KatieLoeb

← While that's true, it doesn't surprise me to see that mrbigjas said it.

David: No problem. It was quite clear to me you weren't getting the specifics of what I was saying. Think about this for a second. Reviewing is an attempt to codify a SUBJECTIVE thing like taste. Unlike the cursed decibel meter, Mr. Laban can't place himself in the dining room of a restaurant and quantify something OBJECTIVE, like the noise level, that is measured in specific repeatable units. Mr. Laban, like any reviewer, is human. He can have an emotional reaction to the decor, the food that reminds him of something his grandma used to make him, or the ownership, especially in a tiny place like Django where the owners are front and center. A restaurant review is not a calculation, it's an impression of someone with (hopefully) some expertise in food, wine, and good service. If you like someone, don't you say nicer things about them than if you don't? No more so than any other reviewer, unless the reviewer has revealed themselves to be unqualified in some other way. Merely realizing that the reviewer's taste is NOT similar to your own may not make them "unqualified" but renders their opinion less useful to you. I find this quite similar to the Wine Spectator and Robert Parker ratings (on a 100 point scale). If you know your own wine palate is calibrated similarly to Mr. Parker's then his "ratings" are useful to you. No, but you certainly made me think this through and explain myself more clearly. My final statement on this whole matter is that it seems that the initial 4 Bell rating of Django means that someone now has to "suck it up" and deal with the unforeseen consequences of that lofty rating in light of the change of ownership. I think it should be Mr. Laban since he created the environment in which it existed. I hardly think the new owners of a short 16 weeks should have to suck it up and deal with the repercussions that have now been created. It isn't right, it isn't fair and most of all it isn't true.

This is the same shopping center where the good Specialty PLCB shop is, yes? I think I saw this last weekend whilst up thatta way and it rang a bell but I couldn't figure out why. Now I realize it was this thread that made it seem familiar.

The only soft pretzels worth a damn IMHO are the ones from Fisher's Pretzels in Reading Terminal. Now THAT'S a pretzel. The rest are just doughey white bread twisted up.

They don't serve lunch at Striped Bass. You won't be eating there.

Yeah - but where's the picture of my half chewed duck leg? No really folks. You missed a great one if you missed this. And who could have predicted perfect bone aching chilly cassoulet weather for the event? Everything was wonderful - the food, the wine (great pairings being offered by Caribou) and the company. And that apple tart had a healthy hint of Calvados and a heap of butter in it! YUM! Nicely done. A round of applause for Jim, Chef Olivier and the capable staff at Caribou Cafe!

I don't have a low opinion of him. I've never once said that. I respect his expertise and almost always agree with him. I think what he did with Django initially was overinflate their rating to an undeserved four bells because he was fond of the owners and because it was some sort of "symbolic" commentary on the BYOB culture in Philly. I said that when the rating first came out in January 2004 and I stand by it. I think what he's done here is punitive toward the new management, undeserved and a direct result of his own overinflated initial rating under the old management. I stand by that as well. Please reread my initial post. I think I've laid out my case pretty clearly regarding the overinflated initial rating, the slipping of quality under the old ownership prior to the sale and the undeserved backlash with the public I think this will have on the new management. I said I haven't seen any reports that back up the two bell demotion either here or anywhere else. And I looked hard for them before I wrote that, believe me. I did say I've seen reports both here and elsewhere regarding Pasion slipping and I didn't say I disagreed with that. And I used to work there and have the utmost respect for the chef and general manager there, who remain high on my list of favorite ex-bosses. All I'm saying is that Mr. Laban seems to be rather singular in his opinion that the former owners of Django walked on water and that the service and food there was worthy of the coveted and rare four bell rating. I disagreed with him then, and I still do. The fact his favorite BYO has been sold seems to be somehow reflecting poorly on the new ownership that's only had the place for four short months. As Vadouvan pointed out, it would take a pretty colossal bit of poor management and precipitous dip in quality for a place to lose two bells in one fell swoop, and so quickly at that. We know the new management to be professional and we've tried the chef's food in another venue. It was, in my opinion, as least as good as anything I ever ate at Django under the former regime. It was at least as good as many other three bell establishments whose ratings I am in complete agreement about with Mr. Laban. You've completely misinterpreted what I'm saying. This is a very specific rating and demotion of one very specific restaurant that I'm disagreeing with.

