Esca

[Wilfrid]

Yes, the exit from Po was ages ago. Maybe Tommy was looking at an old NYT.

[Rail Paul]

Yes, the exit from Po was ages ago.  Maybe Tommy was looking at an old NYT.

The Times article only said he was no longer associated with Po. It didn't say, nor did I imply, the departure was recent.

But, I'm still interested in Tommy's ability to see tomorrow's headlines today. It could do wonders for my investment (lack of) expertise

[wingding]

Re; the original statement in the beginning of this thread.Totally untrue story....if I was said waiter,I'd be careful.Loose lips sink ships....

[Steve Klc]

Chop--it's not another crazy rumor started by a waiter.

Here we have yet another irresponsible, hearsay, third-hand report of a conversation which supposedly took place between un-named individuals at yet another nice restaurant relayed by the anonymous poisonnier at Nicholas restaurant in Red Bank.

Is anyone keeping score?

Thank you, though, for the description of your meal at Gramercy Tavern. It adds a certain perspective to the discussions we've already had on the site about that under-exposed restaurant.

I'm sure I'm not alone in asking: can your girlfriend's parents start posting instead?

[Rowbare]

ESCA is still owned by Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich along with two managing partners. Chef Dave Pasternak is one of these. Sounds like the waiter in question was referring to the break between Mario and his former partner at PO, which is very old news indeed.

Crudo rules!

[Jinmyo]

Rowbare, please see this earlier 2 page Esca thread: Click here. if you have time. I would appreciate it if you could add your comments to it.

edit:

I forgot to welcome you on your first post here before I began making demands. Sorry. Welcome.

[tommy]

But, I'm still interested in Tommy's ability to see tomorrow's headlines today. It could do wonders for my investment (lack of) expertise

buy roe, sell pie.

oh, by the way, in case no one noticed, someone is full of shit.

[chopjwu12]

Hey klc,

what the hell are you talking about? All the names were named and i asked if it was a rumor. I wasn't trying to make up a rumor. Thats why the QUESTION was posted and i got my responce. I thank you all who took the time to do so.

For those of you who keep trying to ASS-U-ME the i dont know what to say to you.

The only reason i am anonymous is because i cant figur out how to put down all that stuff like you all have.

[Lreda]

Just alittle about myself and my SO's dinner at Esca on the 4th. 1st, let me say it's difficult to judge a restaurant based on a holiday when 3/4 of the staff either wants off or simply doesn't feel like being there. Although it certainly wasn't poor, it just wasn't what it could have been. To start with I had the crudo. While the menu states that the table must have the crudo tasting, my SO wasn't up to the task of having it on her own ( She did taste everything from my 2 servings)the kitchen was accomidating by serving it just for one. The Cape Anne oyster was slightly pungent and I didn't care for it. That was the only one I didn't like. I also tasted The Pink snapper, Black Bass with pignoli nut, The toro, Hamachi and Razor clam. The Black Bass and The clam were superior to the others and my only complaint it the oil in which they are served all taste alike. Will go back to the crudo bar in the future to try them again. $30.00 was the price for the 6 piece cudo tasting. Next we split the Gnocchi Patate which consisted of Maine Lobster ina light fish broth with broccoli rabe. The lobster was slightly tough while the gnocchi were delicious, the broth had little taste beside the fish broth. I don't know but I expected a little more mingling of flavor besides a tomato-fish broth. O.K. but wouldn't order again. With the 1st two courses we had quartinis of Brovia Arneis for $13 each. The wine was good, slightly bitter and went well with both courses. For main courses I had the Black Bass with Morels & wild asparagus and my companion had Swordfish. My bass was perfectly cooked and served clean with no sauce. Only problem was the morels had no taste as if they has been scrubed clean. When I have morels and I know it's not the season for them I would have like for a lilttle flavor. My SO had the swordfish which as a beautiful piece of fish. Only problem being it was served in a tasteless oil sauce similar to the crudo. The texture and taste of the swordfish was unmatched to any swordfish I have ever had, although I'm not a big swordfish fan. With the main course we had quartini of Lis di Lis Neris which was delicious. Total bill was $204 not including tip. Overall good, but don't know if I would eat in the dining room again. Look foward to trying the crudo bar again though.

