Felonius

Tommy - not sure if you're pulling my leg - but I'd have to agree. I think it's unreasonable that someone couldn't enjoy a cigar in the privacy of their office (barring any fire code restrictions of course). Where was the outcry when that law was passed? Good point. I suspect it was in the same place as all the non-smoking bartenders who haven't exactly been on the front page pushing for new legislation. Complacency (often by a silent majority) often seems the norm in our society. How do you think we ended up with policies such as Prohibition, a drinking age of 21 (when an 18 year old can get married, have kids, sign a legal, will and get sent into harm's way to fight for his/her country, and can't even buy a beer), bankrupt Social Security programs, and income tax rates bordering on socialism? Second hand smoke and bartenders aside, Big Brother's "good intentions" should be viewed with microscope by all before signing on the dotted line.

This issue does make for some thought provoking debate! I agree that the health issue for employees is the key issue for any ban. If the data supports the case that smoke is a credible threat, then the ban seems logical. On the other hand, a total ban infringes upon the rights of another group of people (smokers) in that they will no longer be able to go to any public bar and smoke. It seems logical that the employees' rights should trump those of the smokers, as their right to a safe workplace is perhaps more fundamental than that of someone to pursue a habit (smoking) in a public place. Despite all this logic, a total ban somehow just doesn't feel right to me. It seems draconian and unreasonable to tell millions of people they can longer stop into a bar, any bar, for a beer and a smoke. This is America after all, and I feel like there ought to be a public place where people could smoke, drink and socialize at the same time if that's what they enjoy. I wish someone would come up with a compromise instead of an all or nothing ban. What about better ventilation requirements? Or how about designated smoking areas away from employees, where customers could drink and smoke but not order - unless of course there were employees (presumably smokers) who volunteered to serve that section? Or if nothing else, allowing outdoor smoking areas that were still on premises for legal alcohol consumption (as in California at present).

Thanks for your reply! I'm heading out to buy a copy of your book this afternoon.

I'm throwing my vote in with Glenn and Adam Smith. The government controls too much of my life already (hell I work six months a year for the government, just to pay my taxes). Does anyone have a link or information on one of these second-hand smoke studies? Has there been evidence that a non-smoker bartender or cocktail waitress has come down with a second-hand smoke induced medical condition? Everyone seems to take this for granted, but I have never heard of a non-smoker who was admitted to the hospital with emphysema or other smoking related conditions. I find it hard to believe that a well-ventilated bar poses a credible health threat. I suspect the air pollution on an average day in NYC is as much or more of a threat. And if there is a real health issue with second-hand smoke, why not pass a law requiring bars to have non-smoking areas and/or to install some sort air filter or ventilation?

If I had to give a ranking for consistency in terms of food, service and overall dining experience to NYC's top restaurants, I would likely rank all three of Daniel Boulud's establishments in the top three slots (the other contender would likely be Gramercy Tavern, but I don't dine there often enough to definitively evaluate it). While I have had mind-blowing meals at places like Bouley and Jean-Georges that may have slightly surpassed those had Chez Boulud, these restaurants and their competitors are nowhere near as consistent in their delivery. After several years of regular dining at Cafe Boulud, and to a lesser extent Daniel and DB, I have found that Daniel Boulud has achieved the closest thing to McDonalds-esque consistency (and I dont' mean this in a pejorative way) in the haute cuisine world. When I walk into one of his establishments and plunk down the big bucks, I have nearly a 100% chance of getting what I came for and leaving totally satisfied. In your opinion, how does he do this where so many others have failed? Is he in the kitchen of all three establishments supervising on a regular basis?

