ulterior epicure
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Posts posted by ulterior epicure
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For what it is worth, I note that Trattoria's website has been overhauled and is now working.
It's been overhauled, perhaps, but it's barely working. Most of the links are not hot.
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The Gulf Shrimp with bacon was delicious, but the papaya side was once again completely inedible as it tasted like vomit. I love papaya, grew up in a country where it's a very common fruit and have eaten it all my life. I never understood the people that think it's tastes "vomity", but I can't say that after today. The addition of mustard was just weird, but hard to blame that on the mustard.
That's a pretty strong reaction to papaya, my friend. Yikes.
Have you had this dish in any of its prior incarnations? I had this about three years ago. At that time, it was served with a passion fruit mustard. (CLICK - sorry for the pallor color in that photo: entirely my fault, not Jean Georges.)
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The White Asparagus is literally the first dish I have ever returned at a fine dining restaurant, I eat pretty much anything, but two bites in I just couldn't eat it. The asparagus was waaaaaay overcooked, the knife came down and the long fibers just relented and squished out under the knife, sending whatever water was in them squishing out onto the plate. The breadcrumbs tasted of broken butter and the vinaigrette was seethingly strong. Curiously, I was still charged for it (we always order more than the standard 2 lunch dishes) despite returning it two bites in.
I'm assuming they did not replace this dish. Correct?
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Other than price and level of "fanciness" of the food, what is the difference between Coyote Cafe the restaurant as opposed to the "cantina?" Is the cantina in the same location as the restaurant? Is it open for lunch? Is one more reliable/enjoyable than the other?
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I was in town two weeks ago and tried Coyote Cafe and was very dissapointed. In fact, it was downright bad.
What was so disappointing (or "downright bad") about Coyote Cafe?
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It's looking like three nights and two lunches in Santa Fe in a few months. One of my dinners needs to be relatively early, as I have tickets to the opera.
I would appreciate input. The only places I've bothered to research so far are the usual suspects:
Cafe Pasqual's (brunch, I hear, is better than dinner)
Geronimo
Coyote Cafe
La Boca (would this be good for a pre-theater dinner?)
For upscale, I would try Trattoria Nostrani, just don't wear fragrance as they have a no fragrance policy which they strictly enforce. In my opinion, this is some of the best food in Santa Fe. I was in town two weeks ago and tried Coyote Cafe and was very dissapointed. In fact, it was downright bad.
Also, for traditional New Mexican food, it is hard to beat the Shed or Tia Sophia's. Both are a little touristy, but the food is very traditional and spot on.
La Boca would be a good pre-theater dinner -- just make sure you have reservations or you may be waiting for a table.
It never ceases to amaze me how neglectful restaurant's are of their websites. Geronimo, for example, has not updated their online menus since last year.
Meanwhile, neither Trattoria Nostrani nor La Boca have a working website at all; the links are broken.
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It's looking like three nights and two lunches in Santa Fe in a few months. One of my dinners needs to be relatively early, as I have tickets to the opera.
I would appreciate input. The only places I've bothered to research so far are the usual suspects:
Cafe Pasqual's (brunch, I hear, is better than dinner)
Geronimo
Coyote Cafe
La Boca (would this be good for a pre-theater dinner?)
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But getting back to the food part of Corton: for those members who had eaten at Gilt under Liebrandt's hand as well as at Corton, I'm curious to hear comparisons between his food there and his food at Corton. Sadly, I never went to Gilt (still haven't). I've heard some say that Corton is Liebrandt's Gilt dialed back a few notches.
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UE - three pieces of uni versus one pretty much sizes up this restaurant. There are a fair number of "nobody" people out there like me and my husband who can easily drop $5000+ on a long weekend in New York. We just don't appreciate being treated like second class citizens. Perhaps there are lots of people who will buzz like bees around a hive when they see celebs of various types (most of whom are receiving comps of one type or another) at a place like this. But - in the long run - you won't attract serious diners who do some homework.
