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pesenti

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  1. I agree, running eight restaurants out of a small office in New York takes hard work from a strong team. But I think their efforts are misguided and they misrepresent the product they give the public. Being in that office was like being in the control room of The Truman Show.
  2. Just a few notes on Fig and Olive. First, all meats, fish and some vegetables are prepared in a commissary in New York and shipped to each location. Also prepared in New York are all the sauces, soups and the tapenades. An employee took me into the walk in freezer, so not too be seen, to tell me this. They claim its to maintain consistency, but think they have no confidence in the available work force. They do not have a chef, more like a kitchen manager. When you call to make a reservation, you will talk to one of two operators who are in New York. They have no confidence that the on hand staff can handle these tasks. Only if you ask to speak to someone at the location you're trying to reach will they transfer you. These operators sit in front of multiple open table computers taking reservations. They decide when to take tables not the location. Everyone is aware of the impact of social media on restaurants. Smartly they have a person who is dedicated to keeping a close eye on this, But instead of responding to negative reviews they reward positive reviews. Say something nice on yelp and they will send you a gift certificate, which they hope you will write about with a high rating. So their aim is to artificially inflate their score, not addressing problems. As for the oils, they intentionally give you small pieces of flavorless bread to showcase them so you will buy them to take home. If they wanted you to enjoy bread with dinner they could provide a crusty sour dough, but since almost nothing is made in house, this would be impossible. As for the wine list, the young gentleman who selects the wines has a thing for wines grouped in threes. See if you can spot them. All wines are chosen in New York. You might notice wine regions but not the producers. They direct import a lot of their own wines so they can charge what they want without you having a frame of reference to know if you are over paying. Their budgeted wine cost is 18%! I learned this while spending a day at their offices and in their restaurants while interviewing for the AGM position for the Washington location. I was appalled by what I saw and what I tasted that day and the arrogance they showed fully expecting to take Washington by storm. They run a well packaged slick operation, but I hope that Washingtonians will see through this and choose to spend their money at local restaurants.
  3. They have had at least 10 posts on Craigslist for numerous positions including GM in the last 3 weeks. I hope nobody left a job to go work there.
  4. Two Great Wine Dinners Featuring Chateau Pontet-Canet and Benziger! We asked you to "Save the Date" a few weeks ago and now we're proud to present to you the menus for two of our upcoming wine dinners. Both dinners will take place at the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center on Pennsylvania Avenue. In all these years we have never done a wine dinner there but had heard good things, so we decided to look into it a little more. After seeing the gorgeous facilities and meeting with Executive Chef Xavier DeShayes, and his partner Todd Gray of Equinox fame, we were duly impressed. The "trial dinner" only served to re-confirm what we already suspected — that their food, service, and overall attention to detail is nothing short of outstanding. Mike Benziger will be our Guest of Honor on April 18th as we pair his Benziger Family Winery wines with a wonderfully fresh menu, and Alfred Tesseron, owner of Chateau Pontet-Canet, will be our Guest of Honor on April 30th as we excitedly work our way through the last ten vintages of Pontet-Canet, featuring the 2009, recent recipient of 100 points from Robert Parker in The Wine Advocate. Details for each dinner are below. Please take a moment to sign up online for one or both of these dinners by clicking here, or call us at 202-966-0445. Benziger Dinner Menu Amuse Bouche Sautéed Duck Foie Gras with Orange Organic Quinoa, Kumquat Sauce Benziger Carneros Chardonnay 2009 First Course Warm Snail Flamiche Tart with Wild Watercress, Basil Emulsion Benziger Pinot Noir 2009 