mogsob

Steve, what an amazing review. I guess I am in the minority on the menu issue. If they want to just bring me food without any choice, fine. If I have a choice, also fine. While others have more experience with Craft than I do (having been there only once), let me just say that the meal, while not bad by any means, was quite disappointing. I intentionally ordered sweetbreads as one of the starters as this is my favorite dish at GT, and the Craft verision was not even close (but still very good). I also did not see any evidence of the "top notch ingredients cooked perfectly" theme. White asparagus were not a deeply flavored as those I got at Borough Market the week before, and were so overcooked as to destroy the texture. And the porterhouse, while impressively and deeply flavored from external sources, did not display any particular flavor of its own. The ramps, I must say, were incredible -- but that was the only dish that really knocked my socks off. I should also mention that the server was wonderful and, despite the buzz (which I hate), we felt quite catered to. If Craft were on the Upper East Side and about half the price, I would eat there a lot. But at $100 a head, there are a slew of restaurants I'd rather eat at.

Venice is one city that really rewards advance planning and research. La Rivetta, Sandro's, L'Incontro are all examples of very good, reasonable food in Venice. There is also a great restaurant (lunch only) on the main canal in Murano that is fantastic (but I forget the name).

A 1970 Lafite. Sadly, I was 21 at the time and my knowledge of wine was limited, at best. The only thing I recall was that it was just impossibly long and very structured. I do not, however, remember the flavors. The best wine I had in recent memory was a 1990 Suduiraut. Also long and structured, with layers of honey and peach.

$150-250?? Maybe on a restaurant's wine list, but in a store, no more than $60-75.

We had the 89 in the summer of 1999. It took a bit to open, but showed quite a bit a fruit and was very long. Quite a nice bottle indeed.

Assuming economics plays a role here: White: JJ Prum Red: Allegrini

Mao, I agree entirely with the Craft is dull statement, and partially agree with your critique of March. (BTW, I get the whole "best ingredients, simply prepared thing, but when I can find flaws in the preparation and the ingredients, something is wrong). For me, the magic at March is in the wine parings not necessarily the food on its own merits (the lobster dish notwithstanding). I always come away with a new wine or a new paring idea. I also love the room and service (the pushy service I think is an aberration).

A lobster dish in (I think) a sauce made from Muscat de Beaumes de Venise is remarkable and usually on the menu. I think I would order two of those so you don't have to share. And do the wine matching . . . clearly the best way to go.

Here are a few suggestions, based solely on food: American: GT, March, Savoy. Etats Unis Italian: Il Buco, Esca, Lupa French: Le Absenthe, Le Bernardin, Cello, Lespinasse Japanese: Sushi Yasuda Steak: Peter Luger NY is not as good as London for exploring other cuisines, so I would concentrate on the majors above. For the complete NY experience (style, buzz, people, design and all that), I would choose the following: American: The Four Seasons French: Le Cirque 2000, Jean-Georges, Raoul's Italian: Il Mulino Japanese: Sushi Yasuda Steak: Smith & Wollensky Brunch: The Brasserie I would stay away from Asia de Cuba, just plain bad and Blue Water Grill (nothing special, by any measure).

Steve, when I first moved to London, the Mayfair Sofra was a regular dining spot for us -- good, reasonable and open late was an unbeatable combination in that area. Since then, however, we have tried other Sofras around town to disasterous results. Were we just lucky in Mayfair, or is that location significantly better than the others? BTW, quite the encyclopedic response to the original post. Nothing left to add.

Pan, I would commend you to Steven's review of Gennaro which nicely sums up my experience better than I could. I would say that Gennaro is at least on the level of the Village restaurants mentioned below, although I like the atmosphere in the Village better. Prices at Etats Unis are quite reasonable. Figure $10 for a starter, $25 for a main. The real savings is on the wine list, where numerous bargains abound for those willing to look beyond the usual. A great 1994 Gran Reserva from Montecillo, the aforementioned Paolo Bea wines, Mas Julien from the Languedoc and numerous selections from Germany and Austria await. They also have a wine bar across the street with a somewhat similar, but simpler menu. But, outside of the date pudding and the chocolate souffle (also a classic, but not in the same league as the pudding), every other dish on the menu is market driven. You can go 15 times without seeing a starter or main repeat. My advice -- if there is a gnocchi starter, get that. For the mains, anything with the word chop is very good, be it pork, veal or lamb. Also, they age their own steak on premises in very small quantities. If it is available (it rarely is), it is also very good.

In recent weeks I have drunk quite a few wines from the 1994 vintage. Despite the questionable conditions and poor reviews, top producers seem to make good wine today year and year out, the only difference being in the output (more output in better vintages). Given the significant price difference between 1994 and 1995, I think these wines provide great value (for Bordeaux). In particular, wines from top producers other than the 1er crus are very reasonable (e.g., $30-40 for Gruaud Larose, Lynch Bages, the Leovilles, Grand Puy Lacoste, Grand Puy Ducasse). Any thoughts?

