rich

See, you're just being shallow. ← Touche!

Agreed SE, but anyone who eats out just occasionally already knew that. Hence the reason for the empty tables he described. My point is why waste precious space on these places when so many other restos haven't been reviewed? If he wanted to do do a piece on celebrity chefs and how they handle older and/or secondary places, then it should have been done in a feature (as he has done before) and it would have been a good idea. But to waste a review - I don't think it was warranted.

I think I did when I started this topic, but briefly - the articles are drab, out of date and hold little interest for the general public or foodies. Today's restaurant reviews are uninspired, tired and rehashes of older reviews - with the obligatory smackdown and demotion. With only 52 reviews each year, why waste time on these places? Couldn't find any other restos to eat for free? The ice cream article is something that should have appeared in May, not late August. It has the appearances of something that was written a while back, brought back from the morgue, re-edited and dropped in to fill space. I don't understand the purpose of the lead or the Fatty Crab Chef. The Chow.com article is self-serving and the $25 and under column reviews a place with a dubious rep at best. The information page said little, the recipes were unimaginative and the photos boring. Aside from that it was fine.

Don't fret Rachel, penicillan can cure that. Seriously, I've eaten at CB three times and I think they have the best DS I've ever had and personally think the price is a bargain. It is my first choice for DS and I'd be hard pressed to come up with a reason for going somewhere else. Certainly worth 3-4 stars. Still, the other side of the menu is lackluster and I can't get very excited about it. I also believe DS is one of the most, if not the most, creative, complex and labor intensive cuisines in existence. It certainly ranks far ahead of any French, Italian or Spanish cuisines, in my opinion, within those parameters. And it tastes good too!!!

After reading today's NY Times Food Section (and I'm being very generous here), I mailed a copy of the SI Advance Food Section to the Times Food Editor(s). I was performing a public service (I hope) in showing the Times' powers what a real food section is like. With the exception of Asimov's wine article on Mexican Zinfandel, today's food section (I continue my generosity) is the worst example of food journalism in the era of modern newspapers. J schools should re-print copies as an example of what not to do in food journalism. However, I want to congratulate the NY Times for achieving a level of ineptitude that I didn't think was possible.

My wife and I had dinner Saturday evening - 10pm seating (seated at 10:05pm), finished at 1am. It was truly an overwhelming and outstanding experience. We opted for the chef's tasting menu and they were very, very accommodating about changes. My wife can't eat raw tomatoes or shrimp of any kind and since this is tomato season that was one of the highlights. But they substituted a trout dish for her while I had the incredible "tomato salad." They also substitued a cheese course for dessert since neither of us are big dessert eaters and just before the last course I asked for either an addition or substitution - I wanted the poached eggs and wild mushrooms - they did it seamlessly. I even got the recipe for the poached egg and tried it today - worked perfect. We spent 45 minutes at the bar before being seated and my wife ordered a black current cosmo, I had a Sawmill River Pale Ale. My wife said her cocktail was spectacular and my beer was excellent. We had two bottles of wine with dinner - half bottle of Navarro Gewurztraminer and a full of a Graff Family Mourvedre. A couple of comments - there were more young children and babies than I ever remember seeing at a high end restaurant. In fact, I asked the hostess if a child in tow was a requirement to eat there. Even though we were the last to be seated and the last to leave, the staff was gracious and we never felt rushed. Service was perfect (I was even allowed to pour my own wine - a rare treat at high-end spots). Bread service was impeccable and the timing was perfect. Portions a bit large for a tasting menu - at $95 arguably the best value in greater NYC metro. Grounds were breathtaking and absolutlely spotless. Dining room was comfortable and classy without a bit of pretentiousness. Wine list amazing - with several good bottles below $50 and a rare, nice selection of half bottles. Only negative - it has got to be one of the more difficult spots to drive and return. You must stay the night in the area as we did. Thankfully we made a dry run to the place while it was light or it could have been a difficult find. Overall one of the top three eating experiences ever - how this place doesn't receive the highest possible rating from every critic is beyond me. Bill with tax and tip (including cocktails and wine) - a very reasonable $368.

I don't know Pan, only you could judge your motivation. This topic seems to have taken a life beyond the original concept. I think everyone agrees the use of profanity has its place at times, but I do believe the less frequently it's used the more affect it will have. For instance, I rarely use it, but when I do, people who know me tend to listen. It appears that those who use it as part of their everyday language or writing become boorish in time. Maybe they're just lazy or can't think of other adjectives. Or possibly it's the self-esteem issue and it's the only way they feel they can get attention. As far as censorship is concerned, people have been debating this issue for hundreds of years and I suspect the debate will continue for hundreds more. I should add, I don't enjoy when my post gets censored by the eGullet police, but accept it as part of the rules of the game.

So don't you think he deserved his own stars?

Happy Birthday!!! Excellent choice by your sponsor. Aquatic or Summer, but avoid the 3-course PF.

I always thought that made it exciting - seeing if everyone remembered what they ordered. Or it could give someone a last chance to change their mind - and steal someone else's order. That could get very funny.