If, as you say, the restaurant has a multi-class service, then that is certainly not good. I have all too often been treated like a "nobody," and I know how ugly an experience that can be. I'm sorry your visit to Corton was not better.
I look forward to returning to Corton under more normal circumstances. Hopefully, your visit was an aberration from the norm.
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Happy anniversary, graham elliot! One year is not a smile milestone in these uncertain times.
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One of the reasons boards like this one exist is to offer information regarding restaurants and allow and aid the boardmember in making informed decisions on whether or not to try new restaurants. We all have certain members whose opinions we value more than others. I always enjoy reading your reviews, ulterior epicure.
Thanks for your kind words.
I usually and unfortunately most often eat out alone and because of that I may be more attuned to service issues. For me, service issues can usually ruin a meal even if the food is delicious.This rarely happens to me, as I am usually fastidious about segregating front of the house issues from kitchen issues. In the past couple of years, I can only think of a couple of meals where poor service "ruined" a meal. My meal at Bouley in March was one of them. There, breathless food was so overshadowed by poor service that the entire meal was rendered worthless.
If i read numerous service related complaints from respected reviewers on this and other sites about a specific restaurant, I am less inclined to go there. Why have an evening ruined.That is completely understandable. Money and time, alas, do not flow as water. I suppose I am less risk averse in this respect than many. Food is the primary concern for me. No amount of enthusiasm and generosity in the front of the house can increase my estimation of a restaurant if the food is poor. Conversely, rarely does poor service lead me to demote a restaurant despite brilliant food. Poor service suggests that there is a management problem, but not necessarily a chef problem, so to speak. Of course, the ideal restaurant is the one which can coordinate the whole operation seamlessly on a consistent basis. But as you and I know, these gems are few and far between.
As for my experience watching physically challenged diners eating at restaurants, I can say that I have frequently noted how gracious the staff of Jean Georges is with customers in wheelchairs, crutches, or even with service animals and I have witnessed on many occasions staff assisting such customers leaving so said guest didn't have to walk down the stairs to the street.That is good to know. And I would not expect less.
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Actually - I didn't think the cab problem was as important as the "squab problem". Or the one little piece of uni (think it was the uni) as opposed to UE's 3 pieces.
At this point, you might as well write my review for me!
Yes, in addition to the wine, the one dish that made me suspect that we might be experiencing "Corton deluxe" was our first "Uni" course. I was quite shocked (but not displeased) by the amount of sea urchin presented. I have seen photos by others of the "Uni" and it seems that one tongue, not three, is the norm. This I cannot explain.
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I would very much like to eat at Corton: Unfortunately, I have read too many reviews, similar to robyn's, that underscore that the front of the house and service in general at Corton is less than it should be at a restaurant of Corton's reputation.
Given your relative frequency at other high-end restaurants (you make a point of giving us your per se, Jean Georges, and le Bernardin tally regularly), what would you have expected one of those restaurants to have done in a similar situation? In your many visits to any one of those restaurants, have you witnessed a physically disabled person leave the restaurant assisted by restaurant staff in any way, or known of one of those houses to hail a cab?
By now, I think I know good service when I experience it. Regardless of whether my evening at Corton was "big guns night" or not, service should have been wonderful. It was excellent. I have been at restaurants when VIPs sucked all of the staff's attention. That's great for the VIPs, not so much for us Lilliputians. Circumstances shouldn't matter. I expect good service wherever I eat regardless of who I am, who I'm with, the total on my tab, or the camera that I happen to have under my seat. Why shouldn't I? I'm paying for it.
My positive service experience at Corton may not overshadow the other negative reports you've heard. However, I might point out that I have read/heard about service issues at every restaurant in New York, even le Bernardin, Jean Georges, and on one occasion, per se. But those are OTHER diners' experiences, not mine. I have had excellent service at all three. I'm certainly no VIP at any of them (save one experience that was an exception). And I'm certainly no regular. You could colourably argue that I am friendlly with one of those houses, but that has only been a recent development, and I disclose that relationship up front. Am I just lucky?
robyn was clearly not happy with her service. But sethd, I will tell you that, based on my experience, Corton is a restaurant that I would commend - for both food and service - to *almost* any adventurous diner in New York. You seem to fit in that category. If hearsay service issues alone are keeping you from going, I say, take one night out of your per se rotation and head downtown and find out for yourself. I traveled hundreds of miles to eat there. A cab ride across town won't hurt nearly as much.
