My Year in Food (Long, long, long)

Steve Plotnicki · January 3, 2002

Thanks to the eGullet staff for giving closet restaurant reviewers like myself an outlet where they can offer their experiences and opinions about food. All I can say about what I ate this past year was that it was a lot. So here they are, listed by my own funny categories, with a few words that will hopefully impart enough opinion so you can make up your own mind whether you want to go or not. Before anyone comments, I’m doing this mostly from memory so a few of these meals might actually have occurred in 2000. And I hope I don’t have to field too many questions about why certain restaurants were grouped the way they were. It’s just my gut about what they stand for. Not some secret, scientific method I used. And as for the ratings, the ratings are relative to expectations. For example, the fact that Le Bernadin gets the same rating as Aureole means I think it is underachieving. But a B+ at a bistro styled place means they are cooking with fervor. I also must add that although I write up restaurants that extend well beyond New York City, I decided to post them all in the New York forum because they are a New Yorker's point of view. Well at least one New Yorker's point of view. Okay, I hope you all enjoy it.

Traditional and Formal

Aureole - I hadn’t been to Aureole for a good three or four years but it felt like an old glove when I had lunch there this past summer. The food was really delicious, better than I remember it. And it had a classy, ladies who lunch, posh tourist crowd feel to it which was a pleasant surprise. This restaurant is comfortable with itself. I kept waiting for Elaine Stritch to start singing B++-Le Bernadin - I attended a wine tasting of DRC wines in a private room on the second floor which was my only visit this year. The food was good, with a few dishes being really good. I’m in no rush to go back as I don’t think they are slaying any dragons there. The feel is a bit clubby for me B++Café Boulud - I’m a confirmed Daniel Boulud fan. He actually thinks his restaurants through so each one is a unique dining experience. I had a number of pretty good meals here and I like those four different menu strategies. But one complaint is that it’s a bit fussy. It’s also a bit too cramped and Upper East Side-ish. I wish Daniel had a place that was less froufrou where he just cooked. B+Cello - I recently attended someone’s 60th birthday party in a private room on the top floor and they did a very nice job. My first experience (last year) was less impressive. B+Le Cirque 2000 - Similar to my experience at Le Bernadin, I attended a wine tasting in a private room at Le Cirque. There were 17 of us, and the meal they served us was great. Nothing daring, but well cooked dishes served in copious portions. I had never been to their new location but the food was in keeping with my idea of what Le Cirque is about. Which is a European restaurant that has been stylized to fit NYC. A--Daniel - When the kitchen is on, Daniel can be the best restaurant in town. But I have to admit that in my experience it’s on only about 2/3 of the time. I don’t think there’s a better space in NYC. And I’m not focusing on the décor, but the layout of the room. Even the tables raised around the perimeter have good views of the action. It’s too bad they serve so many people each evening as I’m sure the food would be better. But Daniel is a real gentleman and I think he really wants you to have a good time. And I can’t say enough good things about the sommelier Jean-Luc Le Du AAlain Ducasse - Ducasse brings the 3 star experience to NYC. Did we really need it? The jury is out but my gut tells me no. We need our own experiences, built on our own culture. But putting aside the Las Vegas we can put snooty France anywhere aspect of the place, you can have a very good, and certainly a very refined meal there. Okay, maybe I am being a bit too harsh, but maybe I’m not A-Jean-Georges - I’m a confirmed J-G man. I think he gets more flavor out of a few simple ingredients than any other chef in town. I’ve found the cooking to be consistently at a higher level than almost any other place in town. Not every dish works, but every dish is intended to make some sort of statement. And I think that Nougatine goes completely unnoticed. I’ve had some sublime dishes there, throwaways to the main restaurant. A+Le Perigord - Another private wine tasting dinner brought me to Le Perigord for my first ever experience. Well I was quite disappointed as I found it second, possibly third tier old school French. B--

