plpcolumbia

Since dining at Per Se last summer I've been plotting a return visit, but as the prices get ratcheted up (when I was there the tasting menu was $150 and the wine pairing was $100) that return visit continues to get postponed. At these prices everything that aspect of the meal is under the microscope and any flaws are magnified. When a dinner tab for two starts to approach $1000 - that's just way too much to spend for dinner. I loved my meal and overall experience at Per Se, but I tend to enjoy myself more at 3 star restaurants in New York. I'm getting great food, but at a reasonable price, and I tend to be more relaxed about the whole experience. My wife and I had a great dinner at Aquavit last weekend(with "beverage" pairings). I had the regular tasting menu and she had the vegetarian tasting menu. We had a great time, but come to think of it the food wasn't as good as Per Se...

Maestro has an excellent vegetarian menu. Also, I would second recommendation for the Inn at Little Washington. They were kind enough to prepare a vegetarian tasting menu for my wife while I had the regular tasting menu. We each had different wine pairings as well. That place (The Inn) is awesome... Also, Cityzen, has vegetarian options also (with a special request they prepared a vegetarian tasting menu for my wife too!).

Anyone been to that new place in Dewey, Venus on the Half Shell? I'm going to the beach in August and was wondering if it's worth a try. My wife and I usually have a nice dinner in Rehoboth the week we're there (usually the Blue Moon Cafe), but since we're staying in Dewey does this place measure up to the nicer places in Rehoboth?

My 4 star list: Per Se Babbo This list is based solely on personal preference and takes into account cuisine, ambience, and service! What are the 4-star restaurants according to xyz123?

* * Go Frank, go!

On a similar note - when my wife and I first arrived we ordered 2 Kir Royales while waiting in the lounge. At dinner we requested sparkling water for the table instead of the tap water. And I had coffee with my dessert. None of these items showed up on the final bill...

Actually, they refilled the wine glasses if we were finished before the particular course was finished (without our asking), which I thought was very gracious of them!

My wife and I dined at Per Se last night, and it was wonderful. Somehow, the place managed to justify all the hype and buzz surrounding it. I have eaten at a couple of 4-star restaurants in New York before (Daniel, Bouley, and Jean Georges), but Per Se was the first time I have eaten at a restaurant where I personally have had a 4-star experience. The other places mentioned above were great, but for me the combination of great food, great ambience, and great service just put Per Se in a whole different category that just left those other restaurants in the dust. I only have the pleasure of dining in Manhattan about 3-4 times a year, and so I never get the treatment that a "regular" patron of Restaurant Daniel or Jean Georges might receive. At Per Se from the moment we walked through the glass doors and were greeted warmly by the receptionist to the time our captain brought us our menus (signed by Chef Benno!) I felt welcomed and that the staff was truly happy to have us there. I had the Chef's Tasting Menu and my wife had the Tasting of Vegetables. We both had wine pairings which were an additional $100 per person. We each had 8 different wines (no matching wine with the sorbet course which came just after the cheese course). The wine pairing added a whole dimension to the enjoyment of the food. Some highlights from the menu for me were the "Oysters and Pearls" (described at length previously), the sauteed foie gras with bing cherries (I loved this dish and I never, ever eat foie gras), and the "Calotte de Boef Grillee". I also loved the taste I had of my wife's sweet carrot soup with carrot "roe" and curry "mouse". Any criticisms you ask? Some of the Keller signature desserts were, relatively speaking to the rest of the menu, kind of average. The "Tentation au Chocolat" was great to look at, but that was about it. The "Coffee and Doughnuts" in my mind is a recipe that can be retired already. All in all it was a great meal. I'm already saving up for the next visit - if I can ever get reservations again!

How does one get up to the restaurant? Is the only way up there to go up the escalators through the mall? I read somewhere that there was a separate elevator that takes you directly up to the restaurant and where you can avoid the shops altogether.

Are there any restaurants in NYC where you could go in black tie? Or is that just for prom-goers these days?

How much was the wine pairing? Did it also include desert wines?

Just got my rescheduling call: March 13th at 9PM rescheduled for June 12 at 10PM Better late than never...

3 part question: 1) Would Per Se be classified as "French" or as an "American" restaurant? 2) Would those who have already eaten there consider Per Se to be operating at a "4 star level" (NY Times definition - whatever that is)? 3) Does Per Se have a shot at becoming the first "4 star American restaurant" in New York City?

