Nathan

"What's not to like is that I don't go to the places that take two hours to get a reservation. But this service, if it catches on, will turn just about EVERYPLACE into a place where I have to pay a premium to get a prime reservation." It won't. The business model only works for the places where it is really difficult to get a reservation. People aren't going to pay $45 for ordinary places. And it already appears that this is geared towards tables for 4 and the like (the hardest reservations to get). We all know that the easiest way to get a two-top at a difficult to get into restaurant is to call the afternoon of the day you want to dine, to grab a cancellation or even a table from the hold-back-for-possible-celebs-or-regulars supply. This service ends at noon the day of. (i.e. right before the confirmation calls). if anything it might increase the number of tables available the day of (for free).

"The most telling points are the false name and the caution not to mention where you got the reservation. I leave the legality to the lawyers, but it's undeniably shady. Nothing remotely like that is involved with eBay, critics' reviews, or even tipping the maitre d'." Tipping a maitre d' isn't done surreptiously? Could have fooled me. (Granted that the classy way to do is to tip him or her on the way out the door..but it's still done under the table -- usually with the cash folded inside the handshake.)

"I'm affronted by the fact that this will now make getting reservations -- already much too hard -- even harder." Here's why you're wrong. It will make getting reservations easier. It will make getting reservations arguably more expensive (though if it takes me two hours to get a reservation to somewhere...than spending 10 seconds and $45 is a bargain at what I bill)...though in many cases it makes them cheaper in terms of opportunity cost. What's not to like?

I think there should be rules against flash photography anyway. (not that I'm walking in with my DSLR anyway..but I don't have a problem with people who do so long as they're not using flash)

it got worse.

"This is an interesting discussion. How does this concept differ from someone walking in off the street and tipping the host for a table, or the "right" table, etc.?" it doesn't differ. "I would suppose, however, that restaurants aren't thrilled about someone making reservations that may not be filled, thus leaving a table empty during service." These restaurants always have plenty of walk-ins hoping for a table and waiting lists....

Cava is one of the great bargains in the wine world. One of the nice things about cava (as opposed to most prosecco) is that they're all method champenois. For New World sparklers, Iron Horse is terrific, at $20 a bottle...but that's steep if you're just making a couple drinks with it. There are some excellent French method champenois sparklers from outside Champagne (known as Cremant)....many as low as $10. I'd say that one of these or Cava is the way to go -- they'll give you the right mouth feel.

the list is uninteresting because they appear to have simply inherited the wine from the previous FS restaurant.

we agree

"We all know Frank Bruni likes to take away at least one star for anything French and likes to add at least one star for anything Italian. BTW - I ate at Babbo too when Batali wasn't in the kitchen - and I was one of the first people here to say that the food was (overall) mediocre." Babbo is not mediocre...and certainly deserving of its three stars. Bruni does have an Italian bias (I ate at A Voce last night and couldn't make up my mind if it was a three star restaurant or not...it's close but maybe not quite). But he gave four stars to JG, which is contemporary French and four stars to LB, which is French. He also gave four stars to Per Se, which is definitely French-inspired. He's given three stars to Picholine and Atelier. Neither of those are four-star restaurants so he hardly knocked them down. So I disagree that "everyone knows", I certainly don't. Now is there a general NY bias today against stodgy geriatric places like La Grenouille? Yes. Would Robuchon get slaughtered if he had opened the Mansion in NY instead of Vegas? Absolutely not. Well, maybe for the outlandish prices. Ditto for Guy Savoy. I'm still trying to get a reservation at RGR so I can't speak to that. I've eaten at the London Bar (equivalent to Maze), and while good, it's no better than say Bar Room at the Modern. There's a lot of cooking in NY going on at that level. But if you didn't especially like JG, we have fundamentally different palates...and that's ok

I'd say that bar dining gets something comped a good 50% of the time. Especially when drinking copiously....