Jaybee, thanks for the reference. I knew that Restaurant Daniel was big, but didn't realize it was that big! (does this include the bar area and special event dining rooms?) This gets to my point, that the only way to cover the hefty fixed costs in a high end restuarant is to increase volume to fairly large numbers. In my mind, anything beyond 120 seats or so is large for a truly high end establishment. I'd say the majority of life-altering meals I've had in my life have been in dining rooms with less than 70 seats and/or limited turns per night (i.e. two fixed seating times per night). Maybe that's one reason why I find the food at Cafe Boulud consistently more satisfying than at Daniel as I'm guessing it's 1/3 the size. Even Cafe Boulud's food can suffer on Friday and Saturday night when the kitchen comes under heavy fire. The fact that Daniel Boulud can turn out the level of food he does on such a scale is a real testament to his genius as a managing chef. There aren't many in the world who could pull that off consistently.

The recent closures of The Russian Tea Room and Cello mentioned on this board got me thinking on this topic. Several posters on the Cello thread have noted that the alleged $5 million investment in facilities made any chance of ever turning a profit at Cello impossible. I agree. I remember reading somewhere that Les Celebrites, where ADNY is now located, also spent something like $5 million for a similar number of seats (50-60). Of course they are no longer with us either. I grew up in the hotel/restaurant business, and it never ceases to amaze me what high-end restaurants spend on renovations. I just can't understand how places such as Cello, ADNY, or Lespinasse could consistently turn a profit. If one pulls out a pen and pencil and does a back of the envelope calculation factoring in the initial investment in facilities (several million $), food cost (at least 50% in most high end places), taxes and lease payments (a half decent retail space of similar size in Midtown rents for $80-100 thousand per month), plus utilitity and labor costs, how can any of these places make money given the limited volume of diners per day? The only way to get there is to increase the seating/volume/turnover to better cover the fixed costs, which in my opinion inevitably leads to consistency problems with the food if you're trying to pull off a truly world-class dining experience. My father made his career managing high end resorts, and in most cases the restaurant on premises lost money or at best broke even, usually only with the help of substantial revenues from the bar. For example, over half the labor and other costs at a typical 4 star resort were attributed to the restaurant/kitchen, but 80 percent of the revenues came from the hotel rooms. Think about it, one minimum wage cleaning person can service many $400 hotel rooms in a day, but that table in the restaurant requires a small army of cooks, waitstaff, etc., not to mention the food costs and wastage of food that must be thrown out every day. From a profit contribution standpoint, the restaurant usually made no sense. Its only reason for existence was that guests at a top resort expected to have first rate dining on premises, especially if the resort was in a remote location with limited access to other restaurants. I often wonder if places like Lespinasse, Jean-Georges and ADNY are only kept in business by subsidies from their hotel landlords. Perhaps these restaurants give extra cachet to the hotel and the option of high-end room service is viewed as a enough of a draw to justify a "loss-leader" equation for a top restaurant on premises. I'd be curious to hear from other with more knowledge in this area. Also, what do you think top chefs are paid these days in NYC? Although other posters may have been surprised by the $250,000 salary for Cello's chef - I was surprised that this was considered exceptionally high. I seem to remember a chef at one of my father's businesses being paid about $100,000 back in the 1980's to run the restaurant at the resort. He was the highest paid member of the resort staff after the general manager, but that's what it took to bring in a highly competent French chef.