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I can't recall whether or not we asked for a taxi (I'm almost certain that we had not, since I had planned on walking back to the place I was staying until we realized, after exiting the restaurant, that it was raining). But we did have to walk a block or two to find hail a cab. Given that it was raining, I do remember it odd that the restaurant had not offered to call, or mentioned it at the close of our service.
As someone mentioned on Eater, you can't "call" cabs in New York. A restaurant can call a liveried car service if it has the phone number of one -- more expensive than a cab, and often it takes a long time for one to come if you don't schedule it in advance -- or it can send a staff member out onto the street to hail one (which is something no one, I think, would reasonably expect).
But in New York, unlike in other cities, regular taxicab services don't have telephone numbers you can telephone to have a cab come. They don't work that way. You HAVE to hail them on the street.
I've been eating in restaurants in New York for thirty some years and I've NEVER had a car called for me -- or even thought of it as a possiblity. (I HAVE done so in other cities.) It just doesn't work that way here (probably because, unlike in most other cities, there are so many cruising cabs here) (although the system breaks down when it's raining).
Well, there you go. Thanks Sneakeater. I did not know that about the cab system in New York. I have never asked for a cab to be called, I suppose largely because I prefer to walk, if not all the way home, at least I know I'm capable of walking to a place where cabs are available.
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Guess I should say something about the food. Here I have the benefit of UE's Flickr pictures of his meal at Corton (which he hasn't yet written up in his blog). We had many of the same courses - but the size and presentation were - in many cases - different (I don't usually dine with a camera - but this is one case where I wish I did). Perhaps he was lucky to be there during the Beard awards week - when many other chefs were in the restaurant as customers.
I'll note that I don't normally do tasting menus (too much food) - but I had late breakfast - no lunch - and was hungry. I had no problem with the size of the meal. For example - our fish course - rouget (which I thought was probably the best course) had a piece of rouget - cooked properly - about the size of my thumb (and I don't have big hands).
The presentation of the squab didn't resemble his at all. And - IMO the squab breast was terribly undercooked (or maybe not cooked at all). It did have a little piece of fat wrapped around it - but that didn't seem cooked either - and therefore didn't infuse the squab with any flavor. Squab "sushi" as it were. I found it inedible (most of the other food was ok to good - just kind of underwhelming considering my expectations).
Now maybe I just don't "get it". One of my cooking projects the last month has been working with "little birds" (I happen to like them a lot - and D'Artagnan has been having good sales). And a blood red squab breast isn't my idea of a good way to cook a squab breast. Just my opinion.
One other quibble. We were a two-top with a four-top to my left. And to serve the four-top next to us - the servers had to squeeze between the two tables. Now as attractive as these servers were - I didn't appreciate constant views of their posteriors. After a course or two - we actually moved our table as far away from the other table as we could. Made us much too close to the two-top to our right. But since the servers didn't have to squeeze in between the tables to serve the other two-top - it didn't really matter. I realize Manhattan real estate is expensive - but restaurant tables should be arranged so servers can service their tables unobtrusively. Robyn
I'm sorry to hear that your experience at Corton was disappointing. A few notes (which I hope to gather and put into a more coherent blog post in the next millenia):
1. I'm not sure people who deride restaurant photography and photographers should benefit from the fruits of our labor, Robyn. But I don't take photographs to be stingy, rather, to share. I'm glad you got good use out of them.
2. I'm waiting to see how you answer docsconz's inquiry above on your cooking preferences with squab. That might explain your comments. Like docsconz, I prefer my squab on the rarer side. The lardo wrapped around my squab was quite thick, and rather white, which is why I was so surprised it yielded with little trouble. I do not think that the lardo on my squab was undercooked (or not cooked at all, as you suggest).
