Del Posto

[Nathan]

fair enough...after seeing the full menu I am very curious to try it..

as for overpriced, it struck me that it could easily be a function of what you order:

on the main dining room menu, apps range from $11 to $40 or so; secondi from $24 to $90....I think one's expectations are (rightfully) going to be very different depending upon how one is ordering....

[Sneakeater]

True, but when I go to a restaurant, I don't like to have to worry too much about price. (Meaning, I like to worry about price beforehand, when deciding where to go -- but not when I'm ordering.) I like to order whatever I think looks good. It's not like I automatically go for the most expensive options -- but I don't like to feel like I have to be confined to only the cheapest things on the menu, either. So if that's DP's range, chances are you're gonna fall out somewhere in the middle. Which is costly. The only way for it not to be costly is for you to purposely confine yourself to only the cheaper options.

I remember, after my one meal there, thinking it was an expensive place.

Edited July 21, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Sneakeater]

And please understand, I am NOT trying to discourage you from having a meal there. Quite to the contrary, I hope you do. I'd love to hear what you think of it.

[Nathan]

Fair enough and agreed.

My point was only that there is a clearly a conscious effort to appeal to a wide variety of palates and wallets. Of course, trying to be all things to all people can often be.....

[docsconz]

4.  The lounge menu looked like a superb deal, $10 apps, $12 pastas, $18 entrees and a $41 lounge tasting menu which can be combined with a $19 wine pairing. 

5.  Based on all the foregoing, unless something is seriously wrong with the food (any of which I have yet to try), I wonder if this place isn't a victim of the expectations raised by those behind it.  In other words, if an unknown opened a restaurant of this nature, with this kind of menu (and sheer multiplicity of options, in terms of food and price), I think people might treat it very differently.

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Based on the lounge price list alone, it sounds as if they have tempered their prices from when they first opened. That would be a good thing. The original pricing was obscene for what they were providing. This sounds much more reasonable. I might have to give it another try if I can find sufficient time to getback to NYC. Unfortunately I have a few places ahead of it on my list for the infrequency of my NYC visits (lately )

[Azula10]

When I was there I got the clear impression that the staff would not appreciate a diner doing anything less than the full 4 star treatment.

I don't believe Del Posto reaches the 4 star mark (or even a three star mark, whatever that means at the NYT these days), and in fact my visit there put me off the rest of the Batali/Bastianich empire for a long time.

Maybe things have changed at DP, but as I posted before, it was as though they tried to create a 4 star NYC restaurant without ever visiting Daniel, JG, etc.

[Daniel]

When I was there I got the clear impression that the staff would not appreciate a diner doing anything less than the full 4 star treatment. 

I don't believe Del Posto reaches the 4 star mark (or even a three star mark, whatever that means at the NYT these days), and in fact my visit there put me off the rest of the Batali/Bastianich empire for a long time.

Maybe things have changed at DP, but as I posted before, it was as though they tried to create a 4 star NYC restaurant without ever visiting Daniel, JG, etc.

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My visit to Bistro Du Vent was my first unpleasant experience with them .. I hated this restaurant and felt it was really so different then anything Batali had done before.. Certainly the cooking, but it also it seemed cold and loveless.. And the reason why I appreciate Batali places is the endless care that seems to go into everything.. I see the same sort of approach at Del Posto that I experienced at Bistro Du Vent..

[rich]

Based on the last couple of posts, I need to ask a question.

I have not been to Del Posto yet and have backed off based on suggestions from two friends who advised me to wait until they got their act together (and that was two different people, both Batali fans, on two separate occasions). Well, based on recent comments it appears nothing much as changed in almost eight months except the lounge pricing.

So I ask - is there any compelling reason to eat at Del Posto, especially if you have dined at Babbo?

[docsconz]

I hated this restaurant and felt it was really so different then anything Batali had done before.. Certainly the cooking, but it also it seemed cold and loveless.. And the reason why I appreciate Batali places is the endless care that seems to go into everything..  I see the same sort of approach at Del Posto that I experienced at Bistro Du Vent..