A quick trip to NY was the perfect time to return to an old favorite (Etats Unis) and try two new places (Craft and Gennaro). Etats Unis An old favorite, so I'm a bit biased. Gnocchi in a sage sauce was a perfect starter -- subtle yet with endless layers of flavors to explore. Rack of lamb followed well -- simple and perfectly prepared. The justly famous date pudding followed, which is quite simply the best dish prepared by any restaurant anywhere. A Bea Rosso (a sagrantino based wine from Umbria) was the perfect complement. As Steve Shaw says, like dining at home (if you had all day to source the best ingredients, had a professional kitchen, and had a staff to assist you). Craft One of the most disappointing meals in recent memory. For a restaurant that prides itself on getting the best ingredients and cooking them perfectly -- I was suprised, to say the least, that many dishes underperformed on both counts. Starters included sweetbreads (good, but nowhere near as good as the sweetbread starter at GT), artichoke hearts in white wine (tasted like canned hearts), white asparagus (overcooked to the point of being mushy) and a saffron rissoto (ok). My wife and I split the porterhouse main on Steve Shaw's recommendation. It was indeed perfectly cooked, with a brilliant crust of many flavors. For the first time, the flavors actually penetrated into the heart of the steak -- very impressive. However, the meat was quite tough (even the fillet side) and did not have that dry-aged flavor or texture I prefer. Indeed, although I did not see the raw meat, I would swear that it wasn't even prime beef. A good and well-priced Gruaud Larose was plucked from a decent wine list. Gennaro The nearly hour long wait was well worth it. Gennaro delivers a very good Italian meal for a very moderate price. We started with gnocchi in a simple tomato and basil sauce. Perfect in every way. Mains of grilled veal chop and suffed chicken were fresh with clear flavors that define the essence of italian cuisine. A decent Allegrini Valpolicella was the best of a rather boring, and slightly overpriced, wine list. A textbook tiramisu rounded out a great meal.

Il Buco is one of my absolute favorite restaurants in NYC, if only for their wine list. The food is very good as well. The menu is essentially a list of tapas that change with the seasons. There are also daily specials in the more familiar starter, main course variety. I have been going to Il Buco for years. I have always found their staff to be warm and generous and the chef to be quite serious. The food has improved with every visit, even to this day (I was last there in February 2002) and despite the somewhat recent departure of their chef (to Tappo). A few suggestions: the octopus tapas (no matter how it is prepared, always a crowd pleaser), the carpaccio with truffle tapas, and any rissoto. As for the wine list, the wines from Paolo Bea are fantastic, but ask for them to be decanted -- they need serious air time. The only other places I've seen them are GT and Etats Unis. The sagrantino secco is the most perfect expression of that varietal. They also have a very reasonably priced wine from Mas Daumas Gessac in the Languedoc on the list (about $50, I think). Fantastic wine made from cabernet and about 10 other varieties. And use the sommelier, as his list is very personal.

Simon, I am eternally grateful for the Hunan recommendation (as are several of my friends). Hunan is staggering distance from my flat, so you can appreciate just how great a recommendation that was. Also, Ziani, Le Columbier, Le Poule au Pot, and Zaika Bazaar are in my current rotation. Of course, this depends on just how far you can stagger.

It's not only brits who hate the stuffed feeling. In fact, I think the proverbial french restaurant exists solely to fatten you up like Hansel for the oven. Having been to Le Bernardin many times, I can say that I have never left hungry. Never, not once. That said, I can rarely finish three courses at any restaurant, so I applaud smaller portions. Macrosan, do go to Le Bernardin -- it is among NY's best, if not the best.

Think riesling, only a bit more aromatic. The best GVs come from Austria, namely the Wachau, Kremstal, and Kamptal regions (the first being by far and away the best). Keep an eye out for the following producers: Brundlmayer (the best, IMHO) Knoll Sepp Moser Nikolaihof F.X. Pichler (a GT regular) Prager Schloss Gobelsburg

Simon, thanks for the review which I excellent and informative as always. I trust you saw the Harden's update that gave GR@C a simply awful review (4 for food). As for the % to ascribe to mains, I would note that at nearly 70% the cost of a main, starters are nearly as important to a meal. Given the cost factor alone, it is hard to argue that a main course represents 80% of a restaurant's value. For example, Simon's mains represented only 18% of the cost of the meal -- excluding the service charge, even less.

Here are my thoughts Patsy's (W 56th St.) -- Sinatra hangout Gino (Lexington Ave) -- ditto Il Vagabondo (East 60s) -- indoor bocce court Rao's (although you won't get in without a connection) Sparks Il Mulino Scalinatella (E 60s) -- trust me on this one

Just had to re-read my post before replying. I did not say that Texas does not have serious BBQ -- it does. But great Texas BBQ is based on beef, while I always prefer pork for BBQ. Thus, I never try to compare Pearson's to my other favorite BBQ joints, because it falls short every time. Steven, I think you sell the south short. There are quite a fair number of decent, if not great, pits all across the south (even in North Carolina). But if Blue Smoke is anthing close to the real deal (food-wise, I for one can do without the plastic menus), I will be a regular.