3. Service for us was spotless. But, as you noted, I was at Corton on a big night. No less than five nationally-known chefs were in the house (at different tables). As well, I spied a number of non-chef food industry personalities about. There really was no room for error that night, which probably explains why...
4. Our wine was fantastic. As far as I know, the pairing we were charged for was the lesser of the two (I had not been aware that the wine pairing was two-tiered). However, I suspect, given the labels that were poured, they might have just "upgraded" our wine service.
5. The cooking was fantastic as well. There was not a single execution flaw as far as I was concerned.
6. Robyn, you had been concerned (above) with statements by other posters about the aggressive seasoning. Did you encounter any? If I had one gripe (actually, I had two, but I'll get to the second one later) about this meal, it was that a few of the initial bites (amuses bouches) were notably salty. I wouldn't describe them as "inedibly salty," rather "uncomfortably salty." Thankfully, that issue resolved itself once the main dishes began arriving.
7. Second gripe: the second dessert - a hollowed out financier filled with two kinds of cream was utterly pointless. That was the only throw-away dish of the evening, in my opinion.
8. Liebrandt's training at Pierre Gagnaire is evident.
9. Spatial concerns. Our three-top was seated at a freestanding four-top. I think I would have been less happy at one of the banquette tables, either as a four or as a deuce.
10. Aesthetics: To each his/her own. I did not hate it. I did not love it. Pea green is not a wonderful color to me. But I have to say that the use of pea green here was not harmful. As far as the sterility of the white walls, I would disagree with you only because I found the relief flora and fauna motif, with occasional dots of peachy leaves, poetic. Now, the lighting, on the other hand - especially from a photographer's standpoint - was a disaster. Incandescence, fluorescence, and the pea green glow ensured that I had a challenge in getting decent images.
11. I will only reach back to your Blackbird reference to make this point with regard to Corton: where as Blackbird trades simplicity and sleekness for LOUD, Corton trades not-wonderful upholstery and plaster egg-shell walls for normal. No, Corton is not quiet, necessarily. But it is not loud either. I suppose with such a small dining room, it really couldn't get that loud (although the festive group in the house during my meal did get quite boisterous during a few moments).
12. Bathrooms. Yes, awkwardly situated, though once inside, I did not find them awkward to use. However, I am probably not physically limited in the same ways as your husband is.
13. Do you know if Liebrandt was in on the night you visited?
Edited: to correct multiple crimes against grammar. Please forgive me for any orphans left behind.
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Guess I should say something about the food. Here I have the benefit of UE's Flickr pictures of his meal at Corton (which he hasn't yet written up in his blog). We had many of the same courses - but the size and presentation were - in many cases - different (I don't usually dine with a camera - but this is one case where I wish I did). Perhaps he was lucky to be there during the Beard awards week - when many other chefs were in the restaurant as customers.
I'll note that I don't normally do tasting menus (too much food) - but I had late breakfast - no lunch - and was hungry. I had no problem with the size of the meal. For example - our fish course - rouget (which I thought was probably the best course) had a piece of rouget - cooked properly - about the size of my thumb (and I don't have big hands).
The presentation of the squab didn't resemble his at all. And - IMO the squab breast was terribly undercooked (or maybe not cooked at all). It did have a little piece of fat wrapped around it - but that didn't seem cooked either - and therefore didn't infuse the squab with any flavor. Squab "sushi" as it were. I found it inedible (most of the other food was ok to good - just kind of underwhelming considering my expectations).
Now maybe I just don't "get it". One of my cooking projects the last month has been working with "little birds" (I happen to like them a lot - and D'Artagnan has been having good sales). And a blood red squab breast isn't my idea of a good way to cook a squab breast. Just my opinion.
