PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of lucks[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
oh wow look at this place… ha haa ehee heee fuckin koreans.
Please rate the Bar:
n/a. no bar. but they do serve beer/wine in the dining room though.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
the wines by the glass are bleah kinda a joke (albeit inexpensive), maybe skip em. decent beer selection though, at good prices too— a giant pitcher of draught (stella artois, e.g.) is twenty bucks. if you’re feeling adventurous, they have shochu. and they even have prosecco and sparkling rosé.
Please rate the Dining Room:
funky! the seats at the communal counters are hydraulic so that’s pretty neat. there are flat screens showing music videos. and framed shape-shifting photographs on the walls. i mean— yah maaan: fuckin koreans.
Please rate the BOH:
not bad, especially for their first week. a little slow on the timing, but they made up for it by offering a round of drinks even before we started to get impatient. i’m sure they’ll settle in eventually.
How was the staff?
good. friendly, accommodating. perhaps just a tad discomboobled, but again, it is their first week, and from what i gather, the volume they’re doing must be overwhelming. no major missteps, but they do need to work some kinks out of their delivery/runner system. overall, i’d say they’re fine.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
drumsticks with hot&sweet sauce : my favorite. reeeally spicy though. if you like kimchee, this is the one for you.
drumsticks with soy&garlic sauce : milder, but garlicky. the crispiness of the coating and all that jazz does live up to their reputation. koreans loooves them some fried chicken all right, so they are not messin around here.
wings with both aforementioned sauces, plus the honey glaze sauce : normally i’m a wing fanatic, but this time i’d have to say the drumsticks are better. the wings are very small— on the one hand that’s sorta disappointing, but on the other hand, if they’re this small because they’re organic and not pumped all up with steroids and hormones and whatnot, then how can one complain? so yah, just a warning: they’re small (so maybe the breading/sauce does somewhat overpower the chicken).
grilled chicken sandwich : good. fresh ingredients, tasty. interesting bread even (why’s it green, i have no idea— but i’m sure there’s a valid reason).
sal sal chicken strips : eh. not so great. the drumsticks and wings are better. and all the dipping sauces kinda taste the same (they’re all rather cloyingly sweet).
croquettes : they’re supposed to be "chicken and bell peppers wrapped in mashed potatoes" but all you really taste are mashed potatoes. so if you like mashed potatoes, i guess they’re okay. otherwise, not so much.
coleslaw : pretty good. the sprinkle of bell peppers is a cute touch.
What did you like?
umm… i guess i’d say the drumsticks in the very spicy sauce.
What did you dislike?
the chicken strips could have been much better. too much coating for a such a narrow strip, and the chicken was too dry.
What was your last impression?
for most people, a platter of drumsticks and a pitcher of beer is probably the way to go. (relatively) fast, easy, inexpensive, and good. congratulations: now you’re a Kyochon expert.
Would you come back?
somehow i have a feeling my korean best buddy and my chinese chicken wing loving homegirl are gonna make me come back here, even if i didn’t want to.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
thanks, it was dope.
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of lucks[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
Industrial…
Please rate the Bar:
Spacious, nice, clean, rustic. Again, industrial. Fine— but not much more.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
Decent cocktail list, with respectable ingredients. I never think of wine (except maybe for sangria) in a Mexican restaurant, so I completely forgot to look at the offerings. Ditto on the beer selection; sorry, I was too busy contemplating the cocktail list… which, although fine, isn’t quite outstanding. Prices are not bad; $10 for a Margarita, $11 for something called a Margarita Tamarindo…
Aaand the Margarita is OK— could be better.
Please rate the Dining Room:
Spacious, but… rustic and industrial. Reasonable use of space, but hardly what I’d call creative. The open kitchen dining counter in the back is interesting (but quite brightly lit).
Please rate the BOH:
Obviously still getting oriented— to be expected, I suppose. I like the concept behind the menu, but the execution probably needs more time…? Also, presentation clearly isn’t the point here.
How was the staff?
