Nathan

well, I'd laugh at anyone who asserted that Ssam Bar is "formal dining" but it can be relatively expensive, uses high end ingredients, on some dishes has complex platings...and produces food that ranges between two and four stars all in the same meal. other than the volume level, the median age of the clientele and the expense (though it's possible to spend more at a meal at Ssam Bar than at Robuchon (it'd take some work))...they're not conceptually different.

well, GR, by all accounts, has a primarily British clientele. European tourists in general seem to fill up a a lot of the high end these days (although the current currency exchange certainly has something to do with that). the Robuchon thing makes no sense to me. expensive dining is by no means the same thing as formal dining. there are well over a hundred restaurants in this city where it would be relatively easy to spend over $400 a person and easily over a thousand where it's easy to spend $150 a person. expensive dining is growing, formal dining is not. heck, one can wander into Robuchon without a reservation wearing a t-shirt, jeans and sneakers, be seated at a kitchen counter and have a meal. on what planet is that formal dining? that's absurd.

two points: 1. "Bruni missed the boat if he thinks the langostine is the best hot special. His lobster dishes are his strongest dishes". Re-read what you wrote and re-think it. than re-read it again. 2. if Bruni didn't see the warm and engaging side than he didn't see it. not his fault. if he did see it and didn't write about it...he probably should have.

fwiw, Alinea does discuss the menu options with you in advance.

The death of formal dining has long been forecast. One finds reviews by Bryan Miller in the 1980s that proclaim the end of the fine-dining era. Yet, while it has surely evolved, it certainly hasn't become extinct. Many restaurants at the four-star and "high three" level are among the town's toughest tables to book, including the most expensive of them all, Per Se. Indeed, Daniel, Jean Georges, Le Bernardin, Gramercy Tavern, The Modern, Country, Eleven Madison Park, Veritas, Cru, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Babbo, Felidia, Del Posto, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, JoJo, Cafe Boulud, and even that grande dame La Grenouille, seem to fill their dining rooms most of the time. To my mind, this suggests that the demand for that kind of experience is far from exhausted.The one opening that might arguably fall in this category is Adour. Fabricant says that, whereas "[Ducasse's] restaurant in the Essex House was gilded, the décor at Adour, which will open in late fall, is merely silver." She adds, "Elaborate plasterwork on moldings and cornices will gleam with silver leaf, and the room’s cloverleaf shape will lend itself to private alcoves. Tony Esnault, who was the last chef at Mr. Ducasse’s Essex House restaurant, will be back." That doesn't sound like a casual restaurant by any measure, even if it doesn't quite match the over-the-top elegance of ADNY. But if Frank Bruni slams it—as I think there is a very good chance he will—there will be another nail in fine dining's coffin. If it is a success, it will perhaps be a reminder that traditional formality isn't dead. The other wild card is Paul Liebrandt, whose plans were too murky to earn a mention from Fabricant, but who is said to be planning a restaurant in that style. ← 1. no, "formal dining" isn't dead...and it never will be. 2. but it's certainly becoming less of a player...and much of it seems to depend upon tourism for survival. 3. I disagree with some of your examples. Robuchon isn't formal. neither is Babbo (especially for the 30% of its diners who aren't in the dining room), Adour will have a lounge and a wine bar as well (but I grant that overall it still sounds formal), Gramercy Tavern, The Modern, Country and Del Posto all have informal (and busy...sometimes more so than the formal dining area) dining areas. at quite a few of these restaurants one can forgo a jacket and wear jeans...I suggest that strongly bends the definition of "formal". 4. you forgot Chanterelle, Picholine, Cafe des Artistes and Tocqueville.

whoops...I was thinking of their more recent trip. you're right.

have you had the sodas at JG and Perry Street? how would you compare them?