My sincere congratulations to all of you. This has been a true inspiration to behold. You guys just amaze me on so many levels I don't even know where to begin. Glad you liked that cocktail Dave. I feel like I somehow helped sedate you through this difficult time.

You were in my 'hood and didn't even call. I might be insulted... I was actually contemplating a trip to Morning Glory myself today. A friend was in the area from out of town and we were considering getting together for lunch/brunch at one point before the realities of bad snow and her having a little family time with her parents got in the way. I was ready to give this place another chance after a long ago bad experience there. In fact it still rates as my very worst service experience in Philadelphia after 25 years of living here so it might be worth another try. Perhaps the snarky server I had is gone by now.

I'm sure there are plenty of chef driven restaurants of all sizes that have investors, whether they're BYOB or not. And whether there's magic or not is judged on the same scale as anyone else, I'd hope. What you're suggesting just sucks all the joy out of it for me though.

Oy! Closer to the last bottle of the night, eh boys? Is that any way to treat our hard working, tractor driving French friends? ← And in fact, I finally tasted this lovely wine with my roasted chicken dinner this evening. The Big Roach indeed. Humbug! I can't believe you all were ever making fun of this. Premier Cru for $12.99?!? Are you daft? It's delicious wine at a ridiculous price. And I intend to go find more of it before it disappears. This wine is textbook white burgundy. Gorgeous and fruity with a nice mineral backbone. No big oakiness or malolactic nonsense meant to cover up bad fruit or flawed winemaking. Just really pretty fruity Chardonnay on the nose, in the glass and on my palate. Smells like chardonnay. Tastes like chardonnay. Doesn't get any more straightforward than that. [Oliver]Please Mr. Chairman, may we have some more?[/Oliver]

will do. but at the same time i feel so lame, like, suddenly i'm one of those people that only goes to a restaurant because the reviewer panned it.... ← Dude! This is about justice and all things righteous. And do you make a habit of going to restaurants that have been panned just to see if they were wrong?

That is what I fear most. Unfortunately, for the folks that don't engage in discussion here, if they have even a passing interest in the food and restaurant culture of Philadelphia, then they trust the critic in residence. And why shouldn't they? He's writing for a well recognized prize winning national newspaper in the fifth largest urban market. And what's more upsetting is that their friends think that they're the opinion leaders just because they read the local food press. Obviously these folks would find us hopelessly obsessive and want us put into the rubber rooms. Whilst they might have a valid argument for a lot of reasons, this isn't one of them. So sadly, now the buzz is that Django used to be stellar, but now it's just average. That just doesn't seem fair somehow. And if you all want to go and review Django for ourselves, all brutal honesty in effect, I'm pretty certain that Greg and Ross would be happy to have us. We could wear the Groucho glasses, but I suspect we'd still be recognized. Do you think we'd get special treatment? Would our dishes be any different than that Mr. Laban might have ordered off the menu himself? I doubt it both because I can't imagine Greg and Ross sinking to that level and because Mr. Laban isn't nearly as anonymous as he seems to think.

That's kind of what I was saying. I never saw anyone that agreed with the four bell rating from the get go. That might be true, but I suspect Greg could defend himself admirably and would be happy for some honest feedback. Well - Ross did the cooking for the Chairman's Dinner we held at Rx back in November. Our comments about it start right here. Assuming you still trust most of us we all thought Ross' cooking was fabulous and a harbinger of great things to come for Django. Assuming his talent hasn't suddenly left him, I have to presume it's still as at-least-three-bell-worthy as it was that night.

I have to hope that you're correct about this part, Holly. But I also know from dealing with the public and dealing with the fine folks here at eGullet that we're a much more sophisticated crew that will give someone a chance and make up our own minds unlike the "lemmings" that follow the whims and vagaries of the latest review. You only get one chance to make a first impression, even if that impression is in print. If that's taken away from you, it's hard to get that potential customer back again. In a dining room that seats less than 40 people, the sound of crickets from the empty chairs can be deafening and deadly. And lemmings' money is just as green as anyone elses.

