Bruno Jamais

[adegiulio]

Felonius, you described it exactly as I imagined it. I can't think of anything more boring and annoying than a bunch of people that are egotistical and antisocial enough to shell out 7 large for the privilege of hanging out with each other. Give me a break...

By the way Felonius, are you a Steely Dan fan?

[porkpa]

Having been exposed to the arrogant, condescending a--h--- Bruno Jamais when he was at Daniel, I wouldn't support any enterprise that he was involved with if the initiation was free. He is the personification, almost a parody of what one would think of as the stereotype of the arrogant, unfriendly Frenchman with his hand always out.

Porkpa

[jeffperez62]

Ouch

[Bond Girl]

Come on guys! The fun is in seeing the caricature....and in enjoying the experience. I love going to places like that because it's almost like being in the theater where you are a participant.

[Mayhaw Man]

I guess this isn't much different than a Country Club - and at a much lower price than most country clubs.  You pay the extra money for a less crowded course, the posher surroundings and to be a "member" with the preferential treatment that comes along with it. 

The bottom line for someone who cares about hte food is - is it good?

But if that isn't a consideration then it is probably worthwhile.

Bilrus,

I agree with your country club analogy, but that would leave the problem that most country club food is not really great. In fact, while I was pondering this, I came to the conclusion that Tony Bourdain's description of the Rainbow Room and his employment there would extend nicely to most about any Country Club I have ever spent any time in. The old guys, the reused food on the steam line, losts of "meat slicing stations", etc.

Hopefully the food will be better. Does anyone have any idea what kind of food you will get to spill on your ascot and who is preparing it?

[R Washburn]

"Ex-Daniel maitre d', Bruno Jamais, recently opened an exclusive supper club on the Upper East Side. Membership is $7,000 and the guests are handpicked by Jamais. The advantages: a $6 million wine collection, Pratesi table linens, reservation-only policies, an unlisted phone number, and best of all, no mixing with the vile hoi polloi. "I resent it on a Friday or Saturday night when restaurants have a crowd that isn't particularly 'preferred,'" sniffs Wall Street CEO, Robert Kanter. ("Well, I resent it when Wall Street CEOs have egos larger than their offshore bank accounts," sniffs Gawker Editor, Elizabeth Spiers.) The Post says "ascots are de rigueur," which is a bit confusing. The only ascot-ed man I've ever seen people take seriously is Hugh Hefner, and surely that speaks for itself."

It can't be that exclusive, since they solicited me to join when they first opened. I think Bruno invited everyone on the so-called "shmuck list" at Daniel, plus his own regulars.

[bilrus]

I guess this isn't much different than a Country Club - and at a much lower price than most country clubs.  You pay the extra money for a less crowded course, the posher surroundings and to be a "member" with the preferential treatment that comes along with it. 

The bottom line for someone who cares about hte food is - is it good?

But if that isn't a consideration then it is probably worthwhile.

Bilrus,

I agree with your country club analogy, but that would leave the problem that most country club food is not really great. In fact, while I was pondering this, I came to the conclusion that Tony Bourdain's description of the Rainbow Room and his employment there would extend nicely to most about any Country Club I have ever spent any time in. The old guys, the reused food on the steam line, losts of "meat slicing stations", etc.

Hopefully the food will be better. Does anyone have any idea what kind of food you will get to spill on your ascot and who is preparing it?

Yeah, - I was really thinking of the country club in strictly golf terms.

[Comfort Me]

Can you imagine being a member of the waitstaff there? Anyone who waits tables knows they have to deal with prima donas every day, but this place sounds like they recruit the uber-prima-donas. (Ooh -- gratuitous mixing of foreign languages. The editor in my wife would rear its ugly head and start yelling at me.) I wonder what these guys are over-compensating for?

Anyway, I'm not even the least bit interested in dining there. I picture the place full of middle-aged impotent white men with their 23 year-old-trophy wives taking out their perverse domination fantasies on the service personel whose only wish is to provide good service, earn a living, and go home.

[Felonius]

Come on guys! The fun is in seeing the caricature....and in enjoying the experience.  I love going to places like that because it's almost like being in the theater where you are a participant.

I'm with you Bond Girl! I'd encourage anyone who receives an invitation to check it out for a few hours. I'm glad I did. It's better comedy than Saturday Night Live. Just be careful what you drink, as those $20 and up cocktails can lighten your wallet in no time.

Also, don't fork out the $7,000 for a membership card unless you also have the money for frequent tanorama visits, a hair transplant, and arm-candy rental fees from the local talent agency. Oh yeah, and a collection of Ascots from Paul Stuart is de riguer. I think this brings membership costs up to around $20K.

Edited December 11, 2003 by Felonius (log)

[Felonius]

By the way Felonius, are you a Steely Dan fan?

Yes. Why, are you Kid Charlemagne?

[Bond Girl]

Come on guys! The fun is in seeing the caricature....and in enjoying the experience.  I love going to places like that because it's almost like being in the theater where you are a participant.