I am not familiar with Sparks' list, other than I remember it was quite a mark-up as one would expect. Rhone wines are indeed very good value, but I find that the better CDPs are marked up above $100/bottle in steakhouses. I would suggest going further into the wilderness, for example, Bandol (Tempier, Pradeaux, Pibarnon) or the Languedoc (Daumas Gassac, Mas Jullien, Grange de Peres). Southern Italy may also provide great value, particularly at Spark's (insert joke), such as Librandi's Gravello bottling. I also like Amarone with aged beef, but Spark's is unlikely to have a good one (Masi, Zenato, Allegrini are some of the more common top producers) for less than $100/bottle. Good Luck!

Five days in Amsterdam -- here are the highlights. 1. Cafe Roux. Wonderful restaurant with excellent service, good wine list (although a bit pricey) and creative food. The wife had cream of asparagus soup as a starter and pan roasted halibut in a creamy curry sauce as a main. I had roasted figs and blue cheese wrapped in Bayonne ham as a starter (really great!) and roasted venison (a bit late in the year, but excellent again) as a main. We split an average chocolate souflee for desert. A 1996 Trimbach Gewürztraminer Cuvée des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre complemented the meal nicely (and was well priced at 60 euros). The only drawback was the crowd, which was too casually dressed for the restaurant (several of the diners dressed and acted like they were at home in a BBQ joint in Texas). 2. Bordweijk. My kind of place, delivering a relaxed elegance that defies the casual surroundings. Kind of like Il Buco in NY. We both had the tasting menu (a deal at 45 euros). Seared tuna with artichokes alla romana was a fine starter, followed by roast red mullet with clams and squid, roast lamb, selections from a fine cheese tray (no Dutch cheese, btw, but several unusual cheeses from Burgundy, Champagne and Alsalce), and a light desert of walnut ice cream with rubarb. Choosing from a well-priced, extensive and intersting wine list, we settled on a 1999 Phillipe Alliet Chinon Coteau de Noire (at 45 euros a great deal). The best part of the restuarant was the service, from the chef presenting the menus and discussing the various dishes with us, to the unsolicited decanting of the Chinon, which benefitted greatly from the exposure. 3. Le Garage. Also cited with merit in Michelin, but failed to impress. Snooty service and mediocre food.

If Mr. Meyer has indeed brought St. Louis BBQ to NYC it would be quite the bargain, considering the price of airfare to St. Louis (or Memphis, for the best BBQ in the world). For reasons best explained by others, there has NEVER been decent BBQ in NYC (Pearson's Texas roots disqualify it from serious merit in my eyes) and thus I have waited for Blue Smoek to open for what seems like an eternity. While I wish Mr. Meyer had been born in Memphis, St. Louis (apologies to the earlier poster) ain't all that bad and is a sight better than NY.

Steve, your question proceeds from a false premise. Perhaps my London colleagues will correct me, but if you are talking about British food, then you must consider the whole of the empire. What you mean, I suspect, is Englishcuisine. I say cuisine because, outside of barbecue, America does not have a native cuisine -- merely an amalgam of French, Italian, German and other European cuisines. Just look at GT, the best American restuarant in the world, which is primarily based on French cooking techniques. What you are really comparing, then, is French and Italian cuisine, to English cuisine, which of course arrives at an obvious conclusion. Indeed, there are very few "pure" English restaurants in London above the average pub. Some like Rules, Green's and Wilton's serve traditional English fare, as do Keen's and the Manhattan Ocean Club in New York. Others, like the mighty St. John's, seek to reinvent English cuisine through modern cooking techniques. Most of the "important" European restaurants in London are French (Gordon Ramsay, Le Gavroche etc.), just like NYC. In the end analysis, while the English can justifiably claim a native cuisine, America cannot. I believe something about living in a glass house applies here.

Snowstorm, your list captures some of the best value restaurants in Paris -- you should be pleased with any of them. Of your list, I would go to Epi Dupin, which is a personal favorite, but I think it is L'Astrance with the Michelin star. However, if I had one night in Paris and wanted to take back a really special experience (going beyond just food here), I would go to one of the following: 1. D'Chex Eux (2 av. de Lowendal). A classic southwestern bistro that is a little off the tourist path in the 7th. It is in my experience the friendliest, warmest restaurant in Paris. The food is hearty (and keeps on coming) and the wine list is very good. The last time there (January 2002) I had wonderful venison and a Vieux Telegraph 1998 -- a memorable meal that lasted 3 1/2 hours. 2. Le Dome. One of the most famous fish restaurants in Paris, and Patricia Wells' choice for top sole meuniere (I agree). Everything here gleams and sparkles (not just the fish!). Another taste of old Paris.