Steven - I'm not sure if my meals at Cafe Boulud have been better than those had at Daniel, but I can say unequivocally that I have found them more enjoyable overall. Maybe this has to do with Bux's comment that the food at CB is simply "delicious" or satisfying in a basic way that meals at Daniel or other top restaurants often aren't for me. For example, I have had many intriguing food combinations at the Tasting Room, but I have never found the food satisfying on a basic level (i.e. wanting to order 5 more plates of something it was so tasty). Cabrales - I wouldn't say there are any bargains on the wine list at CB. It is quite expensive, with a markup similar to that at Daniel, Jean-Georges, etc. The good news is that the sommelier, Olivier Flosse, is very knowledgeable and will usually do a superb job of food and wine pairing if asked. He also seeks out and procures some hard to find gems (especially from Burgundy) that one is unlikely to find anywhere else. For example I have been trying to buy more of the Peter Michael "L'Apres Midi" for 6 months now, both at retail and at auction, and have only come up with 3 bottles. Unfortunately I just drank the last bottle at Cafe Boulud. Others are from Burgundian producers that might only ship 3 or 4 cases of a given wine to the US each year. Some other treasures had at CB in the past include Meursaults and a lovely Volnay by Arnaud Ente, and Gevrey-Chambertins by Denis Mortet. If you don’t mind digging a bit deeper into the wallet, I would suggest you try a bottle of the Peter Michael Chardonnay “Cuvee Indigene” – one of the finest Chardonnays ever produced in the U.S., and in my opinion a rival to many Montrachets at a lower (although still very expensive) price. If that wine doesn’t knock your socks off, I don’t know what will! Olivier also opens one premium bottle from the cellar each night to be served by the glass. The other night I had a glass of a rare white Chateauneuf-du-Pape. These selections are usually interesting, but are also quite expensive. There are also some good choices in half bottles if you’re dining alone, including a nice Nuits-St.-Georges and a Morey-St.-Denis. If you visit CB, I suggest you take advantage of Olivier’s knowledge and get him to walk you through selections from regions that you prefer. As for tasting menus at CB, I’ve only had one at a special wine tasting dinner. It was the best meal I’ve had at CB and one of the best meals I’ve ever had in NYC period. I’ve been meaning to arrange a tasting menu in advance, but haven’t gotten around to it yet. If this option interests you, I suggest you call ahead and schedule for a weeknight if possible. Advance notice will ensure Andrew’s presence in the kitchen, and a weeknight will avoid the weekend rush that can throw even the best kitchens slightly off their game.

I'm a long time fan of Cafe Boulud, but have curtailed my visits recently as the menu hasn't changed in some time (is Andrew Carmellini on holiday perhaps?). I got the CB craving the other night and had to stop by for dinner. In short - WOW! While I believe that CB is one of the leading NYC restaurants in terms of consistency, I don't expect it to give me the sheer pleasure of a place like Bouley when the stars are aligned there (which is not as often as I would like, given two rather disappointing visits to Bouley this Spring). Every once in a while, however, Cafe Boulud creeps up and knocks me over. This recent dinner was one of those moments, and one of the best meals I've had in a long time. My date had a sweet carrot soup with tangerines and shrimp served chilled. It was as perfect for a hot summer night as it was original. Excellent. I had gnocchi with a tomato sauce and goat cheese, and though simple in concept, the execution was out of this world. The lightest, most ethereal gnocchi I've ever had. It reminded me of a similar dish had a year or so ago at CB, gnocchi with shaved white truffles, that ranks up there with the best dishes I've ever tasted. I could have eaten ten more plates of that pasta. Both my date and I had the daily special of roasted salmon with summer vegetables. This came beautifully presented - two oval "filets" of salmon perfectly cooked, a julienne of summer vegetables and peeled red and yellow cherry tomatoes in between, and sauced with what seemed to be a saffron/coral foam. It was plated on a rectangular glass plate, something I had not seen at CB before. The flavor, presentation and execution couldn't have been more elegant. The flavors were subtle and in perfect balance. The vegetables and sauce supported the salmon, with the tomatoes giving a nice contrasting acidity to the buttery fish. A peach tart for dessert was wonderfully tangy and sweet at the same time, with a counterpoint in color and flavor provided by a delicious pistachio ice cream. Again, deceptively simple in concept but executed at a level that is a rare find. This to me is French food at it's best, complexity and harmony with just enough originality to surprise the senses - without resorting to the type of grandstanding often found in high end restaurants. The meal was made even more perfect by a bottle of Peter Michael "L'Apres Midi" Sauvignon Blanc - the best wine of this varietal I have ever tasted and one of the more exciting wines I've had in the past several years (and I've had quite a few!). The balance of CB's food permitted true harmony with the wine. Being a wine lover, I am often frustrated by menus offering overly spiced, sweet or acidic dishes that stand well on their own but are difficult to pair with wine. Now I remember why I've returned to Cafe Boulud more often than any top NYC restaurant. If I ever hit it big, I'm signing up for the daily CB meal plan like so many aging millionaires and blue haired heiresses on the upper East side.

