LPShanet

My impression is that the variability is nothing recent. I've found them to be totally inconsistent for years. I've had very good slices there and really mediocre ones with little rhyme or reason over a long period...certainly back to the late 90's if not earlier. For the last few years, I've found that in that nabe, Bleecker Street Pizza tends to be more consistently good these days.

Del Posto. Regardless of whatever differences of opinion there may be about the food, it's pretty tough to find many negatives in their current cocktail program. Right up there with many cocktail destinations, and a good combo of classic and newfangled offerings.

Noticed you mentioned Bohemian, a place that hasn't really been discussed much on these boards. What can you say about it? Also, is it still a mystery in terms of getting in?

I think what you're referring to (restaurants from NY opening up branches in Vegas) is part of a totally different animal than what we're talking about here. Rather than creating a facsimile of a successful big city restaurant in Vegas so that the tourists can get in on the action and the owners can cash in on their success (which is what happens in most NY/LA/Paris to Vegas transplants), this one is a totally different situation. LOS is not part of the Strip, nor of the moneyed Vegas culture. Consider it just a coincidence that the original happens to be in Vegas. It could be in any strip mall in any smaller city in the US. However, it is worth noting that most such efforts to bring other cities' top restaurants to NY haven't done well in the past. I did get back to LOS NY a few weeks ago, having had the prix fixe previously. On my second visit, I was able to sample some items from the a la carte menu, and have a slightly better sense of what the place is likely to be like going forward. Unfortunately, while I thought it was pretty decent, in my opinion it doesn't really do the LV original justice. Either accidentally or intentionally, the food at the NY branch feels noticeably more Westernized and less authentic than the original. The flavors can still be very good, and in a city with a limited number of good Thai restaurants, there's still a reason to go. But it certainly feels like it falls short of the LV mothership on many levels. The spice has been toned down quite a lot, the list of dishes is much shorter, and the overall feeling is that maybe they're trying to create a new version of their offering for what they think (probably wrongly) that NY audiences want. I enjoyed both of my meals there, but I didn't find it to be the eye opening experience that eating at the Vegas original is. With any luck, they may try to up their game, but I fear that we may now be seeing what we're gonna get. Can you do better in Queens? Probably. But there still isn't a whole lot in Manhattan for them to fight with, so it may be mostly a matter of whether Manhattanites are willing to pay an additional premium to eat at LOS versus the stuff they're already consuming.

Sounds worth starting a Ciano thread with a review of your visit if you have time.

Absolutely. I mentioned Lincoln more so for being the latest of the genre and a hot topic in the press and food boards. They might even be more interested in Mailano or Locande Verde. Better yet Torrisi Italian Specialties might be a good call (not so much for the food but the concept which has made it a big hit) Good calls. Also Ciano is another one in that category.

Luke's Lobster is great. Limited menu, though, and very casual (not taxing at all). Basically, just lobster rolls (probably the best in Manhattan) and other seafood rolls, as well as a few go-withs, in what amounts to a neighborhood sandwich shop with a few stools. The rolls are very addictive, though, so if you haven't had one, definitely go. Thank your friend later. In terms of farmer's markets, the one in Union Square is still one of the best. Not sure the days/hours, but many top chefs get stuff there. It is a bit cold for that, but what the heck. In terms of soup dumplings, make sure you get them from an actual Shanghainese place, as that's their provenance. The standard Chinese places serve them, but they may or may not be the real deal. Also, if you want standard dim sum, you can always go to Ping's Seafood, Golden Unicorn or any other standard. Not stellar, but fun and satisfying. Can give more recommendations in and around Chinatown if you're interested, such as good banh mi sandwiches, hand pulled noodles, Malaysian and Thai. There is great Japanese food in NYC, and if you live anywhere that doesn't have top end Japanese (read: pretty much only LA), you may want to splurge. You can do great sushi (Yasuda, Ushi Wakamaru), vegetarian kaiseki (Kajitsu), amazing seasonal (Kyo Ya), full on kaiseki (Sugiyama, Rosanjin), great ramen (Ippudo, among others), home cooking (Tsukushi) and many other forms. They vary quite a bit in price, so you may well find something you like without breaking the bank. However, good Japanese food shouldn't be skimped on. There's no such thing as "bargain sushi". The theater district is pretty weak in terms of restaurants. Totally endorse the recommendation above of going to the Modern's Bar Room instead. Also, Ma Peche and the above mentioned Sugiyama aren't that far from there. If you have to stay right near the theater district, then Sushi of Gari, Aureole, Esca and Print are your best bets. Good luck and report back.