Contemporary European and American

Babbo - Is offal all it takes to get high scores? Not that I didn’t like my two meals at Babbo. I just didn’t get the same thrill that other people seem to get from the place. It feels slightly homogenized in a way that Po never felt. But I have to say that most people rave about the pasta tasting menu which I haven’t had. I dislike the room, especially if you sit upstairs. But I’m open minded and will return. Especially since I saw Mario playing the blues with that guy who owns that famous Salumeria in Bologna on the Food Channel BCraft - How to deconstruct a restaurant. It’s good, but I was expecting more. If you go and the food is on, it’s extremely enjoyable. But if the food is slightly off, it seems gimmicky. The photos of the Diver Scallops and Mushrooms in this weeks New York magazine said it all. This is a restaurant that is good for intellectuals, but bad for gluttons. B++ and I was hoping for an AEleven Madison Park - Three meals. One excellent, two that were fair at best. But one was a Saturday night and I tend to discount Saturday night experiences. Beautiful room. The menu seemed to be more interesting awhile back when they had different foie gras preparations that were available as a tasting. My biggest nit to pick is that it’s hard to say what the place is about. B+Esca - I had an enjoyable lunch back in November. My initial reaction is the same one I had about Babbo. They have taken an original dining concept and lowered the standards just enough to feed too many mouths. For those who know the place, Alberto Ciarla in Rome was the original new wave Italian seafooder and he experimented with all types of raw fish and seviche style preparations. BGotham Bar & Grill - Tall food, very tall. I never could understand what the fuss is about? You can get a reasonably good meal here but nothing close to a great meal. Yet I still go back from time to time because I feel like I’m missing something. And Alfred Portale is such a lovely guy. But I feel like grabbing him by the arm and whispering in his ear, “I know you can cook with passion, show me.” B-Gramercy Tavern - I had an exceptional meal at GT over the summer. The best I ever had. But a different meal I had earlier in the year was average. Still, I enjoy eating at GT and I love being able to drop in at the tavern without a reservation and get some honest cooking for not a lot of money. Clearly the best of the bunch in the tier just below the big French places. A-March - I’ve only been once. Well there is no shortage of trying here. Wayne Nish certainly tries to make the food interesting. But I thought it more interesting than delicious. They get an A for effort but B for the food.Olive’s - There was a time where I was convinced that the original Olive’s in Charlestown, Mass was the best casual restaurant in the country. One night they served me a double cut, double smoked then grilled pork chop atop cabbage braised in apple cider studded with lardons and painted with three different types of mustards that just knocked me out. It was really a choucroute turned on its head and it exemplified what I thought great American cooking was about. Todd English has deconstructed/reconstructed other classic dishes as well. But then fame and fortune came upon Todd and he became, well a chain of restaurants. And though I will always have a soft spot in my heart for anything named Olive’s, I have to admit that both in NYC and at the original location they do not cook with the same level of intensity that served up that pork chop. BTown - I had two very good meals at Town but I have to say that Geoffrey Zakarian’s style of cooking is a bit subtle for my palate. The meal I had last summer when he had access to fresh fruits and vegetables was better than the meal I had a few weeks ago. I’m sure the place will be humming come springA--Union Pacific - I love Union Pacific. I must have eaten there a dozen times. I have learned that if you stick to the dishes that appear Asian fusion on their face, you will have a far more enjoyable meal than if you get something that is simply French. Rocco’s Taylor Bay Scallops with Uni in Mustard Oil (they add tomato water too the kitchen told me) is as classic as Nobu’s Miso Rubbed and Roasted Black Cod. And nobody makes slow roasted salmon like Rocco. It is the consistency of a warm pudding. A-Veritas - As a wine collector, how can I not like Veritas? Unfortunately the list has been picked over so the bargains come up far less often. And despite the fact that Scott Bryan cooks some lovely food, it gets overshadowed by the wines. But I have a great time every time I go and Tim Kopec the sommelier is a lovely guy who really caresB+The New Wave71 Clinton Fresh Foods - I wish it wasn’t so hard to get in. All three meals I had were terrific. Wylie Dufresne shows true Jean-George ingenuity with dishes like his smoked salmon covered in fresh avocado. B++ Annisa - I’m quite fond of Annisa. Anita Lo’s Asian fusion cooking stretches beyond the typical Southeast Asian/French spicing you see elsewhere and she has delved into the Middle East for inspiration. Honorable mention for having the guts to open a place this size. Great staff B+Atlas - I had the good fortune of dining at The Fat Duck in Bray before eating at Atlas so I was prepared for the weirdness. It’s hard to describe my meal. Only 6 months later I can’t remember a single thing I ate. I do remember liking my meal but I remember thinking it more technical than delicious. Despite all the originality, I haven’t had the craving to go back. And now the chef has moved on. A+ for sheer technique but more like an overall B-AZ - How Grimes ever gave this place three stars boggles my mind. It was so pedestrian, so not from New York. I felt like I could have been in Cleveland, no make that Dayton. Sometimes I walk into a place and the management seems like they are from management school central casting and it turns me off right away. Blech. And the food matched my feelings about the vibe. Annisa blows this place out of the water. They should dismantle it and move it to the Newark Sheraton.D-</bBlue Hill - My first experience at Blue Hill didn’t move me. But a few friends I trust told me they ate some great meals there and I tried it again. Well I’ve been back twice and both times it was terrific. The menu could be slightly larger, but their thrust for innovation while intending to maximize flavor suits me well. B++ I give 71 Clinton a slight nod over this.Canteen - Gee the food here was really awful. Cool 60’s décor though. D-Chicama - Love the seviches. Hate the décor. Hate that eucalyptus grill too. It makes me feel like my whole body has a cold and they are slathering Vicks on it. It makes the food taste like it’s been in camphor. It’s too bad because I think Rodriguez is a great chef and I have been following his career since he was at Yuca in Coral GablesB--Chow Bar - Another Village entry in the we can be affordable but interesting derby. Affordable? More so than others. Interesting or delicious? No DDB Bistro Moderne - Is the DB Burger the dish of the year? I can’t think of another creation that will most likely become a permanent part of NYC culinary culture the way it did. The European style boutique hotel décor makes you feel like you are on vacation (or maybe that was the Roumier Chambolle-Musigny that did that?) B-Dim Sum GoGo - I had lunch there after jury duty one afternoon and I was by myself so I didn’t get to taste very much. But clearly steps up from your basic dim sum slingers who all seem to get their shu mai from the same place. And the small dishes of dipping sauces are a great touch, especially the killer XO sauce. B++ and I am primed to raise the score after another visit.Dinerbar - The Lower East Side comes to Spanish Harlem. A great addition to the neighborhood as we think of it as almost Carnegie Hill. We needed a hip coffee shop. And they deliver too. D+####’s Kitchen - Excellent contemporary Mexican in Clinton. Three meals have all been wonderful. B-Inside - Ann Rosenzweig’s new place. Gee what a downgrading for her after Arcardia and then The Lobster Club. Is there more money serving ภ chicken to 25 year olds then there is ษ chicken to 55 year olds? D Marseille - I was excited to read about this new place in the Film Center building which features the cooking of Alex Urena (ex Blue Hill.) Well there is no need to rush there. The place seemed more like a bar than a restaurant. And add one more NYC restaurant whose Bouillabaisse seems like it has been juiced up with Pernod to make up for the lack of availability of Rascasse C--La Palapa - I loooooove La Palapa. For my money it’s better than either Maya or Rosa Mexicana. Their Chalupa (grilled pork chop) could be the single best Mexican dish in the city. One night in December they served it grilled and then topped with sliced quince and crema. Perfect. B++Sugiyama - I go every 3-4 months religiously. In fact, it’s the most spiritual place to dine in the city. It’s best to sit at the kaiseki bar and forge a relationship with Chef Nao. The food is minimalist so you need to hit it on a day when they have the top ingredients AVirot - I’m sorry this restaurant failed as it was obvious from just one visit that Didier Virot could really cook. But a project of this size is too ambitious for a new name on the scene unless you have the goods to wow the critics immediately. And that neighborhood. Drab. He needed to open a 71 Clinton size place to make a name for himself. A posthumous B+Old School92 - I was disappointed when after putting in a beautiful French deco installation what opened here was just another Carnegie Hill catering hall with poached salmon in dill sauce.

