to Minetta tavern, likely for the veal porterhouse, which looked incredible - but would likely skip the burger.

Last night saw me stop in to the Butterfly, a relatively new restaurant on West Broadway in Tribeca, about five steps from Batard, yet a complete world away. I would never have picked this spot as a member of the AltaMarea group, but it is. Kind of strange to go to two restaurants from the same group within a week. The Butterfly aims to be a cocktail bar/ supper club, and seems to specialize in 50s "“ 60s era cocktails, along with a brief menu of American Standards from that era (beef stroganoff, etc etc).

This is small, narrow space, decorated sparsely and primarily in white. The most prominent design feature is a vaguely bow-tie shaped mirror behind the bar. I arrived in time for happy hour, where all cocktails are $10 and draft beers are $5. I debated ordering a Tom Collins, but instead opted for a beer. Service at the bar was very friendly and efficient, although the bartender mentioned that although they opened about ten months ago, things haven't been that busy.

Scanning the menu, I noticed Fried Chicken. If Fried Chicken is on the menu, I'm pretty much incapable of resisting it "“ to the point that I head over to the Dutch every Monday to enjoy their chicken special. So, I ordered the chicken and three good sized pieces of chicken appeared in short order, along with a small salad. One quibble "“ the chicken came in a shallow rectangular basket, along with a side salad in a large ramekin. The size and depth of the basket made eating the chicken pretty difficult. That said, the chicken was fairly tasty, well-seasoned and not at all greasy. All in all a generous portion for $20. I added a side order of French fries for an additional $5, which got me a large bowl of hand cut fries with salt and rosemary. The fries were excellent "“ some of the best I have had recently.  The chicken was not as good as The Dutch, but then again that is also twice as expensive.

The Butterfly's concept strikes me as odd, kind of a cross between a cocktail bar and an upscale diner. I don't get any sort of "supper club" vibe, and that is just fine for me as I prefer the Buterfly's décor to that of the former Posh in DC, for example. Hopefully the place survives, as it is flying well under the radar in the neighborhood at the moment. I'll return for more of the menu when I need an inexpensive meal and a cheap drink during happy hour, and think that the Butterfly is a solid neighborhood option.

I haven't used one of these, though I have seen one in use at RdV and was intrigued. Guess I'll be waiting a while to buy one....

Ventured out to Costata last night. Costata is a part of the AltaMarea empire, and is marketed as an Italian Steakhouse, as Costata apparently means Ribeye in Italian. The space is at the corner of Spring & Sullivan in Soho (despite it being identified as in the West Village on Opentable), diagonally across from Dominic Ansel's shop. The restaurant takes up four floors of a five floor townhouse, recently renovated to include a glass elevator in the front of the house. The basement houses restaurant offices, a glass doored wine room, and restrooms. The first floor houses a bar and table space, as well as the hostess stand. The second floor contains another bar and more table space. Unsure of the third floor's layout, and the fifth floor apparently contains a dentist's office (?). All in all, a very pretty space, and I can't imagine the cost of renovations.

PJ Calapo is manning the kitchen here, and is turning out a rather lengthy menu, encompassing at least half a dozen crudos, another half dozen (at least) each of appetizers, pastas, and entrees "“ aside from the steaks and side orders. The specialty of the house seems to be the shared steaks for two or more, which include a Bistecca Fiorentina and a Tomahawk Rib Chop, as well as large langoustines priced per piece.

I was seated upstairs due to a private party taking place on the first floor. Looking over the menu, I decided to have a glass of rose and my first softshell of the summer. I was presented with a fried jumbo softshell of uncertain provenance, split in half and served with shaved fennel, calabrian chilies, and preserved lemon. The softshell was excellent, with minimal breading. However, I really enjoyed the combination of the shaved fennel, chili paste, and lemon "“ so much so that I ate the softshell by itself, then the fennel, chili, and lemon together.

I wasn't much in the mood for a large steak, so I ended up taking the server's recommendation for a pasta course, which was the garganelli alla fiamma, which was garganelli pasta (potentially made in house but freshly made in any case) along with prosciutto, peas, and truffle cream. The pasta was excellent, if over-sauced. There was a cloud of parmigiano reggiano on top of the dish, so between the truffle cream and the cheese, this wasn't a light pasta, but I certainly enjoyed it.