[Jinmyo]

Lreda, thanks for the post. You might want to see this other (less bizarre) Esca thread: Click.

[Lreda]

In talking about 4th of July in my post, I wish to say I wasn't being critical.The service that evening was very good, management was watching and napkins & $7.00 mineral water was poured. I was questioned by e-mail privately and didn't mean to imply service was lacking as it most certainly was not. Only meant to say that maybe the restaurant wasn't fully staffed with the A-Team as it just wasn't what it could have been. Just wished I had stayed for dessert.

[Rosie]

Thanks for your report. Do you remember what was on the dessert menu? Did you have any dishes that

you would want to replicate at home?

[Lreda]

My ex-wife just had a baby so I've been home since Weds watching my kids for her but I'm back in the kitchen tommorow. I've ordered some Bronzini that I'm going to encrust with Sicilian Sea Salt. I'll also play with the Gnocchi dish. I'm going to try to influence the sauce with fresh fava beans and mix the spices also. As for desserts I really don't remember, I stay away from sweets, they don't go well with my work outs

[GordonCooks]

Addendum - Molto and Joe Bastianich also own Italian Wine Merchants. Am I correct in assuming that Joe is descended from Lydia ? anyone ? andone ?

thx

[tommy]

Addendum - Molto and Joe Bastianich also own Italian Wine Merchants. Am I correct in assuming that Joe is descended from Lydia ? anyone ? andone ?

thx

son.

owns becco as well.

[wawairis]

Addendum - Molto and Joe Bastianich also own Italian Wine Merchants. Am I correct in assuming that Joe is descended from Lydia ? anyone ? andone ?

thx

I believe that's her husband.

[tommy]

Addendum - Molto and Joe Bastianich also own Italian Wine Merchants. Am I correct in assuming that Joe is descended from Lydia ? anyone ? andone ?

thx

I believe that's her husband.

son.

[Aaron T]

Tommy is right about this one!

[Rosie]

Lidia Bastianich did a Q&A on eGullet a few weeks ago. Check the fridge.

[cabrales]

son.

According to the James Beard August 2002 Calendar & Newsletter, Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali "are taking a chance on the beautiful (and possibly cursed) lower Fifth Avenue space that recently held Clementine. The pair, who also owns Babbo and Esca, plan on opening an as-yet-unnamed pizzeria and wine bar this fall."

[Wilfrid]

Good, I like that space. I am fascinated by those old, frosted glass revolving doors. I never got beyond cocktails at the bar, though.

[chopjwu12]

Ok everybody be warned there is going to be a slight rant about a topic i talked about earlier on egullet.

Im going to do The complaining first to get it out of the way. First thing right of the bat is. I didn't find esca to be that much of a fancy restaurant at least not for lunch. A couple of people were dressed nicely but i would say the majority were dressed casual just like veronica and i were. We didn't have reservations but there was a couple of tables open. We walked in and were greeted with a very snobbish greeting of do you have reservations? We said no and he looked at us as if we had three heads each. He finally said come this way please and he showed us to the worst fucking shit ass table in the whole place. It was next to a wall cut off by everything. We felt like we were being exiled or something. Privacy it had a view it didn't. I dont know if it was because we were the youingest people there or we didn't have reservations or what. But we were looked down upon without a doubt. So that was a bad start but our waiter treated us preety well so that kind of made up for it.

Thats all im going to say about that. Maybe someone can add some insight on this happening.

I have a couple of other small things but i will work them into the food.

We sat downnand the menu and specials were all explained to us. They gave us an amuse of mackeral and canalini beans spread on top of some toasted bread. It was very good and balanced between fish and bean. Seasoned well and not to fishy. A very good start. They also put some preety nice olives on the table.

I started the meal with a very very good corn, wid mushroom salad. It was sweet yellow corn that had been sauted to give ity a bit of color. Sauted chanterells and cepes. It was topped with some mizuna and grated aged goat cheese. Everything was balance dvery well on the plate and i loved the aged goat cheese.

