BryanZ

Nathan posted a story about how one can't order the normal menu at the bar. There is a menu of bar snacks. I don't see what the issue with dining at a table alone is, though. And at a place like EMP, they'll definitely take care of you. It's worth eating at, even if you have to go alone.

The smoking was subtle, a feature I liked since too much smoke ruins good fish for me. If anything, I would liken it to the lightly cured salmon belly one sometimes can get at good sushi-ya. Although the flavor profile is somewhat different, I think the ethos is the same.

I asked the same question, and supposedly it refers to a particularly involved method of smoking salmon. The method was a secret or something to that effect but recently (past couple decades) more people have been using the process. I believe this product is purchased rather than made at EMP.

Went to GTav Tavern Room with a bunch of friends last night. The experience was exactly as one might imagine. We were there early, but you get that nice mix of people at the bar, the room faintly buzzing. It's a happy place. Food, while good, almost seems less important. Tried a good portion of the menu and liked pretty much everything. Calamari and carrot salad is a great light starter. One step up in heaviness is the octopus dish, an assortment of very tender, not-charred pieces with greens and a sweet puree. Duck terrine, perhaps my favorite of the bunch; I especially liked the fig core. The seafood chowder was perhaps a bit oversalted but otherwise nice and creamy. Some sort of curry note keeps things interesting. Special of veal deckle evoked baby cow pork belly, if such a thing were allowed to exist. Served with corn and tomatoes and veal jus. Fatty and tasty. Three nice-sized scallops in what's effectively borscht made for perhaps the most interesting of the mains. Pork chop was about as good as one might expect a heritage piece of pork to be. The pork sandwich is awesome, and if you're in the mood for that kind of thing, get it. As for desserts, the sticky toffee pudding is very good, if a bit dry if not enough of the sauce is applied. The highlight, perhaps of the meal, was the corn and blueberry sundae. That thing was gone in a matter of seconds between the five of us. I really can't say much bad about this place. It's affordable, the cooking is solid if not particularly interesting, and the service is friendly and attentive. A perfect spot to appease diners with diverse tastes if you're willing to dine early or late.

I'm almost apprehensive each time I visit EMP for fear that my upcoming meal will fall short of the very high expectations I have for the restaurant. Surely, it will be good, but will it maintain its position as perhaps my favorite fine-dining restaurant in the city? At this most recent visit, I was not let down culinarily, and the service my dining companion and I received was truly exemplary. My former roommate was in town for the weekend from San Francisco and was fresh from a redeye flight into Laguardia when we met at noon in Madison Square Park on Friday. We debated visiting Jean Geroges (too obvious) and wd~50 (too expensive given our other dining plans for the weekend) for this lunch, and I must say EMP fit our needs perfectly. We opted for the lunch tasting menu, which is effectively the same as the shorter of the dinner tasting menus, for $58. Considering many of the courses are the same and all you lose out on is the canapes and perhaps an amuse or pre-dessert, this lunch tasting menu is a great value. So, here's what we had. Sorry for the quality of the pictures. They were taken using an iPhone. Amuse - Parsnip veloute, Hawaiian prawn Very tasty, but perhaps the weak point of the meal. I say this because one of the courses on the tasting menu had prawns in it so this was a bit redundant. Variations of garden potatoes with Balik salmon and watercress I thought serving potatoes was a rather bold move to open up the meal. Usually one thinks of something lighter to accompany a raw fish first course. Nevertheless, I really liked this dish. The potatoes were more creamy than starchy, and the puree and "loaded baked potato" foam added further complexity. This whole dish suggested an almost brunch-like flavor profile. Foie gras terrine with golden pineapple, pickled pearl onions, and rum-raisin brioche I've had variations of this dish before, but this one was truly excellent. Rather than pairing the foie with a cooked, cloying fruit, the pineapple here was light and fresh. The pineapple foam atop the foie custard served to the side is always a welcome addition and fun to eat. Hawaiian prawns with Maine diver scallops, cauliflower, and crustacean jus A very nice, classical tasting dish. The cauliflower puree in this was so laden with cream or some dairy product that we at first mistook it for some kind of light cheese. My roommate thought he had had this on a previous--it turns out he hadn't--so instead opted for the crab cake salad off the a la carte menu. This dish reminded me of the peekytoe beignets/fritters that occasionally show up on the menu at Jean Georges. This dish was simpler, served atop a bed of lightly dressed salad greens. Quite tasty, but more of an a la carte-type of of dish. Vermont suckling pig confit with cipollini onions, plum chutney and five spice jus For all the times I've been to this restaurant, I think this was the first time I've had this signature dish. It's awesome. I don't see how one couldn't like this dish. I'm sure the lamb dish that's currently on the dinner tasting menu is great, too, but I'd happily eat a few plates worth of this. Cheese course We were generously comped this cheese course. My favorite part was the whipped blue cheese on the right side of the plate. Throughout the meal we were treated wonderfully by both our captain and John, but this went above and beyond. I should also note that the wine selected for us was quite nice, especially considering our epic wine budget of $45. Rather than $45 meaning $60 in sommelier-speak, we were offered a sylvaner for a whopping $37. Yes, that's for a full bottle. Milk chocolate palette with bosc pears and chestnuts The listed dessert on the menu. My roommate had this one. I tasted it, and it was very autumnal, just a bit heavy for me. The pear sorbet was very nice. Black mission fig pastilla with sheep’s milk yogurt sorbet I instead asked for something a bit lighter and was brought this dessert. A dense fig mash of sorts is surrounded by crispy sheets of phyllo pastry. The sorbet and lemon-pepper gelee at the bottom of the plate added acidity. Mignardises Half of the tray is seen here. We were also given a short pour of brachetto d'acqui, another show of the restaurant's generosity. So another great meal that just left me feeling warm and fuzzy after. Good to catch up with my friend, but even better with so much great food. Now, in my mind, it is a crime against the hospitality industry that this restaurant goes yet another year without a star. What is even more puzzling is that this food is the kind that seems to play into the inspectors' tastes. To me, this is a two-star restaurant. I may be a bit biased given my recent spate of "good luck" here, but my roommate offered that this lunch was better than a full-on degustation with wine pairings at a two-star restaurant in San Francisco.