Service was fine. Neither notably good nor bad "“ comptetent.

Between my appetizer, two glasses of rose, and the pasta I rang in at right around $70 pre tax and tip. Not exactly cheap, but one could easily spend much more here, particularly on wine "“ they have a premium by the glass selection delivered via coravin that had some pretty nice bottles at pretty nice prices.

Ultimately a fine meal in a very nice setting. I'd return, but will check out other spots in the neighborhood first.

<Edit> Guess I mentioned Coravin too soon.

You see, *this* is a proper venue for Cuisine Solutions, and it would not surprise me at all if they produced that meal. If that's the case, there's no reason the Jerk Chicken shouldn't have been of at least decent quality.

Decent is an apt description. Reminded me of a first class meal on a domestic airline. I will note that the menu on the train changes at least quarterly, if not more frequently than that (it all kind of blends together). No idea if Cuisine Solutions is involved, but I will ask if it's cooked in the bag this week...

I sat across from Chef Richard on the Acela last Thursday - had no idea that he was on Amtrak's "culinary team". At any rate, I would have preferred anything from the Gallery to the Jerk Chicken and cilantro rice I was served...

Off The Top Of My Head - this one, and there is another thread about an Indian restaurant called either Indian Ocean or Coat of Arms (in Van Ness) that also had more posts post-closing...

When planning to dine out our way, there used to be a very simple solution "“ just walk down to the Ashby. However, since the recent shift at the Inn, we have been much more reluctant to head over, mostly because friends of ours are no longer there. That said, the Inn is still within walking distance, and we still want to support our friends who remain, so we headed over Thursday night.

There have been some changes to the menu at the Inn "“ now the "snacks" that were once available on the ala carte menu are only available with the tasting menu. We always enjoyed starting our meals at the Inn with a few of the snacks and a drink before ordering the rest of our meal "“ oh well.

The ala carte menu now consists of first and second courses, with a dessert menu presented after second courses, and there are new menu covers. Fortunately, the wine list has not changed substantively in our two visits since Neal and Star's departure.

We both started with the octopus carpaccio, which we first had on Chef Dunlap's tasting menu back in March. I think that this is a great dish, with the octopus benefitting from a spicy chorizo vinaigrette which punched up the flavor profile considerably.

For mains, we had a roast duck with green curry risotto (me), and a "roast" (sous vide, then crisped?) chicken with ramp pasta for my wife. We enjoyed both our entrees "“ the duck was perfectly cooked and the green curry risotto was a good accompaniment, albeit less intense in curry flavor than I expected. I didn't get a chance to try any of my wife's chicken, but she enjoyed the ramp pasta most of all. One quibble "“ both dishes were somewhat lukewarm "“ I expect the meat to have rested and therefore not be piping hot, but this did stick out to me.

Since it was my wife's birthday she had two desserts "“ a basil semifreddo, which she loved, and a chocolate cake which she was less enamored of. I had the cheese course, which was fine.

All in all, an enjoyable meal.  Certainly not the same as when Neal and Star were there "“ they are irreplaceable, and their departure is a huge loss for both the Inn and the village as a whole. However, what may have been lost in the transitions is that Chef Dunlap is still turning out excellent food in a beautiful setting.

Last night being Tuesday, I decided to head over to Batard. I'd never been there when it was Corton, only years ago when it was the Montrachet space, toward the end of its run. I was impressed with the dining room, which was bright and modern "“ for the most part unadorned. There are some reliefs carved into the walls, and some decanters on shelves in the bar area, but that's pretty much it for décor.

Like Weinoo, I started with the lobster and asparagus, which was the same preparation that Weinoo had. I really enjoyed the fried zucchini blossom stuffed with lobster, which was the part of the dish that stood out to me. I had a glass of rose' with this course, which I thought was fairly priced at $9.

