Simon_S

"Helps" doesn't begin to cover it. My good man, you rock! Si

Dear God, no! I'm just not quite ready to get into the hotel selection thing yet, but I'm mentally filing away all the recommendations for when I sit down to do it. The idea of arriving in NY with nowhere to stay fills me with something approaching dread!! I had a hard enough time with the idea of "backpacking" as a student -- I'm just not cut out for that sort of thing. Neither of us smoke, and I for one can't stand smoky restaurants. We've had a smoking ban in bars and restaurants in Ireland for a couple of years now, so we're used to a smoke-free environment. It catches me off guard when I'm in a country that doesn't have such a ban. But thanks for the warning in any case! Incidentally, I'm not expecting Soho to be any less touristy than midtown, I just want to stay there cos I haven't stayed there before. Well, that and the fact that we found post-restaurant options somewhat limited where we were staying last time. Am I right in thinking Soho/Village/wherever is better for bars and clubs? Si

Hmm, spicey breakfast sandwich sounds like a good idea to me, I'll definitely have a look. As a rule, we're not great at breakfasts because we're not usually too hungry in the morning. After a walk, though, this might be just the thing. I absolutely care! Having been to NY only twice in my life, my ideas of the place are frequently based somewhere away from reality. I'm always happy to hear the opinion of someone more in the know than myself. Thank you for the feedback! Si

Hi everyone. Transportation to restaurants is a non-issue for us. We'll do whatever is convenient, whether that's walking, public transportation or cabs. Hazel is not the sort of person who would either expect or enjoy a limo! Oh, and I'm sorry to report that neither Jimmy Choos nor Manolos feature in Hazel's wardrobe. It seems that all of our disposable income goes on travel and food, as you might suspect from this thread! Our choice of hotel location will probably be based more on "atmosphere" rather than proximity to restaurants. Now maybe this is a visitor's romantic view of the city, but I can't help feeling that we've done the midtown corporate hotel thing, now we're looking for something different, something a bit more "hip". On our last trip, we seemed to spend all our time midtown or north, or way downtown (WTC bar mainly). We'd like to see something in the middle! Sneakeater, your comment about the lack of walk-ins got me thinking. In Dublin, it's next to impossible to get a table at any of the "top" restaurants without a booking, sometimes quite far in advance, and certainly I've seen the same in other European cities. In purely tourist locations, I've never made a booking, but where I'll be competing with the locals for a table somewhere good, I prefer to have something arranged. I get so cranky if dinner doesn't work out that it's better to be safe than sorry. Thanks for all the hotel recommendations. I'm taking them all on board. I don't know what it says that I'm trying to get the restaurants sorted before I worry about hotels or even flights. Probably just that I'm an eGulleteer! We're also thinking of extending our trip a little, purely so we can eat at more restaurants... As for Katz's, I really want to try a corned beef sandwich as well. We may just have to go for greed over sense on that one. Of course, it's always possible not to finish a meal, isn't it? Well, other people have told me it's possible, I've never believed them. Si

Langoustines are also called Dublin-Bay prawns. It's all here on eGullet! Si

There are Scottish lobster tails on the menu for RHR, so I think that's the reference. They may indeed be difficult if not impossible to source in the US, hence the comment I would imagine. Si

Surely langoustines aren't the same thing as lobster tails, Scottish or otherwise. Or are they? Si

Jean-Georges will be our final meal, all being well. I've pencilled it in for lunch on the Monday, before our flight home. I'm hoping to leave with happy memories and full stomach! (BTW I don't go for that advice about not eating too much before a transatlantic flight. Anything to make me feel better and hopefully get some sleep sounds like a good idea to me.) Thinking about it, we probably *will* book our first night, wherever we decide to go. It would probably push me over the edge if I arrived and for some freaky reason had to endure even an hour wait. Besides, it will give us a focus for the evening and ensure we don't just fritter it away. Reading the thread here on the Modern makes me think it's just the right kind of place. The option of putting together as many small plates as we see fit strikes me as an excellent idea for a screwed-up body clock. EMP is definitely still on the short-list and I'm playing with the potential timetable again. The only problem is, previous trips of the Gastro variety left us really beaten when we went for several serious meals in a row. For example, a 5-day trip to Lyon last year consisted of 3 Michelin-starred restaurants and that nearly finished us off. We vowed never again. For that reason, I think I should mix in some lower-key options. I'll definitely check out priceline.com. Thanks again to all. Si