I think it helped immensely that it was the summer.

the only reservations I'm familiar with so far have been made in person.

it depends. 8, 8:30....very very tough. (that prevents them from doing two seatings). a month in advance (for Chicago too) is pretty standard....and that's for 6:30 or 10 reservations. in the offseason (summer) you can pull off a couple weeks in advance sometimes (I've done it for both WD-50 and Alinea...)...and for better times occasionally. your best bet is often the day of. call about two in the afternoon (when cancellations have come in)....have several different restaurants picked out that you'd want to eat at. one of them will be available.

Oh c'mon. Seriously? Even for some awesome food? Wow. That's sad. ← most people aren't serious foodies. heck, I wouldn't travel that far for something that I wasn't certain would be far better than any equivalent in the city. throw in that people are going to be buzzed after a celebratory dinner and that getting a cab back is quite difficult....

I can confirm that Tailor isn't open yet. the given reasons are variable. A. if they think you're a walk-in pretending to have a reservation, they would tell you that they were "closed for a private party" B. once they figured out that you did in fact have a reservation they would tell you that there was a "plumbing issue" and then graciously invite you downstairs for a complimentary drink. C. I'm pretty certain that the actual issue is liquor license related. they're booking reservations for this weekend so hopefully it'll be worked out by then. I will say that once things were straightened out a bit, they were gracious, welcoming and apologetic. as for the cocktails: the Cascade is superb. gin and hops. why didn't I think of that? I wouldn't want to drink a bunch of them but it's a nice palate opener. most people will hate it. the peppery punch drink is also very good. brown butter rum was almost great...it needs a little bit less brown butter and a little more rum...but I liked it a lot. pumpernickle scotch was really nice. the bubblegum vodka drink was hilarious, ironic and will be a massive, un-ironic hit with the great unwashed.

I'm reasonably confident that if you ask 10-20 Manhattanites to come to Flushing for a birthday that about 5 will show up.

this looks amazing...although I might skip the prosecco...might have to try this before Tailor tonight.

the Savoy version is one of my favorite cocktails of all time...although personally I think it balances best with the Lillet Blanc (I don't think you're really supposed to detect any of the individual agreements...the drink functions very well as a harmonious whole)

I think you'll find that they execute Cantonese standards quite competently.

they take reservations.

so...in theory, it's $208.25 for food and the rest is service.

although people usually get wine pairings...I'm told that even the cocktail prices include service with each drink. (someone please correct this if I'm wrong.)

interesting...heading North from Chicago. Sheboygan is in the Wisconsin/Illinois border and is close to midway between Milwaukee and Chicago (it's close to O'Hare). the "Wisconsin Bratwurst" listed is a Milwaukee brat while the "Sheboygan Bratwurst" is a cross between the Chicago hot dogs already sold at Shake Shack and a Milwaukee Brat. Usinger's is located in Milwaukee.

the gelato chef, Meredith, hasn't changed. I haven't noticed any change in the flavors.

neither. it's just a flat $250, including service. what percentage of that $250 actually goes to service salaries is unknown to customers. the supplementary wine bill also includes service.

last I recall it's open for all three meals with lunch and diner being similar. proteins and beans...there's not much variation....you'll find virtually identical menus at any standard Cuban restaurant.

I would do Versailles for one of your lunches (or David's but Versailles is a bit better and much more of an experience in utter tackiness!)....its as good as basic Cuban cooking gets (at least the Miami version)...i.e. still pretty bland but.....kind of one to lock away for the memory bank so you've at least tried it.

I lived in Milwaukee for a couple years and return regularly. for an "old school" German experience go to Karl Ratzsch's...not great food but worth trying once. the best restaurant in Milwaukee is the Sanford. his casual bistro Coquette Cafe is fine and cheap. Roots is pretty good. ditto for Bacchus, Dreamdance, the Social and Lake Park Bistro (beautiful setting...worth it for the view). none of these are great by any means but they're worth trying. Campezuchi on Brady is one of the best Oaxacan restaurants in the country and better than any east coast Mexican. the sushi sucks. the pizza at Zaffiro's is pretty good.