sethd

I understand that as a regular customer at Le Bernardin ( as well as Per Se, Jean Georges, and Adour) that I will be treated differently from a first time guest and that my observations regarding food and service at the above restaurants must be understood with that in mind. I think that restaurants should take special care of returning guests and regular customers. However, I was a first time guest at Le Bernardin once: I remember being quite apprehensive prior to my first time there (on sept 4th, 2001), especially since I was going as a single diner. Fortunately, I was treated immediately as a valued customer and I decided quite early during my meal that I would return. Similarly, I haven't returned to many restaurants, including EMP, Le Cirque, Cafe Boulud, Gordon Ramsey, and Daniel, largely because of horrific service issues. In fact, the only restaurant I have returned after a bad first experience was ADNY. My first meal there (a lunch the year it opened) was a disaster on many fronts. I waited a year and returned,, largely because I couldn't imagine having a bad meal at a Ducasse restaurant, and had a wonderfull meal and became a regular. For me, a fine dining experience must included superb food, wonderful service, and a pleasant, albeit, more formal atmosphere. That is why I continue eating at Le Bernardin, Per Se, Jean Georges, and Adour. I have never had a food or service mishap (the wine pouring instance at Le B not withstanding) during my over 1000 meals there. I expect that my good fortune will continue.

I know I have been going to Le Bernardin; you chefboy, I don't know were you are going. I have been going to Le Bernardin consistently since Sept 4, 2001 and I have seen Ripert every time I have eaten there and have been personally greeted by him at all my meals (mostly lunches)during the last 4-5 years. I have many friends who have eaten at Le Bernardin and will second the warm personality of Aldo Sohm. I am surprised, that you, chef boy, continue to return to a restaurant that you clearly don't enjoy. It brings up another intersting topic of discussion. What makes one return to a restaurat often compared to others in the city?

I will give another impression of Le Bernardin. I am always greeted by name when I arrive at the restaurant and I am welcomed by the entire wait staff when I am seated. I am always treated graciously even by the reservationist. I am always given a pleasant good bye when I leave. I find the service faultless, although once they spilled wine on the table while pouring, and I believe that the wine service is the best in the city. M. Sohm is a pre-emiment gentleman and I enjoy interacting with him whenever I eat at Le Bernardin. I am also welcomed by M. Ripert at all of my meals. The one time Keller was at Per Se he didn't even walk into the dining room. However, I do agree that the service at Per Se is superb. My last meal there this past saturday lunch was a wonderful progression of 15 courses with great wines and exemplary service.

One of the continuing themes on this board is the possibility of having bad experiences at even the best restaurants here in New York or in France. For example, most people on this board extol the virtues of EMP, while my meal there was a travesty. I do think, however, that the entire dining experience in France is different from the states. it is possible to have superlative meals, even in unstarred places, in small French towns. The french pride themselves on a love of all things food. We in America approach food, dining, and service much differently from the French. Those differences, i believe, are magnified in the fine dining restaurants. I, too, had my best, most memorable meals in New York at ADNY.

Although I agree Per Se and ADNY gave the best approximation with three star dining in Europe, they don't equal the best that can be found in Europe. I recently asked one of the g.m.'s at Per Se how he felt his restaurant compared to the best in Paris ( he had just returned from eating at some of the three stars in Paris), his response was in short that as good as Per Se is, the French just do fine dining better. I have never had anything but superlative service at Le Bernardin and I have eaten there monthly since 2001.

I don't think you can go wrong with either restaurant. I have eaten twice at Le Bernardin and Per Se in the last 3 weeks and had superlative experiences. Per Se may be the best dining experience in the city these days, but Le Bernardin is right up there. The service is faultless at both restaurants. The biggest difference, for me, is the price of the wines and the wine service. The Per Se list is much more expensive than the comparable list at Le Bernardin. I also think the wine service is better at Le Bernardin. Aldo Sohm, the head sommelier at Le Bernardin has been awarded best sommelier last year and is a wonderful, polite man and a pleasure to interact with....

Gustibus non disputandum est. My meal at Taillevent in June 2006 was my least memorable of my 60 meals in Paris and Monaco in the last 3 years. The service was too formal and somber: i thought I was eating at a funeral home with the casket in the middle of the dining room. M. Vrinat, though, was a consummate professional and I enjoyed my interaction with him. Not so much the rest of the staff.

Well...some people claim Daniel is still doing it, though I personally did not have that reaction. Maybe I just got lucky, or maybe they mistakenly took me for a more sophisticated person than I am. ← I think Le Bernardin and Per Se have the best service in the city with Jean Georges just a neck behind.