We were in the front room, albeit in a very secluded spot. Upselling wasn't a problem, we were in the mood for buying everything anyway! I agree it's off the radar, and we discussed that very fact over dinner. At first I thought it might be the fact that it's a basement restaurant in an ever-so-slightly out of the way location. But then, of course, you could say the same about Chapter One. Certainly by current Dublin prices I didn't think it was bad value. Si

Hi folks, Myself and Hazel tried to go to L'Gueuleton in Dublin on Saturday night, having only ever been there mid-week in the past. I was, of course, concerned by their no-booking policy, but I thought things had calmed down. However, stepping out of a cab at 5:55 and facing a queue of about 100 people we rapidly decided to abort! I think we'll stick to mid-week from now on. So, we started that aimless-wander-while-wracking-brains thing that I truly hate. Where we were going to go at the last minute on a Saturday evening? In due course, and after refusals at various locations, we found ourselves outside Pearl Brasserie, and I'm chuffed to say they were able to accommodate us if we agreed to give the table back by 9:00. That gave us a good two and a half hours, so in we went. A truly excellent meal followed. Hazel started with a beautiful seared foie gras, significantly better than the One Pico attempt we experienced a few weeks ago. I started with a most excellent smoked chicken risotto with ceps, walnuts and shaved parmesan. I wouldn't normally order that kind of starter, but the smokiness wasn't too overpowering and the dish worked well. For mains, Hazel had quail, which came de-boned, stuffed with a little foie gras and wrapped in layers of savoy cabbage and covered in pastry. It was really excellent, although the red wine jus was maybe a little too rich. I had squab pigeon rossini, another lovely piece of foie gras covering pigeon breast on a bed of spinach. Legs and wings were served in a mini "bowl", and some truffle mash finished the dish. The pigeon was notably flavourful, with a decent gamey taste that seems to be unusual on many Dublin menus. We shared a good cheese selection to finish. Service from the Sommelier was really superb. He had been great anyway, but when he saw we were actually interested in drinking a decent wine he went up another notch. Seriously friendly, and with really good advice on food and wine throughout the meal. Across the board, service seemed friendly and efficient, making for a really pleasant experience. Our one gripe was that the plates hadn't been heated all that well, so the food cooled a little too quickly. Apart from that, we'd have few complaints. I'd highly recommend it. Si

Wow, thank you all for your advice! It's really great to be able to talk to people in the know, because the options are mind-bogglingly huge for such a short trip. Let me see if I can answer some of the questions posed upthread: Sushi is one of those things that simply hasn't caught on in Dublin. Certainly, there are a couple of Japanese restaurants around, but I'm really not sure that any of them are any good. So it is probable that I've never had good sushi, and NY seems the ideal place (this side of Japan) to educate myself. I think lunch at Yasuda might be a really good idea, especially if it's a little "lighter" than some of the alternatives. If we decide we're not mad on it, then no harm done. I can cope with a disappointing lunch, but not a disappointing dinner! The point about fighting for a table on the first night is a good one, and the more I think about it, the more I agree that going somewhere we can reserve is probably important. I'll look at some of the options suggested and see what I think, but the Bar Room at the Modern seems to have quite a few votes on this thread. I don't see us making a trip to Flushing this time round, but if we go to GS I'll definitely stick to the "correct" menu items. Truth be told, I'll know my order before I leave here! I'm also concerned about having a big lunch at Katz's before a big dinner at WD-50. Still, if it's too much I suppose we don't have to finish it. I was eyeing the half-sandwich option, thinking maybe a half pastrami and a half corned beef. I may indeed consider shifting it's position, as apart from everything else, I assume it's pretty mad there at a Saturday lunchtime? Maybe the plane is the ideal time to wade through a sandwich from Katz's... EMP is another I'd definitely love to go to, and if we go for another night it will probably get the nod. As much as I think Ramsay would be worth a visit, I can't justify travelling all that distance to eat at one of his restaurants. It doesn't really make sense for us to do that, I don't think. On the hotel/geography front, I'm hoping to stay somewhere Soho/Village direction. On our last trip we stayed at the Plaza and the time before I stayed near Penn Station. We're looking for something a bit different this time. We have no particular goals for sightseeing, having done many of the "obvious" ones already, so I suppose we're really there to soak up NY atmosphere, in whatever form. It's really the nightlife aspect we want to experience, including food, music etc. I'm sure shopping will feature too... In any case, I agree that lunch should be geared around where we are. I don't mind travelling for dinner, but I'm reluctant to do it for lunch. Thanks for reminding me of that! As for what food we love to eat, well, I suppose "French with a modern touch" is probably the best way of describing it. We don't really go for big heavy sauces, and a bit of creativity is always nice. So, classic ingredients with a light touch suits us best. Having said that, we're really flexible and just like to eat! Budget is not carved in stone, and as long as EUR/USD stays at these levels (1.30 ish) I'll be really happy! Last visit saw EUR/USD at 0.87 or so, that was rough. Basically, I know this is going to be kind of a blow-out financially, but I don't want it to be *too* mad. Four dinners at $1000 each is not an option! Still, you only live once. Whew, I think that's covered virtually everything for now. I should really get internet access at weekends, then maybe I'd be able to keep up. Incidentally, if anyone has any must-dos in NY that aren't food related, I'd be delighted to receive some PMs. Local knowledge is always a bonus! Si