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This along with the obscene pricing is precisely what shocked me when I visited the restaurant last December. Not all evolution or change is good. That is why some biologic lines die out and others thrive. Even though I believe this restaurant was poorly conceived at its start and for all I know may still be ill-conceived, I would hope that they have been able to evolve in a positive fashion. Given Batali's history and talent I know he is capable of it. Whether his ego allows him to do so is another question.

[Azula10]

Based on the last couple of posts, I need to ask a question.

I have not been to Del Posto yet and have backed off based on suggestions from two friends who advised me to wait until they got their act together (and that was two different people, both Batali fans, on two separate occasions). Well, based on recent comments it appears nothing much as changed in almost eight months except the lounge pricing.

So I ask - is there any compelling reason to eat at Del Posto, especially if you have dined at Babbo?

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I can't recommend it, particularly not compared to Babbo. I think that if they could have come out and truly done 4 star "Italian by way of NYC" that the place could have been very interesting. But the service and experience (and to a certain extent, the food) just don't live up to this standard.

At this point I'd like to see them rip out all of the overdone decor and reimagine the place as sort of a middle ground between Baboo and Lupa.

[rich]

Based on the last couple of posts, I need to ask a question.

I have not been to Del Posto yet and have backed off based on suggestions from two friends who advised me to wait until they got their act together (and that was two different people, both Batali fans, on two separate occasions). Well, based on recent comments it appears nothing much as changed in almost eight months except the lounge pricing.

So I ask - is there any compelling reason to eat at Del Posto, especially if you have dined at Babbo?

←

I can't recommend it, particularly not compared to Babbo. I think that if they could have come out and truly done 4 star "Italian by way of NYC" that the place could have been very interesting. But the service and experience (and to a certain extent, the food) just don't live up to this standard.

At this point I'd like to see them rip out all of the overdone decor and reimagine the place as sort of a middle ground between Baboo and Lupa.

←

Thanks for the reply. If they rip out the overdone decor, that would be admitting defeat (something Batali and Bastianich don't accomplish with great aplomb). That decor is said to have cost millions - so it's unlikely to be replaced for quite some time.

[Sneakeater]

So I ask - is there any compelling reason to eat at Del Posto, especially if you have dined at Babbo?

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Based on my one meal there, other than curiosity, no.

[tommy]

Based on the last couple of posts, I need to ask a question.

I have not been to Del Posto yet and have backed off based on suggestions from two friends who advised me to wait until they got their act together (and that was two different people, both Batali fans, on two separate occasions). Well, based on recent comments it appears nothing much as changed in almost eight months except the lounge pricing.

So I ask - is there any compelling reason to eat at Del Posto, especially if you have dined at Babbo?

←

somewhat related to that choice, i'd think:

a price comparison suggests that they're about the same price, food-wise (i didn't notice that wines overall were excessively priced, but i didn't do a strict comparison).

using the numbers from menupages.com, i get the following averages (+/- any fat-fingering that no doubt occurred):

Babbo antipasti: 13.14

Del Posto anitpasti: 15.20

Babbo Primi: 19.80

Del Posto Primi: 20.42 (edited for fat-fingering)

Babbo Secondi: 28.75

Del Posto Secondi: 30.88

Babbo tasting: 70.00

Del Posto tasting: 120.00 (edited for fat-head)

i found the food quite good overall. to me, there's just as much reason to try Del Posto as there is to return to Babbo, assuming you like Babbo. Once you've tried it then you can probably make an assessment of the decor, the service you received on that one visit, the restroom configuration, and, of course, the perceived value. If you have eaten at Babbo and the food's not your thing, i can't see bothering with Del Posto.

Edited July 24, 2006 by tommy (log)

[Sneakeater]

They must have really lowered their prices since I was there.

