newyorkomnivore

I had an awful time at Geisha. I hated the "scene" downstairs, where we had to wait 1/2 hour for our table to be ready. Service was lousy, both downstairs and upstairs. Our table was far from an "oasis" - the room was loud, unpleasant, open garbage cans nearby, confused server and busboys, food arriving at funny intervals, so much at one time we actually had to tell them to take it back to the kitchen because there was no room on the table for it... The cooked dishes were fine, nothing great, and the sushi was very good indeed. Wine list is fair at best. But there are other places where I would much prefer to go for excellent sushi which are much more pleasant. I was itching to get out of there the whole time I was in there.

Michael Anthony is the Exec Chef at Blue Hill's new place. He's right there on the website. As far as the restaurant in NYC is concerned, I think Michael Anthony is not there anymore.

I've found lots of the "house brands" in the major supermarket chains in NYC to be just fine. Food Emporium, Gristede's, C-Town, Associated, etc.

Bussola is the best in the city. It's on 4th Ave. between 9th - 10th Sts. Second is the gelato at Otto (very very good, less traditional). Third is Cones, fourth is Il Laboratorio, but it's a distant fourth. I don't think Ciao Bella is even in the same league. Il Gelatone no longer exists, and the last couple of times I went while it was still open, it was pretty bad.

Okay, I'm going, I'm going. I'M GOING. What did you drink? Does he serve sake and wines? What wines? What did you end up spending?

In retrospect, after actually operating for a while in the space, what would you have done differently in the kitchen, and the front of the house? What's on your wish list now? Anything planned to help the noise level in the front room?

Marco, I understand you're going to change the menu every several months - on what will you base the changes, besides availability of seasonal and fresh ingredients? Also, the four side dishes you are now offering: polenta, potato puree, gnocchi, and hen-of-the-woods mushrooms - well, I notice an absence of greens. Do you plan to change this with the season? I loved your vegetables at Craft. (How do you get those gnocchi so, so light?) How often have you been tending to create "specials," and on what do you base your decision to offer them or not? Thanks. P.S. You have such beautiful eyes - I'm betting they get mentioned in the review!

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned La Mirabelle, a lovely, traditional French bistro on 86th St. just west of Columbus. Friendly, competent service, good food, nice room...

La Maison du Couscous, at 484 77th St. in Bay Ridge, is a terrific restaurant. Small, intimate, friendly service, very good authentic food. Their tagines are particularly good. I think Moroccan Star pales by comparison.