Nathan

location -- workplace density

finally got around to trying the pizzas. that gorgeous oven imparts a nice crust. the ropa vieja pie was a standout. apparently they don't actually have a chef, explaining the limited menu, but they're aware of the possibilities of that oven (its quite Peasant like)...so a more interesting and expanded menu may be in the cards...

or after ten

Or Pastis for that matter. Anyway, I agree that there's no excuse for warm dishes being served cold. The stinco we ordered wasn't served cold but the sauce did start to skin over when it was delivered to our plate. Not ideal but I shrugged it off given all the factors involved. Late seating, we ordered a flotilla of appetizers and small dishes before the mains, the kitchen was closing, etc. ← I live a block from Pastis and I'd say that it's pretty much B&T/tourists now. Brunch and lunch are exceptions of course. In contrast Balthazar manages to hold on to a plurality of everyone, including locals.

I assume you know better than to eat dinner at a McNally restaurant (let alone a just-opened one) on a weekend night (yes, Thursday is part of the weekend)....and not expect a certain sort of clientele. Those are amateur nights, no way around it. waiting for reservations happens almost anywhere...albeit it's always somewhat inexcusable...ditto for the cold meatballs...but the place has been open for two weeks. if it's not a smooth-running machine in three months I'll be flabbergasted. I stopped in this past Wednesday night (the new Thursday) and that was quite mellow...so I'd just stay away from the weekend right now.

since you mentioned that you were thinking of JG...I'd say do that if you haven't been there. it's terrific.

I ate at Robuchon this summer and it's very good...albeit completely overpriced. Perry Street isn't at the same level as JG but it's certainly near the top of the three star category (I live very near there as well)....I highly recommend it.

the difference is night and day. (everybody else serves Il Labatorio's gelato....what Meredith does at Otto is outstanding)

to second Mayur, I wouldn't assume he could make anything well besides a Pisco Sour...it is their national drink. though it still sounds promising as even Peruvian restaurants mess that drink up. heh, a friend of mine recently got back from Peru...I was making drinks in my home bar and asked her if she wanted a Pisco Sour. "that drink is awful! they kept making it in Peru and it was awful!" I then, of course, had to make her one. "This doesn't taste anything like what I had...." who knows? still, something to keep in mind if one is in the area...(and if he can make a good Pisco Bellringer....)

another thought...Otto can be great...but it's easy to order wrong there as well. emphasize the cured meats and contorini...that's where the action is. the pizzas I have mixed feelings about...though I highly recommend the lardo...and if they have one with guanciale that evening...order that and ask them to add a fried egg on top. by all means get some cheeses (they really do this well) and do a flight of house grappa at the end. definitely do gelato. Meredith Kurtzman makes the best gelato this side of San Crispino (the best gelato on the planet). order the olive oil, ricotta and whatever else your group wants.

Your avatar tells me that, yes, you should squeeze it in on your own. Or perhaps just say the word here on eG and I'm sure some of us could easily be talked into joining you! ← second that. Is it possible that some members of your group confused Momofuku Ssam with Momofuku proper? or that they're unfamiliar with the menu change?

EMP? Perry Street? Wallse? Robuchon?

if they didn't serve the Kentucky ham, ribeye, etc...it might pose more of question.... but yeah, Asian accents are pretty much mainstream dining today. people still call JG's cooking French....

wholesale price on langoustines is $26.95 a pound. they couldn't serve it for cheaper.

Astoria 24-25 Steinway

actually, JG has two tasting menus at all times. one is seasonal and changes all the time. the other is the "chef's tasting menu" which is a collection of greatest hits. this never changes.

yup...JG serves the chef's signature tasting menu year round. as for whimsicality, see David Chang in general or see Will reprising last year's menu (quarter by quarter) at Room4Dessert...except with entirely new dishes under the same label.

I agree. There is also an element of whimsicality.

haven't been for lunch...so I can't comment on that. otherwise...I don't think it's changed. of course, the location blows. notably, the current menu has a local wild duck entree...which warns you of the birdshot...that's a really good sign and might be worth trying.

I've been here a number of times and never not come away amazed at the sheer value. Major Caveat: They don't serve alcohol and you can't bring your own. Don't test them on this -- they're serious. With that said, it's a small menu. Any grilled appetizer is a standout...squid, octopus, etc. Wonderful charcoal taste. The whole grilled fish are just as fresh and just as well prepared (olive oil, lemon) as at the Greek midtown seafood palaces...but at 1/5th the price. The other entrees well worth trying are the seafood tagines (tagines aren't just Moroccan or Tunisian...they're found throughout North Africa)... the tomato broth/sauce...it's thick is something I really need to learn how to make at home....infused with cilantro and whole coriander seeds. and they're about $14 apiece! oh, and portions are massive. seriously huge.

I ate here at the bar awhile back. The dining room had empty tables after the pre-theater rush....it wasn't empty but it wasn't packed to the gills. I began with fluke and geoduck crudo. they were terrific of course. Followed with the bucatini with baby octopus. This had a mellow, but noticeable spice kick. The polpi were perfectly cooked and not chewy. (the only comparable octopus dish I've had in NY is the excellent grilled dish at Sabry in Astoria). I followed with a sturgeon dish. Simple, super-fresh, perfectly prepared. It's not on the current menu: http://www.esca-nyc.com/menu.html If you're really a seafood lover there's simply no reason not to go here.

Here, yet again, we find one of his favorite derogatory words—fussy—used to describe extraordinary technique.His comment, taken literally, doesn't foreclose the possibility of "extraordinary technique" that isn't fussy. But he has used that word over & over again in this context. It cements my view that Bruni doesn't really enjoy the restaurants that serve this type of food. What others find "extraordinary," he finds "fussy." He can't eliminate those restaurants from his job description, but his visits aren't a labor of love. His heart is elsewhere. ← I agree with your general perception of Bruni. With that said, this interview doesn't make that case. The key quote: "I spend most of my dinners tasting a lot of different dishes, so for my last meal I think I'd want to keep it to a very, very few favorite things. No dozen-course extravaganza." Well, duh. I wouldn't be surprised if every professional restaurant reviewer in the country expressed the same sentiment. Besides who wouldn't have a desire for a primal last meal before the chair?

I'll think about it. Casa Mono does not accept parties of more than 6. Lupa has a large communal table in the front that I once saw them seat the entire cast of Crossing Jordan at on a Sunday night....it's worth a shot. Otto could definitely seat you.

I agree. If I don't have a good time eating - a restaurant is a failure in my opinion. Have any of you dined at a restaurant on the basis of a Bruni review and been entertained - had a good time? It's funny. I haven't been in NY for a few years - but we had the most fun at DB&D last time. Read about it in a review from who knows where - and the review said it had a limo outside where you could have a cigarette when it was cold. Sounded like fun to me - so I went. It was fun - and the food (at least then) was really good to boot. So have you ever found a place you liked this much on the basis of a Bruni review? Robyn ← Little Owl. I liked Petrosino very much as well. but of course, this line of thought makes no sense since I'm already familiar with every restaurant that Bruni reviews. that's easy to do in NY if you pay attention. for people less obsessed about dining, I'm sure that Bruni (or any Times critic) can do a great deal of good...many people wouldn't have heard of Sriphithai or Spicy & Tasty without him...or Oriental Garden.

Casa Mono