The new Russian Tea Room

[adamru]

I walked past The Russian Tea Room today and saw life for the first time in years that I can recall. The windows being cleaned, doors being polished, lights on and people coming and going inside. I looked it up online and it was sold in 2002 to the US Golf Association and then in 2004 to a group turning it condo with the intention - as recently as 2005 - of opening a restaurant on the ground floor. It seemed odd that it was being cleaned up and not gutted. Anyone know what's moving in?

[Sneakeater]

It's something that Gary Robbins is supposed to be the chef of.

[tb86]

It's something that Gary Robbins is supposed to be the chef of.

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the russian tea room is re opening,,,, supposed to happen this month, yes gary is the chef

[LPShanet]

It's something that Gary Robbins is supposed to be the chef of.

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the russian tea room is re opening,,,, supposed to happen this month, yes gary is the chef

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Here is some information gleaned from a release:

<<tea for two.

we'll see if the third time's the charm, as legendary resto the russian tea room opens again this month with chef gary robins (biltmore room) at the helm. expect continental dining on two floors, two levels of banquet space above, and design as grandiose and opulent as ever. opening this month. 150 west 57th. between sixth and seventh. >>

[Sneakeater]

I know it's silly to comment on a press release with no additional firsthand knowledge, but "continental" cuisine would be a waste of Robbin's (one "n" or two?) talents.

[docsconz]

I know it's silly to comment on a press release with no additional firsthand knowledge, but "continental" cuisine would be a waste of Robbin's (one "n" or two?) talents.

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I think one "n", though I am not sure about the "b"'s

[Sneakeater]

Whoops. One "b" or two?

[Sneakeater]

This post by my adored-from-afar RestaurantGirl makes it seem like the new Russian Tea Room will REALLY be a waste of Gary "One 'b' One 'n'" Robins's talents:

http://www.restaurantgirl.com/restaurantgi...an_tea_roo.html

Edited October 3, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[adamru]

I ate at the biltmore room on halloween last year and it was billed as an opulent feast one might find in a jazz age hotel served by appropriately decked-out servers. if that's robins's idea of a theme night then classic russian and french fare served by waiters in coat tails, as described on restaurantgirl's site, working around a giant glass bear - I'm guessing they've kept that? - might be a situation where robins feels comfortable. but really I'm just glad it's not another new steakhouse.

[Robert A. Moran, M.D.]

I ate at the biltmore room on halloween last year and it was billed as an opulent feast one might find in a jazz age hotel served by appropriately decked-out servers. if that's robins's idea of a theme night then classic russian and french fare served by waiters in coat tails, as described on restaurantgirl's site, working around a giant glass bear - I'm guessing they've kept that? - might be a situation where robins feels comfortable. but really I'm just glad it's not another new steakhouse.

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I'm very excited about the Tea Room reopening. I thought it was wonderful. I was not impressed with the Biltmore Room and hope that Mr. Robbins knows how to 'wow' with Russian fare.

[Pan]

You thought it was wonderful in what way?

[therestaurantgirl]

I went on opening night and it was quite a sight to see in all its red and green glory, red christmas bulb chandeliers and all! The foie gras raviolis in oxtail broth was so divine, I would've picked up the bowl and slurped every last drop if it weren't for all the grownups watching. Gary Robins has definitely brought life to this russo-global menu, worth a visit if for the theatrics and raviolis alone. Check out my review on my website:Restaurant Girl

[Todd36]

It should stay closed. Was dragged there by a frend last Wednesday. Prices are very high, $35-45 for mains, for mediocre food. We had the mixed Russian apps for $20 a head, which were fine bot but special, the Halibut, which is something like $45 and both overcooked and full of bones and the smoked sturgen, which was fine. Dessert was a passable pumpkin something. A three course meal approaches $80, which puts it dangerous close to say Daniel. Minus the Halibut, it was overpriced one star food.

[Sneakeater]

I liked the Russian Tea Room a lot more than Todd.

As is well known, the concept of this place is now, renowned fusion chef Gary Robins does Russian. It bothers me that it's so contrived -- clearly, Robins is doing this because he was hired to, not because he felt any burning need to play around with Russian cooking. Nevertheless, I liked it a whole lot (although there are some caveats to that opinion that I have to disclose, which I'll get to below).