If we're talking about high end Italian, we should also include Del Posto in the conversation, although it's quite pricey. But since it's the first Italian restaurant to get four stars from the Times since the 70's, and they've recently upped their game, it's very much worthy of consideration, especially if you're also talking about Lincoln (which in my personal recent experience was just as expensive and not nearly as good).

As mentioned above, there's no need to order. And since you're open-minded, hungry and willing to spend, it's even easier. Just tell the sushi chef you want to let him choose, and he'll take care of the rest. Most of the people at the bar will probably be doing the same. You can let him know if there's anything you especially love or avoid, but other than that, just sit back and enjoy. One specialty of the place is doing "flights" within the meal of different examples/versions of related products, such as uni from several different sources, or different fish in the same family/category. As for the timing, you'll probably be fine. As long as you're still eating, they won't make you leave. It'll be good no matter whose station you're at, but definitely try to get Yasuda if his station is available. He usually works the end of the bar, so there's room for more than four ultimately.

Speaking of seconding, I second the mention of Aldea, above. Forgot to include that on my list, but have had several very good meals there.

There are too many to try in that number of days, obviously, but a few to consider are Corton, Brooklyn Fare, WD-50 and Momofuku Ssam Bar (so you'll get a sense of what Chang is doing if you can't get into Ko). They all will provide food for thought as well as eating. There may be some disagreement, but I'd also say that EMP, L'atelier de Joel Robuchon, Soto, Annisa and Degustation will be great spots to try. And certainly the lunch at Jean Georges is a great place to start. Definitely one of the best foodie bargains in town. Also, if you have time, you may want to get out to Blue Hill at Stone Barns to see what Dan Barber is doing out there. I'm sure others will chime in with dozens more, so focusing down on seven may be the tough part.

Glad I'm not the only one pleasantly surprised by Del Posto. I hope you return soon, as I'm eager to hear what you think of the dessert program. For me, it was one of the highlights, despite the fact that I'm not usually a dessert guy.

Thanks for the link to the site...lots of good info there. Didn't find anything that sounded like the oyster I'm trying to find, though. It's definitely not Kumamotos, as the word sounded totally different from that, and I've eaten many dozens of Kumamotos before. Here's a link to the video in question. He mentions it a little after 1:20.

QFT. I think those who lean heavily towards eating only fusion-style sushi (and especially novelty rolls) can't be counted as knowing or appreciating sushi at the highest level. There is certainly a place for those artisans who evolve the form at a high level (e.g. Seki/Gari, Nobu in its day, and the like), but any time someone assesses really superior traditional sushi as boring, and cites an absence of fusion dishes and rolls with seven ingredients, you can be pretty sure you're dealing with a relative noob to the form. An overall knowledge of food doesn't guarantee a knowledge or understanding of sushi. And certainly all food writers don't have strengths or preferences in all cuisines. I don't remember the specific quote, though, so is it possible it referred to the (intentionally) low energy of the room?

I was watching a video recently in which David Chang mentioned a variety of oyster that he said had a very strong perfume when opened, that was reminiscent of watermelon. Anyone know what type of oyster this might be? He said the name quickly, but it was very hard to decipher. Sounded like two syllables, along the lines of "Treblen" or something like that.

The other sushi restaurants in the neighborhood that I've tried are: Inase, Poke, Tokubei 86. Do you prefer Gajyumaru to them? Especially curious since Gajyumaru is around the corner from me. To call Gajyumaru a "sushi restaurant" is missing the point a bit, I think. They're more about the cooked dishes, and traditional Japanese fare. If you're looking for good sushi in that area, I think Sasabune is probably better than any of the ones mentioned by a measurable margin. Also, if you like "new style" sushi, going down to to Gari or even Seki might be worth your while. However, if you like homier Japanese fare, the OP's suggestion is on the mark for the 'hood.

