Sneakeater

Is the new East Side version as good? (I ask anxiously.)

Cilantro. Right right. The "Modern Martini" at the Bar at the Modern (in NYC) has a hefty dose of cilantro. I love it. I have never gone there with a single woman who hasn't run away screaming after tasting it. Well, at least they TELL me it's the martini.

Believe me, if they're going to be freaked out by Marseille, they're going to be positively SPOOKED by Tintol.

RUB's menu is inconsistent, and even the good items on the menu are inconsistently good. But when it's on, it seems to me (a very NON-expert) to be the best in the City.

Maybe not the whole turtle.

If bull's penis didn't do it for me, I can't believe turtle will.

I was disappointed by Rack & Soul last night. I should note at the outset that I walked in soon before closing. The food was not at the peak of freshness. So maybe it's unfair to judge it by this visit. I had fried chicken and baby back ribs. The chicken was obviously fairly old. The coating was saltily delicious, but not the least bit crisp. It tasted like it had been sitting around for some time. The ribs, while not remotely undercooked (they were definitely falling off the bone), just seemed kind of underflavored to me. I dumped on a lot of the spicy barbecue sauce they gave me -- which is something I NEVER do. I had the mac and cheese and stewed okra as sides. The mac and cheese also suffered from obviously having been sitting around for an extended period. The okra was, well, interesting. It was a stew of okra, tomato, and corn. It was very highly seasoned in a way that seemed almost African. This was of more historical/sociological than culinary interest to me, because I wanted to taste the okra but couldn't. I'd have used less pepper (and whatever) myself. What I think we're seeing is that this place is inconsistent (which is hardly surprising when you look at it). Given its (fairly) convenient location and the pedigree of its executive chefs, I certainly plan to return. But maybe you have to be a little careful about WHEN you go.

I once drank something that was claimed to be rum infused with a bull's penis. There was something that could have been a bull's penis hanging right in the bottle. (It looked like something by Damien Hirst.) It did not, as far as I could tell, have any of the promised effects, although it tasted alright.

It's great that you liked Atelier. (It's a relief to hear someone else not trashing it -- especially someone so famously knowledgeable.) I think it was always clear to most people around here that the bar -- which has been there for years, as long as the hotel has been there -- is independent of Atelier. The problem (aside from the fact that it causes Atelier to charge exhoribant prices for cocktails) is that, even though it's independent, it definitely affects your experience at Atelier. Some people like the bar's raucousness as part of the Atelier experience, some people don't -- but you can't ignore it.

I always figured it was that the exchange rate is so crazy that they never could figure out how to charge in dollars. The curry pastries are certainly a ridiculously cheap lunch.

There was, of course, the dangerous Lemon Thyme Daquiri on the Summer 2006 menu at Pegu (in NYC). And Room 4 Dessert (in NYC) has a delicious (although currently, for some reason, off the menu -- although they'll happily make it for you if you ask for it) Mojito variation with some exotic type of basil in it.

They used to have a drink I really liked at the bar at Bolo (in NYC) called "It's About Thyme." It's principal (but not, I think, only) ingredients were gin, orange juice, and thyme. They stopped serving it since only one person in history ever ordered it and I wasn't there that much.

Just for the factual record, Aquavit in New York is still open.

I don't think they actually start serving until a month from now.

It seems to me to be not unfair for Bruni to give a factual response when people go around villifying him. (Remember, the exact criticism [which I'm not sure I believe Bruni doesn't know the details of] was that Bruni, who reviews just about every megapex but not Uovo, can't find a restaurant without a PR release. Was his response to that really unfair?)

Well, since some Uovo fan (not management) took it upon himself to publicly blame Bruni for the restaurant's demise because he didn't review it . . . .

It is my impression that today is the first day they are accepting reservations. Probably all gone by now.

There can be no denying that the wine prices there are ridiculous.

At least of the New York middle age.

It's scarey how much I tend to agree with you. FWIW, I can vouch for that Brooklyn Blackout Cake, BTW. Although I could imagine that someone who didn't grow up eating Ebinger's might find it a bit much.

Ici is good, but I think the places that have been mentioned in this thread are better. I wouldn't dissuade you from going to Ici by any means. But if you do, temper your expectations. (I thought there was a thread on it on this board, but I'm having trouble finding it even using the "Google" search.)

To emphasize, it isn't Atelier that's charging $20 a drink. It's the 57-57 Bar at the Four Seasons, which also provides cocktail service for the adjacent restaurant. Since that bar is usually packed, I suppose they can get away with it pretty well.

There are plenty of places that pretty much stick to Pueblan (or Poblano I guess), Tulcinga del Valle being the obvious choice among them.

Best ice cream factory is the Ice Cream Factory on the Fulton Ferry Landing.

Do you mean to limit yourself to the so-called "New Brooklyn Cuisine", or do you just mean the new wave of restaurants in Brooklyn? I ask only because one of my very favorites, Al Di La, doesn't really fit within the definition of the "New Brooklyn Cuisine" -- it's not particularly ingredient-driven, it's just superior (mainly) Venitian food -- but would otherwise be a strong recommendation. As for classic "New Brooklyn" restaurants, I really like the Grocery on Smith St.(which suffers from its overhyped Zagat's rating, but is otherwise a good little restaurant), Stone Park Cafe on 5th Ave. (in a way less "New Brooklyn" than the others I'm mentioning, but still in the ballpark and very good), and Rose Water on Union St. I have a feeling Applewood (somewhere deep in Park Slope) should be toward the top of your list, but I somehow have never eaten there. Johnder loves it. I forgot my personal favorite: Franny's on Flatbush near St. Marks -- a "New Brookyn" restaurant masquerading as a pizza place. Whole pies (no slices), great appetizers, great cocktails, mediocre desserts. You should DEFINITELY go there.