Offhand, I don't see any reason why it would be illegal. NOTE TO PRIME TABLES, THIS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE! I HAVE NOT RESEARCHED THIS. PLEASE HIRE COUNSEL AND RUN IT BY THEM, IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO. ok, with that said, I don't see what it's unethical about it either. some years ago there was an article about people who use the names of celebs or notables to gain prime-time reservations at NY restaurants. Basically, restaurants just go with it. They don't turn someone away when they show up if they've successfully booked a reservation. In some cases, they always paid with cash so the restaurant could never be certain that their name wasn't actually "Brad Pitt" or whatever... I mean, I've made reservations for people under my name when I wasn't even attending the meal. Never thought twice about it.

I remember this. The thing is, it was his own fault (well his parents) that he received poor treatment on his first visit. His mother acted like a rube, they were seated in outer Siberia, didn't ask to be moved, and then they received good service! As for the larger point...ask Little Owl if the Times review still makes a difference...sure, the easy access to other sources of information mitigates the Times' effect somewhat...

pipians are considered moles.

It would be economically stupid to go to Kittichai for RW. Why? they're only offering lunch. the RW lunch at Kittichai is $24. the regular three course lunch at Kittichai is $20. $4 says they've simply raised the price of their regular lunch $4 for RW. like I said, it's a cynical ploy to gyp the uninformed. (I'm part Romany and therefore it is PC-acceptable for me to use "gyp")

Yes it was. I think any wine snob could have fun there.... I agree the concept is a little disjointed...but here's hoping it all works out...

I didn't make out that they do have coloradito on the menu! edit: to really test their Oaxacan chops...I would order all of their moles and try them with turkey.

I'm not sure what you mean by "all the negative publicity"...he's certainly not faced the negativity that Ducasse at first received. Bruni hasn't weighed in yet and he's the only critic that counts (he's not by any means the best critic -- that's Richman -- but he's the only critic that has make-or-break-a-restaurant influence). I haven't eaten in GR proper -- although I intend to if I can ever get a reservation but from what I've seen and heard...he's probably on track for three stars. I have eaten at the London Bar (roughly equivalent to Maze)...it was fine, even very good in places, but we have comparable restaurants that are a bit better. But it's still pretty good. but I'm curious as to what negativity you are describing? Platt is not important and his is the only professional review that I've seen. edit: I can assure you that Ramsay is not important enough in the NY food world for a critic to "make a name for himself" by savaging him. About the only thing that would cause major waves would be giving Per Se two stars.

Varietal has five sommeliers. When I had the tasting menu I went with the proposed pairings... others would certainly be proposed as well...they have no shortage of wine knowledge on staff...

one other thing: I agree of course with regard to squeezing lemons or limes whenever possible. I used to agree on oranges. Then I discovered bottled "Volcano Orange Juice" -- available at both Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. This is richer and more full-bodied than any orange juice you can squeeze at home. Try this in a Monkey Gland and it will be a revelation.

re: shelf-life... I've always wondered about that... books tell you to keep your simple syrup refrigerated... so I do...but invariably someone confuses it with water and dumps it (seriously!) I'd rather just keep it behind the bar and the more I think about the more I think that simple syrup should keep just fine on the shelf for a month or so....what's the actual rationale for keeping it refrigerated? (grenadine that hasn't been fortified I could see but sugar and water?)

thanks guys for your advice. it sounds like twists are often worthwhile (though something tells me that this is less true after the third, let alone the sixth, cocktail)...though I'm not sure that this is always so (does a martini need a lemon twist when it already has orange bitters?)....but that other garnishes are basically for adornment. and that there's nothing wrong with good commercial products...

its possible that given the same scientific literature that the European decisions were based upon, they might give it some weight. I'll look into it.

at least he actually reads them...which I find somewhat meritorious...

"Even within Prime, I think some steaks are better than others. " Yup. There's actually plenty of "Prime" available. That's not the issue.