If I remember correctly, the expansion happened about a year ago. There was a travel agent (or was it an insurance broker?) next door who closed shop and Gennaro bought the space, knocked down the wall, and roughly doubled in size. To me the new space is more generic and even noisier than the old, but the good part is that it's easier to get a table. The food overall is decent, especially given the low prices and the lack of competition on the UWS. I've never found it as exciting as the rave reviews it gets, however. One plus is that they allow BYOB for a modest corkage fee. Overall, I find Gennaro a similar experience to Tartine in the West Village (low prices, good food, long waits due to no reservations) with the edge in food, prices and atmosphere going to Tartine. I suspect the food may have gone downhill a bit over time. I have been going for 2 years, but haven't been in the past 3-4 months, so I'll leave that judgment call to Mr. Shaw. In my opinion, there are a few better options at a good price elsewhere in the city (i.e Lupa for Italian, Tartine for French), so if I didn't live on the UWS, I'm not sure I'd make the treck all the way to 93rd to wait in line at Gennaro.

And if brunch lines on the UWS are like a combat Zone, Zabar's after 5pm is like Armageddon. The female shoppers in that place could teach the Dallas Cowboys about offensive maneuvers. As a friend of mine born and raised in Brooklyn used to say "FUGGEDDABOUTIT".

To heck with "Muffins for Muffie", Sarabeth's and the upper West side Sunday brunch scene is more like a yuppie combat zone. While waiting in line at the few places serving an edible breakfast on the UWS (Sarabeth's, Cafe Lalo, Good Enough to Eat and Popover's to name the main contenders) I have been insulted, cut in front of, nearly run over by moms with strollers, and generally treated like a prisoner of war. I once waited 30 minutes at Popover's until my turn was up to be seated - only to have four blond yuppie moms (who were several groups behind me in line) cut in front of me and pull a hip check and dash for the table that would have made an NHL hockey player proud. This morning I made a rare excursion to Cafe Lalo (later in the afternoon so only a 20 minute wait), but in general I have given up the fight for brunch on the UWS. Only in NYC would someone wait an hour in line for pancakes, and give up all semblance of civility in the process. For all the rest of you brunch warriors, make sure to pack some quality reading materials and a set of brass knuckles before leaving the apartment at 11am next Sunday.

And Beachfan.... They do have a cheese course, which I think may be included in the regular tasting menu. I didn't try it, nor did I see it at the bar, however.

