Chefmara

In a good or bad way? Personally, I don't like seasoning on the table in a high end restaurant. I'm hoping that the chef has prepared the meal exactly as it should be eaten. My experience of 11 Mad over the last 5 months has been very positive. ← In a good way. Not all palates are created equal. I believe a Chef who's ok with salt at the table is confident that his food is pretty darn good. And it's there for those freaks who like to oversalt their things. I don't think it takes away from the quality of a restaurant to have salt/pepper @ the table. The reason I get tingly all over is because I have had so MANY experiences where cooks have such bad abilities to season, that things are worse than bland. So you're stuck eating as it is. But there are places where the food has been on the money, and no salt on the table is more than fine. I would just rather have the ability to add some if it's needed, and as a cook/manager, I'd like others to have the same ability available to them.

Totally agree. Not only the quality of ingredients (Berkshire, fresh/seasonal veggies, etc.), but the quality of the cooking methods and the quality of seasoning, etc. - $9 - is nothing. Well, at least for me. If I am guaranteed tasty food, well cooked, and good portion, I'm sold @ $9, $10, $11, etc.

So...if we want attention to details...what would be the better detail in your mind? Napkin foldage OR salt on the table? When I see salt on the table, I get tingly all over!

This is possibly interesting, but you really have to back this up. What is making people leave? The wait staff that served me a month ago were revelling in serving and describing my 8 course suprise meal - and trust me I know they were not acting. I met and chatted with the chef for some 15 minutes - we had a candid exchange regarding the food and some common acquaintances - I did not get the impression it was unhappy ship. Do share please Chefboy. ← Some of the best actors in all of NYC *ARE* servers. 11MP is no exception.

If restaurants - from fast-casual to fine-dining - didn't pre-make/pre-prep some ingredients/items, your meal would take muuuuuuch longer to make. i.e. risotto, mashed veggies, some meats, vegs, pastas, sauces, salsas, etc., etc., etc. I could go on forever. Unless it's a raw food restaurant. Oh wait, no, they pre-make their stuff as well.

THANK GOD, ALLAH, MOHAMMED, BUDHA, HAYSEUS, THE DALAI LAMA and all those others for places with such delicious, tasty, and satisfying food as that of Momofuku & Ssam Bar. BRING ON THE PORK BOYS!! Us carnivores are ready, willing, and able!!!