Nearly three years ago I had one of the defining meals of my life at Gilt. It was among the best I've had in the States, and, though I did not realize it at the time, my first introduction to what I now consider contemporary European-style fine-dining. Although many lamented Gilt's supposedly high prices, given today's exchange rate and the level of cooking the restaurant now even seems like a bargain. I maintain that Gilt, perhaps more so than any other restaurant in the States I've been to, evoked the cooking and sense of culinary discovery one feels in modern restaurants in Spain and France. I admit I may be putting the restaurant on a pedestal, but immediately after my meal at the beginning of 2006 I wrote: I had planned to return to celebrate a special occasions several months later but found out the Chef Liebrandt and the restaurant had parted ways mere days before my appointed reservation. To say I was devastated might be a bit of an overstatement, but I've since become borderline obsessed with Chef Liebrandt's career moves, waiting until his next venue would arrive. With that said, my meal at Corton tonight would be bitter/sweet, though thankfully with more of the latter than the former. I still wish Chef Liebrandt had carte blanche to blow the dining public away with stratospherically priced 20-course tasting menus that challenge the way we think about food. Alinea was the last restaurant to do this and no one has stepped up to the plate since. I firmly believe, however, that Chef Liebrandt has this culinary ability. Then again, I feel as though I might be one of the few out there who would buy into this kind of experience (literally and figuratively, of course), and it is perhaps better that we have Corton, a restaurant of the here and now. Corton retains a sense of bold understatement. Others have commented on how bare the room seems--at first, I agreed, but I now think it fits the culinary aesthetic--and how minimalist the entire experience is. There is little of the over-the-top opulence that defined (again, literally and figuratively) Gilt under Chef Liebrandt's rein. This restaurant, in contrast, presents a more measured rendition of contemporary fine-dining in 2008. As the restaurant is still in its infancy, it's not clear where it will ultimately end up. A Montrachet plaque still rests in the door frame of the restaurant's main entrance, and it will be interesting to see how the ghost of Corton's legendary, if much more traditional, forebearer will influence its future direction. To address a couple things, although Gael Greene's blog suggests otherwise, Mondays are not BYOB as they were at Montrachet. I called, asked, and was shut down. Also, the staff largely seems all new. Service was very good, but the movement on the floor can be better described as nervously perky than smooth and poised. This will surely work itself out in coming weeks. So, onto the food, and more pictures of Chef Liebrandt/Chef Truitt food porn than one probably cares to see. Menus The three of us opted for the tasting menu and effectively asked Chef Liebrandt to send out whatever he wanted. In the end, we generally adhered to the printed menu with a few generous additions here and there. Chef Liebrandt also came out to say hello at the beginning of the meal, a gesture I really appreciated. Place setting Very understated but elegant. There were none of the dramatically oblong Bauscher stems that set the tone at Gilt; instead very nice but small crystal water glasses. Gougeres and olive cake The gougeres were filled with a creamy Mornay sauce. Classic and delicious. The olive cake was savory and tasted overwhelmingly of olives. A nice juxtaposition of opening bites. Butter Unsalted and a salted seaweed butter. The latter would be the first of many exposures to ocean-like salinity in this meal. Egg yolk bagel with caviar The first of two amuse bouche. The texture wasn't quite bagel-like, more like a light cake or very thick blini. In the depression was what I believe was some kind of lightly poached egg yolk that was just on the firm side of creamy. A nice, salty opening bite. Broccoli puree, beausoleil oyster, salt cod soup The broccoli was at the bottom of the bowl, topped with the oyster, topped with some form of soft crouton, topped with the foamed soup. This was an unusual combination of ingredients that was a home run. The