ADNY (Alain Ducasse @ Essex House)

[MobyP]

[a fantastic meal. . . and best of all you don't have to mortgage your house to pay the bill!

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If the time has finally come when someone calls Ducasse the inexpensive option, then boy, that's me out of the game.

[tomcbell]

[a fantastic meal. . . and best of all you don't have to mortgage your house to pay the bill!

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If the time has finally come when someone calls Ducasse the inexpensive option, then boy, that's me out of the game.

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I think he was referring to the fact that dinner was being bought for him - in other words someone else will have to mortgage their house!

[M.X.Hassett]

I've been invited to dinner at the "aquarium" chef's table this coming weekend with some family members for a birthday celebration (I'm not paying). This will be my first dining experience at ADNY. Trouble is, I can't find any good reviews about the restaurant these days. Will this be an expensive let-down, or is it still worthy of a Top 10 of NYC ranking, just not number 1?

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How was dinner?

[jim07044]

I'm not one for writing elaborate descriptions, so here is my "executive summary":

Dinner in the aquarium was nice, but more of a private dining room than a glass wall view of the kitchen as I had imagined. The narrow sliding glass door kept the heat and noise out when necessary, and when we wanted some more involved entertainment, we simply opened the door to hear the sounds of the kitchen activity.

Being at the chef's table, I had expected more involvement with the chef. Instead, we were greeted by Chef Tony only once at the beginning as we were seated, and were allowed a photograph with him and our guest of honor at the end of the evening (celebrating a milestone birthday). I would have liked to have seen him pop-in more often, to explain the dishes, how they were prepared, what ingredients he used and why, what flavors combinations he was orchestrating and why, etc. Yes, I know this is "New York" and we were not notable VIPs, but I think the importance of the chef's table must have some connection with the chef and not just be a private dining room with a mail-slot view of the kitchen.

Having said that, the dishes were all excellent, if not "the best we've ever had." I could tell the quality of the ingredients and the preparation of presentation were all top-notch. Certainly, one of the best meals I've ever had. But then there's that persistent question of, "is it worth the cost?" And for me, I would say no only because I didn't feel like a guest of the chef at the "chef's table" and there was too much isolation from the chef's table room and the kitchen.

Most importantly, though, our family had a wonderful evening together celebrating a milestone birthday "in the city."

For a slideshow of my evening, go here: Aquarium, February 18, 2006

[elicious]

That was a really beautiful slideshow. Thanks for sharing!

[tan319]

That was a really beautiful slideshow. Thanks for sharing!

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Ditto, very nice!

Thanks for sharing.

[Eatmywords]

That was a really beautiful slideshow. Thanks for sharing!

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Ditto, very nice!

Thanks for sharing.

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And yet another big ditto! Did you take those pics? Amazing!

Now, was that 7 or 8 (sharable) dessert courses? (I lost count after the hedgehog)

[robert40]

Maurice Graham Henry visits Ducasse.

http://www.dininginfrance.com/maurice_ADNY.htm

[ned]

Anyone else heard news on Ducasse potentially moving to a new location? Cindy Adams had something on it in the NY Post. . .

[Fat Guy]

There's been talk of it for ages. They should move. With the opening of Per Se and the construction of several recent multimillion dollar restaurants, Alain Ducasse at the Essex House is no longer anywhere near the nicest dining room in town (it never was, but it's dropping way down in the rankings). At this level of the game, you've got to be the very best in food, service, wine and ambience if you're going to keep your accolades. I can't see any way to improve the Essex House space without three years of construction, so that's that. A couple of years ago, I was actually surprised they didn't just move into the Mix space instead of opening Mix there.

[ned]

There's been talk of it for ages. They should move. With the opening of Per Se and the construction of several recent multimillion dollar restaurants, Alain Ducasse at the Essex House is no longer anywhere near the nicest dining room in town (it never was, but it's dropping way down in the rankings). At this level of the game, you've got to be the very best in food, service, wine and ambience if you're going to keep your accolades. I can't see any way to improve the Essex House space without three years of construction, so that's that. A couple of years ago, I was actually surprised they didn't just move into the Mix space instead of opening Mix there.

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I'm sure there would be a collective sigh of relief if that egregious horn assemblage ended up in a dumpster but I don't have the impression that aesthetics are what motivates the search. Apparently the Essex House has been sold and the potential move has something to do with the new owners.

[Fat Guy]

The awful Arman sculptures aren't the issue. They're standard operating procedure in Michelin three-star restaurants, and they're only entry level on the ugly scale. The problem is that it's a low-ceilinged room with little to recommend it: no view, no special character or characteristics, no nothing. The kitchen, too, is no loger state of the art. They need to get in someplace where they can get some space and some gas.