I'm with you Bond Girl! I'd encourage anyone who receives an invitation to check it out for a few hours. I'm glad I did. It's better comedy than Saturday Night Live. Just be careful what you drink, as those $20 and up cocktails can lighten your wallet in no time.

Also, don't fork out the $7,000 for a membership card unless you also have the money for frequent tanorama visits, a hair transplant, and arm-candy rental fees from the local talent agency. Oh yeah, and a collection of Ascots from Paul Stuart is de riguer. I think this brings membership costs up to around $20K.

A few hours would probably be the limit to my pain threshold. Felonius's got it right about the comedy value, the stories you get from a place like that is priceless. Plus, you can push the limit and see what you can get away with. The last time I was in a place that stogey, I got a bunch of octogenarians to do tequila shots.

So I will see if any of my wall street friends has got on to this place and can get me in.

As for the ascots, there is no need for it, a short dress that puts a few cardiologists on the standby will do.

[Mayhaw Man]

As for the ascots, there is no need for it, a short dress that puts a few cardiologists on the standby will do.

If I wore a short dress EVERYBODY in the place would need a cardiologist and a quick whack of Procardia

[phaelon56]

The Post says "ascots are de rigueur," which is a bit confusing. The only ascot-ed man I've ever seen people take seriously is Hugh Hefner, and surely that speaks for itself."

I beg to differ - doesn't anyone else remember Charles Nelson Reilly? Then again... perhaps so few took him seriously that the quote still speaks for itself

[Bond Girl]

As for the ascots, there is no need for it, a short dress that puts a few cardiologists on the standby will do.

If I wore a short dress EVERYBODY in the place would need a cardiologist and a quick whack of Procardia

I propose that we all go as an egullet outing.

[wesza]

[Bond Girl]

Okay, may be a bad idea...given the $20 drink price.

[Kim WB]

While it certainly seems that this particular establishment is over the top haughty and snobby, I'm wondering if, in general, the egullet membership feels that there is a place for private dining clubs...country clubs with wonderful food ( they exist), University clubs and true private dining clubs and bars..what do you think?

[Bond Girl]

While it certainly seems that this particular establishment is over the top haughty and snobby, I'm wondering if, in general, the egullet membership feels that there is a place for private dining clubs...country clubs with wonderful food ( they exist), University clubs and true private dining clubs and bars..what do you think?

Okay, one of the most Chinese memorable meals I had was at the Beijing Club in China, which is a private dining club frequented by politicians and diplomats. However, I'm not sure I agree entirely with the socially segregated aspects of such an organization. Particularly as a minority woman living in this country.

(okay, I will now get off my soap box)

[wesza]

What a WONDERFULL idea. It's terrific.

Just think all these A-HOLES have got their place to look at each other, and the rest of us will be able to enjoy our meals without their company.

In fact ask any FOH person about who the worst tipping most pain in the ass customers are and you'll find most of them there.

Should become funny, cause generally when several of these types frequent the same place they have specific demands;

My regular table

My regular server

Tell the chef i'm here

let the bartender know this drinks for ME

and so on.

I love it when everyone wants the same table, at the same tome as invariabily happens.

It's even better when you've seated so in so, next to his former wife or if he's with the wife then next to the girlfriend, oh all these exclusive phoo pahs accumulate.

Of course they won't be able to keep employees or sustain staffing, since servers expect tips based on percentages of sales or saleries that will compensate. Something that will never happen.

Also pompus self important Headwaiter Types invariablly kept the business from the Kitchen, Captains or Waiters. Actually i've almost never seem this type operator succeed without realistic hands on management keeping them in line, especially in any so called club athmosphere.

In NYC the real Clubs are long time established, not contrived and depend on LOYALTY, total foreign language to these wantobe operators.

I'll take odds that it won't last very long, especially on the East Side in the real world. There have been several places that tried this and they all went down the drain as failures.

Irwin

[alanamoana]

in hong kong there used to be a "bankers' club" restaurant. they had the best buffet you can imagine. so many different styles of food offered and all hot and fresh. i can't spurn "private" places like that if i have a chance of getting in. conversely, if i don't know about it, i can't care one way or another. i guess i would just get moody if i knew a place existed and i knew it had good food and i couldn't get in to eat!

[MichaelB]

The Beard Foundation is having an event at Bruno Jamais on January 5. You could go to that without dropping the $7,000.

Champagne Indulgence Dinner. Champagne by Charles Heidsieck Champagne. Members (of the Foundation) and Guests, $150 per.

[tommy]

so who is the chef? and is he notable?

[Bond Girl]

will call up the beard house tomorrow.

[docsconz]

NYC is about the last place I would ever want to do something like join a club like this even if the food were really good. There are too many other wonderful places to eat. For the same reason I would prefer not to get a vacation home. I would rather travel to a lot of different places than feel obligated to return to the same one time after time.

I guess the real reason most people do join clubs like this is because they can.

[tommy]

I guess the real reason most people do join clubs like this is because they can.

and because they want to be around people just like themselves. which i suppose might be considered a good thing for others.