Bookbinder's Review Philadelphia Weekly

[stephenc]

Well, I take it Bookbinders will be pulling their ads from the Weakly.

[lancastermike]

Over on Leffland someone posted about this and Ms. McCutcheon herself posts a reply. I certainly have not been to the new Bookbinders, but my wife and I are coming for a weekend soon and she would like to go. I am trying to talk her out of it in favor of Matyson, were I have never been. I will be anxious to see other reviews due to the fact that if she wants to go, I guess we will be going and I would like to know what I am getting myself into

[Furious Flav-or]

Bookbinders will always be in the crosshairs. I remember Jim Quinn’s first fuselage in the Collegiate Guide of Philadelphia in the late ‘60s. Lauren McCutcheon's was almost a boilerplate of it. So what else is really new?

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Do we mean fusillade?

For what it's worth, I've eaten there once, in the 70s, and at the "other" one once, in the 80s. The "original" was forgettable, and the 15th St. version only marginally better.

It's a high-end Geno's Steaks; the quality is miserable these days, the pilgrimage is obligatory, and everyone goes to other places anyway. On the other end of the spectrum, compare it to Snockey's.

[cinghiale]

Bookbinders will always be in the crosshairs. I remember Jim Quinn’s first fuselage in the Collegiate Guide of Philadelphia in the late ‘60s. Lauren McCutcheon's was almost a boilerplate of it. So what else is really new?

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Do we mean fusillade?

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GAAAK!!! But for 9/11, that would be hilarious. No wait, it's hilarious anyway.

[therese]

Had dinner there (or at least I think it was there---things get a bit confusing with the various Bookbinder's) about two years ago (for a convention, of course) and was seriously underwhelmed: expensive and not great food, and yes, we did get very straightforward preps. A bit embarassing, as I was dining with a German colleague and I had to apologize for the food.

It was not, however, the worst meal I had on that visit to Philadelphia.

[marinade]

Bookbinders will always be in the crosshairs. I remember Jim Quinn’s first fuselage in the Collegiate Guide of Philadelphia in the late ‘60s. Lauren McCutcheon's was almost a boilerplate of it. So what else is really new?

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Do we mean fusillade?

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GAAAK!!! But for 9/11, that would be hilarious. No wait, it's hilarious anyway.

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Fuselage sorta works... they were fly-by-night reviews. Damn spell check!!

[philadining]

Over on Leffland someone posted about this ...

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What's Leffland?

edit: oh, duh, I get it.... some OTHER food forum... nevermind....

Edited April 22, 2005 by philadining (log)

[Furious Flav-or]

Bookbinders will always be in the crosshairs. I remember Jim Quinn’s first fuselage in the Collegiate Guide of Philadelphia in the late ‘60s. Lauren McCutcheon's was almost a boilerplate of it. So what else is really new?

←

Do we mean fusillade?

←

GAAAK!!! But for 9/11, that would be hilarious. No wait, it's hilarious anyway.

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Fuselage sorta works... they were fly-by-night reviews. Damn spell check!!

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If "fuselage" works I suggest that you check your airframe for battle damage.

[mantee]

I have eaten with Lauren, those restaurants were so bad she didn't even write about them.

[Rich Pawlak]

I have eaten with Lauren, those restaurants were so bad she didn't even write about them.

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Then why did she bother to write about Bookie's if it was so damn bad? I'm tellin' ya, there is an unfair agenda thing going on in that review; she did not describe the restaurant in which I dined, not once, but twice.

[philadining]

I have eaten with Lauren, those restaurants were so bad she didn't even write about them.

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Then why did she bother to write about Bookie's if it was so damn bad? I'm tellin' ya, there is an unfair agenda thing going on in that review; she did not describe the restaurant in which I dined, not once, but twice.

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It's a pretty common practice for reviewers of anything, be it books, music, movies, food, whatever, to not bother panning some small project that just wasn't working. It's two things: first, who cares if some critic hates something you've never heard of, and weren't planning on checking-out? Second, it's just kind of mean-spirited.

But if a high-profile project is asking the consumer to spend money on it and fails to provide a reasonable value, then critics often get all Consumer-Reports-y, warning people away from getting ripped-off. And of course some people just enjoy being nasty.

So it's not surprising that Lauren McCutcheon would skip writing a bad review of some little place she was hoping would be good. And that she would trash an iconic, expensive destination, if she found it disappointing.

Rich, I know what you mean. I've had it happen before, some restaurant (or movie or CD) I liked got slammed in the press, or vice versa. I've also followed a good review to a restaurant and sat there mystified about what I was missing. I've gotten a little pissed about dropping $18 on a bad CD that some reviewer enthused about, and irritated if my favorite disc gets shredded in Rolling Stone.