[ckkgourmet]

The awful Arman sculptures aren't the issue. They're standard operating procedure in Michelin three-star restaurants, and they're only entry level on the ugly scale. The problem is that it's a low-ceilinged room with little to recommend it: no view, no special character or characteristics, no nothing. The kitchen, too, is no loger state of the art. They need to get in someplace where they can get some space and some gas.

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What is it with Michelin 3-star restaurants and decor? It's as if they take ugly as a point of pride sometimes. At ADNY, I don't like the table-top bronze palm trees either. Talk about bad: they look dirty to me!

[oakapple]

Eater is reporting that ADNY at the Essex House will close. It will re-open in an as-yet undetermined new location, where a fancy restaurant will be coupled with a more casual café. The report suggests that even the fancier of the two will, nevertheless, be a "dressed down" version of what ADNY is today.

[Fat Guy]

There has been talk of ADNY moving ever since the union exemption expired -- it's inevitable, though the timing still isn't clear. Also, as noted upthread, the premises are inadequate. We'll have to see what they do in the new location. Last I checked, they intended to do Michelin three-star dining plus a Mix-like annex. Eater is saying something different.

[bechamel]

From what I hear, Ducasse is moving because the new owners of the hotel are making them pay rent. There has been speculation as to whether it's to get rid of the union, but I hear it's more a rent issue.

I dined at Ducasse a few months ago, and I can say the service, particularly the wine service, was outstanding. (See my previous post re Per Se's wine service.) My only issue was with a commis-level sommelier. He mispronounced "Le Montrachet" after I asked him to recommend a white wine. It happened to be an extravagantly expensive choice, and one I could not afford. I suspect he was a union employee, since I can't imagine the restaurant keeping someone on staff who would make such a grave (and basic) error.

[Fat Guy]

How did he pronounce it?

I read in Food Arts recently that Andre Compeyre, the wonderful head sommelier at ADNY, moved over to Daniel.

[bechamel]

He pronounced it "Lays Montrachet." "Lays" like Lays Potato chips, and he also stressed the "t" in Montrachet.

Andre Compeyre, an incredible sommelier (and a true-blue exemplar of rigorous, Michelin-approved wine service), did indeed go over to Daniel. But he is no longer there due to internal differences with the staff.

[Fat Guy]

Interesting. I'd love to know where he is now. Andre was such an essential element of the service at my ADNY meals that the most recent meal I had, when he wasn't there, definitely lacked something.

I can forgive the hard-middle-t version of Montrachet, since that's the English pronunciation, but I can't come up with a good excuse for the Lay's part.

[Joe Gerard]

There has been talk of ADNY moving ever since the union exemption expired -- it's inevitable, though the timing still isn't clear. Also, as noted upthread, the premises are inadequate. We'll have to see what they do in the new location. Last I checked, they intended to do Michelin three-star dining plus a Mix-like annex. Eater is saying something different.

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I can't imagine they would scale down the level that much. Ducasse has shown no proclivity to give up Michelin stars ala Alain Senderens. If he does, it would be a sad day for French cuisine in NY.

[bechamel]

Ducasse is not going to needlessly give up his stars here, especially considering he's the only chef in the world who operates three, 3-Michelin star restaurants. It's partly a rent issue, partly a facilities issue. But it's also a chance for Ducasse to get a fresh start here after the mostly negative media coverage ever since 2000.

[bechamel]

Let me qualify my previous post. Ducasse would be crazy to forgo his stars. But, then again, it's important to note that the money-men behind him are responsible for what the new concept will be.

[Nina C.]

Bret Thorn writes that he spoke with Tony Esnault at the Chefs Congress:

but of course I also wanted to talk to him because this week first Eater.com and then the New York Post reported emphatically, emphatically, that the restaurant was closing. So I asked him what his plans were. He brushed off the notion of Ducasse closing as a ridiculous rumor, and one that has been floating around since the place opened (which is true).

What think you all? IMHO, Eater can get a little overzealous with its need to create news every so often. I'm wondering if that's not the case here, with the Post then leaping on the bandwagon.

[emsny]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/27/dining/2...html?ref=dining

[docsconz]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/27/dining/2...html?ref=dining

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For those unable or unwilling to access the NY Times either now or in the future, the article states that AD will leave the Essex House closing on January 6th to open this spring at the St. Regis Hotel in the space forerly occupied by Lespinasse. Tony Esnault will remain chef.

One connection between the two estaurants is Christian Delouvrier who was once chef at both Lespinasse and later at ADNY at The Essex House.

Very interesting.