Mix (with Doug Psaltis as chef de cuisine)

[Fat Guy]

Yes, they're quasi-religious about calling it by its full name -- "Mix in New York" -- even though everybody in the real world just calls it Mix.

On the menu, the cocktails section is "Mixology." The appetizers are "First of Mix." The various multi-course pricing formulae are "Mix of Mix." The house signatures are "Must of Mix." Entrees are "Second of Mix." Desserts are "Third of Mix."

The French translations are even geekier, e.g., "Le Must de Mix"

And you should see the ridiculous language of the PR materials. I can barely read through the stuff. "Sidewalk passersby will be teased with the sights and sounds of the Mix in New York kitchen emanating from a small monitor inset into the concrete entrance -- a voyeuristic view into Ducasse's kitchen at work. The entry will lead to a tunnel encasing the bar, lined with dark, hand-stitched leather embroidery. Flanking both sides of the tunnel will be an elongated seating module, 'le bateau,' which will extend from the entry into the dining room mixing the two areas." Whatever.

[Bux]

The French translations are even geekier, e.g., "Le Must de Mix"

"Le must" has pretty much been adapted as a French word, at least by the smart set. I can't vouch for the Acadamy. We've had "le Must de Cartier" for some time. It of course means "must have." I think it's actually weirder when it comes back to us in English as the "Must of Mix." No one's saying Ducasse's public relations is helping him on this score are we?

[jogoode]

elongated seating module

enough said

[jogoode]

I can't remember how many cooks they have in the ADNY kitchen but I'm almost certain it's less than 15. It may be more like 9 on the line, plus a few in the pastry area (which, at ADNY, is separate from the regular kitchen). But they're serving 65 a night over a long

From ADNY's website:

"...Didier Elena, who has worked with Alain Ducasse for over 13 years, heads a team of 20 chefs."

Websites are often unreliable, though.

[Fat Guy]

That's probably not the brigade, though -- the team actually on point during service. That's probably the total number of kitchen staff employed, excluding the dishwashers and such. There may very well be a bunch of "chefs" who come in at 5am to do butchering and things of that nature. There's probably an early pastry shift too. They bake all their own bread, that's probably one or two people right there. I can make an inquiry -- it's only a matter of time before I stumble across someone who works or has worked there. Actually, don't we have some ADNY alumni posting on eGullet already?

[Suvir Saran]

So, for example, Mix has a BLT on the menu. And when you get it, you actually get a BLT. The difference between this BLT and the one you get at the local diner has to do mostly with the ingredients and the level of care in preparation: the Mix BLT starts with a really good piece of multigrain bread, which I think may come from Balthazar or maybe Le Pain Quotidien -- something excellent, in any event -- toasted and spread with freshly made herb mayonnaise, topped with good lettuce (baby Romaine hearts, I think), super-ripe red and yellow tomatoes, and three-inch-wide paper-thin slices of exceptionally crisp, smoky bacon, all served open-faced in a collapsing-tower arrangement.

So which one is it, bread baked in house or from Balthazar/Le Pain Quotidien???

You say in another post:

"They bake all their own bread, that's probably one or two people right there."

Just somewhat confused.

Especially after reading this purple review. I have told Hemant we have to make an effort to make time and go to Mix very soon. From your review (though he does respect the NY Times a lot) I have convinced him we must be there sooner than later.

[Suvir Saran]

They bake all their own bread, that's probably one or two people right there.

This is what got me confused.

[Felonius]

Fat Guy's description of the Bison got me thinking and.....next thing you know I'm back at the bar ("Bar of Mix"?? ) for lunch.

The Bison was superb - cooked to perfection, tender as Bison can be, flavorful, and surprisingly elegant for bison. The presentation was simple - reduction sauce, cracked peppercorn, and a few vegetables. I only received one piece of bison, instead of the two tenderloins Fat Guy describes. Maybe this is a lunchtime thing, but not sure why as the price should be high enough at $36 to make it a regular serving. Either way, it was plenty for my lunchtime appetite. The real highlight of the dish for me was the horseradish/meat/gelee garnish arleady well described by FG. I only wish they'd brought another cup of that stuff! I had a glass of Newton Merlot ($15 per glass), which I thought paired well with the bison. The bison is mild enough that believe it or not, a heavier cabernet or young Bordeaux might actually overpower it.