One other quibble. We were a two-top with a four-top to my left. And to serve the four-top next to us - the servers had to squeeze between the two tables. Now as attractive as these servers were - I didn't appreciate constant views of their posteriors. After a course or two - we actually moved our table as far away from the other table as we could. Made us much too close to the two-top to our right. But since the servers didn't have to squeeze in between the tables to serve the other two-top - it didn't really matter. I realize Manhattan real estate is expensive - but restaurant tables should be arranged so servers can service their tables unobtrusively. Robyn
Agreed with the sentiments expressed by you and others on the lack of taxi service. It's interesting that you make this point.
We were the last ones out the door the night I was in. And it was raining. And it was cold.
I can't recall whether or not we asked for a taxi (I'm almost certain that we had not, since I had planned on walking back to the place I was staying until we realized, after exiting the restaurant, that it was raining). But we did have to walk a block or two to find hail a cab. Given that it was raining, I do remember it odd that the restaurant had not offered to call, or mentioned it at the close of our service.
But, as we did not ask, and I had hoped to walk (even if there was a light rain, I could have used the jaunt), I really didn't think much of it.
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Six months ago (shortly before Christmas 2008), I returned to le Cinq for dinner. You can read the full review at the the ulterior epicure.
Here's the upshot:
The last time I ate at le Cinq, this prince of Parisian dining rooms was under the command of Philippe Legendre. And though it was lauded and esteemed as one of the best Michelin three-star restaurants, I found the food tired and service haughty. I was not surprised to learn that it lost its third star a few months later.Three years later, Legendre is gone and Eric Briffard is in, straight from the Michelin two-starred les Elysées du Vernet, where he made inroads among the more refined appetites in Paris. His following has tailed him to the Four Seasons.
Urged by a friend (and Briffard fanatique) to reconsider le Cinq, I returned with Houston and my college roommate, Hue (with whom I had lunch the day before at l'Ambroisie), in December of 2008.
At restaurants of a certain caliber, I think that there shouldn’t be any “wrong choices” on the menu. A diner may not like certain food, or style of cuisine. But, certainly, a diner should have an equally enjoyable experience however they order. Even as I am typing this, I realize I’m painting myself into a corner. You’ll see in a moment how this is the case.
I’m convinced now that ordering the tasting menu at le Cinq was a mistake.
Why did we order the tasting menu?
There was foie gras with smoked eel. There were purple Breton sea urchins. There were scallops with green apple-wasabi rémoulade.
There was abalone.
It was a hit parade of my favorite foods and food combinations. Moreover, it seemed to nail that sweet spot between freakish experimentation and stodgy classicism.
I was right. And wrong.
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Indeed, donning a thick coat of warm fuzzies, the service at le Cinq seemed to have rounded out the edges from my previous visit. Top to bottom, the staff was professional, extremely attentive, and quite amiable – even playful at times. We were having such a wonderful ride that time seemed suspended. Indeed, we were the last party to leave the restaurant, at nearly two o’clock in the morning.
Verdict?
I’ve certainly had worse meals in my life – but not many at this price (the tasting menu was 230 €, not including wine). The one real stinker (abalone) stank pretty badly. The rest of the dishes waffled between good and confused.
Despite the generosity [copious amounts of butter - salted and seaweed varieties - carved in towering pine cones; high quality extra virgin olive oil (I found this odd at my first experience too), and a bottomless bread to basket], execution was sloppy (there really was no excuse for the inedible abalone or the string left tied around Houston’s lamb loin). And flavors failed to harmonize.
Together our tasting progressed in awkward syncopation, a series of hiccups smoothed over only by spotless service and our own good cheer.
For an aspiring Michelin three-star (if that is what Briffard is trying to do), le Cinq fell far short. Having been very hopeful for redemption, this meal was deflating. I’m hoping the third try will be a charm.
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Reviewed in the Financial Times:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/f205b94e-465c-11...144feabdc0.html
Not what they would have hoped for, I'm sure.
I can't comment on the overcooked halibut or the "meagre" veal. But, I would tend to agree that Vetri's famous spinach gnocchi dish is not his best. I think that calling these wet balls of spinach puree "gnocchi" might be misleading, even if they are technically gnocchi.