Second Course Pan Roasted Sturgeon Fillet with Coconut Mango Red Himalaya Rice Pilaf, Braised Baby Bok Choy, Cabernet Sauvignon Sauce Benziger Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Third Course Pan Seared Wagyu Beef Tenderloin with Celery Root Mash and Pencil Asparagus Fricassee, Black Mission Fig Sauce Benziger Family Tribute 2007 Dessert A Trio of Chocolate Crème Brulée Warm Almond and Plum Tart, Sea Salt Caramel Sauce Candied Buddha Hand, Citrus Olive Oil Sorbet, Port Wine Sauce Taylor Fladgate LBV Port ********************* Where: Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20004 When: Wednesday, April 18, 2012 7:00pm Dinner Cost: $95 per person (inclusive of tax, gratuity, and parking) ********************** Pontet-Canet Dinner Menu Reception Passed Hors d ’Oeuvres Ricotta Beignets with Pancetta and Truffle Tartare of Kobe Beef with Salsify Chips Warm Oyster with Caviar Hollandaise Pan Seared Duck Liver, Caramelized Onion and Fig Chutney Champagne Amuse Bouche Mustard Cavatelli Pasta with Maine Lobster, Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Hazelnut Veloute Château Pontet-Canet 2009 First Course Pan Roasted Monkfish Loin with Veal Bolognese, Calypso Beans and Braised Celery Château Pontet-Canet 2007 Château Pontet-Canet 2002 Second Course Seared Duck Breast with Fennel Sausage, Sweetbreads and Nicoise Olive Chicken Jus Château Pontet-Canet 2008 Château Pontet-Canet 2004 Third Course Pan Seared Beef Tenderloin with Bell Pepper Piperade, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Bordelaise Sauce Château Pontet-Canet 2006 Château Pontet-Canet 2003 Fourth Course Persiallade Crusted Loin of Lamb Flageolet Beans, Porcini Mushrooms, Tomato "Charcuterie" Sauce Château Pontet-Canet 2005 Château Pontet-Canet 2000 Cheese Course Chef's selection of cheeses Château Pontet-Canet 2001 ********************* Where: Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20004 When: Monday, April 30, 2012 6:30pm Reception 7:00pm Dinner Cost: $169 per person (inclusive of tax, gratuity, and parking) ********************** Sign up online right now by clicking here and selecting "Sign-up Now" Dinner Cancellation Requests Not Received 72 Hours in Advance Will Be Charged if Seats Cannot Be Filled Please alert us if you have any special seating requests or food allergies
  5. Just because it's a polished well laid out website doesn't scream corporate. The pictures they post are definitely not corporate like. Try the food, meet the people, then decide if you like it or not.
  6. I went to the Fatty Crab in St Johns, had an incredible time. The GM told me they were looking at the DC market as a possible location.
  7. To me it's not the cost of Mark West Pinot, but how does a fine dining restaurant dare serve Mark West. There are so many better wines that wholesale for under $10 a bottle that are available, even in Montgomery county, that you can put on your list. They either don't think their clientele will know the difference or they don't care.
  8. Have you tried this website? http://www.commercialkitchenforrent.com/
  9. I have had several events at the Cranford House. They even have a full kitchen off the dining room. Cranford House also hosts business meetings, corporate receptions, civic events & non-profit workshops. For more information contact our Club Manager at (202) 332-6770 or via Email: anwclub@comcast.ne
  10. Sorry for the error, it should be kwhtr@comcast.net Thank you for the quick reply. Bill Hunter
  11. Dear Chef Enzo, I would love to have the opportunity to speak with you about the General Manager/Sommelier position with your new restaurant Elisir. Please contact me at kwhtr@comcast.com so I can send you my resume. Sincerely, Bill Hunter
  12. PAULS LIQUORS 5205 Wisconsin Ave NW District of Columbia, DC 20015 Distance 1.4mi SHERRYS WINE & LIQUOR 2315 Calvert St NW District of Columbia, DC 20008 Distance 1.6mi 1 W DUPONT CIRCLE WINE & 2012 NW P ST District of Columbia, DC 20008 Distance 2.5mi DICKSON WINE 903 U St NW District of Columbia, DC 20001 Distance 2.8mi BEST IN LIQUOR 1450 P St NW District of Columbia, DC 20005 Distance 2.9mi BARREL HOUSE LIQUOR 1341 14th St NW District of Columbia, DC 20005 Distance 3mi SCHNEIDERS LIQUORS 300 Massachusetts Ave NE District of Columbia, DC 20002 Distance 4.8mi CHAT'S LIQUOR 503 8th St SE District of Columbia, DC 20003
  13. Check out www.baconunwrapped.com for all your bacon needs!
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