My mouth was watering for some expertly grilled salmon with a perfectly whisked Bearnaise. Boring DBeacon - I’m a big Beacon fan although I must say they make some odd choices. The swordfish I had recently was cut like a filet mignon, which made it almost impossible to cook properly. But other things are simple and done really well. Their Charred Filet Mignon Tartar is one of the better dishes in town. BBlue Ribbon - I love Blue Ribbon. Not necessarily for the food which ranges from average to good at best. But the place has more spirit than ten other places combined. And there isn’t any other place I know of where sharing a paella and a steak in mushroom sauce makes sense. CBlue Ribbon Bakery - A big step down from it’s older brother, especially when it comes to cooked food. Ordering cheeses and charcuterie ala carte is a nice touch but I find the portions to be wanting and the prices to be high. D-Bouchon - One more French bistro type of place that people I know liked which I found inferior. Cheap is good, but not when the food tastes it. D--Butterfield 81 - A favorite local haunt for my wife and I before the chef left (forgot her name.) Her New York Strip Steak Frittes was amongst the best in town. But our one meal after she left was a big step down. CCafé Loup - Generic French bistro food in the Village. Good space but I wish the food was better DCaviateria - What’s not to like? The perfect place for a luxury lunch when power shopping. BDelegate’s Dining Room at the United Nations - I had a friend from the Bahamas who worked at the U.N. until recently and she would invite me to lunch whenever they were featuring the cuisine of a country we found interesting. While the food was generic Restaurant Associates fare, the setting is so light and pleasant that the few nods they would have at the buffet table to whatever nation’s food they were featuring would make for a satisfying lunch experience. D+D’Artragnan Rotisserie - I ate there only once when they first opened and I found it extremely disappointing. My garbure had nothing to do with the garbure I get in Paris. It seemed like they opened a package of the stuff from the D’Artagnan plant and heated it up. I also found the Gascon and Basque décor heavy and out of place for NYC. CThe Dining Room - I had two good meals at The Dining Room. Their raw fish combination platter is a great dish, and copious at that. Once I had the lamb prepared two different ways and the other time the beef prepared two ways. Both delicious. A good addition to Upper East Side dining, as the choices are mostly poor. BElio’s - Upper East Side celebrity haven with solid Northern Italian food. On one night this past September we dined with Pete Samprass, Alice Waters, Vernon Jordon, Barbara Walters and Tom Selleck . Okay, my kids go to school with one of the owners kids so there’s my full disclosure. But the food is really solid considering that with that clientele they could serve what they serve at Elaine’s BEstatorio Milos - I would never turn down an invitation to dine at Milos. They do a great job with the simplest of ingredients. Their grilled calamari stuffed with feta is one of the better appetizers in town. And if you hit the fish right, perfection. Great side dishes too. A-Grand Central Oyster Bar - I’m a sucker for an Oyster pan roast. It’s a dish that reeks of yesteryear. I mean clam broth, half and half, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, who eats like that anymore? Clearly something to go into the NYC food museum along with the original broiled clam bellys from Gage & TollnerB-Jarnac - I’m a committed Jarnac fan as the owners are people who really care about the food. They are also not happy serving only traditional French bistro fair and are looking for ways to stretch the genre. I wish it was in the neighborhood I live in. BJudson Grill - The best midtown lunch? I’m quite happy with Bill Telepan’s cooking but I have to admit I don’t always find the menu interesting. Nice room and always friendly and proficient service BThe Palm - What can I say? I have to admit I love The Palm. Not Palm Too, not the one on the West Side. The cruddy original one. I don’t know what it is. Maybe their broiler has more schmutz on it but I’ve had some mean steaks there this year. A must visit for people on the Atkin’s diet. B+Payard Bistro - I like the café better than the restaurant. I’m sure Christian Payard could cook with more gusto had his audience been a little more robust and a little less Palm Beach. B-Quilty’s - The food is okay, but another place that doesn’t project much purpose. Drab dining room could use an overhaul. Now I heard they closed Jan 1, 2002. I’m not really surprised B--Strip House - Good job for a generic steak house. Stick to a strip steak and don’t get suckered into what they call their rib chop, which is something like a 32 oz prime rib. Great décor and tables spaced far apart. A good addition to Greenwich Village dining. BUnion Square Café - I have recently made my peace with USC after years of avoiding it. The need to reserve 30 days in advance for a place of its caliber was something I couldn’t reconcile. But I’ve learned that if you get a steak or the lamb chops scotto ditto you can have a fine meal. And the Creamy Polenta and Garlic Potato Chips are among the better side dishes in this town. B and the staff deserves a plus all for themselves.Bistro, French and otherwiseArtisinal - Well here’s a lot of hullabaloo I can’t figure. It’s the good old cheese diversion trick. Maybe my most disappointing meal of the year. And I like Picholine so much (though I haven’t been this year.) I recently went back for lunch and it had improved somewhat (the multi-cheese chapeau on the onion soup is a winner) but it didn’t make we want to go have dinner again C-Balthazar - What can you say about Balthazar other than they serve better food than they have to. Its functionality transcends the food so I’ve never left there less than satisfied. CThe Grocery - One of the darlings of the Court Street/Smith Street resurgence. They write about those places as if they serve the same quality food you get in Manhattan, only for less money. Well I can assure you that despite the fact that The Grocery served good food, it was not at Manhattan level and if it had opened here it would probably not have made it. CLupa - I’ve had a few lunches at Lupa and of the three Super Mario places I sort of liked it the best. It is certainly senza pretenzione. One can forge a good lunch out of a bunch of small plates. Nice wine list. BOrsay - Posh, posh, posh. That’s two poshes too many. Okay maybe one. You can eat really well here. Or you can have a poor meal too. I wish the kitchen wasn’t so uneven. On two different occasions I’ve seen tables leave the restaurant because the food wasn’t acceptable. It’s too bad because the strategy of separate fish tartars was a good one. But you can’t eat the menu CPrune - There was a time when I was eating at Prune once a week. It’s a place that people who like both meat and French food shouldn’t miss. It’s a bit cramped, but I’ve never been where I don’t have a great time. Gabrielle Hamilton has to get a special award for having the guts to serve Grilled Marrow BonesB+Quatorze Bis - I have an on and off relationship with this restaurant. On paper, it’s the best French bistro/brasserie in New York. And some time it tastes that way (like my last visit.) And sometimes it just falls short and it seems like a copy of the real thing, but not the real thing. B-Rene Pujol - Tired French in theater district. A friend touted me on it as they said they had a list of great old wines. Well both the list, and the food seem picked over. DRhone - Those of us who are Rhone wine fanatics can’t help but love Rhone. The food is just mediocre. But it’s a different story once truffle season starts and the special list of truffle dishes they offer are all terrific. C+Le Zinc - The Waltuck’s have done a good job with Le Zinc. They managed to serve a good version of classic French bistro food without having to rely on a promise of authenticity. So certain dishes were New Yorkified which is fine with me as long as it works. But on a recent visit, I found that the Entrecote was no longer on the menu. When I asked the waitress why, she told me that too many people complained that it was too fatty. Well Le Zinc served it cut the same way one might find it at La Coupole, thin with a wide streak of fat surrounding the eye of the rib. I guess NYC isn’t ready for everything. Dommage B--

ItalianBamonte’s - 100 year old Italian in an old Wise Guy section of Williamsburg. I’m a sucker for these types of places but this one is resting on reputation. Far better versions of red sauce slinging joints around. D--Beppe - Okay what am I missing? Or is the Tuscan thing just played out? Is it me, or is it the fact that one needs to be in Tuscany with actual Tuscan ingredients for this style of cooking to show properly? Fish out of water syndrome? I would go back but I’m having trouble convincing my wife. But I know that this place is the darling of foodies in the city. Hmmm. C+Campagna - Steady as they come. I used to be a regular but only go on occasion these days. Mark Straussman (a friend from my college days) does great Italian/Jewish fusion food. I don’t mean Roman Jewish. I mean Potato Latkes with grated White Truffles for Hanukah BChingale - Mid-price, trendy Italian wanna-be on Gansevoort. Trying to deliver good food at this price point is difficult. DCucina - Hamische, Northern Italian in Park Slope in great Art Deco room. Sunday dinner is full of Brooklyn families. The cooking has aspirations that go beyond your basic red sauce joint you typically find in the boroughs. I wish there were places like this in Manhattan. B-Da Silvano - The best outdoor dining in NYC. I’ve been eating at Da Silvano for more than fifteen years and I can’t say I ever had a bad meal there. It’s solid Tuscan fare without any surprises, aside from the few innovations that Silvano lists as specials. A solid BDominick’s - Famous Arthur Avenue Calabrese. I hadn’t been in years, having been a regular more than 10 years ago. Well either the quality of the food has dropped or my palate has become more discriminating because my wife and I found this to be a second rate version of an old school red sauce joint. DDon Peppe - South Ozone Park Italian where big hair is the fashion. If you are looking for red sauce and garlic heaven this is the real deal. I’ve been eating there since the mid 70’s and they consistently turn out food at a high level of intensity. The place that Carmine’s copied but the food is ten times better. I would lay a pretty large bet that this restaurant uses more garlic per pound of food than any other place in the U.S.A. Linguine and White Clam Sauce to die for and the sauce the Chinese Chicken is served in (the house name for Chicken Cacciatorre) is the single best red sauce I have ever tasted in my life. AFerdinando’s Focacceria - Brooklyn landmark Sicilian café that has been at the same location for over 100 years. I’m a sucker for an order of Crespelle (chickpea fritters) that are served with a cloud of fresh ricotta and some shaved fresh parmagian. Stay away from the steam table stuff C Manducati’s - Killer wine list. Italian food is good at best. But ’78 Conterno Bussia Soprano makes up for a lot. Stick to simple things like the grilled meats. B--Parma - Where my family often takes their Sunday dinner. The food is nice and steady. They can make a mean veal chop when the spirit moves them. C+Piccolo Venzia - Upscale for Queens Northern Italian with an emphasis on steaks and chops. Top notch wine list at good prices. Not worth the schlep unless you need to be in Queens or you want to drink a few good bottles B-Roberto’s - What is undoubtedly the best restaurant in the Arthur Avenue section of the Bronx. But that isn’t saying much as the kitchen doesn’t really have the skill to churn out top notch Italian food though they try to. It gets high ratings but another place I’m convinced would fail against Manhattan competition C-Scalinatella - Excessively priced, grotto-like Northen Italian in a basement near Bloomingdale’s. I think the food here is a notch or so above the other places. Their warm Carpaccio with White Truffles grated on top is a masterpiece. One night we were in the hunt for the carpaccio followed by a seafood risotto and we showed up with important bottles of Barolo and Batard Montrachet. The waiter had the presence of mind to realize that the tomato sauce in the risotto would be too acidic for the Batard and he had the kitchen replace it with bits of fresh tomato instead. I’ve been in 3 star restaurants where they weren’t as tuned into my meal B+Tommaso’s - Old school Italian in Bensonhurst with one of the countries great wine lists. But you will eat and drink better if Tomasso himself is there as the rest of the staff doesn’t seem to know where he has hidden many of the great bottles. D+

