docsconz

Will Goldfarb's new place, Picnick is apparently now open. Some other pastry chefs certainly worthy of mention include Gale Gand at Tru in Chicago and eGullet Society member Nicole Kaplan of Del Posto though I have yet to have the pleasure of sampling her work.

It may be based on starch, but for the most part the food is relatively unadorned - including the starches. It is rare to have an Italian dish in which the individual ingredients are not identifiable either visually or by taste. That is not to say that Italian food doesn't or can't have the ability to sit in one's stomach for awhile!

Thanks! Good to have it posted on here in any case.

I'm not sure that they're actually taking reservations, other than as a courtesy to the people that they failed to serve who had reservations. They definitely do not pick up the phone or return messages (although you do get to listen to Sam's sexy voice saying "Tailor"). Since my first two reservations have been failed to various degrees (Saturday they were open and everything was free with a set menu of one savory, one sweet and one cocktail and yesterday was as described by Nathan previously), I'm waiting to see what happens with our reservation for Sunday. They're clearly having liquor license issues, but the GM seems to be a pathological liar, so it's not entirely clear when that will be cleared up. Report to follow, but the previews on Saturday were really great and the cocktails are definitely among the best and most interesting available in New York right now. That being said, they should make room for a Kold-Draft machine. The way they're making ice right now works (provided that they use it, which they didn't on Saturday) but seems arduous. The cocktails were remarkably better downstairs at the bar with proper ice and Alex the bartender making them. ← What number did you call? No telephone number is listed either on their website or in other listings in which I have looked.

I have to agree with what others have said about Italian food being heavy. Pastas are lightly sauced, meats are barely sauced. But I have to disagree completely with this statement: "Perhaps this is in part because traditional, local, regional cuisine is a major marketing proposition for Italian tourism." People here are genuinely, truly passionate about their local food and recipes. They are unaware of current market trends regarding eating locally, eating traditionally, eating seasonal foods. This is just the way that they eat. Period. One of the greatest challenges we face at the restaurant is that locals don't eat out that much. A very sweet older lady friend in town, explained to me that she was very supportive of the restaurant but wouldn't be coming to eat there because, "we don't have the habit to eat out." She then proceeded to tell me how she was making some trout for dinner. The point being that many Italians eat out infrequently, so the assumption that the popularity of 'traditional dishes' is the result of clever marketing, just isn't so. ← The influence of Slow Food, an international organization started and based in Italy can not be discounted when considering the origins of "current market trends." This organization came into existence primarily because of growing concerns of the erosion of what you just described within Italy.

Bravo! Very well said. On the "heaviness" of Italian cuisine: One thing I have always had the impression of the cuisines of Italy is that that they have been based on the primacy of the ingredient with the emphasis of a dish highlighting the essential elements of one or a few ingredients whether vegetable, starch, meat or fish. My understanding of "classic" French cuisine is that the primary focus of the chef was creating a dish, that although delicious tended to undermine the elements of individual ingredients for the sake of the created dish. As such, deep, flavorful and rich sauces predominated. In this sense, contemporary French cooking has taken a more "Italian" approach.

I have to agree with Michelle. I don't associate food in Italy with "heavy" - certianly not like "classic" French cuisine.

I shop at this Fairway every once in a while when I am staying in the City in the UWS, though I shop at the 125thSt. one more frequently and tend to load up on things there before I head home when I have my car. I particularly like shopping for olive and other oils there. One of the coolest things I used to find and buy shopping at the UWS`Fairway (but not the others) was Oriol Balaguer's line of chocolates including those with pop rocks. Unfortunately, they no longer carry them and haven't for awhile.

It all goes in cycles.

Frankly, I think this statement is BS. The problem with this statement is that it implies that antibiotics are the problem and should not be used. Yes, antibiotics have been overused and that has been a problem, but would anyone here or elsewhere prefer to go back to a world without them? When used appropriately and wisely, they are lifesaving substances and have contributed greatly to increased life expectancy. I do, however, agree that that we have an overemphasis on avoiding all bacteria bad or good in or out of our food supply and that may be a factor in the topic under discussion. Though I don't dismiss the possibility, I too would like to see more data about these so-called "allergy promoting compounds" being placed in our foods.

