Bolo

[kurl]

And New York's Newest Three-Star Restaurant Is...

The answer may surprise you -- http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/04/dining/04REST.html

[robert40]

I just kept my frail body up too one in the morning for this!

Three stars for Bobby break my T.V. set?

This is a nightmare

Robert R

[pixelchef]

Shoot me. Then stuff me in a tamale.

[kurl]

I mean, I haven't eaten at Bolo in the last year -- I'd wager that maybe one person who reads this topic has -- so it could really be up there with Veritas, Craft, and Gramery Tavern, but it just seems so damned improbable. Still, I'll check it out at some point in the near future, probably.

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

The suicidal thoughts that had plagued my earlier years are coming back. Bobby Flay? I may just quit cooking professionally all-together. I suggest all of us die hards take a cue from Jim Jones, I'm loading up on purple number 4.

[Fat Guy]

The buzz on the newly revitalized Bolo has been quite positive. I'll have to check it out in person soon.

[tommy]

mommy please make it stop.

[rich]

I don't understand why many people dislike both Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse so much. I've eaten at their restaurants, read some of their books and viewed their programs. Both seem fine to me. The only problem I had was at Emeril's place in Orlando (it didn't seem up to his standards).

Both are sound cooks and excellent businessmen. I fail to see why the hatred. Is it part jealously?

Bobby Flay is a thoroughbred racing owner and therefore can't be all bad. Food personality aside, the few times I've spoke him at the track, he has always been fine.

As far as Emeril, I recall his first show on Food TV. It was "How to Boil Water." He was terrible. He never looked at the camera and was barely understandable. Give him credit, he has worked hard to improve his stage presence. If anyone has doubts get an tape of his first shows - you will be very surprised.

So why do both men bring out such hard egullet feelings?

Edited June 4, 2003 by rich (log)

[tommy]

I don't understand why many people dislike both Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse so much. I've eaten at their restaurants, read some of their books and viewed their programs. Both seem fine to me. The only problem I had was at Emeril's place in Orlando (it didn't seem up to his standards).

there are various threads covering this. but, for me, i think flay is a bit of an obnoxious prick. i don't like mean people. and Mesa Grill has given me attitude on more than on occasion. so basically, i don't think i like the guy very much, and i *know* i don't like some of the people he has working for him.

[Jason Perlow]

I suggest someone actually EAT at the place before lambasting Flay... If its good, its good... if it sucks, it sucks... thats all there is to it.

[MatthewB]

I suggest someone actually EAT at the place before lambasting . . .

Suggest that on the current El Bulli thread.

[baruch]

HAVE eaten @ mesa grill & didn't particularly like, & will break down & try bolo; but how can any1 dislike flay??? he's a GOLFER & is dating stephanie march from law & order

as for emeril, i just wonder how he can be on the food network 24hrs/da, 7da/wk, 52wks/yr!!!??

seriously; have eaten @ emerils in new orleans, & unfortunately thought it was excellent

[vivin]

My few times at Mesa Grill have not been any better than mediocre. However Bolo was decent. If it has gotten that much better than when I visited a couple of years ago, I will try it again.

[EJRothman]

I fail to see why the hatred. Is it part jealously?

I think it's a clear case of jealousy. There are certain members of this board who work in the food industry and have a 'pre-cook's tour' Bourdainian mentality that a chef's life should be equated with WWI-style trench warfare. God forbid a chef should decide to make some money if he can. And if said chef does make it big then he must be: a) an asshole, b) an idiot, c) a terrible cook, or d) all of the above.

Yes Emeril is annoying and over exposed. But congratulations to him for working hard and hitting the big time.

I've never met Bobby Flay, but I think he's pretty good on TV, I like Mesa Grill, and I think Grimes is a good enough critic that if he gives Bolo 3 stars I'm apt to believe it. (Were I not so poor, I'd go there and judge for myself).