Ethnic

Arte’s Deli - Too bad pedestrian deli is de rigeur these days. I mean if you can’t go to Katz’s where can you get a good sandwich that isn’t the same meat you get everywhere else? Don’t tell me Pastrami Queen as I have been a Pastrami King eater since they were in Williamsburgh 35 years ago and the Queen just ain’t the same thing. But Arte’s does a much better job with things like chicken in the pot. DAda –If not the best Indian meal I ever had in NYC it certainly was the most interesting. Their decision to open on 58th street was a poor one as the night we ate there it was empty. Friends of mine who went a few other nights reported the same. They should move to 22nd Street and get themselves a good publicist. Oh, somebody already did that B-Barney Greengrass - The only thing that tops Sunday breakfast at Greengrass is takeout from Murray’s. I can’t think of a bad meal I ever had there. ACarnegie Deli - Is it my imagination or has the quality of the food gone down since Leo died? CDalga - Turkish fish joint on E62nd Street. Is the fact that it is Turkish fish supposed to make it taste better? I was trying to figure out what about my Dorade was Turkish. As my wife said afterwards, “no need to go back there.” C--Dosa Hut - Another darling of the boroughs foodie crowd. This vegetarian dosa slinger gains authenticity from being down the block from the Hindu Temple. It’s good, but I can’t figure why people swoon over it ?C+El Charro Espanol Another indistinguishable Village/Chelsea Gallician. Okay tell me, can’t any of these places make paella that isn’t dried out? It just means adding more fish stock to the pot. DEl Faro - Probably the best of the Gallician bunch. I go once a year to scratch my paella itch. It would be better if they cared more. C-Emo’s - Modern Korean on the Upper East Side. My one meal this summer was enjoyable with a beef tartar in a spicy sauce a standout. But I’m not sure we are ready for modern Korean or has traditional Korean infiltrated our lives yet? CLa Esquila Criola - Bargain priced Argentinian Parrilada specialist in Corona. Another place that is popular with the eat in the boroughs crowd. Well I find that you get what you pay for. Cheap meat is just cheap meat. Much better Argentinian and Uraguayan steak places within a mile in almost any direction DGreat New York Noodle Town - Another favorite of foodies but I never got it as I thought they were other Chinese noodle and BBQ places that were better. I much prefer to eat just down Bayard Street at Win Hop. I guess being open 24 hours brings notoriety DHallo Berlin - Please bring back Zum Zum. D-Havana Chelsea - Best Cuban sandwich I know of. And maybe even better than anything in Miami. It’s the fresh roast pork they use. Easy to double park too while running in to get some sandwiches to take out. B-HSF - I attended a party for a newborn so I got the whole banquet experience. Well I’ve had better elsewhere. This seemed a bit of a watered down experience C--Jackson Diner - Queen’s best Indian is the best no more. This place lost it after it moved to a more comfy space a few years back. It’s a pity as I used to love it. DJaponica - Among the top of the second tier sushi places. They like to cut the pieces large there. I’m not sure why. BJoe’s Shanghai (Flushing) – A bit tired and the quality has lessened somewhat since they opened additional locations. But it’s usually tasty enough and perfect for a pre Met game meal. CKB Garden - Gigantic Flushing, Queens dim sum palace. Nothing earth shattering but good enough standard issue dum sum to make for an enjoyable meal. The size of the place means they are carting around more choices than you would get in other places. They even have a cart dispensing my favorite Chinese breakfast dish of steamed tofu with a sweet sauce of sugar and molasses. They have the best version I know other than the stand on Mott Street which makes a fresh tub of the stuff every day. CKatz’s Delicatessen - I don’t know what happened to Katz’s. It went from tired old pastrami to absolutely killer pastrami. Other things like brisket and corned beef and nothing to write home about. But the pastrami, to die for. B+Mombar - 1001 Arabian Nights at this Steinway Street Egyptian. They try so hard here but all too often their lack of experience makes them come up short. But you couldn’t find nicer people who aim to please. If the score was only for effort they would get A++. Unfortunately you have to eat there too C--Nazar - Recently opened progressive Turkish on Queens Blvd in Sunnyside with mostly terrific food. Good enough to be in Manhattan, and better than the Turkish restaurants that currently populate the borough. Worth the trip. Lovely people too. B-Pampa - Second rate Argentinian on the West Side. A number of places in Queens blow this place away. Crowded and noisy too. D--Pasha - Better than average Turkish on the West Side. Good appetizers but my Iskender Kebab wasn’t killer. Better Turkish in the Boroughs. C-Ping’s Seafood - I ate at the original branch on Queens’s Blvd in Maspeth on two occasions. Once for dinner where it was sort of strange. And once for dim sum where it was terrific. I understand that when Ping used to cook at the Queens branch the food was phenomenol but now that he opened the Chinatown branch the quality fell off C for dinner but B+ for dim sumRice ‘n Beans - I can’t let a year go by without making my way over to Clinton to have a Fejoida at one of the few Brazilians in town. They make a mean version here. Full of all sorts of fresh, smoked and preserved pig parts. Faroafa (toasted manioc flour) is one of the great, unknown ingredients still out there. Great on a cold day B-Sahara - Killer Turkish kebabist in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn. Kofte, Sis Kofte, Adana, Iskender etc.are the best I know of until you get to London. Worth the schlep. A</bSripaphai - Other worldly Thai in Woodside, Queens and if you have never been there I suggest you immediately get in your car, or on the # 7 train and hurray on out for what is clearly a contender for the best ethnic restaurant in the city. The Banana Sticky Rice is a must have although they often run out of it before dinner. ASunrise 27 - Good Asimov tip about this Chinatown seafooder on Division Street that serves food that is somewhat better quality than the standard Chinese seafood fare B-Sushisay - Did I hear anyone say old school sushi? Great quality fish but I don’t think it’s the top. Surly greeting which I think bleeds into having less than friendly service. BSushi Yasuda - In the mood for five grades of tuna? Or seven grades of salmon? Well this place is for you. I prefer the sushi bar to a table here. And the fish, from another planet A-Sweet and Tart Café (Flushing and Chinatown) - I kind of like this Chinese version of Junior’s that is full of young couples on dates. They make pretty good Congee too and I’ve had a Steamed Chicken with Lemongrass Sauce that was noteworthy. And all of those funny drinks. A good place for a quick dinner before the Met game. C+Taco Cart on 97th and Second Avenue - Best street Mexican food I know of. Her Gorditas are sublime. And if you have patience, she will make you sopes. BTamarind - A good addition to NYC Indian dining. Well thought out food but I thought it needed a little more fire in the belly. Not as in hotness, as in the intensity of the cooking. They unfortunately they do not allow BYO and the wine list is sorely lacking in the type of sweet wines that go well with Indian food. B+Tomoe Sushi - For many years my office was near Tomoe so I used to have lunch there on the average of once every other month. People complain about the lines but getting there at ten to one assures you of a table. I don’t know how they do it because places at almost twice the price serve inferior fish. B+

Other Points in the U.S.