I reached for the dessert menu and was interested to see that the raspberry and rose ice cream concoction has been pulled. I'll bet that the critics finally got to Ducasse on this one. Too bad, as I really enjoyed it on my last visit. I wanted something on the light side, so I tried the apple tarte tatin. In my humble opinion, this dessert is a complete loser, and I'm sorry I forked out $12 for it. A nice presentation in a glass dish, with a layer of apples, a dollop of vanilla ice cream, and an O-shaped cookie/biscuit hovering at an angle above like one of Saturn's rings. That's where the excitement stops however. This desconstructed tart made no sense to me. The best thing about a great tarte tatin is how the crunchy/fluffy pastry intermixes with the warm apples, caramalized sugar crust and cold ice cream. Mix's version had none of this synergy. Basically it was if someone scooped out the cooked apples from a regular pie, dropped them at room temperature into a dish, threw a scoop of vanilla on top, and threw a cookie in. Big deal. Not only was this dessert boring for a high-end restaurant, it would be boring if I'd paid $4 dollars for it at Les Halles (which does a much better tarte tatin IMHOP). I have no idea what the Mix pastry chef was thinking when he cobbled this version together.

As for the architecture, I think the room and the eccentric touches (i.e. LED's and lighted script seen through a glass bar counter) are kind of cool. I like the contrast with the formality of ADNY. My only gripe is the unisex bathroom thing. The setup is so confusing, they've hired a poor bastard who's only job is to stand around and give everyone instructions prior to doing their business - "zees one is for you madame, zee water sweetch is on zee floor where you can step, pull zee handle from above for zee toilette". This is just plain silly. In addition, when I'm spending $100+ on dinner with the chi chi crowd, the last situation I want to encounter is having to make an emergency run to the restroom for some serious business, knowing the whole time that a bunch of supermodels and kept women in Prada are pacing two feet outside the door of the unisex can waiting for me to finish. Ughhh! I think I'd have to risk a dash to the Essex House Men's room instead. Whoever brought the concept of unisex bathrooms to upscale NYC establishments ought to be shot! The only appropriate place for unisex bathrooms is the porta-john line at the county fair, end of story.

Those gripes aside, the food I've had so far at Mix (with the exception of the tarte tatin) has been extremely creative and delicious, and I suspect this place will become a fairly regular stop for me. I'd highly recommend it to anyone on this board. If you're interested in trying it without breaking the bank, order a la carte at the bar for lunch or try the pre-theater prix-fixe (Le Must de Mixe Prix Fixe??? )

[slkinsey]

They bake all their own bread, that's probably one or two people right there.

This is what got me confused.

ADNY probably bakes their own bread, not Mix.

[Suvir Saran]

They bake all their own bread, that's probably one or two people right there.

This is what got me confused.

ADNY probably bakes their own bread, not Mix.

Thanks for the clarification.

I guess the bread at ADNY is not good enough, or not made in ample amounts to be shared with Mix.

The bread at Balthazar is superb.

[alacarte]

I'm waiting for the reference to some cattiness in the kitchen, or among patrons, reviewers, etc.

the inevitable punchline:

"Meow Mix."

[Andy Lynes]

Ducasse should be convinced to introduce a choose-your-own-petit-four course and called it Pick'n'Mix.

(That's just a small joke for all you UK egulleters reading along out there.)

[Pan]

Mix sounds fabulous. I hope to go there someday. Like everyone else is saying, great review, FG!

[Varmint]

If he has a 6 course tasting menu that allows the diner some choice, would that be a Pick Six Mix??

[Bux]

So, for example, Mix has a BLT on the menu. And when you get it, you actually get a BLT. The difference between this BLT and the one you get at the local diner has to do mostly with the ingredients and the level of care in preparation: the Mix BLT starts with a really good piece of multigrain bread, which I think may come from Balthazar or maybe Le Pain Quotidien -- something excellent, in any event -- toasted and spread with freshly made herb mayonnaise, topped with good lettuce (baby Romaine hearts, I think), super-ripe red and yellow tomatoes, and three-inch-wide paper-thin slices of exceptionally crisp, smoky bacon, all served open-faced in a collapsing-tower arrangement.

So which one is it, bread baked in house or from Balthazar/Le Pain Quotidien???

You say in another post:

"They bake all their own bread, that's probably one or two people right there."

Just somewhat confused.