Good. Warm, welcoming, proficient but easy-going, undoubtedly experienced. No complaints.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
Guacamole : Eh, I’ve had better. Hell, I’ve made better— in my kitchen at home (and I’m not a chef or Mexican). In the wise words of our founder: Just sayin’.
Picaditas de Jaiba : Not bad. Not extraordinary— but I’m apt to give them points on the pricetags; they leave less room for criticism. Hey, you get what you pay for. The crabmeat is fresh enough, and the flavor is fine.
Ensalada Morada : Good. Nice greens. Small, but tasty. But again, there are things I’d… just do differently, I guess.
Tacos de Pibil : Good. A little inconsistent on the portion size (and that’s just on one plate), but flavorful. Smaller than those offered by DUMBO’s contemporaries (La Esquina, Cabrito, etc.) but also lesser priced.
Burritos de Res : Eh. Yeah, this one could use a little tweaking. C-
Cecina : Fine. Homestyle. Just a tad overcooked though, but palatable and kind of hearty. I’ve been given worse for $16.
What did you like?
The pork tacos were pretty good.
What did you dislike?
I’d say "nothing." But, I also anticipate they’ll improve once they’ve settled in. There’s plenty of potential here.
What was your last impression?
It won’t replace my favorite Mexican by any means, but I’ll probably keep it in mind…
Would you come back?
Hmm, possibly? Nice location.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thanks and have a good evening.
Hot Pot at Kittichai!
no, there is no stolen marijuana anywheres, silly— try not to get too excited. but it’s still pretty awesome nonetheless!
yah so last night i got to try the new "thai fondue" night (mondays) at Kittichai. and it was so good. basically, for a choice of either the "unlimited" selection ($45 per person / 2 person minimum) or the "a la carte" (about $9 and up per serving / $22 minimum) you too can enjoy the new steamy hot pot "fondue," which includes such mouthwatering offerings as shrimp, salmon, marinated beef strips, tender slivers of pork loin, lobster, scallops, sea bass, tofu "skin," taro root, bok choy, etc etc etc in a "tableside" tom yum broth (plus it comes with a shredded mango and green papaya salad to start).
and then after all that scrumptiousness, they take the broth from your "hot pot" and pour it over thin "angel hair" style noodles in a bowl with shrimp. holy cow so delicious.
i know you want to run over there and try if for yourself right now, but don’t forget, it’s only on mondays. oh! speaking of weekly stuff, did you even realize that sunday brunch at Kittichai is totally the jumpoff now? seriously, no joke.
i’m just sayin.
yay Kittichai!
:)
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of lucks[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
Whoa, it’s kind of bright in here. Oh, but— these other rooms are cute.
Please rate the Bar:
Not bad. Kind of glaring at first, but the bartender was very amenable to turning the lights down as per my request (and she was amiable to boot). The bar looks pretty worn-in for a place that’s only a few months old, though. But it has its charm.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
Quite a vast cocktail list; I could see how this place could be quite popular in the summertime in this area. The wine list is decent, with some reasonably priced selections. Beer… even a little sake… yeah, they got you covered.
Please rate the Dining Room:
Uh, N/A? There’s not so much a dining room here— more like two separate loungey rooms plus a bar room (food "served everywhere"). Interesting set-up. Imaginative use of a rather awkward space.
Please rate the BOH:
Surprisingly good, especially for a place that looks more like a bar/lounge than a restaurant. Simple, straightforward, no frills. Just some nice quality food.
How was the staff?
LOL. The hostess/bartender/waitress was a real peach. Warm, welcoming, enthusiastic and diligent. And the runner/busperson was good too.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
1 doz (mixed) East Coast oysters : Great. Very fresh and delicious. And at the "happy hour" half-off price, a real bargain all right.
Lobster roll : Very good. Nicely done— of the ‘not so much mayo’ variety. Slightly smaller chunks than its (slightly higher-priced) contemporaries (Mary’s, Ed’s, e.g.) but still a good serving and very flavorful. Good work with the spices. Satisfying.
Crab Cake Sandwich : Good. Somewhat trite in its execution (except for the avocado slices), but flavorful. Really not bad at all.