Della Femina (Easthampton) - My number one choice for dining in the Hamptons. The house signature dish of a Grilled Double Cut Maple & Soy Marinated Pork Chop is great. And the kitchen ages their own beef and their New York strip has just the right amount of funk for me. B+Hampton Chutney Company (Amagansett) - I love this dosa purveyor. Don’t stone me for saying this, but I like their dosas better than the Dosa Hut in Flushing. They opened a Prince Street branch this year too BNick & Toni’s (Easthampton) - The food here varies from season to season but when it’s on it can be great. This year they added a Stuffed Niman Schiller Pork Belly to the menu that was as good a dish as I’ve seen in a U.S. restaurant for quite some time. Stuffed with minced pork, cheese and spinach garlic and nutmeg, roasted in the oven and then finished in the wood burning oven. It had a caramelized exterior that defied description. Absolutely melt in your mouth B+Pacific East (Amagansett) - The quality here deteriorated from summer of 2000. Nice terrace dining on warm summer evenings. But since the owners bought the building at auction they don’t seem to be working as hard. C-Tsunami (Easthampton - This Asian/Fusion menu seemed tired too. What’s the big deal if you switch some ingredients around guys? This year the Thai Chili sauce can go on fish, next year on beef. It’s boring if you don’t makes any changes C+Chez Sophie Bistro (Saratoga Springs) - Because of sleep away camp visiting day, I’ve been fortunate to visit this country style French bistro in a renovated diner every summer for the last five years. They serve some of the purest food around. They have a select group of local farmers growing produce for them and I can literally say they serve the best salad I ever had on these shores. The food is nothing fancy, maybe some pan sautéed lamb chops or a nice sautéed trout. Excellent wine list full of bargains from Alsace and the Rhone. But Sophie passed away last winter leaving her husband Joseph and their son to run the place. It didn’t seem like anything had changed. I hope it never does. BMiss Hattie’s (Saratoga Springs) - Legendary soul food restaurant in Saratoga Springs. I had read an interview with Danny Meyer where he said that he likes to eat Fried Chicken here when he visits. Well our visit was disappointing. Dry chicken and all. More fun than good. DSimon Pearce (Quechee, Vermont) - Behind the Simon Pearce outlet shop they have this lovely restaurant on a beautiful setting on the Quechee Gorge. Excellent wine list, which I guess makes sense as wine glasses are one of the shops big sellers. I had a nice Cumin Spiced Hanger Steak for dinner B- Maine Diner (Wells, Maine - A place right out of Jane & Michael Stern Roadfood heaven. Heaping plates of food filled with Lobster Rolls, Fried Clam Bellys, Meat Loaf or just a plain ole New England Boiled Dinner. And of course pie for dessert B+Ogunquit Lobster Pound - Pick your lobster and steamers by the pound. Lobster was delicious, but the steamers even better. Hope for a good night as you can BYO on the benches outside. BBiba (Boston) - What a bust this was. We were there on a Thursday night in July and the place was deserted. It seemed like the kitchen was deserted too. How the mighty have fallen. C--Radius (Boston) - The word is out that Radius is now Boston’s finest. Well I had some business up there in October and I took some old friends out to dinner. Things started off well but they couldn’t maintain a high level of consistency throughout the tasting menu they served us. In NYC this place would not receive the raves it gets in Boston. Even Michael Schlow the chef/owner admitted to me that aside from fish and seafood, the Boston area doesn’t get the same quality produce and meat that is available in NYC and as a result the restaurants suffer B- Sugar Shack (Cambridge) - Jasper White’s new venture. A theme restaurant version of Legal Seafood. Really poor food. But I hope Jasper becomes rich from it. D--Bizou (San Francisco) - In the book “Chef’s Night Out”, quite a few chefs named this restaurant as one of the places they like to eat when they are in S.F. My meal was so blah. Another piece of evidence that being a “chef’s chefs” is not something to aspire to. CRitz-Carlton Dining Room (San Francisco) - One of the worst meals of the year. I had eaten Sylvan Portray’s food when he was the chef at Le Cirque. He used to cook really well in those days. What happened?C-Yuet Lee (San Francisco) - Funky old timer on the corner of Broadway and Stockton. Their Salt and Pepper Dungeness Crab is one of the greatest Chinese dishes you will find. And one of the most expensive too. It was something like ะ for a whole crab. Considering we are talking about a restaurant in Chinatown, that would be the equivalent of paying 贶 for it at a fancy place who wouldn’t make as tasty a preparation B+Avenue Room (Ritz-Carlton Kapalua) – Of course this was supposed to be the best meal on Maui and it was fair at best. It provided my favorite anecdote of the year as the wine list had 1961 Latour twice. Once for 񙎼 a bottle and once for 񚅨 a bottle. When I asked the sommelier about it, he told me that he sells two bottles a year, one to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. I’m certain he must buy the 񚅨 bottle C--Pacific Café (Kaanapali in Maui) – Another Asian fusion chain. The best thing here was a Double Cut and Smoked with Kona Coffee Pork Chop B-David Paul’s (Lahaina in Maui - More Kona Coffee cooking with Rack of Lamb roasted over Kona Coffee. A a nice way to use local ingredients. B-Roy’s (Kahana branch in Maui) - Chainlike Asian fusion. It made sense that Roy is franchising these places around the country. A step up from Houston’s CSensei (Kapalua Resort in Maui) – Nobu-ish Japanese serving things like foie gras sushi (lightly sautéed and served atop nigiri rice and Seared Ahi Roll with Thai Chilli Sauce. Best meal we had on the Island B+Roy’s (Hawaii Kai in Oaho) – The original location and like night and day compared to the Maui branch. I can get down with a Miso rubbed Butterfish with Wasabi Cream sauce when it’s made correctly. Can’t you? B+Alan Wong (Honolulu) - Asian fusion cooking at it’s best. Great modernized takes on classic Hawaiian dishes like “Da Bag”, roast pork and clams steamed in a tinfoil bag. B++Chef Allen (Aventura Florida) - I think Chef Allen has gone way downhill. Everything about the place needs a revamp, from the menu to the décor. I think he found that he had a good thing with the platinum hair crowd from North Miami so he isn’t pushing it. It’s too bad because I ate some good meals here a few years back CJoe’s Stone Crabs - Now this is the true Florida experience. People wait up to 2 ½ hours for a table. Fortunately I have a friend with juice so we wait less than five minutes. Everyone should eat here at least once in a lifetime. And if you’re there on a day when the stone crabs are good it’s a great experience. Amazing side dishes. I think there are 10 different potato preparations and whenever I go I want to order every one of them. This years meal wasn’t as stellar as past years though BNorman’s (Coral Gables Florida) - I think Norman Van Aiken is the best chef in South Florida. Of the three heralded chefs, Norman, Allen Susser and Mark (can’t remember his last name), he is the only one whose cooking is of sufficient scope to be able to offer a proper tasting menu. When he is on, it is among the best restaurants in the country A--Osteria del Teatro (Miami Beach Florida - This restaurant is the perfect example of Zagat at it’s worst. It gets something like 26 in the Miami guide but NYC has a Northern Italian of this quality on almost every block. Here it would be lucky to get 19. C-Tuscan Steak (South Beach Florida - An upscale theme restaurant done right. We go every year and the food is consistently good. I hear the NYC version is less good. This one is perfect when you are on vacation with your kids B-Wish (Miami Beach Florida) – This was the hot new restaurant on South Beach last year. A number of friends raved about it. But you can chalk it up as one more place I just shrugged my shoulders about B--Wolfie Cohen’s Rascal House - Old school Jewish diner/deli in North Miami Beach. Another must visit for my family when we are down there. If you are ever in the mood for an old fashioned yiddishe cabbage borscht, this is the place for you. They bring you a pot the size of Warsaw that has a piece of flanken in it that must be a foot long. From a different time and place B-Versailles - Cuban diner on Calle Ocho. The Chicken Versailles, which is just chicken grilled while pressed flat and served with garlic butter is stupendous. And it cost something like Ű.98! Near the airport so it is always our last meal before we drop off the rent-a-car. I wish there was Cuban like this in NYC B

