adamru

Well I don't think I went out on the internet to attack the place. I think this is a forum for debating this sort of thing. I'd rather get the consultation of regulars than have bothered myself to argue over a few dollars. Why should I leave the bar fussing over the check? I also wrote the menu and presentation changed and the drinks were good as ever. But service was a failure in my perspective and the price of a drink was element of it. I take no issue with $12 - $16 drinks, I never wrote I did. But if I didn't ask for any particular tequila and if the waitress didn't ask what kind I wanted, I'm just saying I thought $18 was a lot. Obviously you yourself think that price is a mistake. If the point of eGullet isn't for discussing this sort of thing, then why is there a forum for Pegu Club in the first place? It's not like I'm being pedantic inaccurate or uncivil.

Even though I enjoyed Pegu Club so much in its first two years my loyalty's drifted down to B Flat and I hadn't been back in quite a while, it seems to have lost something. The menu's been reorganized and their food offerings cut in half to a single page. I passed on eating but just looking up this thread right now and at Oakapple's blog, the food presentation has become less refined too. And were the drinks always so expensive? All the cocktails on the menu are about $12, but I ordered a margarita at one point and it was $18. I didn't ask for any specific tequila and I just didn't expect that, I don't think any similar bar charges as much except for Bemelmans. After ordering drinks our waitress had to come around again to confirm our order - it was wrong - then only one drink came. She knew our order but delivered two more tables their drinks before delivering my date hers which was just odd and water we requested never came even after two rounds of drinks did. Then a man I'm guessing was either security or a manager, dressed in a suit, watched closely over us as we paid and left but never asked us how everything was. (He looked like he was worried we'd just bail on the check. Who behaves that way? If you think a customer is exiting disappointed, find out why.) I'd never had such an odd, uncomfortable evening in an intimate place I used to enjoy so much. The place was little more than half full and there seemed no good explanation for it. The good news however is the drinks were excellent, and I tried one of the best Gin Gin Mules I've had in quite a while.

I have to say I've only been to Ko once and my dining at Ssam has been sporadic at best so I never get to enjoy the perks I read about in these forums of being a loyal Momofuku customer or attest to a superior level of service. But last night after a few drinks at Terroir (and because I eat dessert before dinner, unexpectedly good chocolate pudding) I didn't feel like venturing so far in the rain and made my first visit to Noodle Bar. Prime-time, 830, I was told it was only a twenty-five minute wait which seemed too good to be true so I stood outside with my date, going back in to check when a host stopped coming outside to call names. I was moving up the list so I moved inside, learned I was next, then every time I turned my back another party was seated. The hostess consistently overlooked my name on her list and it got to the point where I stood right beside her and the other hostess started seating parties of two. I pointed this out to the first hostess who asked again what my name was who now told me she already seated me a few parties back, or at least she thought she did. It was just bizarre more than frustrating I think. Still I hoped it would be worth the wait. And once seated it was. The manager offered and comped us rounds of sake, a plate of pickled vegetables and our cannoli-pistachio cones. I assume it's that same behavior frequent diners receive for their loyalty, but as a first-timer and after the frustration I have to admit, it certainly breeds loyalty too.

I'm confused. So you're saying their motivation for providing you those extras is to make up for the fact you can't eat at Ko? Obviously you're a good enough customer to Ssam Bar that even if after you eat at Ko you're still going to get that same sort of treatment at Ssam regardless.

I thought from the way time slots were regimented at Ko that it would be similar to Minibar, that I'd be staring at a clock tick down as the courses were presented. Instead the steady presentation of food and the wonder of it all sort of captured the imagination even without the chefs being engaging. And it never felt rushed even though everyone got every course at the same time, and the dishes were small enough I never felt forced to eat one more thing. Ko was a steady stream of dishes that I can't imagine being smaller for the price, but was too much served too soon in a space that was too sedate to entice me to repeat visits. The environment seemed designed to allow you to meditate on your dishes but they didn't leave you enough time to do it. Of course Ko's not depending on repeat customers based on their reservation system. It almost seems conceptual, to answer the question of what a formal dinner at a Momofuku would be like, like dining in an alternate universe. I appreciate making up my own meal at Ssam Bar more now. The only other restaurant where I've had any intimate interaction with a chef was at Schwa and Ko's never going to be the place where a chef almost holds your hand through a meal, explaining with enthusiasm element by element how each course is sourced and prepared. And for $85 I don't think I'm entitled to that. (Although come to think of it Schwa wasn't that much more money.)

