Mayur

Even if there were, it would fit exactly with Bruni's oeuvre to give Katz no more than one star given the service, decor, and limited menu. Okay, you say; it's Katz's, I must be joking, right? But read back over Bruni's reviews. He's trying to use some kind of bastardized Guide Michelin/casual carnivore-style review criteria and ends up failing to get it right on either end. You want to prioritize refinement of cuisine, service, atmosphere, wine cellar, etc.? Then how does the Modern merit two stars as opposed to three-plus? You want to prioritize the food and pooh-pooh stuffy service and ambiance? Okay, so how does Katz's not get two stars? He pleases nobody, methinks, except in the narrow band of restaurants (the high-end Italians, the two-star foodie haunts) that fit his exclusionary and all-too-often mutually inconsistent criteria.

Given the four-star Underground Gourmet review in New York magazine, I'd say Resto probably is important enough for its own review. Now goodness knows why it merits this kind of praise from multiple sources. I went there late-ish Friday night for a tete de cochon sandwich and frites, both of which were pretty darn mediocre. (And I have a hard time understanding how a bunch of slices of pig's head topped with mayonnaise can *be* mediocre!) The beer selection is underwhelming given that the reviews seemed to tout it (has Bruni even been to BXL, let alone Spuyten Duyvil?), and the atmosphere so-so. Do these guys just have a really good publicist?

I found this an interesting comment. Are you suggesting that Indian buttermilk is high in fat? If this is the case, I wonder if it is actually buttermilk. Real buttermilk is simply the liquid that is leftover after cream has been churned into butter. That's why it's called buttermilk. Since most of the milkfat goes to the butter, real buttermilk is quite low in fat (afaik, lower than lowfat milk). What one normally finds in American supermarkets isn't actually real buttermilk. Rather, it is lowfat milk that has been cultured with bacteria to mimic the tartness of real buttermilk. If anything, this "buttermilk" is just a very thin unflavored/unsweetened yogurt. Real buttermilk has a thin texture, whereas cultured "buttermilk" has a thick texture. ← Right. I probably should have put quotes around "buttermilk", which is pretty much what you described. (Hinglish loves using "butter-" as a prefix for "fatty"; hence "butterfruit" for avocado, etc.)

Wow; that's a heck of a list! Devi (in NYC) does some South Asian-themed cocktails also, which are pretty good. Lassi is easy enough to make into a Ramos fizz variant; buttermilk (at least at the fat content they use in India!) does pretty much the same thing as heavy cream when emulsified along with egg whites. So, a Ramos with some black salt and minus the superfine sugar should do nicely. Black salt is a great salty-/smoky-drinks accent in general, as is the chaat masala it's found in. Amchur (dried mango) is delicious as an alternative to citrus or pomegranate molasses, although if used for the former, you're best off chucking in a bit of citrus and a bit of amchur. (Bonded Applejack plus amchur, palm sugar, and lime juice is a *serious* treat.)

I'd really consider buying glassware. Ikea does glasses at $10 for a six-pack. Buy 40 or so, stick' em in storage, and you'll never be short for a party again.Also: Dry ice is not only a great idea, but potentially mixologically interesting for fizzy cocktails. Might want to think about turning the necessity for cooling capacity into an opportunity for invention!

I have some No.3 (brandy) and No.6 (vodka) in the liquor cabinet right now. Suffice to say the vodka makes a roughly similar cup that requires a bit more citrus or more intense ginger to balance properly; the brandy is actually heavily brandy-ish and mixes best in brandy-type connotations; it makes a perfectly decent sidecar variation when done half and half with cognac, or an excellent apple-y winter cocktail mixed with some Laird's bonded, a slug of cider, and a bit of pomegranate molasses or lemon juice for sourness. Good stuff, but it is aptly named "winter" for a reason; too heavy for a standard Pimm's cup.

Ssam Bar is open substantially later, and doesn't serve its full menu during the day. There are many, many more small plates, and the quotient of "haute cuisine" preparations (the scallops, the sea urchin, the asparagus and egg) is higher. Momofuku Noodle Bar has a few of these (incl. the asparagus), but not nearly as many, and is pretty heavily into the noodles. It closes generally around midnight, IIRC.

Baldoria on West 46th is the sister restaurant. I'm partial to Parkside myself. I like Queen on Court Street as well.

*Thread resurrection time* Any thoughts on how to turn violet extract into something approximating the Hermes Violet? I'm thinking just a little alcohol (I'd probably use vodka) and sugar, but do you think one might need to add other ingredients? I've got a good chunk of violet extract (courtesy of fellow eGulleteer cdh and his garden) and I usually just add it directly to drinks that use violet liqueurs, but I'm wondering if turning extract into liqueur will produce superior cocktails, and if so how to do it.

On a Monday, I've never seen it crowded. Try going in tonight...