"They bake all their own bread, that's probably one or two people right there" was the post right before yours and clearly in response to the post before it that addresses a comment appearing on the AD/NY web site about Didier Elena's team of 20 chefs. That should have all been clear to anyone reading those two posts. It's AD/NY who bakes their own bread.

[Fat Guy]

I reached for the dessert menu and was interested to see that the raspberry and rose ice cream concoction has been pulled.  I'll bet that the critics finally got to Ducasse on this one.  Too bad, as I really enjoyed it on my last visit.  I wanted something on the light side, so I tried the apple tarte tatin.  In my humble opinion, this dessert is a complete loser, and I'm sorry I forked out $12 for it.  A nice presentation in a glass dish, with a layer of apples, a dollop of vanilla ice cream, and an O-shaped cookie/biscuit hovering at an angle above like one of Saturn's rings.  That's where the excitement stops however.  This desconstructed tart made no sense to me.  The best thing about a great tarte tatin is how the crunchy/fluffy pastry intermixes with the warm apples, caramalized sugar crust and cold ice cream.  Mix's version had none of this synergy.  Basically it was if someone scooped out the cooked apples from a regular pie, dropped them at room temperature into a dish, threw a scoop of vanilla on top, and threw a cookie in.  Big deal.  Not only was this dessert boring for a high-end restaurant, it would be boring if I'd paid $4 dollars for it at Les Halles (which does a much better tarte tatin IMHOP).  I have no idea what the Mix pastry chef was thinking when he cobbled this version together.

Like I said before, the problem with the rose ice cream is that it's unpleasantly bath-product-like to most American palates. So it's just a bad business decision to include it. I don't think they pulled it in response to the critics; I think they pulled it because customers didn't like it.

I'm surprised you didn't like the apple tart, but then again I understand your "big deal" comment entirely and you make a good case. I'll have to try it again, in isolation, and view it standing alone. I could see how the way I had dessert -- essentially a dessert tasting -- would give an atypical perception: I was able to eat bites of apple between bites of chocolate pizza and bites of baba (a mix of desserts, as it were). So the dessert seemed great to me, exactly for its purity and simplicity. Maybe I'd have found it disappointing in a different format, though. Try the baba next time, though -- I will personally guarantee you'll think it's excellent or you can come to me for twelve bucks.

[Kim WB]

If indeed you were too confused to order, and brought in a consultant, would he be considered a "mix master"?

Edited October 29, 2003 by Kim WB (log)

[Felonius]

I'm surprised you didn't like the apple tart, but then again I understand your "big deal" comment entirely and you make a good case. I'll have to try it again, in isolation, and view it standing alone. I could see how the way I had dessert -- essentially a dessert tasting -- would give an atypical perception: I was able to eat bites of apple between bites of chocolate pizza and bites of baba (a mix of desserts, as it were). So the dessert seemed great to me, exactly for its purity and simplicity. Maybe I'd have found it disappointing in a different format, though. Try the baba next time, though -- I will personally guarantee you'll think it's excellent or you can come to me for twelve bucks.

I haven't had the chocolate pizza, but will try it next time. Feel free to have the tarte tatin on your next visit, but it's your twelve bucks , not mine. For the life of me, I just don't understand why anyone would think it was an interesting dessert on any terms.

I had hoped to order the "baba" you mentioned, but didn't see it on the lunch menu. The baba au rum at ADNY is one of the most satisfying things I've ever eaten in my life. Simple but out of this world. If I could get it a la carte at Mix, I'd eat there once a week for that reason alone. I'd guess that the real baba, while simple in concept, is incredibly difficult to execute (much like a great souffle). So I doubt I'll ever see the real deal on the Mix menu, or any other menu outside of ADNY for that matter.

I agree with your comments about the rose ice cream. Too bad, because I thought it was an exceptional "3rd of Mix".

[Fat Guy]

I'm pretty sure they're calling it "savarin" rather than "baba." Forgive me for failing to note the correct name -- I didn't take menus home this time around, and in my mind the terms are interchangeable. A pastry person will have to tell us the technical difference if there is one, and also whether it's actually hard to make (how hard could it be?), but as far as I could tell the substances are identical save for 1) the Mix savarin is made in a small ring-mold (coincidentally, the same diameter as the straight-sided glass serving dish) instead of a cylinder-shape like the ADNY baba, and 2) there's no rum involved in the Mix version of the dessert, just a vanilla and lemon chiboust/pastry-cream/Italian meringue.

