Nathan

like many restaurants, Balthazar has a separate unlisted phone number (easily obtainable by Google)....do they have a third on top of that? I doubt it since the first thing they ask for on the unlisted number is your name (even if they don't know you it still gets you a reservation when the regular number can't) all the Batali spots are celeb-heavy (Lupa is popular for cast parties)...Corner Bistro gets its share as well.

I didn't mind today's review per se...if you've never been there, Petrosino is startlingly good...and it's fair to say that his reviews tend to reflect price. with that said, he certainly is an easier grader than Grimes...but the Babbo review indicated he will keep the 4-star category sacrosant. anyone else think he shows a surer hand with Italian-based cooking?

This is a joke, right? For the OP's benefit: One if by Land, Two if by Sea is not only out of the price range (around $70 for its prix fixe), but is mediocre food-wise and has the tackiest "romantic" decor this side of a tiki hut (think plastic flowers) and is pretty much patronized by tourists getting engaged.

Campezuchi has been on Brady Street for about 5 years (if you haven't been to Milwaukee in 10 years, that street has changed remarkably). It's a Bayless inspired restaurant -pan-regional, with about 6 moles on the menu at any given time (from a rotating selection). The only completely inauthentic thing on the menu are the lake perch tacos. Milwaukeans don't appreciate what they have -- it's better than anything in NY by a quite decent margin.

Having a critical mass of Mexican immigrants (leaving aside the economic issue) isn't enough because most Mexican immigrants in the U.S. are from the same couple regions of Mexico -- so at most "authentic" Mexican here is generally limited to those regions. Leaving aside his commercial activities, it is Bayless that has done more than anyone else to introduce other Mexican cuisines to the U.S. (but since his influence is primarily in the midwest -- we are left with the paradox that Campezuchi in Milwaukee is better than anything here).

Hmmm....Frontera Grill is not really fancy -- but it still beats the socks off anything in NY, if nothing else because of the regional breadth it offers. Part of the problem here is that very few people in NY have any experience with Mexican food beyond northern Mexico (and the regions are widely dissimilar)...leaving aside the whole Tex-Mex question. For example, there is nothing Oaxacan here (my favorite).....which leads to the knowledge quandary -- when I see a reference to an "enchilada with mole" -- which mole? Mole just means sauce....there are many, many regional variations....but I have a feeling that even to most NY food aficianados mole refers to one of the chocolate based sauces. I think a restaurant embodying one of the more unfamiliar regions (or several of them a la Bayless) would run into the pre-conceived notion difficulty here.

Suenos definitely deserves consideration...that might be my pick. With that said, I find this town horribly disappointing both in terms of "fancy" Mexican and anything authentic (other than some Pueblan cooking). I'm surprised Bayless has never done anything here.

Actually, I'm guessing the question wasn't about Bistro du Vent -- which seems like just another neighborhoody bistro but rather Batali's planned "white tablecloth" Italian restaurant (perhaps his attempt at a four-star place?) which will open in the Spring on the lower west side.

Bruni did add something to the discussion merely by reviewing Per Se. The sad fact is, I know a fair amount of people who know something about food, who can be articulate as to their palates, but who frankly are unlikely to know of a restaurant unless it's reviewed by the Times or a friend recommends it. Last week, a partner at my firm who I often discuss restaurants with, casually asked "so when is that Per Se thing going to reopen?' She had the impression from that recent insipid New York article that the fire had been a complete disaster (and that was the only reason she had heard of it). You are not going to google a restaurant that you are unaware exists. Fine dining can't exist on Egulleteers or their friends alone. So, yes, the Times review matters by the mere fact that there is one, and that it gives the restaurant its rightful place in the pantheon. my 3 cents, Nathan As a sidenote -- I liked Grimes (and remember that Bouley Bakery review as well) -- he was and still is right about Otto -- though you're better off sitting at the bar.

a very quick reply to Rich -- even assuming that mass opinion should hold weight...there is an inherent methodological problem with Zagat's....the reviews for a given restaurant only come from people interested enough in that particular restaurant to respond -- i.e. people who liked it or really hated it...no disinterested middle. at least most professional reviewers pick a restaurant for review before visiting it.

