The Kitchen Counter (and more) at Beacon

[BryanZ]

Ha, it seems likely after a loss-leader like that.

markk, you should've invited me. I was trying to go on Sunday too, but my family was stranded in O'Hare and thus I was dining partnerless. Oh well, perhaps in a couple weeks.

Edited February 10, 2009 by BryanZ (log)

[Fat Guy]

Waldy Malouf wasn't there, but Sous Chef Joel Orsini presided over a truly magnificent meal - I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a meal that much.

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I've definitely noticed that Beacon has an unusually deep talent pool. I have an annoying habit of showing up for lunch at 2:29pm when the restaurant is empty and just about to go into between-meals dormancy. Because it's an open kitchen you always know who's there. I've come in and the only person in the kitchen has been whatever line cook is handling the end-of-shift orders. And I've never noticed variation in quality based on who's cooking or expediting.

[flinflon28]

Well hell I'm REALLY looking forward to this Sunday's reservation now.

[weinoo]

We were there this past Sunday as well, and really enjoyed it. But man, were we stuffed.

Bringing a nice bottle of wine (iirc, a younger Bordeaux), and ordering only 1 drink as an apertif, actually a beer to go with the oysters and pizza, our bill totaled about $82. I left a $25 tip, and am hoping that was about right.

[oakapple]

The g/f and I stopped in for a pre-opera meal last night—our first visit. We had a rather humble meal, just a green salad ($13) and a burger ($21) apiece. I don't think I can assign a "rating" on such a minimal sample, but it was the most enjoyable salad+burger meal I've had in a long time.

I don't know why Mr. Cutlets has been shilling for the LaFreida black-label nonsense, which I tried last week. This burger and these fries were about 100% better than the City Burger product in every respect. And for just $5 more you sit in a lovely environment and have waiter service.

Beacon isn't suffering at dinner time, but they're not full either. The $35 restaurant week offering has been extended until at least the end of February, and heaven knows it could go on longer. Service was just fine, aside from a slight whiff of upselling by the waiter.

[ulterior epicure]

The g/f and I stopped in for a pre-opera meal last night—our first visit. We had a rather humble meal, just a green salad ($13) and a burger ($21) apiece. I don't think I can assign a "rating" on such a minimal sample, but it was the most enjoyable salad+burger meal I've had in a long time.

What, in the name of all that is sacred and true, justifies the price tag on that burger?

Or, am I just way out of touch with New York prices?

[oakapple]

...a burger ($21) apiece...

What, in the name of all that is sacred and true, justifies the price tag on that burger?

Or, am I just way out of touch with New York prices?

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Well, what really struck me was that it was only $5 more than I paid for a premium burger+fries at City Burger. But City Burger is a fast-food joint with styrofoam containers, plastic trays, and minimal counter seating. Beacon is a full-service restaurant, with waiters, white tablecloths, cloth napkins, silverware, bread service, etc. On top of that, their burger was better (thicker, juicier, tastier) than the one Cutlets has been shilling at City Burger, and their fries were better too.

If you assume the City Burger offering is fairly priced, I think $5 more at Beacon is fair too.

[Ochowie]

So with all the fair prices going on at Beacon, what is the deal with the price for the Beefsteak being hiked to $200? At first I was excited about this event, but the more I thought about the kind of meals I could get for $200 the less I wanted to go.

[Fat Guy]

The Beefsteak price now includes tax and tip, and the donation to Green Chimneys Childrens' Services has been raised to $40. I believe Waldy raised the donation amount because the event is now always sold out, so he figured he could get a little more for charity out of it.

The Beacon Burger is sold at, I believe, four different prices based on time and location. At lunch at the Burger Bar it's $12.95. At a table in the dining room it's $19. At dinnertime it goes up a couple of dollars in each location. It's the same burger at all four prices, with minor aesthetic plating differences that don't matter. The prices reflect supply and demand as well as the desire to keep the burger price in line with the rest of the menu prices. If you put a $12.95 burger on a dinner menu next to a $43 steak you're going to undercut your steak sales. This kind of pricing variation is pretty routine in the restaurant business.

[ulterior epicure]

The Beefsteak price now includes tax and tip, and the donation to Green Chimneys Childrens' Services has been raised to $40. I believe Waldy raised the donation amount because the event is now always sold out, so he figured he could get a little more for charity out of it.

The Beacon Burger is sold at, I believe, four different prices based on time and location. At lunch at the Burger Bar it's $12.95. At a table in the dining room it's $19. At dinnertime it goes up a couple of dollars in each location. It's the same burger at all four prices, with minor aesthetic plating differences that don't matter. The prices reflect supply and demand as well as the desire to keep the burger price in line with the rest of the menu prices. If you put a $12.95 burger on a dinner menu next to a $43 steak you're going to undercut your steak sales. This kind of pricing variation is pretty routine in the restaurant business.

