Okay, I must defend... Everyone has their own taste... I guess, but I'm bewildered by the response concerning Prune. I am a huge fan of Gabrielle because her food is simple.... I'm really tired of all the accolades given to chefs like charlie trotter when I know that despite what you expect, the food is not freshly made... and visits to restaurants of the "great chefs" have been a hit or miss affair to me, partly because there is so much hype and elitism involved. The article in food and wine is meant to be a tongue and cheek look at our "super chefs" and the marketing machines they have become, that to be them maybe sometimes what becomes more important is the marketing, rather than the actual product. What did you have to eat? I know she'd hate that I'm asking this, but was Gabrielle in the kitchen? I love the succulent bone marrow salad with tender parsley in olive oil, lemon, and sea salt. Her goat cheese with shreds of red onion again with olive oil and sea salt on brown bread is excellent. When she has braised short ribs on yorkshire pudding, that dish is to die for, as is the hangar steak in garlic, parsley butter...mmm. I hate anchovies but like her mild dish of anchovies paired with almonds. And the sweetbreads in panko with a lemon butter caper sauce, crunches in your mouth and then melts. When my husband gets the lamb sausages, I want to spoon her dijon mustard straight into my mouth... but have learned that actions like that disgust everyone else at the table (I've been tempted to spoon her pan sauces from her dishes to my mouth too but found that if you reserve some of her delicious just vinegary enough pomme frittes to soak up the sauce with, you'll be better received.) Most of Gabrielle's food has to do with simple tastes married with other simple flavors that marry so well together. The anchovies and almonds is a prime example, as is her radishes and sweet cream butter. Non elitist, not pretentious, I agree, those are things that Prune is not. Bad food? I don't think so. And the comments about the canned beans? Even Saveur has rated Goya's canned beans as one of the 100 best food finds. All Gabrielle is saying is that if you are limited to using products from New York that are in season.... what do you think that menu would look like? I'm willing to bet that you will find some surprising items in the kitchen at a lot of our three or even four star restaurants. New York is not exactly the land of "milk and honey" where we get fresh produce all year round. There is a reason why Alice Waters didn't open her restaurant here in New York City. We create with what is available. Go back... give yourself time and space to enjoy (meaning don't go during prime rush hours on Friday or Saturday night). Of course, if what I've described is not your cup of tea, don't bother. New York City has too many good restaurants to waste a meal! Best, Akiko