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Just curious - looks from the first post that 3 people ate for about $100. Is this still the case or was that a light meal? Sounds so labor intensive, it is hard to imagine this can be a very moderate dining experience $ wise for such a lovely feast. No prices on line.
Thank you.
It was about $120 per person, including tip, but each of us had a little alcohol (sometimes a full glass, sometimes a taste).
I don't think that's what tsqure is asking.
tsquare: yes, if you order a la carte, conservatively, three people could eat for $100 or less. Most of the dishes camp out in the mid-teens. Two people could easily share a pizza, which, I believe, is somewhere in the neighborhood of $14-$16.
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3. Tuna Conserva: Agreed with tupac (except I can't compare with the "old way," as this is the first time I've had it). Beans needed more time in liquid and heat. Mojama? Where? Could have used a bit more (okay, a lot more) anchovy too.
Well, no wonder I couldn't recall tasting any anchovy in the conserva dish. There wasn't any. I was reading the prior description (with the punterelle, etc.).
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1. Beet salad with fresh ricotta. Damn fine fresh ricotta.
2. Fried brussels sprouts. They are still over-salting this dish.
3. Tuna conserva, puntarelle, garlic, anchovy and mojama; they have added garbanzo beans to this dish and I seem to prefer it the older way it was presented.
4. Beef tongue with pickled horseradish crema. Fabulously tender and rich.
5. Zuppa with porcini mushroom bread dumplings, chives, and pecorino. WAY too salty. Inedibly so for me.
6. Bay scallops with agreeti, preserved lemon and chilies. Couldn't taste the chilies, but I didn't care. Perfectly prepared morsels of goodnes.
7. Sweet potatoes with pancetta, fried chilies, and pecorino. Easily my favorite dish of the day (well, 'cept maybe dessert).
8. Tripe with fennel, chilies, pickled onions, mint and parsley. I could taste these chilies -- almost too spicy for me.
9. Jones Farm rabbit with frisée, carrots, pancetta and mustard. Still a great dish.
10. Ricotta fritters with orange marmalade and crema fresca. OH.MY.GOD. 'Nuff said.
1. Beet salad with fresh ricotta. The ricotta (from Gioia Cheese Co.) was nice and milky. Texture was a bit more coarse than I would have liked, but that's personal preference. Beets were boring.
2. Fried brussels sprouts. Disappointed by this dish last time. Hated it this time. Terribly salty.
3. Tuna conserva, puntarelle, garlic, anchovy and mojama. I prefer this newer way, but would've liked to have the garbanzo beans more cooked. Mojama nowhere to be found.
4. Beef tongue with pickled horseradish crema. I liked the texture of the tongue. Really crispy edges.
5. Zuppa with porcini mushroom bread dumplings, chives, and pecorino. Tasted like the "flavor packets" that come with ramen noodles. Terrible.
6. Bay scallops with agreeti, preserved lemon and chilies. I didn't taste the chilies, either. But this was simple and good.
7. Sweet potatoes with pancetta, fried chilies, and pecorino. My favorite, too. A little greasy at the bottom. Serving it on a little square of paper might prevent the bottom pieces from becoming soggy by the end.
8. Tripe with fennel, chilies, pickled onions, mint and parsley. I liked the spice, but wanted more mint. When I had this on my previous visit, I liked it much more.
9. Jones Farm rabbit with frisée, carrots, pancetta and mustard. I enjoyed this one, but wasn't wowed by it.
10. Ricotta fritters with orange marmalade and crema fresca. Nice.
1. I loved the ricotta. Beets are never boring.
2. Brussels Sprouts: not what I expected. These were not meaty, charred halves or quarters, rather a pile of fried leaves (lots of work). I didn't not like it, though I was a little terrified when I saw the cook in the kitchen throwing three heavy handfuls of salt into a bowl of the sprouts.