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Right, I'm not bewildered by the pricing structure or strategy. I guess I'm just mildly shocked by the numbers being assigned.

Admittedly, I haven't tasted this particular burger. From what oakapple says, I don't doubt it's probably worth the price - especially considering its apparenty quality and the time and place that it's served in.

Edited February 12, 2009 by ulterior epicure (log)

[gatilgan]

After fatguy and Markk's write-up and great pictures, we decided to try Sunday Supper at Beacon with our kids last Sunday. Last Sunday, the skillet special was braised venison with chestnut so I picked up a basic Nebbiolo from Produttori del Barbaresco which I thought would suit well this rustic dish.

I don’t want to be too repetitive with the appetizers but oysters and arugula salad were very good. Oyster maintained all its juices and arugula salad was a great simple dish with a small addition of fingerling potatoes. (we had several orders of oysters and arugula salad)

Braised venison was delicious and I even ordered the second one. Finally, we finished with balsamic roasted strawberry and cookies which was really delicious. Our waiter confirmed when I asked that they added only sugar and orange zest in addition to balsamic vinegar.

Aside from extremely reasonable cost, we really enjoyed our 2.5 hours at Beacon. Service was great, sincere and the staff was very accommodating to the kids.

Edited February 22, 2009 by gatilgan (log)

[BryanZ]

Going tonight for some jambalaya. Will report back.

[BryanZ]

Just got back from Beacon and, ugh, I'm full. In a good way though, so all is well.

We really enjoyed ourselves, and I must say it was quite the bargain. This is not complex or overly ambitious food but it is satisfying. I think these Sunday suppers find a nice balance between quantity and quality that is hard to beat. We got in there for the last of the $35 pp events, but even at $44 it's a good deal. With that said, it would make me very happy if for some reason this $35 offer was extended for another month of so.

The service was very accommodating. We brought three bottles of wine, one of which was a bit older and not cellared all that well that was decanted without hesitation. Requests for mutltiple wine glasses and the like also were graciously accommodated. I did feel that the servers were stretched a bit thin--perhaps on a relatively lazy Sunday they had less servers on the floor--but once we got their attention nothing was too much trouble. Any technical quibbles on the service front were more than made up for by a feeling of genuine hospitality.

As for the food, it was all very agreeable. Not the best I've had by any imagination, but the kind of food you wish you were served at a dinner party but aren't. The soup, to me, was the weakest dish. Too thick and a bit one-note. Other than that, no real complaints. I might want a bit less cheese on the pizza or a lighter hand with the red onion on the oysters, but I'd happily eat these again and again if placed in front of me. The salad serves as a nice transition course of sorts. We had two plates with our appetizer and another plate with our main courses.

The skillet special on this evening was jambalaya. To be honest, I wasn't super psyched about this offering going into the meal. Duck confit or braised venison sounded more exciting. I must say, however, Beacon over-delivered on this dish. Very large shrimp, hunks of sausage, crispy chips of ham, and pieces of chicken sat atop a rich rice and spicy gravy mixture. We ordered two rounds of this. We also tried the chicken and the salmon, both of which, I believe, are cooked in the wood-burning oven. I can't fault the cooking of these dishes, but both could've used a bit more salt. To my mother they were fine, but I thought them a little underseasoned.

The dessert was simple and satisfying. Of the make-your-own sundae components, the strawberries were the consensus favorite.

A really nice and satisfying meal. Exactly the kind of thing you want on a Sunday evening with family. I confess, since this was the last week the Sunday supper was being offered at $35 I felt the need to go. Still, I intend to go back when the right skillet special comes into rotation.

[markk]

Just got back from Beacon and, ugh, I'm full.  In a good way though, so all is well.

We really enjoyed ourselves, and I must say it was quite the bargain.  This is not complex or overly ambitious food but it is satisfying.  I think these Sunday suppers find a nice balance between quantity and quality that is hard to beat.  We got in there for the last of the $35 pp events, but even at $44 it's a good deal.  With that said, it would make me very happy if for some reason this $35 offer was extended for another month of so.

The service was very accommodating.  We brought three bottles of wine, one of which was a bit older and not cellared all that well that was decanted without hesitation.  Requests for mutltiple wine glasses and the like also were graciously accommodated.  I did feel that the servers were stretched a bit thin--perhaps on a relatively lazy Sunday they had less servers on the floor--but once we got their attention nothing was too much trouble.  Any technical quibbles on the service front were more than made up for by a feeling of genuine hospitality.

