Mark PPX

The Chair Factory at 214 Bowery..although I just bought 75 chairs and 25 barstools, I still found the prices to be good. If your on a budget and material is not important auctions can save you alot, although they can be time consumming.

We had dinner at City Hall for Thanksgiving. I guess the best way to describe it is dissapointing. The menu was a four course TG menu. First course was a chestnut soup (cup), no other choice as a first course. The second course was an appetizer consisting of a choice of three different salads, one was a Waldorf salad, the other greens with red beets and gorgonzola, and the third choice was another composed salad but I can not remember what. The main courses were a brisket of beef, turkey with trimmings (stufing brussel sprouts) and a fish which I cannot remember. So obviously a poorly planned menu, I can only assume that it was done intentionally to keep the kitchen staff to a minumn and food cost real low. Nothing about the offerings were choosen with the guest in mind. The turkey was tender but bland, the brussel sprouts were roasted plain, the sweet potato puree was unnaturally too sweet and two of us that ate this dish found the stuffing inedible. I guess brisket does qualify as a beef dish, but again nothing special and not much effort or thought put behind it. Two choices for dessert..a pumpkin pie or apple strudle. I had the strudle, the apples were not cooked long enough and the strudle did not have the required number of layered fylo. When one of us ordered tea we were informed that Lipton was included but herbal would cost extra. Dinner for three with one ice tea, one glass of champagne and one glass of red wine was $335.00. To my suprise the gratuity was added to the bill automatically, we were only a party of three. If this is not a normal pratice at City Hall 12 months of the year, I am baffled why they add it on a holiday.

With all the recent press about the shack I attemted twice, the first time a line of roughly 50 plus at 1:30 sent me to BLT Fish. A return visit last friday at 3pm was much more successful. I ordered a large choclate shake ( delicious ), a hot dog with onions and sauerkraut ( no better than your typical 'dirty dog' stand fare - the joint on 6th avenue is far better!) and a shack burger ( ok, nothing special, but nothing to stand in line for- stick to the corner bistro ) all for $14.00. DM..kick it up a notch! Oh I had the fries too, again nothing special..

I don't know Doug Psaltis but I've met Thomasa Keller enough times to know not only the type of restaurant he commands but the respect he has for food. I first met him as I was on the short list for the GM position at Per Se ( I didn't get the job). It was mid morning in his hotel suite and he was impeccably dressed, groomed and spoken. Fast forward to Per Se as I was invited into the kitchen from my dining table (and given a tour) on the eve of his published NYT review, it was the most immaculately clean space I have seen in my 30 years in the restaurant business. This work ethic comes from only one place...the top...Chef Keller. Surprised would be an understatement if TFL was any different. But what baffles me is why a chef would even break the code of silence and brotherhood that exists among line cooks and chefs..it could only result in a future of schucking oysters once again..in Montauk!

The future of multiple owneship might best be understood in part by understanding first the motivation on a chefs part for multiple ownership and second the ability to multiple task, delegate and execute. As an example you can use say Todd English compared to Vongerichten and a lessor degree Keller. I think the motiavetion in these three chefs vary and as a result the future for all three are going to be quite different.