Robert40- That's some pressure on Keller to serve up the meal of a lifetime. I hope he and his staff are up to the task and that your dinner at Per Se is superlative in every way.

Has anyone been rescheduled yet?

I agree! All the more reason to be appreciative of the fact that Per Se will try to reschedule those of us who have reservations. The last thing I need is another cookbook...

This past Saturday my wife and I were supposed to have dinner at Per Se and...well we all know what happened there. We don't get into Manhattan that often (maybe 2-3 times a year), so after pouring over the e-gullet Manhattan threads and reading the New York Times review I decided to make reservations for Amma. We had the vegetarian tasting menu with wine pairings and it was wonderful. The staff was warm. We truly felt welcomed. The Sommelier was particularly gracious and we had wines from Hungary, New Zealand and Australia. It was a memorable meal and one of the nicest (and least pretentious) that we've had in Manhattan. I hope Per Se can be just as good!

Acutally "stars" didn't really factor into my definition of "fine dining" at all. I was just thinking about places where great food is served in a professional and courteous way in surroundings worthy of a special occasion.

I was in New York this past Fall and had dinner at JG with my wife. The service was competent, but not outstanding. There were definitely some missteps during the evening. We had to ask for the wine list a couple of times. And when we did order the wine it didn't arrive until we had just finished our appetizer. It was a Saturday night and it was busy, but no one seemed to really care (a gracious "we're so sorry the wine is late" would have been fine). Getting the wine list and getting the wine on time are things that I shouldn't have to worry about at a place of this caliber. The food itself was not that impressive either. The poached veal tenderloin is an interesting concept, and it was buttery soft, but was still lacking in flavor. And the pineapple compote on the plate was nearly inedible. I get the whole pinapple/beef thing, but it's much better done on a skewer over a charcoal grill. The meal ended with those homemade mint marshmallows and that just made me want to go home and sit in front of the fire and roast some "real" Kraft marshmallows. Our other meal on the town that weekend was breakfast the next morning at Joe Jr.'s, a diner in the Village. In contrast to JG, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. My wife and I actually had some privacy in a booth all to ourselves (again, in contrast to JG where we practically sharing our thoughts with a nice couple at a banquette probably designed for 4 people). Our food came in a timely manner and the staff was graciously able to anticipate our needs (coffee poured at proper intervals, etc.). My Joe Jr.'s experience surpassed JG in nearly all respects and it was about $450 cheaper! I really do love fine dining in New York (Babbo, Craft, Gohtam Bar and Grill), but JG just did not pass muster.

I live just outside of DC and I enjoy reading the NYC dining threads much more than the DelMarVa threads. Part of my fascination with the NYC dining scene is that for the past 6 years as a Christmas present my sister has gotten me a gift certificate to a wonderful Manhattan restaurant. I've been to Aureole, Gramercy Tavern, Gotham Bar and Grill, Daniel, Babbo, and most recently Craft. My wife and I have wonderful meals at all these places. Compare these restaurant to a high end DC establishment like Citronelle. I just ate there last month and thought the food was excellent, but I don't experience the same buzz or excitement as I would if I were getting ready to dive into the pasta tasting menu at Babbo. DC has great places to eat, but if it's a special occasion and I'm looking for a transcendent dining experience, count me in as part of the B and T crowd that's headed into the City.

Probably Chef Keller is the only one with the answer to that question (maybe Laura Cunningham too!). But therein lies the challenge: to eat at Per Se after the opening day kinks have been worked out (and the smoke has cleared) but before Keller goes back to Napa. The thought of being able to have a meal prepared with Chef Keller actually there in the kitchen full time (however brief that tenure may be) is exciting - not as exciting if he's looking in via plasma screen video feed from Yountville (although that is cool).

My wife and I were travelling to NYC on March 13th for dinner at Per Se, but I received a disappointing but gracious call this afternoon informing me that we would be scheduled for a future date. I tried to find out what the re-scheduling policy would be (whether it would have to be within 2 months), but the caller said the rescheduling policy was still being "worked out". One would think that they might have a larger window for reservation rescheduling, but this is probably just wishful thinking on my part. It's going to be harder to dine here than it is at The French Laundry. In any event I hope to be able to dine there before Chef Keller heads back to Napa. Still coming into town, but my wife and I will have to "make do" with the Lounge at Restaurant Daniel. As an aside, this is my first egullet post, and I've enjoyed reading this thread over the past few weeks. I'm looking forward to the upcoming discussion, especially when Per Se is up and running again.