Restaurant Recommendations

[gdl203]

I was there mid March and dinner was spectacular. Significantly better even and more enjoyable than in the first couple of years. Now that maitre d' and severs are well settled and comfortable there, the service is less stuffy, more friendly.

 

[gomestar]

and the Guy Fieri review brings up another point - in an age of real pain for newspapers, views and chatter matters.

 

[gomestar]



Now that maitre d' and severs are well settled and comfortable there, the service is less stuffy, more friendly.

i thought the service was totally friendly too. Felt like even though this is a 4-Star place, and even though their job was to "serve me", it felt totally natural and fluid. Nothing uptight, nothing pretentious, seemed like they genuinely enjoyed helping you get a great experience - and I absolutely did.

 

[otc]

So basically it is like writing a bad review for the new Star Wars movie where you make it out to be some awful B movie served with a side of gristly seafood chew?

People who don't care about fine dining will jerk off to it because it validates their opinion that it is just rich people wasting their money.
People who do care will try to write impassioned defenses (that link back to the article).

 

[gomestar]

I'll give PerSe credit - he didn't want to pay for truffles, so he didn't get to smell them. No freebies for the critic!

 

[Piobaire]

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/12/dining/la-liste-france-worlds-50-best-restaurants.html This just named Per Se second best restaurant in the world.

 

[ehkay]

If the food was actually as he describes, it sounds awful and like the review is justified.

What's most shocking is that the restaurant seemingly did not recognize him.

 

[alexg]



What's most shocking is that the restaurant seemingly did not recognize him.

That was exactly my thought. I was at EMP when he was there one night, they actually called a bunch of friends to go to the bar to make it seem more lively. I'd be shocked if nobody at Per Se knew who he was. I remember a similar screw up a few months ago though when Ad Hoc served Kenji Lopez Alt a totally overdone steak, then weren't even apologetic, so he posted a picture on Instagram.

 

[coolpapa]



People who don't care about fine dining will jerk off to it because it validates their opinion that it is just rich people wasting their money.
People who do care will try to write impassioned defenses (that link back to the article).

This describes most of the commenters to the article.

Are there any good restaurant critics? I read a few sites and like the Infatuation reviews, but the Eater folks, especially those insufferable Eater Upsell assholes, are just not people I can take seriously.

 

[Piobaire]

The difference between Senior Frog’s and Per Se is fun, skateboards, and about a $800 p/p. https://t.co/bASj5nhTAJ https://t.co/YNWGWqlyle
— Ben Kaminsky (@jaminsky) January 12, 2016​

 

[Jr Mouse]

Doesn't he have a reputation for leaning heavily on overall meal costs when doing a review? The higher the total on your bill at the end, the higher standard he will choose to hold you too. When you start approaching some restaurant's prices I can't imagine they will live up to his expectations.

 

[rossoz]

Doesn't he have a reputation for leaning heavily on overall meal costs when doing a review? The higher the total on your bill at the end, the higher standard he will choose to hold you too. When you start approaching some restaurant's prices I can't imagine they will live up to his expectations.

So, he uses value as part of his review? Well, I would hope so. Unless some just like to spend money for the thrill of it. For instance, when I spend $75 for a steak, I feel it should be really good.

Cheers,

 

[Piobaire]

I've had some enormous meal tickets but I don't think I've ever paid $75 for a steak.

 

[lawyerdad]

It's only $75 if you request a happy ending.

 

[rossoz]

I've had some enormous meal tickets but I don't think I've ever paid $75 for a steak.

I've only spent that twice for a steak- once at The Inn at Little Washington and once at Prime 44 West in The Greenbrier resort. The former was a very special occasion, the latter was other people's money. Both were excellent steaks.

Cheers,