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JHG

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Everything posted by JHG

  1. If my experience Saturday was any indication, great things! As much fun as visiting the hottest new opening may be, there's something to be said for a restaurant that's comfortable in its own skin. I think Equinox is an exmplar of poise, confidence and fidelity to vision while avoiding stasis. The seasonally driven menu means you're unlikely to select a clunker, but I can personally vouch for the shad roe (more texturally and flavorfully complex than most fish eggs), the veal ravioloni (delicate pouches holding big flavor hits) and the bannana-citrus parfait. I wasn't overwhelmed by the rockfish or chocolate truffle cake, but this may be due to the vastly lower novelty factors attached to those dishes. Depending on the size and mood of your party, I might seek out a table in the more intimate wine room adjoining the main dining room. Expect attentive, knowledgable & welcoming service!
  2. I must give a shout out to John for a brillant cocktail served up at or near last call on Tuesday. Armed with nothing more than my professed passion for the Martinez, he delivered a glass holding a playfully devilish burnt yellow libation. Having substituted mezcal for gin and ginger liquor for the traditional maraschino, he had created an original spin on my standby. The mezcal's trademark smokiness and the ginger's bite added new, complex flavors without disturbing the perfect balance of the classic cocktail. The choices of a Crema de Mezcal and Dolin's sweet vermouth added an unexpected and welcome lightness to the drink. Unfortunately, John refused to coin a name for the drink, insisting that he had delivered something I liked, and that was all that mattered. When I attempt to imitate the drink and pass it off to my friends as an original creation, I'll be calling it a "Oaxacan Martinez."
  3. Had a very pleasant RW experience here last night: Roasted beets were pleasingly firm and acidic, balanced perfectly by a sweet walnut dressing and finely chopped pistachios. A memorable dish. Attempting to reconcile "crispy" and "skinned" as the dual modifiers used to describe the bass menu item provided a brainteaser for me until the waiter revealed that the "crispy" described only the one side of skin left on the fish. The dish itself was generously portioned, but basic. The "skinned portions" were rich, but the dish seemed to rely more on the contrast of textures than intricacy of flavor. The accompanying braised carrots were a welcome note, but the cous cous added little. Any shortcomings were forgiven upon the first bite of the dessert parfait. Layering a very light cheesecake with crunchy peanut butter and bright grape and huckleberry jam, the finish was simoultaneously accessible and refined. It left me enlivened rather than weighed down, as so often happens by bite 3 of a more traditional cheesecake. The most charitable description of the Oval Room's cocktail list would be "carefully-edited." The pomegranate champagne cocktail dissappointed, as the pomegranate liquer lacked any of its namesake's bite, resulting in a cloying drink that suffered by comparison to the Gibson's perfectly balanced exemplar of the classic concoction (still lingering in my mind from two nights before). However, our waiter did recommend a suitable by-the-glass sauvignon blanc to accompany the bass. Service exploded out of the gate and then limped to the finish. We were greeted and seated with warmth and grace despite some obvious signs that we were RW-only patrons -- our young age and an unfortunately casual wardrobe choice by one of my friends. Service in the early courses was unobtrusive but always available. I still don't know how a server slipped my first drink onto the table without my even noticing. However, pacing slowed dramatically after the second course, and lengthy gaps preceded dessert and the retrieval of our check -- all the more mysterious since the dining room's percentage of empty tables had nearly doubled from around 40% at meal's start. However, overall, service far exceeded any reasonable RW experiences. Indeed, Oval Room made a great impression on my party, as it truly seemed to embrace the best of RW with enthusiasm and aplomb.
  4. Does anyone know if they will be open tonight (i.e., on a Monday night)? Alternatively, does anyone have a phone # for Commonwealth. None is listed on their site yet. Thanks for any assistance!
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