Reasons why New York Sucks

[Piobaire]

Has frozen spit season started in NYC yet?

 

[aravenel]

So apparently punching elderly women in the back of the head for laughs is a thing, now.

http://nypost.com/2013/11/25/elderly-russian-woman-slugged-in-possible-knockout-attack/

This is the mother-in-law of a guy I work with. Completely outrageous. I'd support temporarily suspending the Eighth Amendment when dealing with animals who do this kind of ****.

 

[GreenFrog]



Has frozen spit season started in NYC yet?

You're not even a new yawker, let alone an amurrcan.

Git outta this thread!!

 

[Piobaire]



You're not even a new yawker, let alone an amurrcan.

Git outta this thread!!

I was in this thread long before you were. GTF off my lawn.

 

[GreenFrog]



I was in this thread long before you were. GTF off my lawn.

I always had a sneaking suspicion you were racist against Azns.

 

[TheFoo]



EMP seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it kind of place. I know my wife and I were in the latter camp, unfortunately.

What's to hate?

My best eating experience in NYC.

 

[aravenel]



What's to hate?

My best eating experience in NYC.

Hate is not the right word. It was unquestionably a very, very good meal. But it was also by far our least favorite of the three-Michelin star restaurants we've been to.

Ours was a very... Fussy? experience. Granted, this was a year ago, shortly after they introduced the whole "New York" themed experience. I understand they have toned that down a lot, so perhaps it's better now. But I don't want someone interrupting me every five minutes with a long diatribe about the food and what it represents or anything. We also had some spotty wine service, and really only a couple of the dishes were home runs IMO.

Bright spots were: one of the most beautiful dining rooms I've been in, a couple of really excellent cocktails to start, the bottle of eau-de-vie at the end of the meal, and one of the best kitchen tours I've had (more alcohol, mmm). Most of the food though, I am struggling to even recall, which is not a good sign.

 

[gdl203]

What's to hate?

The theatre? The preciousness? The never-ending gimmickery?

 

[TheFoo]



The theatre?  The preciousness?  The never-ending gimmickery?

But the food is yummy. And every nice restaurant exploits theatricality and preciousness to some degree.

I agree there is a touch of gimmickery, but the food is good enough to eclipse it by a wide margin.

 

[aravenel]



The theatre?  The preciousness?  The never-ending gimmickery?

Those were basically our thoughts. Unlike Foo, we didn't feel the food offset that. Perhaps we just got them on an off night, though at that level, you don't get to have off nights IMO.

Clearly plenty of people love the place, I'm not making any sort of assertion that it is objectively not a good restaurant. It was just not a place my wife and I would go back to. Plenty of other places I'd rather spend that money.

 

[TheFoo]



Bright spots were: one of the most beautiful dining rooms I've been in, a couple of really excellent cocktails to start, the bottle of eau-de-vie at the end of the meal, and one of the best kitchen tours I've had (more alcohol, mmm). Most of the food though, I am struggling to even recall, which is not a good sign.

I actually didn't care for the dining room. Felt like the lobby of a Hilton.

We didn't ask for a kitchen tour.

 

[TheFoo]



Plenty of other places I'd rather spend that money.

I agree that a truly off night is not really an option for places at that price and caliber, though some variance is acceptable and to be expected.

Where do you prefer in New York?

 

[aravenel]



I actually didn't care for the dining room. Felt like the lobby of a Hilton.

We didn't ask for a kitchen tour.

I said the same thing about Per Se, actually.

We didn't ask for the tour, they offered it up, which I actually appreciated. Despite the fact that I know they are never going to say no, for some reason I always feel bad asking to see the kitchen. Makes me feel like I am invading someone's workspace. Having them say "take your time, when you are done, we'd love to show you the kitchen if you are interested" was nice.

 

[Manton]

I did the tasting at the Modern last week and found that totally great. No kitchen tour.

 

[aravenel]



I agree that a truly off night is not really an option for places at that price and caliber, though some variance is acceptable and to be expected.

Where do you prefer in New York?

At that level, I'd go back to Le Bernardin or Jean Georges as first picks. The wife would say Per Se, though the wine list there just makes me angry, so I can't say I'd go back unless someone else was paying. I also enjoyed Daniel quite a lot, though the wife less so.

Have not been to Del Posto, is next on our list. Blue Hill at Stone Barn is high up the list to try as well, though I think it is perhaps not in the same league, nor is it in the city obviously.

Edit: So, I just named all the NYT four stars. Guess that tells you where I would rank EMP among them