two amuse bouche, with bread No Manni oil this time around. Sadness. One can see how Chef Liebrandt seems to be building the progression of the meal. We're starting with dishes that taste of salt and of the sea. This would continue into the next two courses. I also found it hard to ignore very clear Japanese influences in these opening dishes. Uni, konbu glee, cauliflower A striking dish, with the orange urchin roe, firm black gelee, and creamy cauliflower beneath. The gelee acts as a cap that you almost have to break through to mix all the components of the dish. Ocean trout ballotine, white sturgeon caviar, sake creme I thought the quality of fish in this dish was top-notch. The menu description lists sake creme but the server described the clear, gelatinous sauce at the bottom of this plate as another type of konbu gelee. It certainly tasted Japanese and was more delicate than the gelee with the previous dish. This dish reminded me of something one might get at Soto. Again, the fish was great, and I really enjoyed this, but would've liked a bit more acid than the single peeled grape brought to the dish. Scallop, uni creme, radish, marcona almond This dish was sent out by Chef Liebrandt at this junction in the meal, and I can see why it's a perfect transition from raw seafood to cooked. The scallop is not hard seared as is the trend at too many restaurants. Lightly cooked, I enjoyed this dish a bit more than those that preceded it. The uni creme was the perfect sauce, distinctive without being overwhelming. The radishes, also a nice, acidic faintly bitter garnish. I apologize for the quality of this photo. Amadai, black garlic, serrano ham, citrus-coconut broth While this restaurant might be called French, this dish left the flavors of Japan for those of Thailand. First, great cooking on the fish from a technical standpoint. Props. Then all the interesting accouterments. Where to start? Well, there's this side dish of perfect gnocchi with barely crunch baby bok choy and shavings of ham. Then, there's the rim of the bowl. An impossibly smooth roasted garlic puree is topped with a single clove of black garlic. A bit of further research finds, fittingly enough, a brief overview of the ingredient on Ideas in Food. Then we have this citrus-coconut broth that evokes tom yam soup. This dish was perhaps a bit lacking in common thread, especially between the gnocchi and fish itself, but was especially delicious. As much as I liked the uni and trout, I liked the cooked seafood dishes more. Apple-wasabi sorbet, powdered coconut, olive oil A riff on what I guess is a Liebrandt classic. A nice, building heat as you work your way down the cup. I wanted more olive oil, however. You need a fair amount to stand up to the assertive sorbet. For main courses, two of us received the lamb, as listed on the menu, and one instead opted for the squab on the a la carte menu. From a design perspective, I quite enjoyed these Laguiole knives. Apparently, they were designed especially for Chef Liebrandt and he is the only chef in the States to have them right now. Very much an updated classic with an understated masculinity. Squab, chestnut creme, smoked bacon, pain d'epices milk What you have here is what I believe was the squab's breast wrapped in a very thin sheath of bacon. On top is the spiced milk-jus. Very autumnal. Off the side is the squab's leg sitting atop the chestnut creme. To me, this tasted less of chestnut and more like black truffle. I'm guessing some kind of truffle product was in use. On top of the leg was what seemed to be a large hunk of disturbingly pleasant pork fat. It was a bit firm and perhaps there's a technical term for this that I'm not familiar with, but it all worked. Elysian Fields lamb loin, braised neck, ras el hanout, chocolate-mint jus I really liked this plate. Well composed, and the lamb was just beautiful. We were also served this lamb belly rillete on the side. I'll confess I was a little bit worried about the jus upon reading the menu. I'm all for the sweet-savory thing, but I didn't want this to veer into cloying candy territory. Thankfully, it did not, and the jus was interesting yet understated. The focus here is amazing quality lamb. Definitely the best lamb dish in recent memory, surpassing a couple similar dishes in Europe. This would mark the end of the savory portion of the meal. Now, to onslaught