Meals in Europe

Al Waha - London’s best Middle Eastern? I try and eat a Middle Eastern meal every time I go to London and this is the best meal I’ve had so far. They have a nice wine list with numerous vintages of Château Musar and Chateau Kefraya. B+ Honorable mention must go to the café of Al-Dar on the Edgeware Road where the waiter keeps trying to get me to smoke a hookah filled with shishah while sipping my mud thick cup of coffee. I keep telling him I only smoke kosher shishah but he doesn’t know what I’m talking about.The Fat Duck-Bray, United Kingdom - I have a group of wine tasting friends in London and one evening this past May I found myself in Paddington Station boarding a train for a 22 minute ride to Maidenhead which is a 5 minute taxi ride to Bray. My friend Robert convinced the restaurant to allow us to BYO and the ensuing carnage was monumental. I have to say it was an A+ experience but I might be exaggerating due to the shock value of the food. Let’s call it an A-. Nobu - Nobu Matsuhisha is becoming the Alain Ducasse of the sea by packing up his Peruvian/Japanese cooking concept and bringing it to London, Paris and Miami Beach. My lunch here was fine, but seemed a little restrained compared to my memories of dining in the Manhattan branch. BLe Suquet - My old standby in London. You can always get a table, and they do a good job of recreating a meal from the South of France. They prepare Coquille St. Jacques a half dozen different ways, all delicious. And if I want a simple and honest grilled Dover Sole with Bearnaise Sauce, their version will always satisfy. B-FranceBrasserie Lorraine - How disappointed was I when we arrived at the old Lorraine only to find out it had been sold to the Freres Blanc and had been converted to a seafood brasserie. I used to use this brasserie located on the beautiful Place des Ternes as my Paris coffee shop. Will there be any brasseries left that aren’t part of a chain? DL’Ambroisie - My first time and a very disappointing dinner. We had run-ins with Madame in regards to the menu as well as the Sommelier on our choice of wines. Before writing this I reread my original notes and my first comment that my Crayfish soup lacked the intense “Gout des Coquillages” that I expected says it all BLa Regalade - Now here’s a chef who cooks with passion. I’m sure he could be wearing a prettier apron while garnering a few Michelin stars if he chose to. But he probably makes more money turning the tables 3 times a night. My Hachis Parmentier made with Boudin Noir was stunning. And the dessert of Brebis served with AOC Espelette Jam was special ATroisgros - This was a near perfect experience in every way. Every little detail in both the hotel and restaurant was thought out. The texture of my pork chop was something other worldly and later in the evening Michel Troisgros paid us a visit and spoke of the farmer in the Limousin who raises pigs for the restaurant and how special they are. And any restaurant that has a 1992 Coche-Dury Meursault Perrieres and a 1990 Henri Jayer Echezeaux on their list at the same time is alright with me A++La Pyramide - My urge is to say that the food was inedible but that would be an exaggeration. I reread my notes and they say the food was so ordinary it wasn’t worth writing about. I do remember some uneaten dishes though. CLeon de Lyon - I quite liked my first visit here. It’s a two star restaurant and it does not have any aspirations to get its third star. The result is a relaxed dining room offering a refined version of Lyonaisse comfort food. The house version of Poulet Demi-Deuil (truffles stuffed under the skin) will make you smile. Correct and friendly service and Jean-Paul Lascombes is a gentleman B++La Voute (Chez Lea) - On a drizzly Saturday afternoon last January, we had one of those glorious lunches that can inspire a good nap. You know, plump and meaty slices of truffle laden sausage in a butter and lemon sauce served with some steamed potatoes and then a Piece de Boeuf in a truffled gravy served with a gratin of cardoons. It ‘s meals like this that make me daydream of France. B-Cote Rotie - Smack in the middle of the town of Ampuis and a great place to dine after visiting Cote Rotie producers. Manuel Viron is an ambitious chef who served a lovely terrine of oxtail and foie gras when I was there after the Marche au Vins in January. Killer, I mean killer wine list of all sorts of Rhone wines B+La Cave - Where the locals eat in Cannes. I’ve eaten here a good 15-18 times and I love the joint. They serve simple Cannoise cuisine (bet you didn’t know Cannes had an indigenous cuisine did you?) Delicious, butter laden, stuffed cabbage. Creamy scrambled eggs with grated truffles in season. Or a fresh goat cheese omelet when not. Precious wine list of Cote de Provence, Bandol and Bourgoise Cru Bordeaux for not a lot of money. Marc the chef owner is a big wino and he will steer you to just the right bottle. B-La Palme D’Or - Beautiful terrace restaurant in the Martinez Hotel in Cannes. The highlight of this year’s meal was a Carpaccio of scallops on a dry minestrone that had so much flavor it just exploded in your mouth B+ this year but I’ve had A meals here in the past.Chez Dumonet (Chez Josephine) - Old school, fairly dry and boring bistro on rue de Cherche-Midi that serves a special truffle “carte” when they are in season. I can’t do it better justice than my original notes which said “There must have been near a dozen different truffle preparations and we settled on a salad of potatoes, mache and truffles to be followed by truffle omelets. While the salad was really good, with the mache speckled with chopped truffles and truffle oil, the omelets were over the top. Fluffy, ethereal masses of egg swimming in pools of cream and butter with bits of truffles everywhere. Pure decadence.” A bottle of 1979 Hermitage La Chapelle made this a two nap lunch ATaillevent - My first visit with the new chef. I found the cooking correct but a bit hesitant. My sense is that the food will become a bit more daring as soon as the chef gets his ladles wet. But I looove dining here. They make you feel so good. And the wine list is full of little gems that are more than fairly priced. A-Le Passage - Bistro/wine bar written up by Frank Prial in the Times. Good list of Rhone wines but in reality too young to drink. Their speciality is andouilettes made by different artisans thoughout France. I think they need better food DHelene Darroze - Delicious and unusual food. The menu had an entire page of Foie Gras preparations and an entire page of truffle preparations. They even have a signature dish, l’Escatoun which is white polenta, hazelnut butter, fresh brebis curds and truffles. And my roast rack of lamb with an anchovy crust was to die for. This meal was back in January but I understand the place has been overrun with American tourists since then. But more places like this please. A-Le Dome - I’m a confirmed Dover Sole fan and Patricia Wells has raved about their Sole Meuniere so many times that I had to try it at least once. Well aside from the fact that the place is old and stodgy and could use a scrub-down/redo, you get a nice, firm piece of fish that is absolutely swimming in melted, salted butter. I’m glad we went because now we don’t have to go back C+Timgad - Just like I eat Middle Eastern in London, I love to eat North African in Paris. It’s like eating Chinese food here. My wife and I love acting Parisian and usually go to a movie and then have a late couscous. This time it was Wonder Boys (the topic of the film made us even hungrier) and then Timgad. For years we ate at Charlie el Bab-el Ouad but they sold their lease to Leon de Bruxelles. We’ve been looking for a replacement ever since and we can’t find one that is up to snuff. Timgad was good, but without the fire they had at Charlie. B-

(Edited by Steve Plotnicki at 7:18 pm on Jan. 3, 2002)

(Edited by Steve Plotnicki at 7:33 pm on Jan. 3, 2002)

Fat Guy · January 4, 2002

So, that's it? :)

I'm going to read your most remarkable post a few more times before I comment.

Bux · January 4, 2002

Well it's impressive in more ways than one. Of the places I've hit, my reactions are usually not so far off your mark until I get to the ones where I disagree completely. ;-) One #### of a post anyway.

cabrales · January 4, 2002

Steve -- Thanks for the great post.

I agree with you on Troisgros, among many other restaurants you described, and actually had the 1990 Echezeaux, H. Jayer there during the Christmas period. :) See postings under "Cooking" -- "Kobe Beef" and "Frozen Truffles". (Yes, I am working on posting under more obvious thread names instead of posting based on logical relevance to prior posts in any given thread). The Troisgros sommeliers were knowledgeable, and furnished a tour of the cellar (I was personally more interested in the kitchen tour). There was an extensive selection of Montrachets, among other items to covet. The half bottle Petrus selection is among the best in France, based on my experience to date. However, we did not try any Petrus at Troisgros. The half-bottle of Haut-Brion we picked was excellent, and not expensive for what it offered.