A restaurant of the caliber, reputation, and price of Daniel should make all its patrons feel special not only the regular customers. I also think that fact that Daniel is willing to admit a need and desire to treat UES regulars differently from first timers is terrible. I am fortunate that I am regular customer at the other NYTimes four star restaurants and perhaps get treated better than first time guests. But, I expect that first time guests at Jean George or Le Bernardin get treated superbly. I was a first time guest there once and decided to return often not only because of superb food, but because I was treated so well by the staff at my initial visits.

I agree completely. EMP is the most overpraised restaurant in the city.

I find it interesting and surprising that Bruni praises the grandeur of the dining room at Daniel but has criticized such grandeur at other restaurants over his years as the New York Times reviewer. One of the cricisms I have had a Daniel and the major reason I don't eat there as often as I do the other three star restaurants is I don't think the service is as welcoming of a relatively young single diner as it should be.

Frank Bruni was pointed out to me by Jean Georges himself. The major restaurants also share information regarding Bruni's aliases, etc.

I know that Frank Bruni is easily recognized when he goes out and reviews restaurants. Jean Georges himself pointed Bruni out to me at the bar at Jean Georges. In addition, the managers of restaurants often contact their competition regarding Bruni's aliases, etc.

I had a superb meal last night at The Modern. I hear that Corton has available for the first sitting.

I had lunch at jean georges on saturday as well and was told about the two additions when I sat down at the bar. This is the first time in 7+ years of eating at j.g that they had additions to the lunch menu. Although, both dishes are standard on the jean georges dinner menu. I had the "crunchy bunny" (love that name) and found it less spicy than on previous visits.

First, the superb Black Bass tartare is still on the menu. I just returned from lunch at Le Bernardin and had the dish: Wonderful. The supplemental charge is usually in the 20$ range. I eat at Le Bernardin quite frequently for lunch and often have a extra savory dish. I also agree that you shouldn't miss desert. The pastry chef is one of the two best in the city. Only Sandro at Adour is as good.

And Michael Laskonis's desserts are great...don't deprive yourself! ← They have no problem adding another savory course at lunch. I do it all the time. Yes, there is a supplement added to the bill.

The Black Bass, if you enjoy raw seafood (and if it's available). ← The tuna with fois appetizer is superb.

Yes i believe Astrance is worth the trouble of trying to get a table. I had the opportunity to have lunch at Astrance in January, 2007. My reservation obtained through the efforts of group alain ducasse and the concierge at the George V. I selected the seven course menu with wines: I thought the food delicious, the service professional and extremely friendly, considering I am a solo american diner with almost no knowledge of french. My only complaint was that I ate and drank so much I was not able to enjoy my dinner at Apicius that evening.

For dinner, you get three savory course plus desert. They also have a superb cheese cart. You might ask before you arrive whether they will be willing to have one tasting and one regular menu at the table.

Stay at a palace hotel and pray that when the concierge calls they have a opening. Or failing that, just Pray!!!

Welcome to egullet and thanks for a great first post. I can't believe you're only 16. (I'm jealous - I didn't realize my love for food until considerably later.) ← Happy Birthday!! You have done a wonderful job in describing what makes Per Se such a special place!!!

I definitley agree... the NYC 3* restaurants do not compare to most of the 3* in Paris or France in general. I, myself, am usually disappointed with NYC 3* places, and I live there! ← I don't necessarily agree--we visited Per Se and L'Arpege within two months of each other, and I'd have to give the nod to Per Se. I think especially at the 3* level, roses are fairly comparable across continents. There are levels within 3*. ← I disagree. I have eaten multiple times at both Per Se (9) and L'arpgege (4) and there is no comparision. Arpege is better. I recently had a discussion with one of the managers at Per Se concerning three star restaurants in New York and Paris. He admitted that he thought the restaurants in paris were superior as well.

But how bold can a chef be in a place that's doing classic bistro food? ← By introducing dishes that offer modern takes on the classics. Or by introducing dishes that have been out of style for so long that they seem new. ← Bottom line is that AD is either jinxed or opens in shitty locations, or doesn't have his finger on the NY dining pulse - or all of the above. Maybe he should open Momofuku AD? ← Perhaps, Alain Ducasse has not been treated fairly by new york city critics (Bruni and Platt come to mind) or a legion of poorly informed new york city diners who seem to expect culinary fireworks from any french chef who arrives in Manhattan. Most of the recent criticisms of ducasse's new york city restaurants Adour and Benoit always include the phrases"boring or uninteresting". Alain Ducasse is not Pierre Gagnaire or Adria, nor does he want to be. He is a chef who is known for using the best ingredients to prepare elegant simple meals. Check his Adour website when he discusses his 60% 40% philosophy. As for Benoit: isn't the goal of Benoit to offer a "traditional" french bistro cuisine in New York.