Vivian Horwitz

I went there for dinner with my brother on a short trip to NYC a while back - the noise level was INCREDIBLE couldnt hear myself think (loud enough to be unpleasnt to my euro-sensibilities) I ordered a bottle of white burgundy (expensive wine -mantargis as I remember) anyway got the wrong wine (was cheaper wine - sent it back eventually got the right wine but by then halfway through dinner) My Bro (who is a NYorker by adoption & marriage) had stone crab "wunnerful wunnerful" I tasted it and was less impressed - my tuna was rank, stale inedible and really rather nasty. Ann's oysters were excellent. Overall - expensive, noisy and apart from the history and decor and stuff like that - if what you want to do is eat then I would go elsewhere. Though if somebody else is paying I will always "go in hope" it ought to be one of the great places and could be.

Just a sad little note on the flo chain mentioned - we tend travel to our apt in paris (which is in the newly fashionable 18th) via the gare du nord and this has always meant either lunch or breakfast at the Terminus Nord (one of the flo chain) The last 2 times the meal has been exceptional only for being unmemorable. Food is tending to be sourced cheaper and instead of solid bistro cooking is more of the "assembled" variety. Croissant for breakfast was simply bad - better ones at the station bar! - I would council caution in re Flo - which is sad - I assume cashflow or just "grown too large syndrome" BTW if in Paris visit Gallerie Lafayette's ground floor Truffle dept (Lafayette Gourmet) there is a truffle in there the size of a baketball - must be worth a million bucks! upstairs the sandwich bar is a good fusion-y snack stop and the supermarket is reallygood for own cook supplies.