One of the main things that makes creative cuisine successful when it is, is the spirit in which it is done. At places of my experience like elBulli, minibar, Alinea, WD-50 and Osteria Francescana, the chefs are quite serious about what they are doing, but they are still playful and offer their work with a sense of fun and whimsy and thereby avoid pretense. For sure not all dishes work for all people at all times at these or any restaurant, but if the diner commiserates with a similar sense of discovery and playfulness, that diner will likely enjoy the meal and appreciate its novelty and cleverness as well as its deliciousness. When this happens, to me that is as good as it gets. Certainly not all "creative" chefs and restaurants fit into that mold. I have been at some restaurants in which i think the chef is shooting for a Nobel Prize and as such loses the sparks of fun and discovery. It is often a fine line, but one that makes all the difference.

Actually Gabe did in his initial post. I'm not sure how he gets overlooked in discussions of great American pastry chefs, but eGullet Society Staff Emeritus Michael Laiskonis should be included in any list of such as well as another eGullet Society Staff Emeritus Steve Klc, who works with Jose Andres in DC. Johnny Iuzzini and Pichet Ong in NYC and Sherry Yard of Spago in LA also do great work. For classic French pastry, I highly doubt that there is anyone in the US doing it better than Michael London in Saratoga Springs, NY. Saveur agrees and this past March called him "America's greatest baker." I know that I haven't had better - anywhere. His apple tarts, cannelle, croissants and brittany's are sheer perfection.

Yes, what I grew up with was technically Italian-American, but it was heavily based on Campanian and Sicilian home cooking as well as restaurants. I did not eat spaghetti and meatballs and generally still don't - not that there is anything wrong with them! I suppose if all I or anyone ever had was traditional cooking then a craving for something new and different would probably be more likely. Italian or Italian-American food was enough of my formative experience to be very much comfort food, but not so much as to be boring. While I would never want to give up traditional dishes, Italian, Spanish or otherwise, I would equally hate to give up the ability to enjoy something new, different, surprising and fun, even if it was a take on a traditional dish. Not all the new dishes are wonderful, but to me at least, those that do work add an extra level of enjoyment. Hey, let's discuss my drug-induced psychoses in your office, or by PM, Doc! ←

I used to contribute to Zagat's until I got involved here and put my excess energy into this organization. I couldn't say how they decide what restaurants get listed.

I say that I too sometimes feel the need to shake things up a bit, and enjoy it. But the farthest I've gone, with Italian food, are these two examples: One night I took an ultra-ripe cantaloupe and honeydew, and scooped each into a blender to puree. Then holding them in two large measuring cups with spouts, I poured them simultaneously into opposite edges of serving bowls - the purees of orange and green meet at the center of the bowl, and then I used the back of a spoon to make a swirl pattern along the edge where they met, and I served this with prosciutto curls. Another night, in the height of great NJ heirloom tomato season, I sliced some tomatoes and let them sit a while with fresh basil and some olive oil; then I breaded and sauteed some chicken breasts, topped them with thick slices of the fresh tomato, obtained some of Hoboken's finest and freshest warm, homemade mozzarella, and melted it a bit over the top, for an updated version of "Chicken Parm". But there was no foam, and there were no molecules, and no dust. I think the more experience from an early age one has with a traditional cuisine the harder it is to veer from it towards creativity. While I like creativity in Italian food too (Massimo Bottura of Osteria Francescana in Modena is a prime example), I grew up with traditional Italian food as a base and probably still lean towwards that. While I love traditional Spanish food, I didn't grow up with it and only really came to it after experiencing creative modern Spanish cuisine. The important thing, of course, remains that the food still tastes good and is a pleasure regardless of the style and the methods. ← Sounds more like something else than marijuana to me. Not enough of an appetite payback there!