I ate there recently as well -- the burgers are indeed terrific -- I'm pretty sure they're done Wisconsin butter-burger style... the cheese fries I could do without. it may be my favorite burger in the city -- better than Bar 89 (and certainly better than Corner Bistro--sentimental favorite as it is).

As others have pointed out, it would be hardly surprising if Per Se was intended to lose money (at least in the short run)....being a loss leader for the building could make perfect financial sense -- we won't know what their real expectations are without being privy to information that they would never divulge.

I lived very near there (on Elizabeth)...it is certainly not a culinary occasion -- it's the same vendors as every other street festival in NY combined with the worst stereotypes of places adjoining the city populating the crowd....no, it won't have any impact on reservations at anywhere decent....trust me, the San Gennaro crowd won't be going to Hearth or Babbo. btw, Babbo is a fair ways away

the highballs are fine. couldn't agree more on the food--it's a disgrace.

Coffee Shop is "hip"???? Maybe if you're visiting from Des Moines. Are we in a time warp?

hmmm...I do think the food there is sort-of forgotten (it's generally quite good) but I wouldn't call it a NY-crowd at all. It's virtually entirely tourists or Jerseyites (as is the bar) -- I'm not making any sort of comment on the people, just describing the actual make-up of the crowd.

Interesting...that's an old midwestern drink, first time I've seen it in NY.

for homestyle Scandinavian (I spent a couple years in Norway)....the Norwegian Seaman's Church in midtown has a Wednesday lunch buffet from the fall through the spring...it's worth checking out.

they added about 8 pastas on Monday. the rest of the menu has stayed the same but as I noted, they've broadened the quartino list. I think they may have a larger selection of amari as well.

I just checked out the new pasta selection (all $9)...the couple that I tried were quite good, generous portions too. The wine by the quartino list has expanded as well -- I'd say about 20 reds and 10 whites. The summer corn verdure was excellent as well.

I had a mixed reaction to Jacques-Imo -- considering its price level it's certainly worth a look....somethings were quite tasty...others were rather incompetently prepared or simply misconceived. I didn't like Natchez (other than the gumbo)...and the seating is among the tightest in NYC.

exactly...that is what I meant by "pseudoscience"..... next time we can talk about "organic" I have nothing against vegetarians per se. the fresh water thing is essentially a myth but.... we are naturally carnivores but I have nothing against people who choose to go against nature -- especially if it's for health reasons

I actually completely agreed with the review...the problem with this type of [non] cooking is that everything is essentially a salad as he quite cleverly pointed out. As for "squash pasta", it's sort of like tofu hotdogs, etc., if you're so proud of not eating meat, cooking, being macrobiotic or whatever pseudoscientific crap suits your fancy, why try and make everything look like the forbidden food products? Certain things at Pure are done very well, others, well, just point out the immense limitations of the approach. I understand that anyone who shares their approach is emotionally invested in having to rave about the food or even earnestly pretending that it tastes good...but much of it just doesn't.

I felt the same-evening comparison was a creative and appropriate framing device. As for the walking, it's definitely plausible. I'm not quite sure why there's an issue with his failing to discuss the creamed spinach, etc., unless you have some Platonic view of what a steakhouse must be like...he was reviewing a restaurant and paid attention to various portions of the menu before culminating with the main focus, the steak.

I understand your point. But you still can't write a four-star review for a small, select client base and write a one-star review for a wider audience. After all, isn't one the the purposes of the review section is to attract new diners and maybe older diners to try new experiences and broaden their restaurant interest? I agree. But if that was the only point then we would never have re-reviews (which is a different discussion)...if Bruni only writes reviews in this fashion then we have a problem. I'm assuming that say 1 in 4 reviews will be a re-review which in my book would be fine.