Apparently, the restaurant will remain open (with the original manager), and one of Yasuda's deputies will be taking over the reins at the counter. They promise no change in quality, but Yasuda himself has always been such an important part of the experience. From the NY Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/dining/24yasuda.html

I do not think Sifton has been particularly generous with stars. Just two new restaurants have received three stars, and I think he has goose-egged places more often than Bruni did. Bruni's ratings tracked Platt's pretty closely, so there's a good chance his review of Lincoln would have been worse. True. The beef with Sifton has little to do with how "easy" he is, and much more to do with how questionable his taste and writing have been. He has both overrated and underrated undeserving restaurants during his short tenure, in my opinion and that of many other folks. In the case of Lincoln, I happen to agree with the star outcome (as do some of the other reviewers, apparently)...it's the content that I think is misguided.

Alas, I don't have 5 other friends in NYC who are all available on the same night when I visiting in a week and a half. I think I will try to plan ahead for another time when their schedules are not as blocked up. Thanks for the comments and suggestions all! Jake For a nominal fee, I will supply you enough hungry friends to fill the remaining spaces.

So as a multi-day "feast" for one person interest would likely wane quickly, right? Jake I agree with kathryn. The bo ssam is a great dish, but it's better to mix in other dishes for a variety of flavors. Any single dish would get monotonous in large quantities with no variation. Maybe you can ask your friends if they have any friends who would be interested. You definitely don't need more than 6, as my friends and I polished one off with a LOT of other dishes, and there were only 5 or 6 of us.

That sounds like exactly the proffer at Craftbar. How do you think they compare in terms of value proposition? That reminds me of the decision to put the Cafe Gray kitchen between the dining room and the windows overlooking Columbus Circle. I felt that the main differences between Crafbar and Riverpark were in the "tone" of the place and menus. Craftbar is more rustic and market-driven in theme and in cuisine, with bolder flavors, whereas Riverpark is a little more elegant and subtle/sophisticated, both in terms of food and decor. It's just a different style. And Riverpark feels a bit "fancier" and more urbane for lack of better terms. I think the value of Riverpark is greater for that reason. With the dining room half-empty tonight, I didn't even realize one part was meant to be the "main room" and the other "the pub". I think they may not be making that distinction specifically any more, at least in the cold months. All of the diners were seated on the window side, and the other side was actually completely devoid of customers. Things aren't as bad/wasteful as the Cafe Gray debacle, but it certainly is odd (and not advantageous, that the bar interrupts the (otherwise quite handsome) room as it does.

Went to Riverpark with a few family members tonight and totally concur with the above reviews. Everything we ate was good, some of it REALLY good, and the prices are very reasonable for the level of refinement in the cuisine. As also stated by others, the location is bizarre, and eating there feels like you're not in Manhattan at all, but some random (yet modern) other city somewhere. It had shades of Canoe in Toronto, and many other places. To start, we tried the steak and sea urchin tartare, which was mostly like a steak tartare, with the sea urchin playing a supporting role to add richness and unctuousness. It succeeded. We also tried the squab mole (spicy, interesting and very good), the lobster and artichoke salad (subtle, tender, very nice), the braised octopus (very tender and delicious, with a special broth worth sopping with bread), and a pork tortelloni (which was spectacularly good...maybe the best dish of the night). Our mains included the smoked sturgeon (surprisingly rich and quite nice), and the scallops with hen of the woods mushrooms, kale-pear chutney and squash purée (very nice and competent, but not unique or transcendent). I think oakapple was dead right that this may be the strongest restaurant in the Colicchio empire right now, in terms of value for dollar. The food is sophisticated and very well prepared. The room is elegant and interesting, with nice views in spots, if a bit strangely conceived. However, I can't figure out for the life of me what TC had in mind when he created the place. Certainly, as a New Yorker, he knew that the location was a potential non-starter. And with the amount of space they have and the money obviously put into creating the room, I just don't see how they can make any profit. Tonight was a Sunday, and the room was barely a third full. And there will be essentially no foot traffic ever. Even with a full room (which holds 100+ diners) and two turns, it would seem that they'd have to be packed all the time to break even. So in addition to packing them in on Thursday through Saturday, I'd think they'd need to get a lot of business on other nights, too. And it's not the kind of neighborhood that's rife with diners who consume high-ish end food every night. Is there something I'm missing here? A mysterious benefactor or subsidy? Either way, I hope they make it, as it's a really fine restaurant.