In response to several questions..... [Thanks Felonious for briging this one to my radar screen. Is it a hard place to book a table?] This was my first visit and I just called from my cellphone at 7pm - sat down at the bar at 7:15. There were several open seats at the bar when I arrived, and it was full by 8pm. There were 4-5 other people eating at the bar, versus others waiting to be seated in the dining room. I would guess that weeknight seating at the bar for dinner would not be a problem for one or two people. As for dining room reservations, I have no idea. [by marzipan ice cream, do you mean almond paste ice cream? How would that work - what was the texture like?] The ice cream was very creamy and dense, almost like a gelato. The flavor was a mixture of almonds and cream - reminiscent in a way of a Good Humor "Toasted Almond Bar". There were also slivers and bits of toasted almonds sprinkled over the ice cream. I thought the whole dessert was excellent. [if you are comfortable discussing it, very roughly how much was Veritas asking for the Corton Charlemagne 1/2? What were your assessments of the general quality of French wine available in 1/2s?] The bottle was $85. Not cheap, but a fair price for a grand cru white Burgundy from a decent producer. I haven't seen this wine at retail, but I'd guess a full bottle would go for $100 or more, which would imply the split I bought was marked up between 50-100 percent. That's a bargain in my book, considering the fact that most top restaurants in NYC are now imposing 150-300% markups, and also that a 1/2 bottle of this wine has some additional scarcity value. I didn't see many other 1/2 bottle selections, but check Veritas' on-line list for more info. As for comparing the Latour Corton-Charmlemagne to the Talley (or any other CA chard for that matter), I admit it's a bit of apples vs. oranges. I tend to prefer white Burgundy to California chardonnay, as I find most of the CA wines over-oaked or manipulated for my taste. I'll take elegance and complexity over extraction and fatness every time. However, a recent tasting of a 1997 Talley "Rosemary's Vineyard" Chardonnay was a rare exception. I found the Talley wine to be beautifully integrated and more Burgundian in style than most CA wines. Talley's winemaker espouses a very natural and non-interventional style of winemaking (natural yeasts where possible, single vineyard lots, etc.) in order to let the terroir show thorugh - and the results speak for themselves in my opinion. Though not as big or complex as the Peter Michael "Cuvee Indigene" or as focused as the Kistler chardonnays I tried last week, I preferred the Talley above all. This surprised me, as I would usually have expected to pick the Corton Charlemagne first, then the Peter Michael, followed by Kistler and Talley. For some reason, the Peter Michael chards remind me a bit of big-styled Corton. The Louis Latour '95 however, was not a particularly big Corton Charlemagne from my experience. By the way, if someone could explain how to use the "Quote" function when replying on this BB, I would greatly appreciate it.

Being somewhat of a wine fanatic, Veritas has always been on my must-try list of NY restaurants. The other night, I finally ventured forth by myself and had dinner at their bar. The meal exceeded my high expectations - just great experience overall. I started with a chilled lobster salad with english peas, herbes fines and a pea puree that had a hint of mint in it - a perfect summer dish and simple enough to let the quality of lobster shine through. The entree was a confit of Alaskan King Salmon with fennel, sweet tomato, artichoke, and nicoise olives. I have never had a piece of salmon more perfectly cooked. Wow was it good! It had a velvety texture and just melted in the mouth. While neither of these dishes had particularly exotic ingredients or the flavor complexity to put them at the pinnacle of NYC dining, the quality of the ingredients and the perfect cooking spoke for themselves. This type of cuisine is also ideal for pairing with wines, which goes along with the concept of the restaurant, of course. The dessert, cherry and almond crepes with marzipan ice cream, was so good I wanted to order another plate. In my opinion, the food is not quite in the same league as some of my usual favorites (Bouley, Cafe Boulud, DB) in terms of complexity or concept. However, everything was absolutely excellent in terms of flavor, freshness, harmony and execution. I also found it a bit lighter in style, which was especially welcome on a hot summer night. As for wine, I had a 1/2 bottle of Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne 1995. There are very few places one could find a 1/2 bottle of something like a Corton Charlemagne on a list, so that in itself is a tribute to the effort being made at Veritas. It was a lovely wine - all elegance and finesse - with a near perfect balance between fruit and mineral components. On the negative side, it lacked a bit concentration and length when compared to a few top California Chardonnays I've had recently (i.e. Kistler, Peter Michael, and Talley). With dessert I had a glass of Coteaux de Layon, which paired well with the sweet crepes. No doubt, the wine program at Veritas is as good or better than anywhere in NYC, and the prices are fair. At Veritas, one can order a la carte at the bar rather than paying for the $68 set menu offered in the dining room. I found the food prices ($16 for the appetizer, $28 the entree, $8 the dessert) super reasonable given the quality. Overall, it was one of the most pleasurable dining experiences I've had all year. I will certainly head back for another meal soon.

