mugsy

I have to ask, in all sincerity, are you by any chance known to the house? No other reviewer I am aware of has mentioned three extra courses being sent out, and two sommeliers in attendance at the table. That usually means you are (or they THINK you are) a VIP. Nothing wrong with that — I am delighted on the rare occasions it happens to me — but one must recognize that it is atypical. L'Atelier isn't a bistro; it also isn't a four-star restaurant. By the way, "bistro" isn't a negative term (at least in my book). It just describes a certain kind of place, which I think is exactly what they intended Lincoln to be. Some glitches (staff not yet familiar with the food) will likely improve over time. I was simply trying to point out that Lincoln is not a bistro, however I feel that my knowledge of restaurants does not compare with the "savants" in this website, i give up! you all win, enjoy your 20 million dollar bistro at lincoln center, with an uneven roof that has grass growing on it.... i know i will!

- Lack of tablecloths and other high-end service trappings - tables serviced by a single waiter - absence of sommelier or wine-specific staff consultation for some visitors at some tables - wait staff with limited food knowledge - absence of typical amuse courses and lavish mignardises - placement and proximity of tables to each other - lack of separation between dining room and bar - a la carte only menu format - wine list of bistro (albeit a very good bistro) level NOT above - open kitchen (and accompanying kitchen noise) It's almost the prototype for an upscale bistro, and fairly hard to argue objectively that it isn't less formal than Alto, for example. I'm sorry, but we must have eaten at two different restaurants... the table cloth thing is ridculous comment, some of the best resturants in the world don't have table clothes, Noma, and Alinea are two that come to mind right away. we had 2 sommiliers at our table, and the table are very spaced out, did you eat at the cafe on broadway??? three addition courses were sent out to our table. what prototype to you refer too, an open kichten does not make a bistro, i had an amazing meal at l'atelier last week, no bistro there, and no tablesclothes... you criteria needs a re-boot, we are not in 1980's anymore!

That strikes me as a very good analogy. I want to like this forum... but with comparing Lincoln to A Voce is like comparing apples to Lear Jets! How can anyone say that the two are even in the same breath. hey I think that Kansas City Royals will win the world series next year! I guess they are both Italian restaurants and so they must be compared. My meal at Lincoln was excellent! After two weeks it was far better than all my meals at EMP and slighty better than Daniel, but A Voce? elegant bistro? What aspect of Lincoln is like a bistro, other than they serve food and drink... they have a door? they have tables? they play music? help me please!

you should never have to "order well" to get three star food... what ever you order should be up to standards, or it's not three star... btw risotto was crunchy, why does everyone need to taste it, it wasn't done right so cook it correctly, simple solution, no need for a panel to determine whether it was cooked right, the table thought it wasn't, and thats all that matters!

I find this a little difficult to comprehend. You can go in a side entrance, take an elevator, and walk into Per Se. Your exposure to the "mall" lasts a grand total of about 4 minutes; the meal, about 4 hours. ← Exactly. And, and don't forget the shoppers gawking at the front trellis, the unworldly faux garden and the blue doors - one musn't forget those blue doors that aren't real either... ... the restaurant is definitely in a mall... no 2 ways about it. I'll agree that once your inside, the mall effect disappears - and yes, that is the majority of your "per se experience." However, for the mall-averse, I can easily see how the mall setting taints the overal feel - from the first impression to the very last when you "walk" out those faux doors... ← i must be missing something with the doors... there is no other way in the restaurant, you walk up to the doors and the glass slides open on either side, what is the problem with that, do you need the actual blue door to open to have a better meal????

fyi robin, per se does not have a 7pm reservation in their system.

i will take krug and salon against any grower champagne, any day of the week. robyn, sometimes when you get lost and don't know your way home you leave a trail of breadcrumbs.... sorry i guess wrong crowd for that type of humor.

Yes, they're not Cremant. "grower Champagne" refers to Champagne made from the grapes of a single vineyard. (virtually every standard Champagne, even the most highly regarded V and NV, is blended from the grapes of several vineyards.) grower Champagne is primarily made by small producers. they are very diverse in flavor since they are so expressive of the terroir due to their origin. in contrast, standard Champagnes are specifically designed to reflect the house "feel" year after year. ← does that make krug "clos de mesnil" a "grower champagne", if so i love "grower champagnes"!....and robyn, raymond sokolov???? i read one of his reviews and thought to myself, "darn, i don't have enough breadcrumbs to find my way home!" the last thing the nyt needs is a tired, old critic, bruni brings life, energy, spirit... i know that his style takes a beating on this thread, but i kind of like it, his writing that is... when i read a review of a restaurant, i don't want it to read like that of a book review or a consumer report of a new car. "he didn't mention that enough" or "he never goes into to much detail about ...", but i say he does, he just leaves to the readers imagination to place themselves in his shoes and have the reader fill in the blanks.

i most be missing the boat in this society of professional eaters... it is amazing to me that still that people thought that varital should have got a better review. varital should wake up this morining and kiss the sky and have "grower champagne" that they recieved one star. that is an illconceived restaurant that was very pretentios, and not very good food, unpolished service, an empty dining room, and then the desserts.... of course bruni talk more about the desserts, he has probably being reading blogs like this that say how amazing they are. "everyone" is talking about the desserts! talking yes, eating not so much, on my visits to varital the restaurant wasn't very busy. i think bruni is very entertaining, and i think he doesn't review restaurants like reports, i think he tells a story and most times they are fun to read, he has fun with his job and that is why he is successful.

I think the "Rochester NY" thread . . . . ← no david chang's cooking at wegmans.

that's a bold statement, but even going on food alone, not to mention the other things that go in to making a truly great restaurant, msb can not hold a candle to masa... the food there is about five levels beyond msb. not to mention there is a really chef with years of experience making it for me, not a bunch of young line cooks. masa has superior product, superior technique, superior execution. don't get me wrong i love msb, but i love it for what it is to me, another late night place where i can get great food. i'm not going to eat there before midnight. i don't know much about restaurants, but i don't think it's the best restaurant in nyc, and neither does the ny times, post, daily news, etc.

for a minute i thought this would be the thread that didn't mention momfuku ssam bar.

That type of system is infinitely better. ← boo zagat.... horray michelin!

WOW! for someone with a "i heart ny" call sign, you are quick to trash one of the most exciting eateriers in the city. i am no experted, but i don't think it is very fair to compare the pork belly at fatty crab to the lamb breast at degustation. what is being done at fatty crab is easy and boring! give me someone who is going to take risks and go out on a limb to create something special. i had the lamb at degustation and it was wonderful. to belly ache at the price of langostines, which until about 4 years of ago, getting fresh langostines in the states was unheard off, thank you fedex, and with fresh langostine comes more coin, that is how it works. if you want something wonderful sometimes you pay more, or you get shrimp from the gulf. i had a most memorable meal there, i went by myself, i was supposed to meet someone, but they couldn't get out of work (weak) on time. i had most everything on the menu. that restaurant is unique in a city of pomp and posh and money, to have someone just busting it out night after night, sometimes you just have to say thank you and pat them on the back, and even if it didn't meet your expectations, which i would love to hear what those were, and you did not enjoy the meal, don't complain about the prices and make it seem like there making millions by making up fresh langostines. just walk on by to the ssam bar and we'll enjoy those two seats in the corner. thank you degustation crew and keep up the great work, you have exceed my expectations!

the best burger in cleveland is mawby's!!!