As for the food, it was all very agreeable.  Not the best I've had by any imagination, but the kind of food you wish you were served at a dinner party but aren't.  The soup, to me, was the weakest dish.  Too thick and a bit one-note.  Other than that, no real complaints.  I might want a bit less cheese on the pizza or a lighter hand with the red onion on the oysters, but I'd happily eat these again and again if placed in front of me.  The salad serves as a nice transition course of sorts.  We had two plates with our appetizer and another plate with our main courses.

The skillet special on this evening was jambalaya.  To be honest, I wasn't super psyched about this offering going into the meal.  Duck confit or braised venison sounded more exciting.  I must say, however, Beacon over-delivered on this dish.  Very large shrimp, hunks of sausage, crispy chips of ham, and pieces of chicken sat atop a rich rice and spicy gravy mixture.  We ordered two rounds of this.  We also tried the chicken and the salmon, both of which, I believe, are cooked in the wood-burning oven.  I can't fault the cooking of these dishes, but both could've used a bit more salt.  To my mother they were fine, but I thought them a little underseasoned.

The dessert was simple and satisfying.  Of the make-your-own sundae components, the strawberries were the consensus favorite.

A really nice and satisfying meal.  Exactly the kind of thing you want on a Sunday evening with family.  I confess, since this was the last week the Sunday supper was being offered at $35 I felt the need to go.  Still, I intend to go back when the right skillet special comes into rotation.

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Fat Guy warned you that this wasn't your kind of food.

You and your damned foams; foam is meant for shaving cream, not dinner.

Just for that, I'm not inviting you when I go for duck confit three weeks ago.

Edited February 23, 2009 by markk (log)

[Purple Pirate]

Last Sunday, the skillet special was braised venison with chestnut so I picked up a basic///

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I did The Kitchen Counter last Thursday and one of the courses was the braised venison, lardons, chestnuts and currants. It was one of my favorite courses of the evening.

The entire Kitchen Counter experience was wonderful!

Kudos to Chef Sergio and his crew that night!

[richardv]

  We also tried the chicken and the salmon, both of which, I believe, are cooked in the wood-burning oven...

Are these included in the price of the skillet dinner, or did you pay separately for these a la carte?

Edited February 25, 2009 by richardv (log)

[BryanZ]

You have a choice between the skillet special or one of six a la carte items. See Fat Guy's original Sunday Supper post.

[figs]

I am going to one of the 9 course dinners there. It definitely is byob with no corkage fee?

[weinoo]

I am going to one of the 9 course dinners there. It definitely is byob with no corkage fee?

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No, the BYOB with no corkage is Sunday Supper.

[markk]

When I was there (byo'ing) a few weeks ago for the duck confit skillet dinner, I studied the wine list - it looks really good and quite reasonable, and was a pleasant surprise on both counts!

[Fat Guy]

This just in regarding March and April:

Beacon’s Own 60 Day Stimulus Plan

EAT + DRINK & SAVE

March | April

Includes -

20% OFF all A La Carte MENU prices

+

Special 30 Wines at $30 Lunch + Dinner

+

Early Spring List of $10 Cocktails Specialty + All Mixed Drinks

+

Extended Restaurant Week thru 3/20th

$24.07 Lunch | $35 Dinner

I've already emailed to find out whether the $35 dinner price works for Sunday supper. I'll follow up when I get an answer.

[Fat Guy]

Okay, so Sunday supper will continue to be discounted. Here's the word from the man:

Yes, the $35 Sunday Supper extends through the Restaurant Week extension, until the 20th of March. So the next 3 Sundays, the 1st, 8th, and 15th it will still be the Restaurant Week price of $35. After that, throughout March and April, the 20% discount on all a la carte menus will apply. So the $44 prix fixe every night and Sundays will be $35.20!! And the prix fixe lunch, usually $38.00, will be $30.40.

[figs]

This thread seems like such an infomercial.. I will give it a shot though.

[BryanZ]

I was very skeptical, but I really liked it. Again, not my "style" per se, but it's tasty comfort food, at least what I had, and a great value for the price.

[maf]

I'm not much of a poster, more a reader. I'm also not from New York, not particularly sophisticated, not articulate, and not particularly good-looking. I do, however, love to eat.

I shared your cynicism, figs. All that aside, our Thursday night dinner at The Kitchen Counter last summer was one of the most relaxed and enjoyable meals I've had. As the Bare Naked Ladies said, I'm all about value, and this passed the value test.