docsconz

In Brooklyn on Court St. are Court Pastry with IMO the best cannoli and sfogliadelle in the city and Caputo's bakery with excellent southern Italian bread (their sesame twist loaf is awesome) and Italian cookies. While there, stop in to Esposito's Pork store for their sausage bread (the real name escapes me at the moment - the horrors of getting old). This unfortunately is a vanishing breed.

I would have to say that is certainly possible, especially if one is "supposed" to like a restaurant.

Restaurants are frequently lauded for exceptional food without having the whole ball-of-wax. Amma was a case in point. The food was (and may still be) phenomenal, but it was not nor could it be 4*. 2* was right on and it wasn't a knock on the restaurant. WD-50 is another restaurant, in which the cutting edge food is felt by many to be worthy of greater stardom, but the rest of the equation just isn't there. 4* is for the complete picture. A lot of people appreciate great food and not having 4* is not necessarily a knock on the culinary merits of the restaurant. On the other hand great food is absolutely necessary for a 4*. It is necessary, but not sufficient. By the same token great service, elegant decor and a sense of luxury are each necessary, but not sufficient as well.

The corn was obviously not local. While I generally prefer local seasonal ingredients, in today's global marketplace, topnotch restaurants frequently source top-notch global products from where they are in season. Now, perhaps this corn was not top-notch. For that there is no excuse if it is being used in a restaurant like Chantarelle. But so long as it is top-notch, I don't have a problem with it being used in June or even in March.

Can a resturant attain "four-star status" without striving for it? I know the question was not addressed to me, but I would say this would be highly unlikely. In order to achieve the overall experience of a 4*, a lot of money must be put into a restaurant. I don't think that is done lightly without aspirations of 4* greatness.

Avant-garde is interesting, but necessary for a 4* restaurant (or any other *). More important than being on the cutting edge is being original and creative, such that the cuisine is a relection of the chef. This can certainly be done without being avant-garde.

Doesn't sound as if this is heading for NYT 4* status. It sounds more like it will be lucky to get 2*. Food deconstruction can be fun, but the result should be that the individual parts should be better than the sum or why do it? That french onion soup deconstruction does not sound as good as the constructed whole. Now, I haven't tried it, but I'm not sure the point of that dish is really gonna be a sharp one. It appears to me that that dish at least is one for effect, simply because he can. Maybe I'm wrong here, but I doubt it. It is sounding and looking to me more and more that J-G really has jumped the shark.

I do believe that $75 corkage fee is correct. I can't recall where I got it from, but I believe it was the restaurant itself. I posted my source in an earler reply. If in doubt, call the restaurant.

Now that sounds a bit more attractive

I think Le bernardins set the bar for seafood cookery in NYC in the early 90's. Since that time, the overall quality of high-end seafood in the city has risen dramatically. I also understand, though this may be mistaken, that the table layout is now denser than it used to be.

It has been a few years since I've been to Le Bernardins, which is why I qualified it above. when I was there on two occassions it was outstanding both times. I have read and heard a number of unflattering comments recently, however, which have diminished my desire to return, especially with other worthy candidates to dine at.

I finally got around to commenting just in case you thought I didn't notice

Owen, that was about my feeling as well. It was ok, but nothing truly special. We still have some of the marinade left after a year and a half.

To me the most disappointing restaurant mentioned on this thread is Nobu. I thought the decor unremarkable, the service so-so and the food ($100 omikase) only mediocre. I had high hopes for it, but do not feel any urge to return. 4*'s? Not in my book. Not even close.

All in all sounds a little disappointing. Was it? How were the pairings?

Through recent experience: Per Se Daniel Through past experience: The Four Seasons Le Bernardins 4* rated, but not to me: Bouley Jean-Georges No experience: ADNY Masa

Thanks for the suggestions. So far, my most likely dining spots will be ZOPS or the sausages at the stadium. I would have thought spiedies would have been it, but I must say they haven't been made to sound too appealing. How about breakfast? Anything special?

I actually have no idea how I'll be going since someone else would be driving after I get off night call on Saturday morning.

Thanks for the suggestions. I thought spiedies were from around Syracuse. I'm actually familiar with the Lupo's products, having received the marinades as a gift in the past. They are not bad. Spiedies or the Cornell chicken sound like good candidates for sampling. Any others? What about special kinds of hot dogs I've heard about before?

Any recommendations for good regional or ethnic food in Binghamton? I will be there this weekend for my son's baseball tournament. How about ballpark food for the Binghamton Mets?

This reminds me of late '90's dotcoms. It will crash.

Spill the beans, not the wine.

I can't say that I do, although I enjoyed your post and am looking forward to others.

I am fortunate that my health plan covers diabetes medications at no co-pay. I do not believe that would be the case with the more holistic approach of cinammon or "natural" remedies, especially without a proven track record. I know what metformin does for my blood sugar and that along with pravachol and accupril have so far managed to control those issues and keep me in a low risk range, without having to substantially alter my diet. I actually have to make more concessions for kidney stones. If a little cinammon helps, so much the better. The recommendations for blood pressure and cholesterol ranges for diabetics is that they remain not just within normal limits, but on the low side of "normal", so if one is diabetic and not currently within that low-normal range, one should consider adding these medications if not already on them.

Cool thread making me extremely nostalgic. While I haven't had any pizze (or anything else) at Otto, they look to me more like pizze I've had in Tuscany than Naples and Campania.