of cheese and desserts! Selles-sur-cher, sour cherry pate de fruit, chickpea dentil The cheese and sour cherry were a great combination. The cherry itself really evoked red wine, so this was an interesting and fitting pairing. I was kind of indifferent to the chickpea cracker, though one at my table actively didn't care for it. Lychee sorbet, lime soup, honeycrisp apple, crispy shiso A nice, refreshing pre-dessert. I perhaps wanted a bit more lime, but then again that could've thrown the dish out of balance. The honeycrisp apples seemed to be lightly cooked or, more likely, cold cooked via vacuum. They added nice bits of texture to the dish. White sesame creme, lemon honey, huckleberry, salted toffee This was the favorite dessert of the evening. Such a beautiful plate, very Spanish in presentation aesthetic. The sesame custard suggested Asia but the garnishes pulled this dish in every which direction to compelling effect. I think I most enjoyed the meringue and the threads of salty toffee throughout. Gianduja palette, yuzu, coconut A lighter take on your typical gianduja dessert you might see at the likes of Insieme or other contemporary Italian restaurants. Here, the gianduja component takes on a mousse-like form. In this dessert this acidic yuzu component was very assertive, to the dish's overall benefit, I think. Chef Liebrandt then sent out two more desserts for the three of us to share. I don't have a copy of the dessert menu, so my descriptions may not be entirely accurate. Chocolat fondant, chestnut, milk ice cream, red pepper jelly Another striking plate. The color contrast and height differential convey a sense of action and activity to this dessert. Flavor-wise this was perhaps our least favorite--it is, after all, just a warm chocolate cake--but the combination of milk ice cream with pepper jelly was bizarrely appropriate. "Like a toad-in-the-hole," salted brioche, passion fruit, banana, stilton Very cute, almost Wylie-esque. The passion fruit curd and the strong salting on the bread worked well. The cheese picked up both the sweet and salty aspects of this dessert. Finally, petits fours and the like. Macaroons, chocolates, and truffles Up to this point we cleaned every plate and put away a decent amount of bread too. I was up to trying a few items, but my two dining companions opted to have their sweets wrapped up. Nice bags were provided. So, all in all, a great meal. This is not the return of Gilt-under-Liebrandt but something else entirely. Although my tastes still skew to the big, brash, and grand, I can see how many might prefer this restaurant more. It's more accessible, more affordable, and feels adventurous while still using local ingredients that play into the dining public's general ethos of the time. My only general concerns with regard to the cooking have to do with the use of salt and the redundancy of a couple ingredients. A couple dishes pushed the edges of the salt frontier. I think this could've been magnified by the fact that nearly all of the opening had some overtly salty component that went beyond the basic seasoning of the dish. I'm willing to look past some the redundancy, as it seems to me the restaurant's menu is still somewhat in flux as dishes are fine-tuned. Also, ingredients like uni are generally crowd-pleasers, and the chestnuts that surfaced a couple times strongly evoke seasonality so I'm not sure this is any cause for concern. I have the utmost faith in Chef Liebrandt's creativity and only hope that he'll continue to push the envelope for those of us who are up to the challenge. For me, exposure to black garlic was a great example of this. In the end, this restaurant is a strong three-star contender. A real three-star player--not a Bruni-Italian-place-abomination--along the lines of EMP, the Modern, wd~50, Ko, and Jean-Georges. I think the most apt comparison culinarily speaking, however, is EMP. While Chef Humm stays more grounded in Europe, I see parallels across each chef's work. While one room is perhaps overly grand, the other is almost purposefully understated. As of now, Corton is the more affordable and generally more exciting option. Again, it will be interesting to see how the restaurant matures and solidifies its identity. Nevertheless, that I'm mentioning the restaurant in the company of perhaps my favorite restaurants in the city is certainly no faint praise.