Looking through the mains, which are also the same as when Weinoo was there, I was torn between the branzino and the veal. The description of the juniper broth sold me on the branzino, and I wasn't disappointed. The branzino was perfectly roasted "“ two filets resting on top of each other in an extremely aromatic broth, with a portion of ratatouille alongside. My waiter recommended a manzanilla sherry with this course, which was both unexpected (to me), and solidly in the middle pricewise at $12. I was very pleased with the pairing, particularly with the broth. All in all, I enjoyed this dish although I felt that the ratatouille was great on its own, but suffered a bit when mixed with the juniper broth "“ I felt that the broth made the ratatouille more acidic, although this is a minor quibble.

Key Lime pie is my favorite desert of all time, and this version did not disappoint. A portion of the key lime pie was charred (sorry, no better descriptor and I don't take pics), which caramelized a bit of the sugar and provided a nice contrast to an otherwise very traditional key lime pie. Also providing contrast was an herb ice cream. The ice cream didn't taste of any one specific herb to me, but was pleasantly astringent, cutting the richness of the key lime custard.

All in all, I really enjoyed Batard and expect it will be very popular. Seems like they are executing what can be called for lack of a better term "modern fine dining". Lighter, traditionally prepared food with a European bent, in a modern room with knowledgeable, relatively informal service. Speaking of the service, I thought the wait staff was very knowledgeable and attentive "“ always offered a taste of wines by the glass, even offering to taste several in the event I wasn't sure about the sherry. The only quibble I might have was with the pacing of the meal, although as a solo diner that may not be fair, and I would expect that a two top would have been paced more leisurely. I'd make a reservation here now, or through the summer, because it'll be packed once the review comes out and/ or summer in NYC ends, whichever comes first.

Headed out to Betony last night for a brief dinner. I've been up here in Tribeca since December, but with the crappy winter haven't ventured too far outside of the neighborhood, subsisting on Seamless for the most part, aside from client dinners.

As someone else noted on DR, the space is beautiful, and larger than I had expected. As a solo diner I was given the option of a table or a seat at the bar from the very friendly host.

The cocktail list was interesting and I opted for a spin on a Moscow Mule "“ the Palma Fizz (vodka, ginger, lime, rosewater), served in a copper mug. The cocktail was extremely well balanced, and I opted for a second rather than have anything from the wine list.

Amuse was a mushroom consommé with spring herbs "“ the consommé was in gelee form, with herbs on top. Very nice, albeit quite a large portion for an amuse.

I opted for two courses "“ the marinated scallop and the roast chicken. The marinated scallop (horseradish/ sorrel) was served chopped with horseradish and perhaps a bit of lemon zest, on top of a sort of potato chip (which was very Muncho-like in texture, for those familiar with them), and with sorrel on top of the chip/scallop. The four or five bites of the dish were excellent, with bright, clean flavors underneath the sorrel, which overwhelmed the first bite. Removing some of the sorrel from subsequent bites did the trick.

The roast chicken (peas & carrots/ king trumpet) was presented as a breast of chicken sliced lengthwise, with a stripe of pea puree underneath it. Peas and carrots were at ten and two on the plate, along with a singular king trumpet mushroom. Chicken "jus" was then poured around the chicken breast. As a side, a bowl of chicken leg confit was provided along with the aforementioned peas & carrots. The chicken jus really amped up the dish's flavor, and in my opinion showed (along with the consommé) Chef Shuman's Eleven Madison Park pedigree. While a much different version of roast chicken than the late, lamented Palena's, this was no less satisfying.

Finally, the service. I'd read somewhere here that the service at Betony was found to be over the top or something. Maybe I'm not sufficiently cranky, but that wasn't my experience. Granted I was sitting at the bar, but I found the staff to be very enthusiastic, but not overly attentive and nothing felt manufactured. All in all, an excellent meal, and I look forward to returning.

What I do find interesting is the backlash over where they do take reservations: the rooftop. Aside from the "rent it all" component, is there that great of a difference between what Rose's is doing with the rooftop, and Roberto's 8, Volt's Table 21, etc? Are we mad at those restaurants for taking away tables from "normal" patrons to serve a much more expensive fixed price dinner?

Me too. However, I think that some (most?) of the backlash comes from a misunderstanding of what constitutes a private club versus what is simply a different way to experience a restaurant.

Don, based on your description, I think the sausages are from Olli. Does this label look familiar?