Sneakeater

Who'd even know who the chef is in a classic bistro?

Our imaginations fail in similar ways.

Well, at least you can take heart in having been dissed by the most famous pastry chef in New York.

Haven't had them in years -- not since I worked near there and had them after lunch all too often -- but DITTO on the Maison du Chocolat.

You're right. The macarons at Adour are fantastic. (It's funny. I was trying to remember where I had great macarons recently, and I couldn't. Thanks for reminding me.)

Even perhaps one of my favorite cities period.

If you don't mind spicy Sichuan, I like Wu Liang Ye on 48th St. just across from the side side of Rockefeller Center.

I wouldn't call either of those places moderately priced. NOTE TO LEMONS: That is probably the very worst part of NYC for moderately priced food.

Don doesn't think. That Benton's got into the bourbon by accident.

(To anticipate a possible response, I mean in Per Se -- I'm aware that Keller actually opened a burger place.)

I understand that, and don't begrudge them the business. But Per Se is a minority niche place also. And you don't hear Keller saying he's got to change his service model to appeal to people who come in there for whatever reason but might prefer a hamburger.

I found their website, and here is what they say: Ergo, it would appear that jackets are not required. ← Thanks. Now I'll have to find another excuse to keep not going there.

I think they totally are minority niche places. I think the weekend night crowds go because of hype. I don't think they have a clue what makes those places good. And in many cases, I think they're actively hostile to what makes those places good. We'll still be there in a few years, when this trend blows over. But those crowds won't.

That's EXACTLY right. Which is why real Serious Cocktail Lounges will always be minority niche places. And why we also see a crowd of fake "Serious" Cocktail Lounges catering to people who want to think they're having excellent cocktails but (a) don't want to put up with the necessary inconvenience of really good cocktails and (b) don't like the complex and even somewhat off-putting (as an initial matter) flavors that characterize many really good cocktails.

Yes. That one.

He's talking about the restaurant, not the pizzeria(s). I've never been, but it sure looks like the kind of place that would require a jacket.

They even mention you (or your eponymous dish, anyway).

Yeah you're right.

If that's a claim about current New York restaurants, I think it's wrong. Beard is mostly responsible for it. What he wanted to happen to American restaurants, happened.

It was ongoing as of Friday night. And it showed no sign of stopping.

The $35 three-course "recession" special dinner at Grayz is an insanely good deal.

When Gordon Ramsey at The London first opened and they said they were putting a (reasonable) time limit on every reservation, people in New York went apeshit.

Timbalo is the dish from that movie Big Night, right? I can't believe you got to have it.

The party already occurred. The opening is still a few weeks away.

I forgot about that. I've been. It's an excellent recommendation for them.