What is interesting is that there already appears to be some changes in the mix. The original tasting menu I received via fax culled nearly all of its savory dishes (save for the ocean trout ballotine) from the prix fixe menu. oakapple reports on MF, however, that the tasting menu actually has different dishes. Tricksy.

I had it faxed to me. It will be online tomorrow supposedly.

Corton opens to the public tomorrow. Prix fixe menu at $76. Tasting menu at $110, based mainly on the dishes from the prix fixe menu. I stopped by to check out the room last week and will say that it looks rather white. Will report when I visit for a full meal next week.

In the context of destination dining that is usually the focus of "where to eat" threads like this I actually do feel that CaliPoutine's makes things somewhat difficult. We're seeing restaurants come out now that hardly ever get any food board play. With that said I know many of us (hopefully CaliPoutine included) relish in the challenge. I'm curious to hear where she ends up. As for the New Museum vs. the MoMA, this is an interesting debate. I would argue that I've seen more "cool" and "modern" stuff at the New. Of course the MoMA trumps it with not only tourist "been there" value but also with the significance of the works there. And, yes, I would still suggest--with the aforementioned pros and cons--someone go to the New Museum over the MoMA to spend more on food. This is coming from a kid who pretty much skipped the Eiffel Tower on his first trip to Paris (and ALL museums) because the time and few Euros saved could be put to much better culinary use. This is, of course, a food board and my preference is to get creative with the sight-seeing to absolutely stretch and maximize one's dining budget. CaliPoutine by no means needs to adopt these preferences but as someone who is extremely value-conscious (in the utility sense) yet doesn't have a ton of expendable income, there's a lot be gained by thinking about your trip creatively from a budget perspective. There are surely many people who come to New York and eat nothing but Pax salads to save up the few dollars that will allow them to buy that Chanel bag at their flagship store For them, that's their definitive NYC-travel experience. For me, it's all about the food.

With regard to the helpful thing, while I would, for instance, encourage someone to visit Shake Shack without question--even if it is a carbon copy of some Midwestern burger joint--I don't think many people would argue with me in saying that NYC isn't so much a Mexican town. I don't think steering someone away from a cuisine that NYC doesn't do particularly well in favor of one it does is paternalistic, obnoxious, or unhelpful. Obviously, when you get to extremes then it does, but I simply couldn't recommend a Mexican or, say, Ethiopian restaurant in NYC to a visitor who is willing to try other cuisines. And thinking about the budget debate that I tangentially entered into, I want clarify something. CaliPoutine, I hope that my advice from above didn't come across like some other posts that suggest that your budget is entirely unrealistic and needs to be increased across the board. I just think that you'd extract a lot of marginal value from $10 more dollars spent on food that you save from somewhere else. I want to stress the NYC is a fantastic walking city and you can get almost anywhere if you just take the time to walk. Also, say you're planning on going to a big, expensive museum like the MoMA; just go to the cheaper (and cooler) New Museum instead. Stuff like that. Jesikka makes a good point in reminding us that it seems like you're looking for a bunch of solid meals rather than destinations. With that said, with a bit of the creative ordering I think you can do a bit of both.

Jeez, I know - I can't imagine how people even figured out where C-town was before the blackberry and i-phone. Ummm, maybe they had manners and were actually able to ask nicely for directions. Or, maybe they used, what was it called, a map? Please, give me a break. ← Ha, when I first wrote my post I had a very snarky line about a piece of primitive technology I'd heard of before called a paper map. So, fine, touche. You are of course correct and my post was meant to be taken with a grain of salt. I maintain, however, that Chinatown is much more difficult to get around than any other part of the island. And not that CaliPoutine is so easily daunted, but I have friends who live in the city who are afraid of C-town and never go that far downtown. Then again, they find the area below 14th intimidating. Naturally, they kind of suck.

So actually I asked the reservationist about this yesterday because I'm just that cool. At first they were saying Ah-po-TEK. Now, they're saying Ah-po-TEEK. Apparently that Trummer dude goes back and forth. It is not Ah-POTH-eh-KEY.