Homemade Cole Slaw : Very nice. Hearty. Love the red cabbage…
Corn salsa : Very refrigerator-cold, but tasty. Better than you’d expect from something called "corn salsa."
What did you like?
The oysters were great.
What did you dislike?
It’s a bit of a haul in the wintertime— but in the summer…!
What was your last impression?
I’m glad I tried it.
Would you come back?
Yes, definitely. See you in the spring!
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
If you could change the weather, I’d be all for it.
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of lucks[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
Ramen Takumi (formerly Setaga-ya)
What was your first impression?
So, Takumi is still Setaga-ya with more stuff, right? (The curtains and bowls still say "Setagaya.")
Please rate the Bar:
N/A, unless you mean the open-kitchen communal counter. Takumi has a lot more choices than Setaga-ya did, though— a nice selection of sake, beer and plum wine…
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
Reasonably priced.
Please rate the Dining Room:
Very simple. Three communal tables and the aforementioned counter. Better than before (nice lamps), but hardly imaginative.
Please rate the BOH:
Solid, but not excellent. Also better than Setaga-ya in terms of selection, with popular additions (appetizers, salads, etc.) to the menu. More ramen variations to choose from.
How was the staff?
Friendly and efficient.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
Pork Gyoza : Pretty good, but not outstanding.
Shrimp Shumai : The flavor’s not bad, but the dumpling far outweighs the shrimp.
#3 – Miso flavored broth… : Hearty miso tang, savory marinated egg, but the pork and vegetables are weak. It’s a shame that most people look primarily for economy in ramen— I’d gladly pay more for a good dose of meat and fresh vegetables.
#8 – Spicy soybean broth… : Ditto the #3. Nice seasoning, but again with the frugality where it’s least appreciated.
What did you like?
That the check for everything was under $50.
What did you dislike?
That it doesn’t top nonsensically MSG-happy Ippudo.
What was your last impression?
Whew, I’m stuffed.
Would you come back?
Yeah, probably.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Arigato Gozaimasu!
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of lucks[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
Pudding Stones Wine Bar- 48 Carmine St (their website apparently has yet to be updated)
What was your first impression?
this is kinda cute.
Please rate the Bar:
cozy, warm, friendly. simple.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
n/a on the liquor. the wine list is decent, though. nice choices, eclectic, okay in value. in this day/age (/neighborhood) though, i would think a few more adventurous [read: reasonably priced] choices would probably be much appreciated.
Please rate the Dining Room:
very simple. but by virtue of that, somewhat endearing.
Please rate the BOH:
the BOH is in the FOH, and they could use a little more work. evidently however, "it’s a brand new crew," so i’ll give em a minute to work it out…
i like the menu, though— just straightforward, unfussy comfort food. an everyday joint.
How was the staff?
the "staff" (host/bartender/executive chef) is an owner, i presume? nice guy. and the waiter/busboy is affable enough.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
i had the guacamole with blue corn chips, the fried shrimp, the pigs in a blanket, the fried chicken and one other thing i can’t even recall right now. which kinda brings me to my point: the menu is fine in its simplicity, but simple is one thing and pedestrian is totally another. it doesn’t seem as if PuddingStones has put their stamp on anything, which is odd for an established eatery (i take it they have several locations in midtown). the food is sorely lacking in any distinctive "fingerprint." i feel as though the enthusiasm, conviction, and professionalism is there, but the execution is very trite. i really would love to see them step up their game just a little bit.
What did you like?
they’re very friendly and amiable. and i do like the menu.
What did you dislike?
nothing really.
What was your last impression?
i could like this place very much if they roll up their sleeves…
Would you come back?
i’ll give them another try in a little while.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
thank you, i would like that.
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You Read more…
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of lucks[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
oh was there always access from the bar to the dining room? i didn’t notice that before.
Please rate the Bar:
spacious, clean. a little cold though— both figuratively and literally. the bartenders are nice enough, but they do have a pretty awkward and cumbersome set-up here. that shit would drive me crazy.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
overall? i’d say… well… it is a hotel. hotels tend to do things differently. i’m sure they have their reasons.