Yes, I've mentally dropped Spice Market already. Blue Hill was another definite maybe, and I'd like to get to Babbo. It's just as well I started this process early.

Hmmm, flights and hotels are not yet booked. Maybe we should see if we can go for a slightly longer trip....... Si

A number of places mentioned were on my longer short-list. In the interests of full disclosure, here are the extras that I have written on the back of the writing pad on my desk: Peter Luger's (or some other steakhouse), ADNY, Ramsay, Eleven Madison, Per Se, Bouley, Danube, Cru, Blue Hill, Nobu, Babbo, Balthazar, Spice Market, Spotted pig. As for sushi, well...eh...I *like* sushi, but I don't *love* sushi. At least, not with my current levels of experience of it. It's just not something I'd actively seek out, and it's quite possible that I could eat the best sushi in the world and just not get it. Of course, the opposite is also possible, but I didn't really want to take the risk on such a short and rare trip to NY. More to the point, I suggested it to Hazel and she nixed the idea straight away. I know which side my bread is buttered!! Having said all of this, I haven't totally ruled it out and Doc's plan may not be a bad one... Catriona, one happy memory of our last trip was standing in the p***ing rain in Central Park eating a slice of pizza and watching squirrels. There we were in the most cosmopolitan city in the world, surrounded by all the trappings of modern living, and we're standing watching squirrels. Over-excited tourist doesn't even begin to cover it. Sheesh! Bryan, the first night dinner is definitely up for discussion, and those two sound like excellent suggestions. I'll add them to our increasingly large pot of ideas! Susan, it's a kind offer, but I'm not sure that Hazel would understand. Si

Hi Doc, you're quick on the draw! To be honest, Daniel pretty much chose itself after the Michelin thread here, and other Michelin reporting elsewhere. I suppose on the one hand we're looking for a reasonably high-end experience for Hazel's birthday, in the Michelin 2-3 star range, but on the other we don't want an excessively French experience. (Proximity to France means we get to experience that more often than the NY high-end.) Even the vague idea that Michelin doesn't "get" NY dining by not granting Daniel 3 stars means I need to check it out! Katz's is on the list because of FG's comment somewhere (I'm paraphrasing) that if you don't like the pastrami at Katz's then you just don't get pastrami. In truth, I barely know what pastrami is, so I've got to sample it. Plus, I've always found those full-to-bursting deli sandwiches a classic NY image, so I need to get my hands on one. Grand Sichuan I chose in an attempt to finally exorcise the demons of a spectacularly bad Chinese meal on our last visit to NY. Plus, we love Sichuan food, love the peppercorns, and we needed a somewhat inexpensive dinner somewhere along the way. Gramercy Tavern is the one that I'm least sure about. I've seen it on lists of "good" restaurants before, it has a cool name, and I thought it might be a classic intro to NY on our first night. It sounds silly, but the phenomenon of "eating at the bar" doesn't exist over here, and I'd quite like to try it! Notable absences on the list include a good NY steakhouse and a good Japanese restaurant. In truth, time and cost are both factors here, in addition to the fact that we can have steak anytime (I know I know, possibly not like this, but still), and we don't know enough about Japanese food to really appreciate it. Thank you for your feedback. It's good to know that I'm at least on the right track. And don't worry, I won't be leaving it too late to book. Si [edited to add: when I say that eating at the bar doesn't exist over here, I don't mean that people don't eat in bars. What I mean is that, for the most part, good restaurants don't have bar areas, so if you're eating in a restaurant, you're at a table. I don't know why this captures my imagination in any way, shape or form, but it does!!]