[Sneakeater]

1. The way I read the menu on Menupages, Del Posto's tasting menu is $120, not $60.

2. I'm sure your averages are right, but why is it that, when I look at the two menus on Menupages, Del Posto's looks more expensive to me than Babbo's? Is it because Babbo genuinely has some fairly cheap stuff and some fairly expensive stuff, whereas Del Posto's menu is concentrated higher? Without doing any calculations, it just looks like most of the numbers on the Del Posto menu are higher than most of the numbers on the Babbo menu.

[tommy]

1.  The way I read the menu on Menupages, Del Posto's tasting menu is $120, not $60.

yikes. yup!

2.  I'm sure your averages are right, but why is it that, when I look at the two menus on Menupages, Del Posto's looks more expensive to me than Babbo's?  Is it because Babbo genuinely has some fairly cheap stuff and some fairly expensive stuff, whereas Del Posto's menu is concentrated higher?  Without doing any calculations, it just looks like most of the numbers on the Del Posto menu are higher than most of the numbers on the Babbo menu.

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i wouldn't be so sure.

it should be noted that i excluded the most and least expensive items in each category in the averages. not sure of the psychology behind the perception of the pricing, though.

[Nathan]

the menu on menu-pages is not accurate (at least when compared to the menu offered at the restaurant last Thursday).

leaving aside the lounge menu, last Thursday Del Posto was offering two tasting menus in the main dining room -- one for $120 and one for about $80. there were numerous primi in the $11-15 range and several secondi in the $24 range.

like I said, I haven't eaten there...but the menu I saw was no more expensive (on average) than Babbo. the menu is much broader so there are plenty of very expensive options and plenty of much cheaper options.

[Sneakeater]

I'm glad to hear you say that, cuz the Del Posto menu on Menupages looks a lot like the menu I had there in April (or thereabouts). So I'm glad to hear you say that they've lowered their prices since then.

[Nathan]

ok, I just looked at the menupages menu.

it's very out-of-date.

there is no per tavalo section anymore (although there are still items for 2)

there are numerous antipasti and primi options missing (including an antipasto sampler for the table at $11 a person! (on the regular menu)

numerous secondi missing (some in the $24 range)

no lounge menu (I've noted the prices above...as did a recent NY Times article)...

on the current menu there is a seasonal tasting menu at $86

it looks like they've drastically overhauled the menu since the one on menupages.

Edited July 24, 2006 by Nathan (log)

[Sneakeater]

This may be really significant.

[Sneakeater]

So Nathan and I went to Del Posto Friday night to try the lounge menu in the lounge.

There's a four-course tasting menu (antepasto, primo, secundo, dessert) that's a good deal. The food is something like $49, and wine pairings are something like $19.

The first course was a seafood salad that was very good. The second course was a very simple pasta that, surprisingly for a Batali restaurant, was disappointingly underpowered (it needed more cheese or something). The third course was a very simple pork loin that was good, even very good, as far as it went. Dessert was OK.

For $60 or $70 (including wine), this was very good. Thing is, though, that except for the disappointing pasta, this food was comparable in quality (if not quantity) to what they serve in the main dining room. And I'll tell you what: even if they've lowered their prices somewhat, nobody's getting out of the main dining room for $60 or $70 including wine. And, at least in my opinion, this food just isn't worth much more than what we paid for it.

So while I enjoyed my lounge dinner at Del Posto and thought it a good value, it reconfirmed my reservations about the main restaurant here.

(There is also an a la carte menu in the lounge. But the prix fixe was such an obvious choice that I didn't spend much time looking at it.)

Edited August 7, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Nathan]

Food was $41 and the wine pairings were $19.

It is a good deal and the quality is more than sufficient for the price point. I also plan to check out the alacarte lounge menu...some of the other pastas may be better than the one we had.

[Sneakeater]

For $60, it's well worth it. Strong recommendation. Just stay out of the dining room.

[docsconz]

It's good that they are offering pastas in the lounge. Early on they were not.

[rich]

I've never understood pasta in a restaurant. Most of the time it's much better at home.

The one restaurant pasta that's worth the visit is the fettucine they serve at Sapori d'Ischia.