ngatti

Macrosan, Just noticed your new tag-line...Excellent!! Nick

In the 70s; Fanelli's. Also the Cedar on University. Not real divey though. The old Ramrod on 12th Ave could be scary. As were the assorted after-hours bars around the Deuce. What was I doing there? Well I ran with a pretty *diverse* crowd back then. Nick

Double Nought, I've been reading your food posts with great interest. You are truly North Jersey's answer to the Underground Gourmet. You have the good cheap eats thing *down*, Impressive Nick

It ain't so new anymore ( I think more like two months). But they've already had a chef change. Dave Marana (late of Saint's Cafe) is no longer in the kitchen. I guess the duo of chefs didn't work out. Thanks for the report. You are a courageous culinary adventurer Nick

Well that's actually what I thought also. But when I questioned my sales rep, he told me that there wasn't any difference in the PVC. Of course he could be wrong also. That white container you bought makes me feel better about storing food than a common grey garbage can. But this may be a cosmetic effect. At this point I have to say...Jeez, I don't know. I'm sure somebody does. Nick

Did ask. Cambro's polycarbonate products are "food grade". Re PVC. You're right Double Nought. I was wrong. As you said, PVC is PVC. Just make sure to give it a good wash before use Nick

Nothing like bad fish to put you off your meal. Nick

The last posted review by Karla Cook Rachel/Jason/Rosie feel free to collect and edit into one thread Nick

The latest reviews Nick

you'll be disturbed to know that La Fondue has been around for quite a while. i remember going there in the 80s...but that was 'cuz they served alcohol to minors, which was pretty much the criterion i was working with back then. It was actually, once avery quaint place. Clean, with a wonderful selection of cheeses and great tasting sourdough baguettes. Good pates and charcuterie platters. The first time I ever saw a kiwi was with a chocolate fondue in 1975 Alas, this was ca. 1973-77. Took my daughter there in 94. Blecch!! Nick

Well, it was miniscule relative to price (15.00 if memory serves) There were three types of fish. I beleieve Three Nantucket Bay Scallops, I think halibut (possibly cod , but the parasite issue may preclude this) and sashimi grade fluke. The Fluke and Halibut/cod were slivery looking and similar in appearance, but I didn't find the dishes overly salted. The fish were dressed with three different olive oils and three different salts. Far too long ago for me to remember what ws what. I do remember things tasting clean and pristine. Very fresh. edit: I don't think the fluke or cod has much going for it in the flavor department. The whole point being the olive oil and salt, IMO. Just a thought. The scallops on the othe rhand did have a lot of briny flavor. Nick

The Manor

HEY!! I resemble that remark! edit:

If I may be so bold: You will like Suzanne and you *will* be surprised. She is indeed Nick

It was a quick lunch at the bar. I had the crudo, yeah overpriced, but pristine ( a girls got to make food cost somehow ). The octopus over frisee with corona beans was a terrific med style dish. Big flavors and very competently handled octopus. A quatro of wine at the excellent barman's suggestion and as the day wore on good conversation with him and his wife (fromager at picholine), who happened to drop in. Good vibe from the Maitre'Ds who sat me as a walk in. Couldn't ask for a more pleasent lunch. Nick

Welll. Perhaps remotely near Times Square, but I want to return to Esca after a pretty good lunch there a couple of weeks ago. Nick

Quite a provocative statement. Perhaps deserving of its own thread. Not necessarily invalid, but provocative all the same. Worth expanding upon. Nick

I look pretty firm now Lou and Rosie. In para dos Nick

Count me in for two Lou. More than a maybe. But things get weird this time of year. I don't have to explain to you. Nick

In a previous thread, I believe it was robert brown who posited the idea of modern "executive chef" (with the NYC high end restaurant paradigm) as analagous to a high end parisian coutourier. You know "House of Ducasse". I thought it right on. Nick