-Eric

[Schielke]

Bobby Flay just exudes "prick" to me. On his cooking show he treats everybody else like an idiot and acts like a frat boy. The thing that did it for me though was his behavior on Iron Chef. He accused them of cheating when he lost and at the end of both episodes he acted like a fool and embarrased himself by standing on the cutting board or throwing it to the ground and then raising the roof.

His food might ceartinly be good though and he might be a very nice person off air.

[guajolote]

Reasons to hate Bobby Flay:

1) Gas Grill = whenever Jack asked him why he used a gas grill, Bobby's only reponse was "It's faster"

2) He perpetuates on his show the myth that searing meat seals in the juices.

3) Have you ever seen anyone use vinagrette for so many things?

I could go on but I have better things to do.

Edited June 4, 2003 by guajolote (log)

[awbrig]

Reasons to hate Bobby Flay:

His bottled sauces (except the pomegranate black pepper glaze) really suck...

[snoop]

The man can cook, and that's what the review is looking at. Whether or not he stands on a cutting board and "raises the roof" is absolutly, completely irrelevent to anything regarding the food in his restaurants. If anyone thinks Bobby Flay is any more of an arrogant prick than any other top chef in NYC, you obviously have not met many. And I work with a few people that have worked at Bolo and Mesa Grill and they say he is a consumate professional.

[pixelchef]

Isn't Flay on the Times' payroll (those recipe thingies he does)?

[Varmint]

I really have no opinion about Bobby Flay. I haven't eaten at any of his restaurants and don't generally watch his shows.

However, when I was recently channel surfing, I ended up on the Food Network with an episode of Food Nation on. Mrs. Varmint watched for about 30 seconds, having no idea whatsoever who Flay was, and said, "Who's that dork? He's an ass."

I'm still chuckling about it.

I'll see if I can get him to come down for the pig pickin'!

[herbacidal]

Bobby Flay just exudes "prick" to me.  On his cooking show he treats everybody else like an idiot and acts like a frat boy. 

I'm more on the fence. Not so much a fan of him and his cooking as seen on TV in general. He does exude a vibe that doesn't appeal to me personally.

I will say that many of the people that i've seen on his shows don't really seem to be particularly knowledgeable in my eyes.

The thing that did it for me though was his behavior on Iron Chef.  He accused them of cheating when he lost and at the end of both episodes he acted like a fool and embarrased himself by standing on the cutting board or throwing it to the ground and then raising the roof.

can't help but agree wholeheartedly here though.

[T. Brooks]

Are you forgetting that Bobby Flay doesn't cook?

With all he's doing, how many hours a week is he in the kitchen? Come on, you all know better than to think this. Bobby, if you're out there... speak up and defend yourself. I might be wrong here, but I'm pretty sure I'm not.

[tommy]

Are you forgetting that Bobby Flay doesn't cook?

With all he's doing, how many hours a week is he in the kitchen? Come on, you all know better than to think this. Bobby, if you're out there... speak up and defend yourself. I might be wrong here, but I'm pretty sure I'm not.

right. which pokes some holes in snoop's post, which didn't really address the fact that people don't like his persona, which is what people were kinda saying to begin with.

[herbacidal]

Are you forgetting that Bobby Flay doesn't cook?

With all he's doing, how many hours a week is he in the kitchen? Come on, you all know better than to think this. Bobby, if you're out there... speak up and defend yourself. I might be wrong here, but I'm pretty sure I'm not.

well, let's be specific.

i've always preferred cooks that actually spend time in their restaurants.

by that i mean, i've always also preferred cooks that actually did the shit, were in the weeds in the BOH, instead of directing everybody.

(i've seen both kinds.)

in other words, people who can be both production manager and creative head.

this applies to outside a specific restaurant as well, ie building in TV shows, books, yada yada.

i've also become somewhat accepting that not everybody has those multifaceted capabilities. such is life.

i did not say that i admired and particularly liked bobby flay.

but i am somewhat accepting of him as a decent chef/cook based on what i've seen of him in general.

[sammy]

Flay rubs me the wrong way too but if the food's good, who cares where the chef is. If Flay can't cook, maybe Bolo and Mesa are better off with him at Knick games, the racetrack and out on dates.