3. Tuna Conserva: Agreed with tupac (except I can't compare with the "old way," as this is the first time I've had it). Beans needed more time in liquid and heat. Mojama? Where? Could have used a bit more (okay, a lot more) anchovy too.
4. Beef Tongue: Fantastic. Brilliant crust. Best in show (for me) by a country mile.
5. Mushroom Dumpling Soup: Concur with the overall conclusions drawn.
6. Bay Scallops with Agretti: Perfectly cooked scallops, though not as sweet as I would have hoped. Spritz of lemon was key. Chile needed a boost.
7. Sweet Potatoes: Agreed with the others. Crispy skin of this ROOT vegetable was awesome.
8. Tripe with Fennel: Bold spicing was appreciated. Surprisingly, a bit under-seasoned (given the tendency they seem to have with over-seasoning).
9. Jone Farm Rabbit: Very good. Love the grainy mustard.
10. Ricotta Fritters: Not a "fried dough ho" (self-styled) like Carolyn, but I must admit, the texture was very good: like eating warm chenille in a thick, crunch shell. You could paint me with the vanilla crema without objection, however.
Over/under-seasoning problems and slowly-disappearing service issues aside, I was pacified by the music, which was great.
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That's easy: Eric Asimov, to give but one example. Of course, he's not doing restaurant criticism now, but he's still at the Times and has done the job in the past.I would like Bruni's detractors here to name one restaurant critic that DOES scratch whatever itch they have in the area of RESTAURANT criticism? What published restaurant writer expands your horizons, oakapple? The anonymity issue aside, let's just come up with a list of people who have proven themselves as knowledgeable, experienced, trusted, and thoughtful restaurant writers. And then, consider their writing inside a 900-1100 word box.Now we're getting somewhere.
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The job has a high burn-out rate. I believe Mimi Sheraton lasted eight years, but the norm is 5-6. In the music department, the Times has had critics that lasted 10-20 years, but none of the main restaurant critics have done that. Eating 10-12 big meals a week takes its toll.It's a given that being the "Times' food critic is no piece of gateau: just read Mimi Sheraton's and Ruth Reichel's memoirs.
I wrote an open letter to the Times about this. Basically, I want someone with deep experience in food—someone I will learn from. Although Frank Bruni was sometimes entertaining, he didn't really know (or seem to know) much more about food than I did. Obviously he had the advantage of doing this full-time with a much higher budget, and like any smart person he did pick up useful insights along the way. But his reviews never made me think or expand my horizons, the way good criticism should.So, not being a New Yorker, I'm going to move past the anonymity and starry issues that you guys are so passionate about, and ask: Who do you think would be a worthy replacement for Bruni? I'm interested. A lot. I suspect that even a Jehovah/ McPhee /Escoffier blend wouldn't pass muster.I would like Bruni's detractors here to name one restaurant critic that DOES scratch whatever itch they have in the area of RESTAURANT criticism? What published restaurant writer expands your horizons, oakapple? The anonymity issue aside, let's just come up with a list of people who have proven themselves as knowledgeable, experienced, trusted, and thoughtful restaurant writers. And then, consider their writing inside a 900-1100 word box.
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My person star-gazing theory is that demoting Daniel would have raised existential questions that Bruni did not want to face.
Again, I maintain that he had, and lost, his chance there with Daniel.Another option for Bruni would be to take away a star from a current 4*, though I think that is just as unlikely as finding another 4*.Exactly.
The rest of your star-gazing is inconsequential to me, regardless of how true it may be. I never (alas) went to ADNY, so I cannot comment there. However, given my experience at the old Bouley, I don't think that a demerit was unwarranted, despite the two others waiting "on queue."
Santa Fe Restaurant recs
in Southwest & Western States: Dining
Posted · Edited by ulterior epicure (log)
Regardless, the man needs to fix his website. I just popped on there again. It's still broken. Part of the menu shows (there are actually two templates that show, if you look at the navigation), and the wine list pulls up (although that puts you at a dead end page), but the rest of the site doesn't seem to be hot.