Underappreciated NYC Restaurants

[Sneakeater]

Although, from my own perspective, a restaurant where the chef wins a Beard award (whatever you might think of them) but it rarely gets mentioned here is a prime candidate for what I meant by "underappreciated".

[Nathan]

If you like seafood you won't be disappointed by Esca. And at it's (relatively) soft price point there is no reason whatsoever not to go.

[weinoo]

Esca is great - with a chef that is pretty much market driven (unless he's out fishing for dinner himself!), an excellent wine list and some of the best fish preparation in the city.

edited to add: As Nathan said above!

Edited February 2, 2007 by weinoo (log)

[oakapple]

A brief google search shows that Esca does, indeed, get very high marks pretty much anywhere you look. I was wrong to be so dismissive of it. This may suggest that, on this board, it is underappreciated.

[Sneakeater]

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I MEANT THE POINT OF THIS THREAD TO BE!!!!!!!!!

[GordonCooks]

Here?

Asiate

Daniel

Danube

Hearth

Montparnasse

The Palm

Veritas

Telepan

Barbuto

Felidia

etc

[Eatmywords]

How about Wallse? (only one pg of eg posts, last one a yr ago) I only did brunch (once) but remember some very well prepared and unique cuisine .

I think it's easy to get on this thread. With all the openings bombarding us every week its just too hard to keep up with those deserving...

[Sneakeater]

Here?

. . .

Hearth

. . .

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I really wanted to avoid this kind of dispute, but to me Hearth is one of the more OVERappreciated restaurants around here. I like it, but it gets mentioned so much on this board that you'd think it was one of the uniquely excellent places in the City.

Edited February 2, 2007 by Sneakeater (log)

[GordonCooks]

Here?

. . .

Hearth

. . .

←

I really wanted to avoid this kind of dispute, but to me Hearth is one of the more OVERappreciated restaurants around here. I like it, but it gets mentioned so much on this board that you'd think it was one of the uniquely excellent places in the City.

←

No complaints here - I personally haven't seen much ink regarding it in a while. Glad to see it.

[rich]

Under the criteria on little or no ink here and here only, these two restaurants certainly fit the bill.

Chanterelle - it appears to get mentioned when someone is saying how time has passed it by. Interesting for a place that still "packs them in" night after night.

River Cafe - rarely mentioned at all, but try and get a table - not easy.

[Sneakeater]

Of course, for purposes of this thread they're also supposed to be good, in addition to popular. (I mean, it's hard to get a table at One If By Land or Tavern on the Green, too.) I meant for popularity to be kind of a neutral factor (meaning a place could be "underappreciated" in the sense I meant and still be popular -- or it could not be popular. Wouldn't matter.)

So, to clarify, are you saying that you've eaten in each of those places recently and think they deserve more attention?

I haven't eaten in Chanterelle in years (although I loved loved loved it back when it was on Greene St.), so I personally can't comment on the frequent accusation that it's either slipped or been far surpassed.

But I'd certainly call River Cafe underappreciated. It may not be as surpassingly good as it was back in the days of its Parade Of Soon-To-Be-Famous Chefs, but as of two years ago it was still excellent. Although it's not as good as Picholine, it's sort of in the same position as Picholine was pre-renovation.

Edited February 2, 2007 by Sneakeater (log)

[oakapple]

I haven't eaten in Chanterelle in years (although I loved loved loved it back when it was on Greene St.), so I personally can't comment on the frequent accusation that it's either slipped or been far surpassed.

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I've dined at Chanterelle twice in the last couple of years. I think it perfectly fits this thread, with either SE's definition or mine. Edited February 2, 2007 by oakapple (log)

[rich]

I've eaten at both during the last year. I think Chanterelle still serves top food with outstanding ingredients. And even though I'm not an ambiance guy, that room is hard not to like.

River Cafe is very good, especially for a restaurant with view. I was sponsored there a few months back and was impressed how well they have maintained quality and service over the years.

[Sneakeater]

River Cafe is very good, especially for a restaurant with view. I was sponsored there a few months back and was impressed how well they have maintained quality and service over the years.

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I was impressed almost to the point of being astonished. They don't need to be that good.

[Luckylies]

How about Wallse?  (only one pg of eg posts, last one a yr ago)  I only did brunch (once) but remember some very well prepared and unique cuisine .

I think it's easy to get on this thread.  With all the openings bombarding us every week its just too hard to keep up with those deserving...

←

yes!

Chanterelle -  it appears to get mentioned when someone is saying how time has passed it by. Interesting for a place that still "packs them in" night after night.

River Cafe

←

no! bad food.

shame about chanterelle, they used to be soooo goood.

[rich]

Chanterelle -  it appears to get mentioned when someone is saying how time has passed it by. Interesting for a place that still "packs them in" night after night.

←

no! bad food.

shame about chanterelle, they used to be soooo goood.

←

Edited February 3, 2007 by rich (log)

[raxelita]

I agree about Upstairs

and Danube

would like to add Il Buco and Cafe Boulud

[BryanZ]

I found Danube somewhat disappointing, and I know I'm not alone in that sentiment.

[tupac17616]

I found Danube somewhat disappointing, and I know I'm not alone in that sentiment.

←

Agreed. I found it highly disappointing.

Re: raxelita's additions, I've got to disagree with Cafe Boulud. This is a place that seems to be thougt of in a very positive light, if not here on eG then at least on the other food forums/blogs/etc. A few months back I endured what may have been the worst meal I've ever had in the city there. It was bad. I mean, shockingly bad. Uniformly bad. Coasting on its reputation? I would argue that it most definitely is.

Definitely agree about Upstairs, Esca, Wallse, Craft.

And THANK YOU sneakeater, for being the first one brave enough to admit the friggin' truth about Hearth! Maybe that will stop the excessive praise that place gets here. One can only hope.

[Sneakeater]

In re Danube, I think there's no way around the fact that the place just deteriorated after Mario Lohniger left a couple of years ago. It's too bad. It was one of my real favorites.

[Sneakeater]

5 Ninth

[DutchMuse]

Keen's steakhouse. Amongst NYC steakhouses, it is one of the best but isn't nearly as high on the radar. I had a wonderful, aged prime t-bone this weak, which was preceeded by a caesar salad beautifully prepared and dressed. In terms of food (not atmosphere or service necessarily), its well above Craftsteak IMHO.

[Mayur]

5 Ninth

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So what exactly is the criterion for "underappreciated," then? 5 Ninth is packed to the gills every time I've been by; they've even kept me waiting for at least 20 minutes twice in a row for a reserved table.

I guess my point is that being lionized on this site is hardly a big deal, in the scheme of things. 5 Ninth gets tons of "play" elsewhere, or it wouldn't be so popular.

Edited February 3, 2007 by Mayur (log)

[Sneakeater]

See Post #13 above.

It isn't a big deal, obviously. But to the extent that this site hopes to present a balanced account of the real-life NYC dining scene (and not just the fairly random preferences of a bunch of posters), it's useful to try to think of the "other" places.

I mean, if oakapple tries Esca and likes it, that's useful in and of itself, right?

In other words, it isn't to benefit the restaurants (who cares about that?). It's to benefit US.

Edited February 3, 2007 by Sneakeater (log)

[Nathan]

Esca to me qualifies under any sense of the word "underappreciated" because although it is packed with pre-theater diners...it gets very little attention in the NY foodie community as a whole (not just egullet). I really think this is simply a function of its benighted location.

But yes, if this thread causes someone to eat somewhere that they immensely enjoy that they otherwise would not have, it has served its purpose.

Edited February 3, 2007 by Nathan (log)