In today's Philadelphia Inquirer, venerable restaurant critic Craig Laban both Explains the Bell System and also Demotes Pasion and Django from four bells to three and two bells each repsectively. While I haven't been to Pasion in quite some time, I have heard reports that some of the service and food may have slid a bit, so I can understand demoting someone from four bells to three. But what Mr. Laban has done to Django is just unconscionable. And I have a theory about how and why it might have happened. When Django orginally rated Four bells in January 2004 everyone was stunned. It was the first time a small, cramped and noisy (this is significant only because of Mr. Laban's inisistence on taking his decibel meter to restaurants) BYOB had ever made it into the exclusive fraternity that only true fine dining establishments with fine linens, expensive (read: comfortable) furniture, appropriate stemware, silver and china, uniformed waitstaff, serene surroundings and deep wine cellars had before. He took a lot of flack for that both here on eGullet and on that other board. No one understood why the metric had changed and what the logic behind the decision to go against type could have been. Philadining pointed out in another thread that perhaps it was a general nod to the entire BYOB culture of Philadelphia, a sign that some of the best and most creative food could be coming from a kitchen in a restaurant without all of the bells (so to speak) and whistles. There might be a grain of truth in that statement, but I still believe it was a more clearly a nod to Mr. Laban's favorite BYOB couple, Bryan and Aimee Sikora. They're both very nice and talented people, but it seems to me that the new owners of Django are being penalized for NOT being Bryan and Aimee. Prior to the change of ownership Django had been cruising on its laurels for quite some time. Aimee hadn't been in the restaurant in a year due to the birth of the couple's first child, and Bryan wasn't there more often than not, leaving the place in the hands of his sous chef. The reports here, on Chowhound and on Citysearch will bear out what I'm saying. My own experience was that while Django was a great restaurant four years ago in it's heyday (although clearly not in the same league as any of the other four bell recipients), even by the time that review came out it had started to collapse under the ponderous weight of unfulfillable expectations. It only went downhill from there as the ownership became (rightfully) distracted by new family obligations. The sale of Django to Greg Salisbury and Ross Essner was finalized October 13, 2005. It was well reported here as well as in the regional media. In the short not-quite-yet four months since that change of hands has taken place I haven't seen a single report either here or anywhere else saying that the food, service or ambiance at Django has suffered at the hands of the new ownership. In fact, Mr. Laban himself damns with faint praise by commenting on the new wine glasses at Django in the above linked article. I have to say I much prefer drinking my wine out of a proper Riedel glass (even the "O" glasses) than a jelly jar! So are Ross and Greg suddenly doing HALF as good a job as Aimee and Bryan were over two years ago? Has Django gone into a death spiral? I hardly think so, for if it had, we'd have all been the first to report on it, right? So where did those elusive bells go? Are the new management the victims of a "double backlash"? Is Mr. Laban upset that his favorite couple aren't running his favorite BYOB anymore? Was there so much resentment from the public for giving a BYOB the same status as Le Bec Fin in the ratings that now he feels he has to take the bells away from someone undeserving of that punishment? They've only been in charge for FOUR months! Has he been in to re-review them in that short period of time and found that it's actually slipped that precipitously? If it has, is that their own fault or perhaps a carry over from the prior ownership that was resting on its laurels for far too long before deciding to sell? Greg and Ross kept the same staff, so they came with the place. Who's doing is it really that Django is now supposedly so average? And if the original four bell rating was artificially inflated by his own hand and it deserves to slip even one notch, why are the new owners suffering for it? The devastating economic effect this demotion could have on a restaurant is on par with the positive effect a good review could have. Mr. Laban has the power to make or break a business with the mere stroke of his keyboard. I'm very disappointed that he's chosen to do this to some very hard working and talented people that are putting out superior product and service every day. Anyone else? edited to fix repetitive link

I was always under the impression that the liquid:egg ratio for a quiche was between 1/3-1/2 cup milk or cream per egg. If that Bouchon recipe has FOUR cups of liquid in it to only 6 eggs how does it ever solidify?

I posted this over in the Maraschino thread, but since it's a new creation I thought I'd mention it here too: Red Feather Boa 2.0 oz. Old Overholt Rye 0.5 oz. fresh lemon juice 0.5 oz. Luxardo maraschino 0.25 oz. (or one barspoon) Fee Brothers American Beauty Grenadine 2 dashes bitters Shake with cracked ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass.

i made one of these earlier tonight, but i accidentally grabbed the bottle of peach bitters instead of orange bitters. (yes i do realize how ridiculous that sounds. but a bottle of bitters is only like four or five bucks, so why not buy them all? there are only a few different kinds) anyway. it's a totally different drink. sweet and oddly light considering it's mostly liquor. but with the orange bitters, it's far better as is--the bitters and the maraschino and the cointreau all play off each other in a really interesting way that just isn't there when you use the peach bitters. this was one of my favorites from the first time i made it*; a drink that epitomizes a lot of what i think a cocktail should be. *admittedly just a few months ago ← I love the Peach bitters, but I find they work best with bourbon cocktails that don't have an added orange note of another liquor like Cointreau or Grand Marnier in them. As you say, the orange bitters work better in picking up that note and carrying it through the drink. That said, the Peach bitters are awesome in a Manhattan or a wee splash in your chilled vodka is damned tasty too.

