Meredith380

Anna, where Theodore? too cute!

Porthos I completely agree and wouldn't do it either- however when I worked at a fine dining steak house people did it all the time. To me it defeats the purpose like you said. As a hostess there it made me nuts to have to take phone orders whiles guests stood waiting for tables and then to have to run around the kitchen in heels to out together their steaks which totally lose their temperature for the pleb who ordered it to drive and take home.

Depends on the establishment. A lot of fine dining places will do to go food but have hostesses or bar staff deal with the transaction as there isn't a cashier.

My general rule is that if I am getting take out from a restaurant, and the person giving it to me , i.e: bartender, hostess, someone who's main job is not to do take out, I tip. It may be only 10-15% but I recognize that I am taking this person away from their main job. If I get a pizza at a counter and call it in and the person I'm getting my food from is a cashier, I rarely tip unless the service is extraordinary.

Looks nice. Chives ought to be sliced a bit finer. Welcome back! Who invited the home cook police? Get over yourself. I'd much rather have a thoughtful partner cooking for me than a critical one.

Agreed. The thin crust is good and the greasy deep dish goes well with beers for Sunday Funday Football.

My fiancé and I have been overwhelmed with the storms aftermath. Losing a car, power and the contents of our refrigerator we consider ourselves lucky, living in Hoboken. I looked at the calendar tonight in shock after dinner and informed him that Thanksgiving is next week. There went our plans to visit his parents in Tahoe as flights are over a grand. Does anyone know what restaurants may be open in Hobken or NYC (if we can get there on a holiday)? I know The Manor, Higlawn and Rods are open having worked at all three but we may not have a car by then (our car was totalled in the storm). Thanks in advance!

I work in a Conference Center. If you're having what I would classify as a board meating, it's a meeting of the Executive board members. In that case, I would talk to their admins about their food preferences. Believe me, they have them. If it's just a lunch meeting, I would opt for cold foods-- salads, sandwiches, etc. They allow for eating during meetings without food losing it's desire temperature.

That's a surprising response. Given the amount of people who have had that special feeling they expected at the Manor on their wedding day in the past 4 plus decades. Did you get married there?

I just threw up in my mouth. That furry head was just way too much.

It's seriously late in the game for reservations, but I would suggest the Highlawn Pavilion or the Manor's Terrace Lounge. If you're looking for last minute reservations, call Monday around 4, they will have cancelations and get you in. Should be around 65$, 4 course pre fixed menu. Mike-- if you're in a bind reservation-wise, PM me.

Thanks for the info, I've been meaning to try it. After being told there was a 2 1/2 hr wait at the Sushi Lounge last Friday, I've been looking for a place to go (we went to Ming II which was excellent).

I think you mean Sammy's in Mendham.

And again, I cannot imagine the restaurant winning should the customer dispute the charge. I agree that asking for a CC number is a good way to inspire people to cancel instead of just no showing; as long as the restaurant doesn't actually plan to ever collect any money. And that example quoted is just outrageous. Several days notice?? shit happens. I wouldn't go there. ← Any restaurant I've worked in, regardless of us acquiring credit card numbers, cannot charge a no show fee based on the lack of a proper contract. Acquiring a credit number isn't enough-- the credit card companies will fight a charge and win. Credit card numbers are simply asked for to prevent no shows.

I agree with Steven here, trusting him with his comment about not covering food stuff that well. Hey, I'm just a provincial girl from Chicago, a city with amazing restaurants , a vibrant food culture and two dailies with food sections and food reviewers who barely rise above student paper writing. I think Bruni was spot on here, I don't give a care about his sexual oreintation, and I'm amazed that there's this long thread that exists mostly to say Bruni knows dick. Entertaining people all over the world is laudable. And, um, apart from the good folks at the LA Times who's that much better than Bruni? ← Well said. I loved this review and I think I love the outcry even more.

Since this topic is open and everyone seems to lean towards "just order something", I have a different experience. I don't have a large appettite, if I'm going out for a big dinner, I will watch what I eat in order to take advantage of it. But I've been caught off guard with various friends/ family/ boyfriend's families for meals on a whim while not hungry. I always order something, and 90% of the time, do not finish it and take it to go. Only to get scornful looks and comments about "do you ever eat". This makes me insane. How can one win in those situations?

Ouch! I didn't know that scarfs helped sore throats, although I always do it out of comfort. I think most of the Northeast has some type of illness now, thanks to the temperature drop. A good lunch for a sore arm (and throat?)-- probably soup and a glass of wine!

Spending a quarter of 25 grand, split by 8 people still comes out to 781$ and change per head. I agree the 25k meal is obsence but I guess when you factor in the wines plus the costs of importing various chefs to cook it, hell why not. People will pay for anything.

$55 a day, for both meals? Including beverages and liquor?

Megan, I can relate to your diet coke addiction, I drink anywhere from 2-4 daily. I wake up and crack one which is a terrible habit, but I love it! Where are you from originally? It can't be Jersey, otherwise you'd have been to Hoboken! I assume you're going to the Union Square Market? Maybe a brew at Heartland Brewery (although not unique) would be a nice refreshment post market. Great to see you blogging!

I'm guessing SATC= Sex and the City, but it doesn't seem to mesh with the rest of your list-- am I right or wrong?

I would have been disgusted. Perhaps I'm not worldly enough to appreciate cats in restaurants but that really, seriously, bugs me. In a home, no not at all. But in a restaurants, there are laws prohibiting that. As there are laws prohibiting foodhandlers from smoking publicly, forget the smoking ban. I wouldn't pay for such a blatant lack of service. Seriously, I'm shruddering at the idea of a cat in a restaurant. While that may be the standard in other nations, it's not here, and those laws exsist for a reason. Gross.

No hints on the next blog? Not that the current one isn't fantastic!

How can you eat 8-10 cheeses alone for one meal and not gain a significant amount of weight?

From the article, and admittedly off topic: "Moreover, Per Se, like more than a thousand restaurants worldwide, has an agreement with American Express to keep a table open for holders of their premium cards. “A card member, he’s going to buy a $700 bottle of wine rather than a $300 bottle of wine,” Mr. Keller said." What a load of crap. I have an Amex and you'd better believe I'm not foolish enough to drop $700 on a bottle of wine. And as someone who works in reservations, there is nothing worse than a call from the "AmEx Platnium Services" requesting a reservation that the customer is too damned lazy to place. Hell you have to call AmEx, just call the restaurant. And you can bet, with the same "contract" I've turned AmEx down. It doesn't guarantee you a table. It guarantees A TABLE for one of the thousands of AmEx cardholders. And, Mr. Keller, are you disparaging the customer who orders a bottle of wine priced at $300 rather than $700? I would think the customer ordering the $300 bottle would be more wine savvy and less of a show off, unless of course, that's what he's looking for. Then again, according to Bruni's article last Wednesday, you take Mr. Keller verbaim and believe he wants his guest to have the full "Thomas Keller Experience" by getting rid of the 5 course tasting menu. So is it all about the experience or all about the average price per customer?