Mao- I haven't been to Ouest in a while, as I've finally decided I'd rather take a cab and dine outside my neighborhood than spend the $$ at Ouest. However, I would recommend their short ribs. They also used to have a salmon appetizer that was pretty good. The wine list is worth a perusal as well. It's limited in scope, but there are usually some good buys on American pinot noirs from top producers such as Testarossa, Etude and Calera. And I suppose one of us should post a review of our ADNY dinner. I'm still thinking about the foie gras and that bottle of Chardonnay!

I too am a fan of Blue Hill - great food and a sophisticated yet laid back atmosphere. Interesting wine list too. I'd say it's a level beyond Ouest. I also agree that Ouest is a better option when the cold weather returns. In my experience, the more satisfying dishes are on the heavier side, such as the short ribs and other red meat items.

I live up the street from J-G, and I used to eat in the Nougatine/Bar area several times a month. I found the food ranged from merely good to extraordinary, depending on the evening. As with any restaurant, consistency seems to be an elusive holy grail, even at this level of dining (I've experienced even greater inconsistency at Bouley, for example). I especially like Nougatine for several reasons: Atmosphere: The modern and somewhat minimalist decor, along with a hopping bar scene, give the place a more casual feel than most places serving this caliber of food. It's a good place to take a date or eat by oneself without having to deal with the formality of a place like Daniel or Cafe Boulud. Selection: In addition to the prix-fixe menu and more limited selections at Nougatine, one can pretty much order anything off the main Jean-Georges menu by request. This is a welcome option if the formality of the main dining is not desired or if table are unavailable. Availability: Nougatine stays open fairly late (11pm I think), and isn't that hard a place to get a table when compared to the competition. Price: The prix-fixe menu Nougatine, though limited to a few items, has to be the best dinner value in the city at about $35. This is cheaper than most upscale restaurants on the upper West side, and the food is far superior to anything even near this price range. I haven't been recently, so I suppose it's time for another visit to Nougatine!

I am from the South, and like most true Southerners, consider myself a natural-born expert on BBQ. So, I will have to visit Blue Smoke to satisfy my curiosity, and will no doubt come away dissatisfied and complaining about it. I have yet to have truly satisfying and authentic BBQ (by that I mean either pork ribs or pulled pork - other animals need not apply) at a restaurant outside the South, with perhaps a few exceptions in the Midwest. I am a fan of dry ribs, so I am now doubly curious to try Blue Smoke. So, if you're sitting in Blue Smoke one night and see a man in his 30's hit by a lightning bolt - that was me struck down by grandaddy when St. Peter told him his grandson just spent $50 on BBQ! And I thought I'd seen it all when I bought a $14 Heineken at the Peninsula Hotel.......

Interesting....I never thought of it that way. I always thought of it as a matter of either demographics (high percentage of wealthy residents = greater number of high-end restaurants in a given neighborhood) or of proximity to major hotels or businesses (i.e. proliferation of restaurants in midtown). I for one would be thrilled to eat in my own neighborhood, vice having to truck it downtown for an interesting meal.

I live on the UWS and have dined at Ouest several times. I concur with previous posts that the food is competent, and fairly priced for NYC, but nothing to write home about. I probably wouldn't bother visiting the place if it wasn't in my backyard. On that note, I am still amazed that there are so few decent restaurants on the UWS that the arrival of Ouest was greeted with such fanfare. One would have thought Alain Ducasse had been kicked off of CPS and set up shop in my neighborhood. Why can't the UWS support the diversity and quality of restaurants found in other upper-income neighborhoods such as Soho. the Upper East Side and Tribeca?