Hi folks, My gf turns 30 at the end of April (and I turn 31 the following day!) so we're planning a trip to NY to celebrate and, of course, to eat. Now, without wanting to jinx things too much, we were fortunate enough to find ourselves at elBulli for her birthday last year, so we're going somewhat all out on this trip. We haven't been to NY since 2000, and we can't wait to get back and sample some of the better restaurants. Okay, so I've put together a sample itinerary that at the moment is a work in progress. I would obviously like some opinions on it, but while I'm here, I really want to find out is it realistic. I have us going to Daniel on a Friday night and WD-50 on a Saturday. What's more, we both hate to eat too early or too late, so ideally we'd be looking for a table at 7:30 at the earliest, to maybe 9:30 at the latest. I know the NY scene is probably a little different to what I'm used to (!) but is this even remotely possible? Is there anything I can do to help secure reservations? I should stress, I'm not too proud to beg if that would help! In any case, we want to include a good mix of NY restaurants. I'm not so bothered about getting to Ramsay or Ducasse, as I can sample their empires closer to home. Per Se is probably an obvious choice, but we *really* want to go to FL at some later point and don't want to spoil the surprise. Here's the list, let me know what you think: Arr Thurs 26th April Lunch: Whatever we can grab on our way in from the airport Dinner: Gramercy Tavern, possibly in the Tavern room. We're looking for a suitably New York first night, but will probably be too jet-lagged to appreciate Fine Dining. Fri 27th April (Hazel's birthday) Lunch: Pizza/Slice somewhere TBC. Dinner: Daniel. Sat 28th April (my birthday) Lunch: Katz's Dinner: WD-50 Sun 29th Brunch: TBC Dinner: Grand Sichuan (which one?) Mon 30th Lunch: Jean-Georges Dinner: Aeroplane food! How does that look? Any advice would be gratefully received, as I've plenty of time to think about this plan. The last time we were in NY we made horrible food choices (can't remember where we ate) and we don't want to repeat the mistake. If anyone has any top tips for getting difficult reservations, I'd be chuffed to hear them!! Thanks, Si

Congratulations! Whatever you do, don't forget to respond!! Si

That's as may be, but surely Tim's Nigella idea would please all-comers? Si

Palms sweating, breath catching, stomach fluttering, it was with considerable trepidation that I walked towards the front door. The vigorous burst of knocking that had pierced the silence seconds before could mean only one thing: Gully had arrived. A modern icon, one who strikes fear into the hearts of McDonald’s proprietors the world over, one who has dined in the finest of restaurants with the finest of company, stood on the other side of my door, and any second now we would be face to face. Well, maybe not face to face. Face to shin perhaps. I flung open the door and there, pirouetting calmly on the spot with a hungry look in his eye, was Gully. I got straight to the point. “You are most welcome, Gully, but you should know I am a man of simple means, I can but offer pizza and beer to refresh you after your arduous journey.” The merest hint of a smile crossed his lips. Without a word he danced past me in the direction of the kitchen, inexorably drawn by some innate primeval instinct. I watched him go, marvelling at his swift movement and lightness of foot. Earlier that afternoon his PA had warned me to be careful, that Gully could out-eat and out-drink even those with the heartiest of appetites. Seeing him gyrate down the hall, many would have considered such a claim to be laughable, but I wasn't fooled. He was small certainly, but he was wiry, and he looked remarkably fresh for someone who had just travelled 3000 miles. I knew I was in for a long night. A contented volley of burps roused me from my reverie and, smiling happily, I followed the sound. By the time I reached the kitchen, Gully was waltzing with an empty bottle on the table-top, a full bottle open beside him, and another across the table. With the slightest motion of his head, he beckoned me to join him. I sat down, lifted my beer, and heard a deep, resonant voice say “Slainte!” I stared at Gully in astonishment, but his face remained impassive as he danced. “Right back at ya, Gully” I toasted, and finished my beer in one swallow. I won’t pretend that I remember much about the remainder of the evening. The two slices I recall eating do nothing to explain the 17 empty pizza boxes I found the next day. When Gully found the Riverdance CD I had taken such care to hide, things got really crazy. I tried to keep up, I tried to gain an advantage by passing more and more bottles to him, but it was no use. The last memory I have before passing out is of Gully, slice of pepperoni in one hand, beer in the other, dancing across the keys of my piano, his feet a blur as they tap out “Food Glorious Food” over and over again. I awoke the next morning in my own bed, a glass of water and an alka-seltzer beside me on the locker. I gingerly negotiated the stairs and entered the kitchen. To my amazement, it was as clean as I had ever seen it. The bottles and cardboard boxes had been neatly separated for recycling, and apart from a small piece of paper stuck to the fridge, not one item was out of place. Smiling contentedly, I read the note. It said simply “Enjoy your breakfast”.