I'm sipping one right now. And it has indeed scratched the itch quite nicely, thank you. Your description was spot on. It's more complex than just the plain old chilled vodka, but the base flavor is still shining through well enough to taste clearly. Quite a nice cocktail and one I'll be adding to my repertoire with some frequency, I suspect. A great way to drink quality vodka without adulterating it to oblivion.

This is how I'd approach it as well. It's the traditional (that is, Easter European) way to serve vodka, and there's a reason for that. If, however, you really, really want to make a cocktail that shows off the vodka, I'd go with what I call a Delancey (for why I call it that, see Fatdeko's principles for naming drinks in the "When is a Collins Not a Collins" thread). This is basically nothing more than a vodka Old-Fashioned, where the bitters and lemon peel aromatize the vodka and the Demerara sugar syrup to smoothi it out and add some depth of flavor. Nonetheless, the body and the character of the vodka come through loud and clear. If the vodka is a good, old-school Eastern European one, this can be a surprisingly good drink. The Delancey: Combine in a small tumbler or Old-Fashioned glass: 1/2 teaspoon rich simple syrup (made with 2 parts Demerara sugar to 1 part water) 1 dash orange bitters 1 dash Peychaud's or Angostura bitters 2 oz vodka Stir well, add two or three large ice cubes, stir some more and twis a swatch of thin-cut lemon peel over the top. Let sit for a couple of minutes before drinking. ← David: I always knew I liked you. Great minds think alike... I have all the makings for a Delancey in the house. I think I shall go have one post haste with my favorite vodka - Zyr.

There's something to be said for a well written and well drilled in "sequence of service". It's what makes certain the customer gets the same and consistent service every time they walk in the door, not just on the nights that they get the "good" waiter. It means you'll always have your soup spoon before your soup arrives. It means you'll have time to enjoy your meal without a hovering and annoying waiter, and should want for nothing because it's all been thought out ahead of time.

Hi Mike: This thread has been inactive for a while, you're right! Not sure I understand your comment...it was better because you didn't decant?? ← Having moved away from the region recently, I've just come to realize what amazing deals you can get from the PLCB. Just paid $29.99 for the '03 at Costco here in the Bay area... ← Wow. Really? At the Costco no less? That is a pretty amazing savings we're getting then. I suspect the Chairman purchased the last of the '02 vintage to make room for the '03 vintage. He's a wily shopper, he is. I can hardly wait to see what comes of his latest January shopping trip out west.

Hi Lynnette! Welcome to eGullet. There's lots of kindred spirits here, whether you're into homemade soup, baking, wine, cocktails, or whatever. It's a fine bunch of obsessives that hang around here so you should be able to learn a lot. Tell me about your bone broth...What method do you use to prepare it? Sounds like a very flavorful and delicious start to any soup.

I've come to the conclusion that although Mr. Laban is explaining his standards in tomorrow's article, the standards still remain somewhat subjective and flexible. It would seem that the four bells that Striped Bass has been awarded (and deservedly so) are based on the fact that they're "white tablecloth" and have a uniformed waitstaff, deep wine cellar, and all of the expensive tabletop accoutrement that one would expect of that sort of "fine dining" experience. In fact every one of the previous four bell restaurants with the anomalous exception of Django have been such. Amada is not a "fine dining" restaurant. By those standards we would never get the fourth bell because the service is too relaxed and casual and we're not in the same category as Le Bec, LaCroix or Striped Bass. And that's just fine and exactly as it's meant to be. An authentic tapas experience doesn't translate to "fine dining". If what it takes is "a combination of unique personality, energy and consistant excellence that sets a regional standard" then perhaps over time we'll achieve that. We've only been open for four months! If Mr. Laban says we're on the cusp of that coveted fourth bell then that is high praise indeed.