I went last week and sat at the end of the bar beside the open door which I didn't mind and completely understood considering the ventilation. The best dish I tried that night was the weighty black cabbage and pork sausage bruschetta; although, the best part may have been it not appearing on my check. I'm not the biggest oenophile by any means and I really appreciated Paul's approachability, enthusiasm and explanation of the list and concept.

I think it's an unfair burden on the chefs that they need be chattier, but if they were, that's probably what it would take to slow down the courses to a reasonable pace.

The hostess said they weren't going to check IDs until someone spoils it for everyone. Hopefully she didn't mean, by talking about the fact they're not checking IDs.

I started the night at Terroir before going to Ko, and I couldn't figure out why the door was kept open at the former until I sat down, it was much warmer in there. The food and pairings were remarkable but I thought they started coming faster than I was ready for them, my wines started stacking up and I felt like I hit a wall by the time I got to the short ribs. I never felt like I was being rushed, it just seemed like dishes were being served when they were ready rather than when we were ready for them; the apple pies were in hand to be served while we were finishing the sorbet. I'd love to repeat the experience as the menu evolves but with the menu open to evolve everyday and there being no menu online, I wonder if they'll take advantage of the database of e-mail addresses knowing who ate there when to inform them of drastic overhauls in the menu. And I'd go back for the foie and the egg with hackleback anytime; the portions seemed plenty generous and the smaller dishes, for anyone who doesn't think it's worth the price, the richness in flavor more than makes up for portion size.

I would just like to note that I have disaffiliated myself from Will Goldfarb and WillPowder and that the above contact phone number for reaching WillPowder is no longer accurate. WillPowder can still be contacted through their website and the e-mail address willpowder@gmail.com and any questions or concerns can be directed toward the chef himself. I began this position as part of my duties as bartender at Room4Dessert, packaging and shipping orders in my free time and after the restaurant closed, I was given the tasks of customer service, shipping and handling, inventory and ordering over the summer. I suppose my role was as point man and intern for the company, though it was basically a favor to help organize the chef's affairs in the interim while he could focus on new projects. Like those who worked in such capacities before me, I believed in the chef's vision and had concern for doing the best work as often as possible for his own welfare. However, this became more labor intensive than I expected at the wages provided at the end of each month, as my apartment became a makeshift warehouse, and it became frustrating having to pay for shipments myself with the expectation of reimbursement. I did the best work I could for as long as I could, but with the opening of his newest venue, from which I resigned as well just before its opening, I could not maintain the workload in the good faith I served. With all his inventory now returned to him, I'm sure it's his first priority to keep all orders up to date and in good standing. Also, as I haven't access to product with which to experiment myself, I'm sure his more direct responses to customer questions about usage in recipes will be more encouraging and effective. And while I made above posts as part of my job - except to you Emma, you really are the good twin - I'm grateful now that my work with the restaurant, the chef, and the company has come to pass, I can be a more active and honest member of the eGullet community sitting before the dining tables and desktops I feel most comfortable. As for a below user's suggestion of Terraspice as a source for the products, I can assure you they'd be of the exact same quality of WillPowder should anyone be looking for another option. If you have ordered from WillPowder and have not received your order, I am confident I have shipped all orders through 8/16. I'm sure if you've ordered after that date and not yet received your order, he would be grateful to be aware of such an instance so as not to be double-shipping orders.

That's wonderful, Emma! That's why you're the good twin!