What a fantastic way to start a rainy Friday morning. Thanks to all, I feel truly honoured. To celebrate my first (and most probably last) Golden Gully, I think I'll take him out to dinner. I hope he can hold his liquor!! Si

Ah she's probably only faking. Call her bluff!! Si PS Kidding!

Tim, that's a great post, chock full of good points, but this one especially got me thinking. I don't know how I feel about this programme either. I have seen people laughing in the face of it, others claiming that Heston is actually laughing at us, and to be honest under normal circumstances the temptation to mock the pretension of it all would be too much for me to resist myself. Having said all this, for some reason I think it's not nearly as cynical, or as pretentious, as some people think. You know, I think Heston really *is* a guy who is trying to "perfect" dishes, at least to his own mind. I think the fact that he eschews the MG moniker is probably symbolic of his viewpoint -- he's not doing it for its own sake, with a totally dogmatic approach -- he's simply trying to make these dishes as tasty as possible, with whatever technical means is necessary. Of course, the "you can try this at home" aspect is, for the most part, ludicrous, but I think Heston passionately believes that methods of cooking can be improved. I don't think he wants to be known as "the guy who cooks great scientific stuff" but rather "the guy who cooks great food". For this reason, I think this show is actually an attempt to step away from his media-crowned role of MG King. Up until this, the word "Heston" was rapidly followed by "Snail Porridge", or "Bacon and Egg ice-cream". Think Heston, think unappetising combinations of ingredients. Of course this is a problem with MG's image across the board: many people just assume it won't taste good, and that it's always style over substance. Here, we have Heston cooking treacle tart, Black Forest gateau, steak and salad, fish n' chips. This is something that should speak to the average Brit in their own language. If Heston truly believes that techniques can be improved (and I believe he does) and he wants to push an idea of good food done better (and I believe he does) then this is going to persuade the man on the street more effectively than Snail Porridge. Some may still laugh, but I think it's thought-provoking to all but the most closed-minded of punters. Few will ever try the recipes at home, but that's not really the point. For me, this is a robust defence of modern cooking techniques, which may tip the balance in the teetering MG viewpoint. As regards the menu at Fat Duck itself, I'm somewhat torn. When I read about the restaurant first, many moons ago, it was the headline wacky-sounding stuff that caught my eye, and when I went, I honestly would have been very disappointed if they hadn't been on the menu. On the flip side, having since seen the elBullis and Alineas of this world in action, FD now just seems so pedestrian. The thing is, though, when I was there (a Sunday lunch) I got the very strong sense that it was a "regular haunt" for some of the patrons. Indeed, one large group seemed to be there for a young girl's birthday party (girl, about 12, festooned in birthday paraphernalia!) and seemed remarkably at home. Somehow, despite the menu, the place felt like a local restaurant serving Sunday roasts to well-to-do families fresh from church. It may be that he's doing plenty of repeat business from a demographic that would not necessarily be expected. Certainly, at the table I'm referring to, both Granny and granddaughter tucked in with gusto! In short, I think he can continue to do what he's doing at Fat Duck and he'll continue to fill the restaurant. But if he wants to be considered with the greats mentioned above, that menu, or at least a part of it, needs to change on a more regular basis. Si

Maybe the EU was right after all. Growth hormones in animals has long been the subject of EU-US controversy. On a purely personal and non-scientific level, I don't like the idea of animals being injected with hormones, as my gut feeling is that it isn't a good idea. The quote in italics, above, seems telling to me. I stress, my view is based on no science whatsoever, and is possibly biased by some bizarre and misplaced national pride. Si

Are times so hard that they needed to club together to buy milk? Si

My mother certainly served corned beef and cabbage on a reasonably regular basis. Of course, she served spaghetti bolognese on a regular basis as well, so it doesn't really mean anything! Si