My wife and I returned to 28 Oak for lunch today. Better than ever!! A couple of interesting dishes. 1) A Butternut squash and Apple soup. This was garnished with Pecans and blue cheese. A hot bowl with the puree ladled over the garnish. I found the blue cheese a very interesting and entirely pleasant addition. It would soften and incorporate its strong flavor as you ate the soup, providing a terrific note. 2) The special of Beef Shortribs with an incredibly luxe glace garnished with barley. A classic, classic, perfectly executed Bouef en Daube. Now for the fun parts. Two soups, the beef , and one other appetizer as a main (no dessert): $33.00. Open on Mondays for lunch to boot. Enjoy Nick

ASKING for cash tips? ASKING you to leave after 90 minutes. 28 DOLLARS for...TILAPIA??? I don't care how good the food is. I don't go out to get aggravated. I'm skipping this one. Nick

Yes, in large font on the bottom of the menu. Nick

Cause they used to be on State Street in Hackensack. They bought the Bergenfield franchise a few years ago when "Reliable Triple C" went belly up. It (Bergenfield) was a larger facility (bigger warehouse space). They just never changed their name. Close enough to Hackensack anyway. Nick

I believe the ladies got them (although my wife didn't recall them). Well I guess most agree that the food, with the exception of two dishes and some of the garnishes, was lacking. Enough service lapses occurred: no cheese offer, polite refusel then later, reconsideration; "The duck under the cloche" incident etc... The reservation was made for me by someone connected to the place. I had originally asked for a monday reservation for eight. I was told Lespinasse was closed on Monday, but that the liberty was taken to make it for eight people on a Tuesday evening and that Christian would be preparing a tasting menu for us. I reconfirmed twice. Once a week out and once more on the day of. Once I got through (this a problem with the, IMO, ugly voice mail system) and spoke to someone, I was treated with enthusiasm and interest (the person who had made the res was pretty well known to the staff). The second confirmation resulted in being told that people were looking forward to seeing me and the impression given that the dog was going to be put on for us. Nothing specific. Just an implication. We lost two of our party due to illness about 1 and 1/2 hours before the res. The restaurant was called and informed immediatly. We arrived about 10 minutes late for our res (1st to arrive), as traffic in that evenings rainstorm was an absolute bear. Thirtyfive minutes to crawl across 54th street. The restaurant was called and informed again. Valet parking under the Lespinasse awning was Godsent and welcomed. My wife and I were welcomed with enthusiasm and our coats taken. I was chatted up about my friend and we were seated in a pretty empty dining room (about 1/4 full at 7:45). My order for an Oban was taken and a few minutes later the bar waiter/captain returned with a drink menu, informing me that there was no Oban. He looked puzzled at my next request (Balvenie), So I took the drink menu and ordered a listed Glenmorangie neat, with water back. Pelligrino was ordered and brought. My drink arrived (sans water. I suppose he thought the sparkling water would suffice. It did but *he* didn't know that!). The rest of our party arrived a short while later with one more member dropping out due to an emergency. Not life threatening, but understandably serious enough to cancel. We are now a party of 5. Menus were placed with us which I thought puzzling (prearranged Tasting menu???). A captain approaches and asks us if we are ready to order. We say yes and he asks us what we want? I mention the tasting menu that I thought had been set up for us. He obviously doesn't know about it and proceeds to confirm that the entire table will get the tasting menu. A wine list is brought and in a remindful tone I suggest that perhaps we'd like the wine pairing that might come with such a menu as there was no offer (I'm starting to get a bad feeling). No amuse and the meal commences. The rest you know. Someone said that we recieved a free cocktail. I couldn't discern from the check and if so, I don't think it's bad form for the staff to politely inform us of any "gifts". "Oh Mr. Gatti, you're a friend of so and so. Do let me buy a drink for the table." What would be wrong with that?? I don't think I would call the service warm and friendly by any stretch. In fact, as I said before, I think it was merely perfuntory. The color of the evening was a study in earth tones. Shades of brown , beige, and ochre dominated the room, the food, and the dining room service. I thought the room boring. Maybe because it was so empty. Wines? Well, Nockerl is still waiting for that fax. I heard the assent and I saw his business card with the fax number pocketed. My summation? Just another expensive hotel dining room. You need more than restroom attendants and valet parking. And what is it with those mickey mouse hotel name tags. I know that HR people in major chains (starwood/sheraton in this case) love this stuff, but in Lespinasse...really! Thoughts/disagreements welcome. I'm over it. Nick