Major shame about the sushi. When I went, it was done piece by piece, as it should be at that level.

Thanks for the great tip. I've had the omakase at a regular table a couple of times at Morimoto in NYC, and once in Philly, but had not realized that it could be different (and better) at the bar. Looks like I have another thing to add to my dining list for December when I go to NYC... Jake Glad to help. It really is a totally different experience at the Omakase Bar (not to be confused with the sushi bar or any of the other "bars" in the place), not just a better version of the same. Think of it as a separate restaurant within the restaurant. The regular omakase on the menu is a standardized set meal that changes occasionally, but is based on items on the regular menu. The omakase bar is totally free-form and takes advantage of special ingredients ordered only for that area. Way different, way better, and priced to match. If you have any way of finding out whether Morimoto is in the house that day, he may even do all the cooking himself. One caveat: it's been a couple of years since I did it, so you may want to make sure they still offer it, and definitely reserve it specifically in advance, as there are only a few seats (6-8, I think).

I had wondered why no one in the group had commented on Torrisi, either. My personal experience (based on one visit only) was that the food is very good, the experience (once you've finally been squeezed into a spot) is fun, homey and friendly, and that the overall takeaway is that it's well worth a visit, but maybe slightly inflated by hype. The cuisine is one of those that feels like comfort food, and reminds me of childhood, even though I probably never had any of these things any time during my childhood. It's not really rustic Italian, even though the food is both rustic and Italian-ish. It's more Italian-American, like what we might imagine was eaten by those who grew up in Little Italy long before the name "Nolita" came into play. I really like the place, and the $50 prix-fixe seems like a really good value. Certainly, $50 seems like a steal for "one of the hottest Italian places in town". However, I think if you dissect the meal like a mathematician, you'll find that it's comparable to quite a few other places in terms of price. It's not a ripoff by any stretch of the imagination. It's a very solid value. But it's probably not the steal that maybe some imply it is. Let's say a $60-65 dollar meal for $50 rather than a $100 meal for $50. The meal starts with a volley of little antipasti, which were great. They'd seem like a series of amuses at a fancier restaurant, but this is not the sort of shop that trades in "amuses". Soft mozzarella with olive oil and milk thistle cream seems to be a standby and is very nice. There are usually also a few little fried treats, sometimes vegetable (eggplant, cauliflower), sometimes animal. We had a little canape with baccala that was nice also. And often a salad-like item. Then, a small pasta course follows. Most people I've talked to have really liked that course. Mine was fine, but not special. It was a fairly standard linguine frutti di mare. Linguine tossed in a very tasty but standard issue red sauce with bits of fish and shellfish. For mains, there is usually a choice of two, one seafood and one meat/poultry. The day we went, the mains were a skate wing Francese and "devil's chicken". The skate wing was pleasant-tasting, but the breading wasn't properly crisp. Again, nice but nothing special. Had it been executed slightly more perfectly, it would have made a stronger case. The devil's chicken was slightly more done than optimal, and not quite as spicy as its name implies, but fine. In general, I think the little antipasti were by far the strongest suit of the meal, and things tailed off slightly from there. I've heard the same from a few other visitors, though it varies a bit because the menu changes frequently. The last "course" was a cookie plate that was also reminiscent of the Little Italy of yore. Those who know me here will know that I'm not a big proponent of this style of cookie. It doesn't have any nostalgia for me...it just seems like dry shortbread. The mini-cannoli weren't bad. But those unnatural looking tri-colored cookies are pretty redolent of marzipan...one of the few foods on the planet that I'm just not a fan of. I'm willing to concede that this is probably a personal bias, but I really think they would have been better off serving some kind of regular dessert instead of the cookie plate. Overall, I think going to Torrisi is great fun, and a good value. There may be a tendency to overhype it to some extent due to the good reviews and reasonable prix-fixe. But the staff were all really warm and friendly, and there wasn't any trace of that "in" restaurant condescension at all. I'd certainly go back any time, but on a truly objective basis, the food isn't as special as that being served at the next level up of Italian places, such as Scarpetta, L'artusi and the like. It sort of fills a middle ground between those and the slightly less ambitious value-oriented ones like Frank, Max and Il Bagatto.