Absolutely, the new products should be up within the next week, but if you have a request we can supply something to you sooner: Several new grades of Methylcellulose will be available as well as Glycerin Flakes, Soy Sauce Powder, Ultratex 8 & Ultratex 3 Modified Tapioca Starches, Versawhip, Honey Granules, Calcium Lactate Gluconate and Heavy Cream Powder. Of course I'm happy to explain how to best utilize any of the products as well. I'd love to turn this forum around into better explaining what can be achieved with our supplies. Also, Chef Goldfarb will be back at ICE twice in the fall to better demonstrate the uses of all our products.

[Moderator's note: as indicated in this post, Adam Rucinsky is no longer affiliated with WillPowder. -- Chris Amirault.] Hi, I'm the aforementioned Adam Rucinsky. I apologize for both any delay in orders and in response to this forum. With the closure of our original base of operations at Room4Dessert, I've taken over the operations of WillPowder for Chef Goldfarb and certainly if there's any delay I'd be to blame. It's obvious I'm sure that it's been a period of transition this summer, launching Picnick in the Battery, evolving Room4Dessert from its original incarnation, and restructuring WillPowder while not only keeping the company up and running but preparing it for a relaunch this September with over a dozen new products, faster and better shipping options and more and better features focusing on new recipes updated from the chef's classics that have been on the site for so long as well as video demonstrations of the techniques necessary to achieve them. At the same time, there should be no excuse in gaps in customer service, delays in shipping or unresolvable solutions with international customs, the last is something we've already and finally found a remedy, bringing our product to the best international kitchens. Last, in embracing chefs amateur and professional alike to make our product more accessible we will be offering discounts and coupons in a partnership with Google Checkout upon relaunch and throughout the year. Just because we're expanding doesn't me we don't care and if anything it's just the opposite. We know what clients got us to where we are today and with what sort of service. I was late to joining the Room4Dessert team, with Chef Goldfarb in the last months of our former location but I know why it was there with him I wanted to work. Two years ago, I first joined eGullet after a great experience at Aureole inspired me to start capturing, discussing, deconstructing and better understanding the meals I was enjoying. It was at a time in my life that my work provided me with the time, the place and the resources to eat out most every night around town and it wasn't long before I looked back on the catalog of my posts and was inspired to start recreating some of the dishes that most influenced me. Well, some are more conventional than others and some at R4D I found none too easy. But at the time the bar was open for breakfast, and Will was always willing to explain a recipe, even dragging out and translating the El Bulli books from Spanish, making the desserts not just understandable but so much more achievable. And of course he had the supplies for sale necessary to make the recipe work. I've been behind that bar now and I've learned from practice and witness not only how to explain dishes and products as they were once explained to me, but also the difference it makes in helping the diner appreciate what it is they're enjoying. With Room4Dessert right now being restructured, better than anyone I understand that it falls on us to provide the service I was so grateful to receive and so apt to offer both ways across the bar. Believe me that we're working as hard as possible to not only individually process, package and deliver each order with the care you would receive if you walked into the restaurant, but to provide the same personal advice on how to best use our products in our recipes or in your own, to not challenge you with an arduous ordering process but to allow you to challenge us with your passion and interest in our products so that the possibilities of experimental and experiential cuisine can flourish beyond the way it's now so narrowly defined. We want to create a community of like minded chefs, at home, in schools and in restaurants, in forums like this, and we know the key to its development is better service and dialogue. It's why and how you'll see the WillPowder site and brand evolve in the season ahead. So as is previously posted, you can for now personally reach me with any questions at 908 209 2657, at willpowder@gmail.com or by messaging me through eGullet so we can not only resolve any outstanding concerns you may need answered but also engage us in a query of any product or pursuit you want to explore.

I guess there's no Dining Friends forum, so I'll post here. My date can't make Shola's dinner at M on Wednesday, so if any one person can't get a reservation and would like to join me for dinner, by all means message me as I can't bear to cancel and none of my friends are crazy enough to drive down from NYC with me.

They're a special order but they do produce some of their concepts: Minale Maeda Deluxe Paper Napkins.