Many of the same places hold, at least sit-down restaurant-wise. In the Italian world, you might, might, might be able to do Lupa, and I'm talking one veg ($6), one pasta ($15), one main ($20). That's more of a snack, but doable. That brings you to about $53. But, seriously, I might consider trying to spend less on cabs and subways and save that $10-$20/day and put it toward meals. While keeping to a budget often is a necessity, you'd get a better feel for the restaurant in you're at if you can spend just a little more. I'd also recommend Terroir for simple Italian-ish food, but then you're kind of pressured into ordering wine and that will blow your budget. Another option would be somewhere like Bar Stuzzichini, or however you spell. You'll trade off quantity for being able to try more things. In the same vein, go like Boqueria or something and do the Spanish thing. I don't think they've got much of that in the Great White North. As for Mexican, go to Chicago, or Durham, or California, or Texas. NYC is not a Mexican town. And while C-town is great and has some of the best dining values in the city, it can be intimidating for the uninitiated. It's confusing to get around if you don't have a Blackberry or iPhone, the menus can be a bit daunting, and you're kind of away from the touristy "stuff" (besides Canal St., I suppose). And there's always 123 BurgerShotBeer. I'm kidding, sort of.

Or so claims the website of this newish Hell's Kitchen bar and eatery. Really there are few things more horrifying to me than what 123 seems to espouse. In what started as a joke, then escalated into a dare, I ended up here on a recent Friday night shortly past nine o'clock. The billboard outside promises "The Hottest Staff in Hell's Kitchen," this in addition to those spring break fantasies already alluded to on the website. The place was completely packed with the exact crowd you'd expect. Lots of Brooks Brothers and Ralph Lauren buttondown shirts, neatly tucked into J. Crew chinos. Work ID badges clipped neatly to one belt loop, chunky Blackberry holsters to another. Half-drunk girls awkwardly dancing to the same soundtrack that seems to play in every shitty bar across the city. My soul died a little. But I pushed on, now joined by two brave companions. After making our way through the fratty foray, we were unable to find seats. The bar was piled three deep and groups were circled around the tables proudly emptying their 100+ ounce beer tubes, complete with EZ-dispense spigot. "You were in S-A-E at OSU? That's sweet, bro'. I was down at Vandy." Must push on. At the back of the restaurant, however, is a doorway that leads to what, relatively speaking at least, can only be described as a garden--or perhaps courtyard is more accurate--of Eden. Out here, somewhat more civil types were enjoying their burgers and beverages in relative solitude. We snatched the last three seats available at the communal picnic tables and perused the menu. Sliders are $1/piece. Shots, $2 per. Full-size beers will set you back $3. Other items include wings, various fries and fried items. Truth be told, the food actually isn't that bad. In fact, I kind of liked it. Seriously. And as for the hot waitstaff, well as long as speaking English isn't a criterion for hotness, those girls fare alright. First off, the little burgers are pretty solid. Fried onions, some cheese, a pillowy-yet-not-too-chemically bun, and decent meat. I think we each ate about seven. Wings were tender and crispy, if not hot at all. Waffle fries and sweet potato fries were as good as I've had them in a fast-casual setting. The beer list is also quite solid, and at $3 each is a good deal. I had a Goose Island IPA, Brooklyn Oktoberfest, and a Grolsch. All very respectable beers in their own rights. The shots, well those are terrible. You've got your orgasm, your red-headed slut, and a cringe inducing creation that was new to me named after some kind of impaired surfer. This concoction mixed pineapple, Malibu, and...wait for it...Jaegar. Oh man that was awful. So, all in all, a pretty good experience. It wasn't as cheap as I would've liked--we spent something like $35 each--but for how much we ate and drank it was a good deal. Just go at an off hour, or brave the elements outside, even in the dead of winter if they'll let you. Just don't let the crowd get you down.