For an appetizer, I had the foie gras pelmeni. I thought this was a fabulously successful dish. Foie gras simply works in this context -- the filling of the dumplings was incredibly rich, and this being essentially Russian cooking, you couldn't even think to complain that the foie gras made the dish too heavy. Best of all, though, was the consomme. It was a very intense beef (or more accurately oxtail) broth, with diced carrots and other root vegetables. Some might complain that it was a touch too salty -- but not us ethnic East Europeans, who just appreciate the jolt of flavor.

For an entree, I had the tea-smoked sturgeon. Again, I viewed this as a wholly successful dish. It was in some kind of tangy fruit sauce (I have no idea what it was), with mushrooms and braised endive and spinach. I've loved smoked sturgeon all my life, and here it was, superbly refined.

Topped off by dessert blini -- these had BETTER be good, or else the new RTR should close up shop immediately. But of course they were. Accompanied by a really lucious orchid oolong, served, as it must be, in a glass.

What the new iteration of the Russian Tea Room reminded me of, more than anything, was the early days of Danube, when Mario Lohniger was the chef. I loved that restaurant: a refined, modern version of a hearty tradional cuisine. And I liked the new Russian Tea Room for the same reason. Now I suppose that it's hardly a coincidence that one of my grandmothers was Austrian (OK, Jewish) and the other was Russian (OK, Jewish). These foods are like grandmother's milk to me. I think I'm just hardwired to like them -- and so am particularly susceptible to the refined innovative versions served here and, at least formerly, at Danube.

I first ate at the RTR at the ass end of the Stewart-Gordon era, and last ate there sometime in the middle of the Baum era. The new iteration is simply incomparable to them. Those featured middling-to-barely-edible food in an outlandish setting. Now we have excellent food in an outlandish setting. I can't say I'll be a regular, but I hope to be back.

Edited December 4, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Sneakeater]

Other notes:

1. Yeah, prices are high. This is the Russian Fucking Tea Room. What do you expect? But now I, for one, think the food deserves them.

2. My one gripe was the lack of any house-infused vodkas. I asked about that, and was told that Robins is developing a set -- but that he has so much else to do (such as putting together a lunch menu) that he hasn't had time to pay sufficient attention to them yet. They should be available in the future.

3. Please understand that, despite my lavish-seeming praise, I'm not trying to claim that this is one of the very best restaurants in New York. Cross-referencing to the "Bruni and Beyond" thread, what I'm saying is that this is a place whose food, perhaps for idiosyncratic reasons, appeals to me personally in a big way. I think it's objectively very good -- just as I used to think Danube was -- but I'm not arguing that it belongs in the handful of truly elite New York restaurants -- just as Danube didn't. It's worth noting that they both have notable rooms. (The downstairs dining room here is similar to the way it used to be, with [i think] new lighting fixtures. It would have been a pity if they changed it much.)

4. While I usually don't consider a restaurant's business prospects to be any of my business -- I really only care what I think of it -- I wonder if this particular concept makes sense. On this night, I certainly wasn't surrounded by people I would expect to particularly appreciate the inventive fineness of Gary Robins's cooking: they looked a lot like people who used to go to the old Russian Tea Room. (In fact, next to chamber music concerts at the 92nd St. Y and New York Philharmonic concerts, this now goes to the top of my list of places to go when I want to feel young and vibrant.) I do have to say, though, that everybody looked pretty happy. I wonder, however, whether Robins -- famously infected with wanderlust -- is going to feel inspired to stay here. As I noted above, cooking his own variation on Russian food wasn't his idea -- and I wonder how long he'll want to keep doing so for an audience that I doubt really appreciates what he's doing.

Edited December 4, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Sneakeater]

One last thing:

I found the food at the Biltmore Room too busy. I may have my own personal prejudices here, but I actually prefer the new Russian Tea Room. (Which is not to say that I consider the new RTR as significant or important as the Biltmore Room.)

[docsconz]

(In fact, next to chamber music concerts at the 92nd St. Y and New York Philharmonic concerts, this now goes to the top of my list of places to go when I want to feel young and vibrant.) 

