Per Se vs. Eleven Madison Park

Originally Posted by Lizard23

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I completely agree with you and our philosophies seem to be in sync. In the end we are doing the same thing. i just find it easier to add 5% to the total bill (especially after much food and drink). I should note that I previously mentioned I added $50 and this was because all 3x the bills have been quite similar.
Much would depend on the number in one's party. What is more, over time the price will certainly change. When I first dined at TFL, the prix fixe was in the $150 range. It's now approaching $300. I make my decision on a case by case basis.

Originally Posted by RSS

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You don't like us ... the 'older side?'

I really don't give a **** about that. Frankly I think young "foodies" are annoying as ****. One thing I hate and I mean I HATE about going to Alinea or Per Se or L20 is that you have to sit around a bunch of yuppies or dinks and overhear their marsupialed conversation about food. As matt says, they're there to check off a list. I'm almost always with great company so my surroundings don't matter but sometimes you do overhear a loud group, and given that the dining rooms are small and rather quiet it isn't difficult for this to happen.

Older, more experienced diners are there to just enjoy themselves. They just talk about regular **** with occasional quips about the food. They're over it and they don't have anything to prove. So ya, sign me up for Daniel and the blue hairs.

At La Grenouille the hair tends toward indigo.

Originally Posted by SField

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Frankly I think young "foodies" are annoying as ****. One thing I hate and I mean I HATE about going to Alinea or Per Se or L20 is that you have to sit around a bunch of yuppies or dinks and overhear their marsupialed conversation about food. As matt says, they're there to check off a list.

This. I find it exponentially worse in New York than any other place I have lived. The god-damn camera flashing, name-dropping, stupid drink ordering, cell-phone answering "foodies" who just love the truffled foam make me want to wretch.

I don't really see the foodie scene much at places like Daniel, or even EMP where I'd certainly expect them. Maybe I don't pay attention that much, but it's pretty blatant at places like Prune and Buttermilk Channel. And it is insufferable.

not that this is necessarily the thread for it, but Per Se's restaurant neighbor , Masa, was reviewed again in the times. And reduced from 4-stars to 3-stars.

Originally Posted by gomestar

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not that this is necessarily the thread for it, but Per Se's restaurant neighbor , Masa, was reviewed again in the times. And reduced from 4-stars to 3-stars.

Yeah, Sam Sifton is probably the worst big-time food critic in the country right now. It is literally a running joke amongst those in the restaurant business here.

so you think the faults he mentions are excusable for a 4-star restaurant at the moment?

What is it, this guide, that gives more than three stars?

Originally Posted by gomestar

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so you think the faults he mentions are excusable for a 4-star restaurant at the moment?

I think that one would experience similarly "inexcusable" faults at Del Posto, which he elevated from three to four stars.

Sifton reminds me of an art critic more than a food critic: he cares far too much about context for my taste.

Originally Posted by gomestar

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I don't really see the foodie scene much at places like Daniel, or even EMP where I'd certainly expect them. Maybe I don't pay attention that much, but it's pretty blatant at places like Prune and Buttermilk Channel. And it is insufferable.

You're one of them!

What are the opinions regarding Picholine vs. Modern?

Originally Posted by randallr

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You're one of them!
dood I'd much rather be a foodie at Daniel and respect the food than at B-C and be clueless with my mustache and my locality mantra.

Originally Posted by Medwed

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What are the opinions regarding Picholine vs. Modern?

The Modern, and its not particularly close.

Originally Posted by gomestar

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PS, while I agree very plush and a super prime location with real estate that is $$$$ and worth it, is still on the fourth floor of a shopping mall.

HAHAHA. just to play devil's advocate, EMP is on the first floor of an investment bank!

I loved tasting menus at both, thought EMP was just as good with less $$$. but honestly, if you are eating at those places, you are not caring about that $ differential, right?