Steve Plotnicki · January 4, 2002

Cabrales - We toured the cellars at Troisgros the next morning. The sommelier just let us in and left us to wander around in there for a good 15 minutes. It was amazing. I didn't get into the kitchen though. Having had the '90 Jayer Cros Parentoux at Ducasse 2 months earlier, I was happy to be able to find the '90 Echezeaux to compare them. Speaking of Jayer, I know where there is a magnum of '85 Cros Parentoux in Paris for a very fair price. But I won't post where it is on the board because I want to drink it ;).

I understand that one day a year Troisgros invites all the Burgundy growers to Roanne and he closes the restaurant and makes them lunch while they sample the new vintage. Now how does one get an invite to that meal?

I'm thinking about compiling my wine notes for the year and posting them on the wine board. It would take more effort than the restaurant notes but if I can figure out a way to do it that won't take too long I'll give it a shot.

(Edited by Steve Plotnicki at 6:41 am on Jan. 4, 2002)

cabrales · January 4, 2002

Steve -- I AM curious about the '85 magnum in Paris. Were you under the impression the restaurant had more than one bottle, in which case you can message the location to me?

Speaking of magnums, I recently saw at Nicolas (or whatever the name of the wine store next to Heidard's, sic, at Place de la Madelaine is) a magnum of Ruinart Millenium Brut Champagne, in a Lalique-decorated container with a silver-colored metallic "cage" around it. I am very interested in Ruinarts -- even though this was not a Blanc de Blancs; see "Wine and Beer") . The price was over 6000 FF, and I had to let it go. I had seen the same bottle displayed from time to time at Waterside Inn. I continued champagne-hunting at Fauchon, where they had Pommery's Louise line in magnum.

Back to Troisgros. The kitchen can be viewed through the windows at the back of the main house. We stood outside for perhaps 10-15 minutes just observing. Later, we were offered the actual tour of the inside of the kitchen, and discovered a round table where the chef might eat or entertain his own friends. It is in a little nook, with informal art relating to the restaurant featured on the walls. This table is right behind the "wall" with rows of hooks where orders are displayed for the kitchen team. I wonder what it takes to eat at that table?

Steve Plotnicki · January 4, 2002

Cabrales - I'm not sure how many magnums they have so you're just going to have to drink it with me :). As for the Ruinart, have you searched on Winesearcher.com? That's usually useful as a source. I have a way to ask about the chefs table at Troisgros. Give me a few days.

John Karangis · January 5, 2002

I enjoyed your reviews.

About a couple of your restaurants you visited in Hawaii, Sansei and Roy's, I agree.

Sansei was casual, cool, hip, innovative, touristy, not too pricey, but also the best meal I had in Maui. The Foie Gras negiri, carmelized maui onions, unagi demi glace - simple and delicious. New York needs a place like this. But no reason to overprice and overhype please.

..and Roy's ...you said it perfect.

tommy · January 5, 2002

Quote: from Fat Guy on 1:05 am on Jan. 4, 2002
(Still trying to figure out how to respond.)

i'm still trying to count them! actually, upwards of 170 notable restaurants in one year. quite commendable. if you paid for all of them, i'm quite impressed. and if you have a job that affords you the luxury of expensing for business purposes, i'm envious. either way, i'm hungry, very hungy.

nice job.

Steve Plotnicki · January 5, 2002

Tommy - First, like I said, some might have been from 2000 and my memory might be less than clear. Second, if you eat out 2-3 times a week (which is easy to do with a NYC lifestyle) that's 100-125 right there. Also, I own a business in London and usually take anywhere between 2-4 trips to Europe a year. Finally, with school breaks at x-mas, spring break, sleep away camp visiting day and the requisite side trips, it's easy to get to that number. Finally, many of the meals are wine tasting related, especially at the high end.

(Edited by Steve Plotnicki at 11:10 am on Jan. 5, 2002)

Liza · January 6, 2002

Regarding Union Pacific's way with protein: Rocco has counseled me on the subject - he has recommended slow poaching in plastic wrap. The guy knows his ingredients. We've made his slow poached striped bass wrapped in plastic quite a few times and he's told me that the same method works for all proteins. Simmering water at around 120 degrees, protein wrapped in plastic wrap, simmered for 20 minutes or so...

Steve Plotnicki · January 6, 2002

JimmyO - I'll be glad to give you more info on any entry you want. Some of them were originally longer but I cut them back. But for many of the meals I can dig up the notes I wrote at the time, including what I ate and what wine we drank at the meal.

Liza - Now that you bring it up, I've seen somebody cook using Saran Wrap. It was on TV. But it wasn't Rocco, it was somebody else. I'm trying to remember who it was but I'm drawing a blank. I'll post if I remember.

Have you ever had/made that salmon dish that Paul Mincheli made at Le Duc where a tranch of salmon was placed between two glass plates and then placed atop a pot of boiling water. If I recall correctly, it was in the First Edition of the Patricia Wells Foodlover's Guide to Paris and maybe in later additions. Almost similar principal.

John Karangis - Sensei is as good as it is because they do a good job of adapting local ingredients to that Nobu/progressive Japanese style of cooking. You know I ate at one more place on the Island. We had lunch at the Hailiimaile General Store and I forgot to post it. It had all that hype around it but it kind of reminded me of the Fog City Diner in S.F. You know gimmicky food. Give it a C--. The people who run it are great though.

(Edited by Steve Plotnicki at 9:43 am on Jan. 6, 2002)

Pan · January 6, 2002

That was an extraordinary list of reviews, Steve! Thank you!

I have a comment at the moment about only one place: Union Square Cafe. My brother and I walked in without reservations and had an excellent lunch there in the week after Thanksgiving, so it is possible to eat there without getting reservations 30 days in advance.

Steve Plotnicki · January 6, 2002

Pan - First of all, you don't usually need 30 days to get a lunch reservation. I was speaking of dinner. But even for lunch I've found that if you call up for a reservation for the same day they are usually booked. So you got lucky. They must have had a cancellation. Unless you went at 2:00pm when you can usually get a table.

John Karangis · January 6, 2002

Steve and Liza, about poaching protein.

It reminds me of a dish Jean Georges does at his restaurant JG. It is his poached beef filet.

He poaches it not in plactic, although the plastic wrap, or bag keeps the flavor in. He poaches it in plenty of red wine with his usaual spices (cumin, star anise, peppercorns...) on a low heat, probably 120 degrees. Until it is medium rare, or even rare. The meat stays relaxed, doesn't seize or toughen up. Being a chef I can say I have made my interpretation of this dish many times, different ways. It is always a hit at a party. People tell me it is the best meat they have ever eaten, and definately the most tender. Slice and serve with a little coarse sea salt. Or perhaps serve it with the reduced wine juice, maybe some demi. Cook the meat till its 120 degrees and let it rest before cutting. Try it! It is incredible! As is Jean-Georges.

And Steve I believe it was Chef Michel Bras who was doing this before that article in the N.Y.Times awhile back. Then of course eveyone else, all the way down to me. Happy eating

Steve Plotnicki · January 6, 2002

Liza - Now it's coming back to me. We made a scallop dish from I think Le Bernadin last year and the scallops were wrapped in Saran Wrap and then poached. Possible? I don't have the cookbook here.

John - Boeuf ala Ficelle sans ficelle? That's what it sounds like using a plastic baggy instead of poaching the meat directly in the liquid. Have you ever tried to make a dry Pot au Feu that way? It sounds like it would be great with that fatty cut of meat and the usual condiments like horseradish, mustard, etc.

cabrales · January 7, 2002

Quote: from Steve Plotnicki on 7:43 am on Jan. 4, 2002
Cabrales - I'm not sure how many magnums they have so you're just going to have to drink it with me :).