I've pretty much visited all the places I was dying to try, but there are many further down the list I have yet to visit including: Lespinasse - a must try due to Shaw's praise and overall reputation, but the prices have scared me away thus far Il Mulino - another Shaw recommendation I'd like to try Ponticello - A friend who is Italian and grew up in Queens raves about it, so I'm intrigued Sushi of Gari - an acquaintance who has real expertise in Japanese food swears by their omakase. Unfortunately, this person is also responsible for my newly acquired and expensive addiction to Sushi Yasuda Kuruma Zushi - ditto Fleur du Sel - All the interest shown on this board has put this on my list Babbo (for the pasta tasting) - I've been there a dozen times already to eat in the bar, but have never done the full pasta tasting menu. I need to fast for a week and then go for it Four Seasons - I feel it's an essential visit due to its history and architecture, though my fear it will be an expensive disappointment has delayed a visit Pizza - I still have yet to hit the pavement and find a truly satisfying pizza in NYC I had wanted to visit La Grenouille and La Caravelle, but an expensive and disappointing experience at La Cote Basque recently has killed my desire to fill in the missing blanks on the French "Grande Dame" dining list And while I have dined at ADNY in the past, I am still "dying" to dine there again.

I've wanted to try Tamarind for a while, and finally paid my first visit last week. I had read favorable reviews and found the ambience quite attractive from a few glances while walking by. It's more modern, upscale and pleasant in decor than most other Indian restaurants in NYC, though I found that the food didn't do much for me. The crabcake special appetizer (with tamarind and Indian spices) was dry, somewhat bland, and was more bread than crab - which seemed unnecessary given the $15 price. For an entree, my date chose lamb wrapped around an almond and apricot puree in a saffron curry. The lamb was overcooked to the consistency of shoe leather, the sauce cloying and too creamy to go with the apricot, and the whole thing was judged by both of us to be a failure. My choice faired much better - shrimp in a spicy coconut red curry sauce. Just enough heat/spice to be interesting without totally overpowering the shrimp, and some nice complexity to the flavors in the curry. Very good. Given the high prices relative to other Indian restaurants (entrees were in the $20-30 range except for the most basic standards), the inconsistent food, and somewhat slow and disorganized (though friendly) service, I won't be going back anytime soon. The meal wasn't unpleasant, but it didn't live up to the standard I had expected given the reviews. Maybe I just don't get the "Indian nouvelle cuisine" concept that seems to hold sway at Tamarind, and I should stick to more traditional Indian restaurants. For what it's worth, Chola is probably my favorite Indian restaurant in NYC. In my humble opinion, it offers a lot more bang for the buck and better service, albeit with less in the way of atmosphere, than Tamarind.

Liza - no I did not really consider sending back the filet. Had I been in a place that I frequent or thought they could do better, I would have done so without hesitation. However, the food was so far off the mark, I figured no amount of complaining was going to get me where I wanted to go with that entree. I know this may sound weird, but I almost felt sorry for them. The waiters were working so hard to provide four star service, yet the product from the kitchen wouldn't rate one star in my book. I felt as if they've been doing this routine for so long, that they really didn't know any better. Of course I probably should have felt sorry for myself as I dropped close to $400 for a meal that I would gladly have traded for one from any number of decent (and inexpensive) French bistrots in Manhattan! Thanks for the tips on other places with soufflees. I had thought of Four Seasons, but they are closed on Sunday nights. Never tried Petite Auberge or L'Absynthe but will keep those in mind next time the craving hits.