Several smiles in your post, though I don't agree 100% in re change as sometimes I want change and sometimes I don't .Other than that, I think I fall somewhere between you and Busboy. Thanks, Kevin ← I wasn't clear on that point - sorry. I meant they should always bring change and never ask. If I don't want change, I will tell the server when I hand over the check. So now we're in agreement - yes????

I always thought it was all about the food. I can enjoy myself with great food even if the service is lacking. However, if the food is bad, no amount of service will save the day.

Profanity is the norm for people who have no other way of "colorfully" expressing themself. It's an old comedian's trick - when in doubt get a laugh by using profanity or referring to sex. That type of behavior is normally present in people who have low self-esteem. I don't think a warning label is necessary - it would just attract more attention. X & R rated movies experienced a boom market when labels were added.

I've been reading various threads and the term service seems to always rear its ugly head at some point in a discussion about restaurants. My question is does it really matter? And if so, to what degree? Granted, I'm a minimalist when it comes to service. Just bring me and whoever is at my table, food at the same time, at the appropriate temperature, make sure the bottle of wine is on the table and be reasonably "handy" if I need anything else. I would rather pour my own wine, my own water and grind my own pepper if necessary. I don't need servers asking me how everything was/is, I don't need people to keep refilling water glasses every 13.7 seconds. I don't want my napkin folded if I leave the table for any reason. I don't want anyone using mini vacuum cleaners to clean-up microscopic particles (leave my particles alone). I don't need lengthy descriptions on where the vegetables were planted, where the corn was husked, where the cattle grew up, where the fish went to school or anything of that nature. I certainly don't need to know the chef's specials. I can assume all the specials came from the chef. I don't want anyone wiping my chin if I drool, nor do I want my chair pushed under me. I learned to seat myself a long time ago. I don't need for anyone to shine my shoes, wash my car or press my jacket - I'm quite capable of handling those things myself. I certainly don't want by fish "de-boned" or have 17 forks set at my place before dinner. I don't need a different napkin with each course and I don't want my tablecloth changed before the entree. I don't want anyone smelling my cork because I'm not going to smell theirs. Female waitstaff need not call me "honey" or "sweetie" unless they mean it (the same for male waitstaff). I don't want anyone lighting my cigarette because I don't smoke or burn. I don't want to be asked if I need change when paying in cash. I don't want my check presented in a Tiffany gold case that's worth more than 10 times the bill. I don't want anyone bowing or shaking my hand when I leave - a simple good night (day) is appropriate. Bottom line - please bring the food, make sure the wine is open or have corkscrew on the table and leave me alone - that's all I need. What do you need?

As a long-time fan of the Tasting Room, I look forward to trying their new location. I also want to try the wine bar at the old location.

I wasn't quibbling with the review except I think it should have been divided as I mentioned upthread. I'm well aware he doesn't write to foodies, whether he writes for the general public is a debate for another time and place. I agree SE, the restaurant may not view the other part of the menu as secondary because that's where most of their business lies. But as you said earlier, it's a seriously flawed menu (outside of the DS) and serious food people know what to avoid. I doubt that's what the restaurant wanted, but it appears that's reality.

But hasn't it been established by now that CB is a DS place and the other stuff is just there to satisfy the needs of the masses, basically to make sure the place is filled by the Chinatown overflow and others who want a more upscale setting (and tourists). Foodies know to go there for the DS - why would they even look at the other side of the menu?

I thought Bayside closed last year????

This is the type of place that should have received two separate star entries. The DS is three or four and the other is 0-1. Afterall, the restaurant has two separate chefs why not a two-level review with stars for each chef's cuisine? However the Times could never be that creative these days - much beyond their scope.

I think I'm going into the car parking restaurant business - there appears to be some major upside. I could charge by the mass and weight - thus an SUV would be $500 to park (about as much as a fill-up) and a VW Bug would be about $50. Great business model - no money outlay for food, ambiance, wine, liquor, rent, snooty MDs, bartenders, and would only need to work the hours of operation - no prep time. If this takes off, eventually we'll just eliminate the restaurant part altogether - just park the cars and tell the people that a restaurant used to be here but it became too costly to operate.

I was taught by Friars and while they wore sandals all the time, none of them ever were tonsured, but they did wear brown. My favorite Benedictine story has nothing to do with religion, but more to do with the drink - but that's a horse of another color. Actually, monkfish got its name from the Monks of the Pyrenees who started the tradition of using the skin to make vessels that captured water so they were able to cleanse themselves from the sins of the impure lay world.

At least I don't wear a cape. ← Excuse me, that was me with the cape. I guess I'll give Tempo a try based on the above posts. I never thought Cucina was worth a special trip into Brooklyn, but times and attitudes change.

Normally in church on Friday with some wafers and Gregorian Chant on the side and some wine in a gold or silver goblet to wash in down - preferably served by rotund men dressed in brown robes and sandels with a round bald spot on the back of their head. Oh - don't forget the stained glass decor.

Of course, I'm much less ambitious at home than you. (In fact, don't tell anyone, but I hardly cook at all.) ← Well ramps are out of season now, so I can't duplicate that. However, I made a ravioli last week stuffed with sauteed soft shell crabs - chopped fine - with a pesto sauce, lightened with a bit of creme fraiche and shrimp stock. My guests truly enjoyed it - one said it was the best pasta dish she ever tasted. My prior offer to you still stands.

Why?