Dennis Foy

[judsg]

We had a thoroughly enjoyable dinner at Dennis Foy's restaurant at 313 Church Street. I went to his restaurant in Chatham, New Jersey (Tarragon Tree) some 30 years ago and got tickets for Blasted, an off-Broadway play around the corner. So we decided to see how much things had changed in 30 years.

The restaurant was empty at 6:00 p.m. They have a new $27.00 prix fixe dinner (appetizer and entree). We had gnocchi with sage & mushrooms and smoked salmon with truffle infused egg salad as appetizers. Probably because we were the only ones there, the waiter brought us some fettuccine with bolognese sauce. for entrees we had fluke and red snapper. We had no room for dessert.

Everything was delicious and for $27.00, the value was excellent.

[edo]

I've been there twice since I live nearby. Both times I have really enjoyed the food, but both times I we were the only party there, which kinda makes for a weird dining experience. The first time admittedly was in horrible weather and they claimed they had lots of cancellations, which I could believe since in fact I had a res somewhere uptown but canceled that and went to Foy since it was so close. The second time I went it was a normal day so I expected a normal crowd, but again it was just us. Unfortunate, because I quite like the place.

[oakapple]

Grub Street had a post about the recession special. Basically, the restaurant has been empty, and the $27 prix fixe is an attempt to get bums into the seats. My only visit was in April 2007, and we thought it was pretty good. But even then, it was only a quarter full at prime time on a Friday evening. The restaurant deserves better, but in a way, I am surprised it has lasted this long.

[sucio sanchez]

That's why I feel it's irresponsible of Frank Bruni to re-review ssam Bar, when there are restaurants like Dennis Foy, that could benefit from a little more exposure in the Times. Do we really need to hear more about Momofuku, than we already have, even if they received 1* the place will still be rockin'.

[oakapple]

That's why I feel it's irresponsible of Frank Bruni to re-review ssam Bar,  when there are restaurants like Dennis Foy, that could benefit from a little more exposure in the Times. Do we really need to hear more about Momofuku, than we already have, even if they received 1* the place will still be rockin'.

←

It is extremely difficult to lure Frank Bruni back for a second look. Usually, there needs to be an intervening event that puts the restaurant back in the news, and even then there's only a slim chance of it. In 4½ years, only 6 restaurants have managed to get him back for a second review.

I suspect the more pertinent issue is that he shortchanged Dennis Foy in the first place. It was one of his rare double reviews, and the only time in his tenure that he reviewed two restaurants together that weren't somehow thematically related. Leonard Kim has pointed out that, before Ruth Reichl, Times critics routinely reviewed 2 restaurants a week, rather than one. It was a format that was much more conducive to giving places like this a second look.

I completely agree that the Ssäm Bar review was journalistically irresponsible. But it was a disservice, not so much to Dennis Foy, but to plenty of very good restaurants that haven't had a Times review at all.