Very solid meal at Lupa tonight. Walked in around nine or so and was told there was a 30 minute wait. Saw two seats at the bar, so we quickly hopped on those. We'd already done a bit of beer drinking before, so we were in the mood for something hearty enough to soak up some of the alcohol but not so rich as to leave us filling ill. The quick meal we put together fit the bill perfectly. Split a primo of carbonara, which the kitchen put in two plates without being asked. Based on pastas I've had here in the past, the split seems to give you a bit more for your money. Nice and peppery, and I really liked what ever pork product they use--pancetta or guanciale, I can't quite tell--with the creamy sauce binding everything together. I thought the large chunks of green onion a bit heavy handed, however. For mains, a striped bass with fennel and corn. Nice, clean end of summer dish. Very tasty with different textures and notes of sweetness. Kind of plopped on the plate off-center, though, so not the tightest presentation. This is fault of pretty much all of the Batali restaurants I've noted before. Our other main was the Tuesday special of crispy duck. For $22 this was a deal. A half duck, probably braised then roasted. Killer and easily shareable for two as a main course. Bartender was friendly, but the food took a little while to get out. We seemed to come right on the back edge of the main rush. Best of all, we left for less than $40/person. I find that ordering wine at this restaurant really bumps it into that next price level and reduces its QPR. For the food alone, however, this place is pretty sweet. My friend thought it much better than Perbacco.

A bit light on content yes, but the women are so hot. Like seriously. And Bittman is so snarky and condescending. Love that guy.

I would say that dining at the bar at Sugiyama is a pretty cool experience. And, really, sitting on the floor, for me, sucks pretty bad. I'm pretty flexible--mentally, physically--but over the many, many kaiseki meals I've had in ryokan across Japan I can't say I've ever been fully comfortable. I always end up sticking my feet out and pissing off whoever is sitting across from me. Then with the limited back support you start to lean sideways on your hands, then your wrists hurt, and you get that weird straw mat pattern on your hands.

They've also been looking for people to replace him for several weeks now. There was even an open call for applicants on Grub St.

While tatami rooms exist, I'm not sure they're in any of the better Japanese restaurants that I know of. There are some places that have little alcoves where you might be tucked away, but it's hard to guarantee that. Instead, go to somewhere like Sugiyama. That's probably your best bet. Matsugen would also work, but that's a different aesthetic. Then again, there's always Ninja.

The bacon prawns are a relatively new thing, like in the past couple years. That foie brulee is a modern classic, I think.

The classic JG lunch, in my mind, is foie brulee, fish with chateau chalon, and the squab (which is not on the menu right now, it seems). Instead, I'd go with the short ribs but they are quite vinegary. If not, then the sweetbreads.

Had dinner at Franny's last night and really enjoyed it. This is the kind of restaurant that should be everywhere but for some reason isn't. One of my dining companions likened it to Ssam Bar, and while I was at first skeptical of this comparison, after my meal I can see the validity in that claim. Personally, I'd more liken it to Noodle Bar since both restaurants focus more overtly on what I'd call "creative comfort food." Regardless, there all three restaurants offer bold, market-driven cooking that is inspired (but not chained to) a given ethnic cuisine. In the Momofuku case, it's China, Korea, and Japan; Franny's clearly owes its debt to Italy. This is the kind of restaurant where one could order just a couple items and get out for $40 or so. Quite reasonable. Still, like at the Momofukus, nearly everything looks good, and one feels the need to try the majority of the menu and spend more than anticipated. Our plan to try just two pastas miraculously transformed into our trying all three, for instance. Last night I tried a warm beef terrine, fried potatoes, sausage with beans, three pastas, the clam pizza, the cannolo, the panna cotta with saba, and some (comped) caramel gelato. All the food was very tasty and, as I stated previously, bold. Perhaps my only complaint was that some of the items seemed bracingly salty. Not offensive in small doses, but had I eaten the entirety of the sausage or the pizza I would've been overwhelmed. I think others have noted this, but the food here does not feel overly manipulated. It's got a Chez Panisse Cafe by way of Italy vibe to it. I really enjoyed it.

Stopped in here for a couple drinks and generally agree with what's been said. Since I'm not of the cocktail A-team I can't speak at great length about the drinks I tried. They were well-balanced and not too sweet. I did appreciate how the menu is broken down categorically, as I often find myself choosing a drink more on type than base spirit. There is perhaps less of the new-age pageantry that influence Tailor and PDT, but I can't say it's missed here. The program fits the space and vibe well. Since I was there on a Tuesday night I can't really speak to the crowd. The room feels kind of like Flatiron+. A bit nicer, a bit more vintage-y. The back room wasn't open because it wasn't crowded, but I could see how it would be a welcome respite from the crowds up front. Neither room offers the intimacy of a PDT, D&Co. or M&H, however. Better to go here with a friend or small group than on an important date.

SG is better with a group though.