So I understand your frustration, I know you know food, so if someone reports something exactly opposite to what you experienced, it's annoying. But I didn't read an agenda in Lauren McCutcheon's review. I've read a lot of her columns, and while I don't always agree with her (or anybody) I haven't detected any tendency toward character assassination.

I'll agree that it seems unlikely that they didn't get anything right, but as I mentioned upthread, I once went to a place that got a good review in the Inky and ended up only liking the dinner rolls.

And I suppose both experiences can be true. Kitchens shouldn't perform dramatically differently from night to night, but sometimes they do. I happen to think a restaurant should cook everything on their menu skillfully, but it's still possible to order the "right" and "wrong" things at some places.

Rich, did you have any of the same dishes that McCutcheon disliked? Or the tuna that was described here as gray and lukewarm? It would be interesting to know whether they can indeed sometimes get that stuff right, or if it's better to just avoid those items. Holly has a point, you don't really go to Bookies for Tuna Tartare, but then again, if it's on the menu it's not really crazy to order it, especially if the chef has worked at Le Bernadin.

I'm actually glad to hear you liked it, I might try it. But I'm probably going to pass on the $68 lobsters...

Edited April 27, 2005 by philadining (log)

[serpentine]

What philadining said. You read my mind. Er, perhaps not, but I'm on the same page as you regarding the review.

[Holly Moore]

There are very few restaurants I know of where people have such polarized opinions. No bell shaped curve with the Old Original Bookbinders. Just the opposite. Love or hate and not much in between. And, despite conventional wisdom, it is not simply tourists on one end of the spectrum and Philadelphian’s on the other. Bookbinder’s has a good representation of Philadelphians who are regulars.

I am one of those who likes the Old Original Bookbinder’s. I first went there as a kid. It was a regular stop whenever our family passed through or near Philadelphia. Then, in the late 60's while working New Products for McDonald's, I was in Philadelphia every week on the development of frozen hamburger patties. And every week Herb Lottman of Lottman and Sons took me to Bookbinders for my 3 pound Lobster. Later I moved to Philadelphia where I worked for an ad agency and regularly entertained clients at Bookbinder’s. Alas all good things must come to an end. I became self employed, meaning no corporate expense account. Bookbinders is now a special occasion restaurant - I manage an excuse to eat there once or twice a year.

Throughout my relationship with the Old Original Bookbinders, as long as I stuck to snapper soup, fresh oysters, boiled/broiled lobster and strawberry shortcake I consistently ate extraordinarily well. Those times when I ordered other items, except their finnan haddie, I sometimes regretted my decision.

This is all before the Old Original Bookbinder's closed and reopened. Now they are stretching beyond “traditional seafood house.” They brought in a talented kitchen staff. They modernized their menu, though still keeping the stalwarts that I will always order. Logically, considering the quality of their chef and their ingredients, they should be coming through as promised. I guess it is fair to point out if they are not. I say I guess because I really want a reviewer to spend his or her precious column inches pointing me towards good experiences.

The problem I have with McCutcheon’s review is that it is so negative. Bookbinders did nothing right. From all my experiences in restaurants I know that just isn’t possible. Now, reading further in this thread, I see posters who have had good to very good experiences at the new Bookbinders.

Supports my instincts - my belief that McCutcheon walked into Bookbinders with a major chip on her shoulder and lugging along all sorts of preconceived notions. Yes a restaurant can vary from excellent to good to average and even mediocre. But from very good to very bad - and consistently very bad over what I assume had to be two separate reviewing meals. It does not compute. Especially when Rich Pawlak, whom I know and whose opinion I respect says he had two terrific dinners there. A restaurant is just not capable of such a wide a spectrum of experiences. McCutcheon, “Really bad.” Twice. Pawlak, “Terrific.” Twice.

As to McCutcheon chosing not to write about some horrible experiences and then writing about Bookbinders - that is hypocritical. If she views a portion of her role to be saving people from bad restaurants, then it should not matter if the bad restaurant is a small BYO or a Philadelphia institution. Heaven forbid that I should suffer a lousy meal at a restaurant when McCutcheon knew ahead of time and could have warned me off.

[Mummer]

Over on Leffland someone posted about this and Ms. McCutcheon herself posts a reply.

It's too late to read the reply. Off-topic or some-such thing, I guess.

While I trust the palates of both Rich Pawlak and Holly Moore, there are many Philly spots with consistant rave reviews to visit before I'd gamble on new Old Bookies. Of course, my next visitor or some other circumstance could have me there next week.

[mrbigjas]

  Especially when Rich Pawlak, whom I know and whose opinion I respect says he had two terrific dinners there.  A restaurant is just not capable of such a wide a spectrum of experiences.  McCutcheon, “Really bad.”  Twice.  Pawlak, “Terrific.”  Twice.

you think philadelphia weekly paid for two dinners at bookbinders?