Oh yeah. That maligned thing. I was trying to figure out why it didn't come to mind but then I realized that if the bookstores here carry them they are buried somewhere deep and hidden, one or two dusty copies. The last time I thought of Zagat was when I saw it bright bold and beautiful displayed on the check-out at Barnes and Noble in Charlottesville. And as we know, Charlottesville is not here. It's there. I'll have to try to discover where this invisible geographic line of stupid clumsy food actually starts. I appear to be in the center of it, at the core. Obviously it is not the only Circle of SCF. Princeton was mentioned before as another region of insult. ← I didn't think the location was C'ville, unless the food quality there has changed drastically for the worse. While it is not necessarily the greatest restaurant community in the country it was pretty decent in my day there. While Zagat probably still does a fair bit of business via books, I think their internet presence is now where it is at. Instead of selling copies of books they sell internet memberships that allow for specific uses depending on the level of membership. It also allows for a much wider range of services. I think that it still is the closest thing to a national Michelin in the US. It is not as if Michelin gives a wealth of specific restaurant information either. Zagat gives as much or more than Michelin. Also like Michelin, there is disagreement on specific ratings for specific places. but then will there ever be universal agreement on anyplace?

How about "Restaurant Concepts?" Per Fat Guy's suggestion, you could also incorporate your name into it, say "Ruffins' Restaurant Concepts" or something like that. Adding your name should reduce the likelihood of any potential name conflict issues.

I'll doe happy having enjoyed both traditional cuisines and novel, creative ones. They are not in the least bit mutually exclusive and each is much poorer without the other. Your prosciutto and melon example is an interesting one. For that dish to really work it has to taste at least as good as the original, but then on top of that one can enjoy the cleverness and inventiveness, which is food for the mind. If it doesn't taste as good, then I agree, why bother?

I agree that the decrease in formality across Society has been going on for awhile, though it didn't really start picking up steam until the 60's and even then that was quite limited by age and social status. Not being dressed up would have been considered as "counter-culture" and not the norm. It would have been quite rare to go to a fancy restaurant not dressed up. Even in baseball if one looks at replays of the Mets-Orioles World Series of 1969 essentially all the men in the stands were wearing jackets and ties. I don't think the trend really caught firein the US at least until the late 80's and early 90's when it became de rigeur in Silicon Valley and spread outwardly from there. Now its pretty standard everywhere.

The trend is the same towards less formality. I can think of at least a few restaurants up here ten years or so ago where jackets at least were expected if not required. Regional/demographic issues may play a role, but as a native of NYC, in this case I think the role is minimal.

Though it is much maligned and not truly national at least not exhaustively, probably the closest thing to a Michelin or Campsa like guide in the US is Zagat.

I can't think of one restaurant that I go to in the Saratoga/Lake George/Capitol Region where I feel obligated to wear a jacket and/or a tie. Of course, most of the region I mentioned is pretty touristy and resort-like except for the Albany area, but then I dine there only rarely. BTW, we do have some very good food. I prefer to have my haute cuisine in a more relaxed, less formal ambiance, though I still like elegant. I think part of the trend is that diners want to feel more relaxed and comfortable and it is easier to do that dressing down even if it may not be quite as romantic. The epitome of a restaurant that is very much haute, elegant but still informal in a dressy way is elBulli.

One of the key elements in Fabricant's article is that cost is one reason that informality is increasing in restaurants with high culinary standards. These restaurants due largely to high rents and food costs need to save money somewhere and that is often in removing the trappings of formality like tablecloths, etc. It is the rare restaurant that can get away with charging the prices of Per Se, L'Atelier (formal or not), Guy Savoy and Masa.

Is that a union pay scale? I would be curious to know what difference if any there might be. Are there any benefits in addition to the pay?

Perhaps this article from the New York Times captures some of this elusive "new" paradigm. Later in the article: Though the trend has picked up steam and is more readily apparent because of the general decline in formality, I still assert that it is not really new nor is it limited to NYC.