Veronica had the crudo. From left to right it started with king red snapper, then a weakfish, then i thin it was spearfish i have to ask veronica. This dish was also very very good. They had three very different olive oils along with three different sea salts on each one. The tastes were clean and fresh. Mine and veronicas only complaints were that of the size. The dish was tiny even by lunch standards. Each fish was only one small slice. The whole thing equyalled up to maybe three ounces(being generous) Two slice sof each fish would be better.

For an entree i had the spicy octopus and pasta. This dish was preety good not great but good. My two things about it was although i dolike my pasta aldente the spagetti could have used another minute but it didn't bother me to much. The other thing was the octopus itself. they used baby octopus for this dish. All wrong in my opinion. They were cooked nicely not tough or anything they were very good. But baby octopus is meant to be grilled or seared and eaten drizzled with oils and such. To have a baby octopus in your pasta didnt realy feel right. I would have prefered a nice large octopus that had been sliced and added to the pasta. It would have been more managable that way. I think i would have taken more from the dish if it was done that way.

Veronica had the pasta with garlic olive oild herbs and shaved bottarga im not sure how its spelled. Its the cured and pressed tuna roe. This dish was very interesting since niether of us had ever tasted the tuna before. It was also a very good dish but we both thought a little less tuna roe would have been better. It is very strong and fishy. Its good dont get me wrong but this was a case for the less is best rule.

My desserts was very simple. I went with the gelati. i was going to get the cheese but a trip to murrys was scheduled for later on in the day. The gellatti was good. Three flavors were mint chocolate chip, coconut, and chocolate. Served on a thin cookie. Like a walfle batter put just baked not rolled up. It was satisfactory.

Veronica went for the parfet(sp)(how do you spell that?) It was very good with a few different textures in it. Ther only thing i would have changed was the espresso graniteIt wa splaced in the middle of the glass. So by the time you got to it, it had melted and was watery. But besides that it was very good.

I went for a 2001 italian riesling. I cant remmeber the maker but the name looked like Vin Santo but it wasn't. The wine itself was god and it went well with the entire meal. Remember the little things i talked about before? Well when our glasses were put down in front of us i think they just came out of the dishwasher because they were soaked. They didn't even take the time to polish our glasses. that buged me alot as i think it would have others.

Another thing was one of the managers yelled at the bar tender for speaking spanish to another waiter. I understand the whole dont talk spanish at work thing but if your going to yell at your employees dont do it in front of people.

On another side note we went and met up with some of my cook friends. One from a london hotel, one from cafe boulud, and the other from the tasting room. We all went to baltazars(sp) we drank and drank some more and finally ordered some food. They had some great food. Veronicas goatcheese and carmalized onion tart was excelent. My brandade was great too. The oysters were excellent as well and the escargot was very good. I have to go have a sit down dinner there one day.

But that was my day hope you enjoy my writing.

[Fat Guy]

Bottarga, brandade, and thank you for the report. I find the lunch scene at Esca to be depressing, with a lax kitchen and laxer service, whereas the restaurant really comes alive at night and they put out some tremendous stuff. The lack of choice on the lunchtime crudo is particularly pathetic. I hope you get a chance to try the place again at night, not that there's any excuse for the lunch situation there.

[Jinmyo]

Thanks, David. It sounds as if the lunch crew need to either get new jobs or take the ones they have seriously.

I'm always interested in Esca because the crudo fascinates me. Molto Mario has given David Pasternack pretty much of a free hand at Esca so whatever happens or doesn't won't necessarily tarnish Mario's glow for me. But the crudo is such a Mario thing and I won't get to Esca from Ottawa for years if ever that I can't help myself from pestering people about it.

So, David. Old buddy. Pal. Duuuude. What do you think about going for crudo with Veronica some evening and posting about it here?

And Steve. Steeeeve. Here's a link to your review on The Fabulous Flying Fat Guy Site. Have you anything more recent (and even more detailed) to say on the matter?

By the way. Wilfrid and cabrales were unpleased by the crudo when they went. Wilfrid said that the raw fish was just doused in olive oil and that it was the same oil for the different fish, which he found ungood.

What oils are used with what fish? Huh? Huh?

[Beachfan]

He finally said come this way please and he showed us to the worst fucking shit ass table in the whole place.

I find a calm "I'd prefer another table please" usually works. The only time it didn't was at Daniel about 9 years ago. It took me 7 years to return.