A few weeks ago I posted a thread asking opinions on three of the grande dames of NYC French food that I’d never tried – La Cote Basque, La Caravelle, and La Grenouille. A discussion between my date and I over the weekend got us thinking about, and craving, chocolate soufflees. So I got on the phone with a few French restaurants in NYC to see who still made the classic version. As chance would have it, La Cote Basque was the only place open that had them on the menu, so I decided to finally give LCB a try. We arrived on a Sunday night at 9pm to find the dining room empty save for 3 other tables. As I expected, the service was exemplary from start to finish. The wine list was fairly comprehensive (in French wines at least) and priced with a lofty markup (250-350 percent) similar to that at other high-end places in NYC. Consequently, there weren’t many interesting wine choices below $100, so I went a bit higher with a 1996 premier cru Chambolle-Musigny from an obscure producer I’d never tried before. The wine was elegant and well balanced, though lacked the concentration and/or complexity I would have expected from a decent 1996 premier cru Burgundy. It was more like a good villages wine really. It might have been a good choice at half the price I paid. Now on to the appetizers. My date had a seafood risotto with lobster, scallops and crab, which was quite rich and flavorful though a bit soft and mushy to qualify as first-rate risotto in my book. The portion was huge – larger than many of the entrees I’ve seen lately - and one would have to have been a true gourmand to have eaten the whole thing knowing there was another course and dessert on the way. Overall I’d give it a B or B+, with slight extra credit for not skimping on the lobster. My appetizer was supposed to have been goat cheese and ricotta gnocchi with truffles and asparagus. The gnocchi themselves were excellent if not traditional in their preparation. They were extremely light and fluffy and wonderful in texture. However, a dark brown “truffle” sauce contained no truffles or truffle flavor as far as I could ascertain, only some sort of mushroom or other fungus masquerading as truffles. I didn’t feel like bothering to ask the waiter, but I did wonder what these were exactly and if they were perhaps a substitution of some sort. Overall I’d give this appetizer a B, if only for the delicacy of the gnocchi. As for the entrees, my date ordered a lamb special, which consisted of part of the rack accompanied by the saddle or similar cut. At the waiter’s recommendation, I ordered the house specialty Tournedos of Beef (“Rossini” maybe?) with foie gras and truffle sauce. All I can say is that both entrees were just really, really poor. My filet arrived sandwiched between a potato pancake/galette thing that was a greasy and mealy blob with no flavor, and a piece of stringy and tough foie gras. The whole concoction was drenched in a darker version of “truffle” sauce that seemed to be some sort of beef reduction with no hint of truffle flavor. The filet itself was cooked nearly to the point of well-done and most of it was stone gray throughout with no sign of pink left (I had asked for it rare to medium rare). I’ve had a more satisfying piece of beef at the Holiday Inn dining room, to put it frankly. The only way I can describe the aroma of the whole concoction was that it was vaguely reminiscent of Alpo dog food in the can. This dish gets an F. Although I only tried one bite, my date’s lamb entrée seemed only slightly better. Her attempt to cut me a piece of the rack took considerable effort as the meat was so tough. Again, everything was drenched in a one-note reduction sauce that covered any flavor that may have been hiding in the lamb. Maybe a D for this one. And now for the desserts. We had really come to La Cote Basque for soufflees, and in this area we were not disappointed. My date had chocolate and I tried Grand Marnier. Both were textbook perfect examples of the classic recipe, and could not have been lighter, fluffier or more satisfying. If only more restaurants still offered this nectar of the gods! I hate to be so harsh on a restaurant, but I there is no way for me to sugar coat my feelings for the entrees we had. They went beyond mediocre into the realm of downright unpleasant. At $68 per prix fixe menu, I will never return to LCB, even though the service was perfect, the appetizers were OK, and the soufflees fantastic. I can’t remember the last time I was so disappointed with a high-end restaurant. The décor is also a bit like the land that time forgot. Those murals that all the Zagats reviewers find so romantic I thought were a bit cheezy, as was the 1970’s acoustical tile ceiling and mini escutcheoned table lamps. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder I suppose. I am sure a place such as La Cote Basque has its regular clientele (how else could it survive?), who are perfectly happy plunking down $100+ per person for a formula that has probably not changed over many years. Why they would continue to do so, with so many other better options in NYC will remain a mystery to me. Perhaps it is the excellent service or the overall ambience that is appealing to these customers. As for me, I will leave this place and others that I have heard are similar (La Caravelle, La Grenouille) to the diehard fans, and save my money for the newer generation of French restaurants such as Bouley and Café Boulud. My romance with the grande dames of NYC French food has ended after the first date….. In another thread on this topic, I heard that Steven Shaw is a fan. I'd be very curious to hear why. Am I missing something here?