Steve -- The bottle I most covet in Paris is an 1897 Lafite Rothschild at around 13,500 FF. With a wine like that, one does not even know what to expect. The cuisine at the relevant restaurant is fairly good (not top-notch, but adequate for a good meal around the wine). I consider the bottle a bit expensive (in an absolute sense), and have not made a decision about it. If we are in Paris at the same time, we can consider drinking both bottles :)

The same restaurant has a 1945 Pavie for 16,000 FF and a 1982 Salon (my favorite champagne) for 3000 FF.

(Edited by cabrales at 7:01 am on Jan. 7, 2002)

Steve Plotnicki · January 7, 2002

Cabrales - I recently had a bottle of '82 Salon but it was a bit too mature. I bought it at a shop here in the city and I guess the storage was suspect. But I've had some great bottles of '85 and '88 this year. I'm not usually a fan of the '85 vintage in Champagne but the Salon is great. But 3000FF for the '82 Salon is a bit dear. I see '82's being sold at auction all the time for less than 赨 and '85's for between 贝-贶. I still see '88's advertised in London for about ๠ a bottle.

As for the Lafite, that doesn't sound unreasonably priced although offhand I don't know the value of that bottle. I'll ask a friend who would know though.

yvonne johnson · January 7, 2002

Interesting list. I agree wholeheartedly about your grade for AZ. As I've mentioned before (but it's worth re-stating, as if it's not improved people need their heads examined if they even consider going!), my meal there was the worst I had last year, if not in a decade. It even crossed my mind to write to Grimes as AZ is crying out for a re-assessment, in my view. Three stars!

I agree, too, on Canteen and Café Loup. I read, though, that Café Loup is Christopher Hitchens’ (my favorite journalist's ) favorite NY watering hole, so it can’t be all bad....for drinks.

As for Gotham, I’m not sure what’s happened to Portale. Any explanations? Gotham was top notch around 10 years ago. However, our last two dinners there were mediocre. (I have enjoyed a couple of ฤ lunches though.)

I’m quite relieved to come across someone else who thinks USC is ordinary! It struck me as odd when I read on this site that Mayer reportedly said he’s not in the restaurant business but in the hospitality business. I think the emphasis at his restaurants is top heavy in the service department and I find the servers a little oily.

Steve, I was a little puzzled by your comments on Balthazar: ”What can you say about Balthazar other than they serve better food than they have to.” Not sure I follow.

(Edited by yvonne johnson at 6:31 pm on Jan. 7, 2002)

Steve Plotnicki · January 7, 2002

Yvonne - Let's see. Saying that it is meaningful that Hitchens likes Cafe Loup is like saying that it's meaningful that Carl Bernstein likes Elaine's. It's about the scene, not the food, And like I said, Cafe Loup is a great space and has a nice long bar. It's a shame the food isn't just a wee bit better though.

In terms of Gotham, I just think that people want to eat the same cliche over and over again and Alfred can't rock the boat.

As for USC, it is what it is. I think that if it wasn't so sought after a reservation, or didn't get a score that is between 4-6 points more than it deserves in Zagat, people wouldn't resent it so much. I mean it's a good Italian inspired restaurant that does some simple things really well. And I've had a number of enjoyable meals there. But I wish it didn't have the clammer.

As for Balthazar, what I meant was that unlike a place like Canteen whose food is in the crapper because it gets by on being a trendy place, Balthazar has (or maybe had as I haven't been in a while) pretty good food. Considering the number of people they feed, they could serve junk. But I think they actually want to serve good brasserie food. But I hear that isn't the case at Pastis, although I've never been there.

mikec · January 7, 2002

Steve,

Thanks for the notes. I always enjoy reading them and I've never gotten a bum restaurant recco from you yet.

Yvonne & Steve,

I too think that USC is ordinary. I feel the same way (even more so) about Eleven Madison Park. At both places I end up have a technically good meal with wonderful service yet I always walk out feeling like something was missing. I think both places lack a certain spirit that is neccessary to vault these places up to the next level. To be clear, I've never had a bad meal at either place. But on the flip side I've never had a meal that knocked my socks off either. The one thing that is nice about USC is that they seem to make an effort to keep prices down. When the ฮ+ entree was all the rage, USC managed to keep the prices below that even though with their popularity they could have easily gotten away with charging more.

As far as Cafe Loup, nice room, bad food. I can think of a number of similarly priced bistros where a more enjoyable meal can be eaten.

Yvonne,

I don't want to put words in Steve's mouth, but what I interpreted his statement about Balthazar to mean was that many people go to Balthazar for the scene. They would go even if the food was just okay. However Balthazar (and Pastis) both put out some pretty decent food to accompany the scene that they have manufactured. Steve may disagree with what I've said, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it. :)

yvonne johnson · January 7, 2002

Did I say that Hitchens’ liking Cafe Loup was meaningful? But then again everything about Hitchens is meaningful:).

Thanks Steve and mikec for the clarification on Balthazar. It could be that the customers, even though they go for the scene, have discriminating tastes, no? As for Pastis, I agree with mikec that the food is decent there. I had great steak frites a wee while ago. In some ways P is more comfortable than B, because it’s less noisy. I'd happily return to both.

Bux · January 8, 2002

Steve P: Considering the number of people they feed, they could serve junk. But I think they actually want to serve good brasserie food.

mikec: many people go to Balthazar for the scene. They would go even if the food was just okay. However Balthazar (and Pastis) both put out some pretty decent food to accompany the scene that they have manufactured.

yvonne: It could be that the customers, even though they go for the scene, have discriminating tastes

The same or worse could be said for the people who frequent Daniel or Jean Georges. That is to say that many go for the scene and others really appreciate the food. The amount they spend on wine is no real indication one way or the other either. I know the Balthazar and Pastis chefs in passing and believe they are dedicated to serving good bistro/brasserie food. As with all restaurants, some things are better than others, but I've enjoyed most of what I've had in both places. Great fries, so far. Oddly enough, I've found Pastis far noisier than Balthzar to the point where I have second thoughts of eating there with anyone I want to talk to.

Steve Plotnicki · January 8, 2002

Bux - What MikeC and I are distinguishing Balthazar from is a place like Canteen or any of the other purely trendy places where as soon as they start getting a hip crowd, the food becomes merely prefunctary. And while there are people who go to Jean-George for status reasons, and treat the food as perfunctory, they still go there *because they heard that the food is the best in town* even if they don't have the palate to tell themselves. As for the chefs at Balthazar/Pastis caring, that's the point of why they have lasted. They could have become like Canteen.

Bux · January 8, 2002

Steve P., I prefer to make my positive feelings more public than my restaurant disappointments, but either you had spectacular luck at Prune, or we had had none. I can't even relate the difference in opinion to just different taste as I can on other scores. Our meal was amateur with service not up to that. I suppose my opinions were reinforced by the article Gabrielle Hamilton wrote for Food & Wine a while back.

It's interesting that you include Cafe Boulud in the "Formal." I'd not be so inclined, but then I also might rate it an "A" or "A-."

I'm also a fan of 11 Madison Park

Outside NYC, we had a pretty good meal at the Dining Room in the Ritz-Carlton in S.F. years back. In Florida, both Chef Allen and Norman's left us wishing we just stuck to casual in South Beach and enjoyed a good meal in NY when we got back. Didn't think either was worth the drive. By the way, Versailles, yes for the price, but to return twice in a week was asking for disappointment. In France, I've touted La Regalade so heavily on the France board that anyone might be in for a disappointment, but I thought it was great too. L’Ambroisie wasn't perfect, but the food was pretty #### good when we were there.

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