By the way, you're not going to appreciate spending $12 on a slice of chocolate pizza anymore than you appreciated spending it on the apple thing. It's a good concept, but they should be giving it away for free as a side dish with every other dessert -- its existence would be justified as one of the best petits fours concepts in town, but it falls flat as a dessert per se. Aside from the savarin/baba/whatever, the only dessert I've had that can pull the weight of that price tag is the chocolate gateau. Well, also the three-ice-creams service with the big meringue because it's so regal and elaborate -- but I don't think that's a lunch option.

[robert40]

Believe it or not but Mix has taken another shot in the heart in todays New York Post.

Article is called Top Bill's, I think.

I promise people before the day is over i'll get this linking thing mastered.

RR

[slkinsey]

Believe it or not but Mix has taken another shot in the heart in todays New York Post.

Article is called Top Bill's, I think.

I promise people before the day is over i'll get this linking thing mastered.

The article, which is titled "Killer Bills" and focuses on the high prices at fine dining establishments, may be found here. Below are some relevant excerpts relating to Mix:

Certain places flagrantly take customers to the cleaners. Two weeks ago, I called out new Alain Ducasse-backed Mix over its obscene prices, which much of the foodie press seems determined to deny.

The Times reported Mix's pre-fixe dinner options as $48 or $58. It unfathomably chose not to mention the $72 option - the only one that includes a real entr‚e, and the one most diners will want.

The new Zagat Survey ranks Mix as "E" for expensive. In the zany world of Zagat, "E" means $31-$50 for dinner per head with one drink and a tip. At Mix, $31 will cover a glass of wine plus tax and tip, leaving maybe $4 for food. Eat up!

Mix's insipid macaroni and cheese goes for $18 at lunch. It's shamed by the bubbling $11 cauldron - big enough to share - at Schiller's Liquor Bar on Rivington Street.

Is Oceana's food better at dinner than at lunch? Of course not. But it's better than Mix's - at either price.

[bergerka]

This has very little to do with the content of the article per se, but doesn't ANYONE know how to spell prix-fixe??? What is this pre-fixe crap???

K

Edited to add that I wasn't trying to say that slkinsey had misspelled it...the Post article did! Don't they have editors there????

Edited October 29, 2003 by bergerka (log)

[Andy Lynes]

If an English lord of the realm were to become a regular customer of the establishment in question, would he be known as "Sir Mixalot"?

(A small joke for all you rap fans out there.)

[Felonius]

I'm pretty sure they're calling it "savarin" rather than "baba." Forgive me for failing to note the correct name -- I didn't take menus home this time around, and in my mind the terms are interchangeable. A pastry person will have to tell us the technical difference if there is one, and also whether it's actually hard to make (how hard could it be?), but as far as I could tell the substances are identical save for 1) the Mix savarin is made in a small ring-mold (coincidentally, the same diameter as the straight-sided glass serving dish) instead of a cylinder-shape like the ADNY baba, and 2) there's no rum involved in the Mix version of the dessert, just a vanilla and lemon chiboust/pastry-cream/Italian meringue.

Thanks for the clarification FG. I do believe the savarin is on the lunch menu. I just didn't know what the heck a Savarin was.

As for the difficulty in preparation, I misspoke in my last post (too many glasses of wine at dinner I'm afraid). I didn't mean so much that the recipe for the Baba was all that difficult, only that the timing of delivery might be difficult to orchestrate in a less controlled setting than ADNY. It seems to me that the full glory of the Baba can only be appreciated if it has just come straight from the oven, much like a madeleine. This probably isn't too hard to pull off at ADNY, given the single sitting and slow pace of dining with multiple courses. In a faster paced like Mix, I wonder how hard it would be to get that hot Baba born on time. Then again, maybe they can pre cook them to some degree or use other tricks to deliver them on short order.

I'll try the Savarin on my next visit, but I may have to smuggle in my own flask of rum just in case....

[Fat Guy]

It has been awhile, but I've had that baba-au-rhum at ADNY at least 3 or 4 times and I don't recall it ever being hot. Isn't it always served lukewarm, not to mention cooled a lot by the addition of the rum and the pastry cream?

The version at Mix is lukewarm tending towards room temperature. Uh-oh, I think I might be about to lose my $12 bet.