Likewise! We must have an espresso some time when you're up in NYC!La Colombe will be an interesting play in NY; I imagine they'll put some serious cash into creating a presence! Now if we can just get Capogiro to branch out here...

That said, I prefer the espresso (Ecco Northern Italian Reserve) at Grumpy; ironic, given that the roaster suggests this as being a good blend/roast for milk drinks.

I drink both. Depends largely on the time of day (milk from breakfast until lunch, none afterward). I pretty much never drink lattes, since that's just too much milk for my tastes.I agree with you that Ninth Street's Counter Culture roast can be pulled to be too "dark" tasting and overconcentrated; I actually can't for the life of me get it to turn out any other way using my machine. However, I also think that baristas should recognize the difference between pulling for a milk drink and pulling for a straight shot, and I've usually found that to be the case at Ninth Street. In fact, I'm not quite sure how they pull it off. Damn right! Overextraction for texture's sake is hardly a good idea!

Note also that Ninth Street Espresso has a new branch on 13th Street between Third and Fourth Avenues. Much more convenient than the other branch to the subway, many people's offices, shopping, and... well, everything except my apartment, AFAIK. I'd say Grumpy and 9th St lead the pack in Manhattan; although I'm actually not all that fond of Counter Culture's roast, the baristas at 9th St kick serious butt in terms of technique. I've actually never had anything less than excellent texture on my milk (although I've heard the baristas grumping about the Synesso wand as well) and the coffee is just great. IML: I'm afraid I can't say I was all that impressed with Zibetto. (Also, of course, one *can* "get this sort of coffee north of 13th Street" now that Grumpy opened its Manhattan branch. )

D'Artagnan freezes all its stock and (demi)glace products. Otherwise those would have made the top of my list, since the quality is superb. Good call on Fresh Direct; they do have stocks. I've never tried them, myself.

Hmm. Define "homemade." Fairway, Zabar's, Citarella, and a few other stores (Wholefoods, perhaps) carry store-made stocks which are reasonably fresh. SOS Chefs probably has some nice products in that vein, but I imagine they're all frozen.

Intriguing! Yes, Shola's cooking was abso-frickin'-lutely worth driving down to Philly from NYC... INCLUDING the god-awful rush-hour Holland Tunnel traffic. The dessert was fabulous; we were lucky enough to get two of them through a (blissful!) kitchen signal-crossing. My favorite, however, was definitely that soup; it coaxed extraordinary, precisely balanced flavors out of two relatively humble ingredients (chorizo and chickpea); even the dill seeds in the chorizo popped out into the soup to add a slight textural counterpoint and flavor. Wonderful.

That would be Saravanaas, on 26th and Lexington. Fabulous!Raji will suggest a better option, but I've found that Mishima (31st and Lex) is relatively inexpensive, super-tasty, and has satisfied the palates of my Japanese friends. (Of course, I don't know what happens if you order as a gaijin.) I have heard good things about Copper Chimney (which I think is 27th just west of Lex), but never tried it. There are, of course, the more expensive offerings at Les Halles, Artisanal, and Park Bistro (is Park Bistro really all that?).

per se is hardly my favorite restaurant in NYC, but take a look at shengcai's thread and tell me that the platings are even remotely comparable to those shown above:http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=100542&st=0 I have to agree with Fat Guy. Those platings are just awful. And I distinctly remember the food at Chanterelle *looking* better ten years ago.

Good eye, U.E. I agree. Exhibit A: that pigeon dish. Yikes. And is it just me, or does that goat cheese foam with pistachio and beet dish look very reminscent of the tapioca and uni dish at Momofuku Ssam ← Other way around. The goat cheese foam dish has been on the menu at JG since before Ssam Bar opened, let alone put the uni dish on the menu.

Kreuther does seem to have some sort of magical power to beat the critics, though. Atelier was full all the time too (and some of the best meals I had in the years around its peak of operations were there), despite the fact that it got an only-okay three-star review. Ramsay, IMHO, could be in serious trouble unless Bruni re-reviews the place. The London is already stepping into a crowded market (more than ADNY did, even) and he is the sort of celebrity chef who needs decent buzz.

Felidia is closer to 50th and Lex, though. Also, IMHO, if you had to pick the "better" of the two restaurants (and I don't think the comparison is particularly useful, to be honest), I'd go with Felidia myself. Esca delivers substantially better price performance, but the cuisine at Felidia is, IMHO, somewhat more refined and diverse, especially if you want something other than seafood.

I'd have to differ, notwithstanding the edge you have on me ethnically, rich. Specifically, I cite Felidia, on 58th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, which IMO is "within shouting distance" of 50th and Lex. Technically not "midtown," I know, but not far off. That would be my suggestion for best in area.

I've never had a problem getting into Bianca, though AFAIK they don't take reservs. At 5pm, it should hardly be a problem... Five Points is a favorite of mine, and quite as close as you'll get.

Sorry; I just completely missed that!