[philadining]

you think philadelphia weekly paid for two dinners at bookbinders?

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Before they deleted the posts at that other message board, she said she went twice, all her budget would allow. Someone had questioned whether she could have eaten everything she wrote about, and she replied that she had indeed tried all those things in two visits.

[Holly Moore]

you think philadelphia weekly paid for two dinners at bookbinders?

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Before they deleted the posts at that other message board, she said she went twice, all her budget would allow. Someone had questioned whether she could have eaten everything she wrote about, and she replied that she had indeed tried all those things in two visits.

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Too bad Ms. McCutcheon elected to respond on a website where her posts would be deleted rather than here on the eGullet forums.

Madame, you're welcome to join the fray here anytime.

[Capaneus]

you think philadelphia weekly paid for two dinners at bookbinders?

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Before they deleted the posts at that other message board, she said she went twice, all her budget would allow. Someone had questioned whether she could have eaten everything she wrote about, and she replied that she had indeed tried all those things in two visits.

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At a guess, having dealt with such budget issues before, at least one of those visits, if not both, was at lunchtime. Which, come to think of it, may have been part of the problem, if the high-octane talent in the kitchen sticks to the night shift... Oooo, can you say pre-cooked and refrigerated?

[Holly Moore]

Nope, but I can say "Open only for Dinner"

From Citysearch:

Hours:

·  Mon-Thu 5pm-10pm

·  Fri-Sat 5pm-11pm

·  Sun 4pm-9pm

[Capaneus]

Nope, but I can say "Open only for Dinner" 

From Citysearch:

Hours:

·  Mon-Thu 5pm-10pm

·  Fri-Sat 5pm-11pm

·  Sun 4pm-9pm

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"Factses? We don' need no steenken' *factses*!"

Okay, so that's another *beauteeful* line of conjecture shot to Heck by mere pedestrian "reality".

Feh!, I say to you! "Feh!", and also "Pfaugh!", sirrah!

[CherieV]

Then why did she bother to write about Bookie's if it was so damn bad?  I'm tellin' ya, there is an unfair agenda thing going on in that review; she did not describe the restaurant in which I dined, not once, but twice.

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Well, I dined there for the first time tonight since the new opening. It wasn't terrible. The service had some issues, especially the food runners which brought the wrong food to the wrong table each time. The food was good. I had the snapper soup which was good but in my opinion not as good as SSOH. Then the small house salad which was fine, and for my entree a special which was broiled halibut in a morel mushroom and oyster stew. Tasty but unrefined. That seemed to be the theme of pretty much everyone else's meal as well. Good but not fancy.

In spite of the bad review the place was packed all night. The managers were visible as well as a personal appearance from John Taxin's sister which greated many of the tables. So it is still a good place to bring out-of-towners for a bit of Philly history, and if you have a hefty expense account that helps too.

Edited April 28, 2005 by CherieV (log)

[KatieLoeb]

I had the snapper soup which was good but in my opinion not as good as SSOH.

Thanks Cherie. The check is in the mail...

[stephenc]

From the weakly:

http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/view.php?id=9381

And now, for a bit of navel-gazing: PW's food critic Lauren McCutcheon got lots of old-school Philly hateration for her review of Bookbinder's in this here organ last week, which cited the "gelatinous" clam chowder and "jaw-breaking" oyster crackers among other "really bad" menu items, but this was by far the classiest email from Philadelphia's swank set:

    Dear Lauren,

    I guess a blowjob is out of the question?

    -[bookbinder's scion] John Taxin

Okay, ew? Kind makes you wonder about that gelatinous clam chowder.

Hahahaha.

[philadining]

From the weakly:

...but this was by far the classiest email from Philadelphia's swank set:

I don't know if The Weekly did deep detective work on it, but in one of her posts, now purged from chowhound, McCutcheon didn't quote the message, just implied it was distasteful, and said it appeared that the email came from the sender's account. So who knows who sent it for real, but it supposedly wasn't just from an anonymous free email account, she implied that it appeared to have originated from a traceable source.

Now, emails can be hacked, busboys with a weird sense of humor can jump on company machines.... it's hard to say for sure who sent what. But if that was the official company response, I'm thinking they might have wanted to chill a little before hitting "send".

(edited for spelling)

Edited April 29, 2005 by philadining (log)

[handmc]

The Marathon Grill on my corner that's packed to the gills every waking minute is far more worrisome in terms of poaching our business.

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I don't know if I would worry all that much about them. They cannot compete when it comes to oysters and I don't think you will lose long term or business client to them, at least for long. I have been taken to the oyster house on many occasion for business lunches, I love when that happens, for the past ten years.

I have done and suspect I will continue to do a lot of business at your tables. Let the tourists have their place. Less complaining and we tip better