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That has to be one of the best lines I have read or heard in some time! I know exactly what you mean.

[Megan Blocker]

How crazy is it that I grew up right outside of the city, and have lived here for my entire post-college life, but I still have yet to make it to the RTR?

Do they have a good/fun bar? I don't want to use one of my mom's few NYC meals on it, but it might be a fun place for a drink...she does love her vodka.

Edited December 4, 2006 by Megan Blocker (log)

[Todd36]

I liked Robins' food at the Biltmore room and this wasn't it. I also know eastern European food. The tea smoked sturgen was fine, it was my main too, but not remarkable. The striped bass at Daniel the same week was much better and I find the bones in the Halibut to be inexcuseable, multiple bones in a small, overcooked piece of fish. Something is sloppy in the kitehcn.

[Sneakeater]

How crazy is it that I grew up right outside of the city, and have lived here for my entire post-college life, but I still have yet to make it to the RTR?

There is no reason for anyone your age to have ever been to the RTR.

Do they have a good/fun bar?  I don't want to use one of my mom's few NYC meals on it, but it might be a fun place for a drink...she does love her vodka.

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"Fun" is hardly a word that seems to fit with a crowd as geriatric as tonight's. I'm sure it's a different scene during the week. I had a drink at the bar before dinner, and the bartender and I managed to entertain each other. It didn't seem like a bar you'd want to eat at.

All that said, I used to love Troykas and Ivan the Terribles, among their old house cocktails, and apparently I still do.

[Sneakeater]

It occurs to me, Todd, that our different reactions may be the result of the vagaries of ordering. Did your appetizer sampler include the pelmeni? To me, they were the standout dish. Starting with them favorably disposed me toward the rest of the meal. We both liked the sturgeon. I agree with you that it isn't a knockout. But coming after the pelmeni, it seemed, perhaps, better -- or in any event I enjoyed it more -- than it would have coming after a mediocre appetizer.

And, of course, I didn't have to endure a plate of boney overcooked halibut.

[Sneakeater]

Through happenstance, I found myself back at the RTR again. Livelier crowd on Monday than on Sunday. The bar was so crowded we couldn't get a seat. (While waiting for my date, I did spend a lot of time hanging with two women of a certain age who used to be regulars back in the day. They were hilarious.)

So shoot me, I liked this meal about as much as my other one. The duck confit filling of the blinchiki appetizer (with beet) was a bit mushy, and duck was not, perhaps, the most appropriate flavor for that dish.

But my entree of turbot over something very much like sauerkraut with pastrami, under a mustard sauce, was both highly delicious and very witty. (Again, I wonder if the audience for this restaurant is willing to appreciate a dish like that.)

The buttermilk panna cotta was fine, but my date's chocolate souflee was better.

The wine list is limited and expensive. In a way, that's appropriate for this place -- but I hope they work on it. The sommelier is a great guy.

Edited December 5, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[oakapple]

Adam Platt reviews the RTR in today's New York, reaching the same conclusion Frank Bruni did: one star:

The room is nice, and the chef has multi-star talent. But the inflated prices and spotty execution knock everything down a few notches.

[Todd36]

Adam Platt reviews the RTR in today's New York, reaching the same conclusion Frank Bruni did: one star:

The room is nice, and the chef has multi-star talent. But the inflated prices and spotty execution knock everything down a few notches.

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Nice to see that I'm not completely crazy with my experience there.

[Kiz]

We went last night and had a great time. Yeah, it's overpriced (we racked up about $280, including tip, for two apps, two mains, a shared dessert, coffee and a bottle of $60 wine), but the room is pretty amazing, and we were as interested in the spectacle as the food. My shutterbug partner demanded I make reservations as soon as he heard it was open; he put a few photos up here.

We both had the chicken kiev -- hard to justify at $45, but it was a damn good chicken kiev. The big hit of the meal was my partner's appitizer, the sliced hamachi with a minty sorbet dab on the side. Service was fine; the wine was served too warm, but no other quibbles, and they were very gracious when I did my typical klutzy thing and knocked over my glass. (Red carpets are a very wise choice.) If you're willing to pay a premium for the decor and history, it's a fun place to go.