Please rate the Dining Room:
same as the bar. and… well… it is a hotel. hotels tend to do things differently. i’m sure they have their reasons.
Please rate the BOH:
it’s very good. but umm… hmm… personally i predict they’re going to have some difficulties somewhere in the forseeable future… ?
How was the staff?
the front desk needs better training. the bartenders are good, but seem to still need more time with the POS system. the runners are adept. and they have at least one manager who’s pretty on the ball.
don’t know about the waitstaff— to me, the dining room is uninviting enough that i chose to dine at the bar on both my visits.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
the ciabatta with fonduta and poached egg, the pork belly, the rock shrimp, balsamic spare ribs, black truffle risotto, fried chicken, and truffle cabbage, and it was all very impressive (particularly on my first visit), especially because i really hated Scarpetta. fascinating, yes?
i’m curious to see how it plays out. i would venture so far as to say Faustina is my new favorite restaurant since Grayz. the only other restaurant i liked as much as Grayz was Maze (at GordonRamsay’s@theLondon). but as we alls know now, the NY Times hated chef de cuisine neil-ferguson at GordonRamsay but loooved him at Allen&Delancey (where poor neil-ferguson also didn’t last very long). conversely, i loved Maze, but despised Allen&Delancey. the NY Times also hated Grayz, which i loved— but loooved Scarpetta, which i detested.
so haa now with Faustina, i’m dying to see whether the NY Times food/restaurant critic bullshit is all just politics as i suspect, or really is just plain ole regular stupidity after all.
What did you like?
the menu, the food. the location.
What did you dislike?
uh… well… truth be told, scott-conant has always just kinda rubbed me the wrong way. his persona, i mean; i’ve never actually met him. so maybe i disliked the fact he disproved my hypothesis that he sucks? just kidding.
What was your last impression?
i’m glad i live close by.
Would you come back?
already have. and yes.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
thanks, you will.
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of lucks[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
Swanky.
Please rate the Bar:
Interesting set-up. Clean, spacious, elegant. An army of a staff (for now, anyway).
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
Not generally one for cocktails, but couldn’t resist the enthusiastic sales pitch. Thoughtful cocktail list, brief but expertly crafted. Drinks are well-made, with fresh ingredients and a proficient hand.
Spent so long discussing the cocktail list, completely forgot to look at the wine list.
Please rate the Dining Room:
Grand and commodious, but somewhat austere. Very Las Vegas.
Please rate the BOH:
The BOH is in the FOH. I think. For such a showy, opulent kitchen, are they even cooking on that line? It’s oddly pristine. And awfully quiet.
How was the staff?
Oh, they try so hard. So hard. I don’t think I’ve ever hoped for a restaurant to succeed more; that’s how hard they try.
They’ll learn to relax over time, I assume.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
I had the Seasonal Mushrooms, Romaine Lettuce salad, the Braised Veal Cheek and the Prime New York Steak, and they were all rather disappointing. Trite presentation, prosaic execution, overcooked, undercooked, you name it; there it was. There’s a lot of great potential here, though. I hope they fix it— quickly. As I said, I really want them to do better.
What did you like?
The staff (except for possibly the first hostess in the main foyer with the clipboard). They’re eager and enthusiastic but a little displaced.
What did you dislike?
Sadly, the food.
What was your last impression?
I’m crossing my fingers for them.
Would you come back?
Yes. I’ll give them some time to settle in, but— yes.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thank you and best of luck.
Welcome to: Where I Spent My Day Off —by a NYC Restaurant "Insider"
So, what do you do in the industry?
Now? I’m a consultant. But I used to work directly in the industry for about 20 years— I started as a waitress, but I’ve also been Read more…
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of lucks[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
Cozy, nice.
Please rate the Bar:
The bar is spacious and comfortable, but unfortunately the bartender is somewhat of a ditz. It took a little while for him to acknowledge us, even though the bar wasn’t entirely full. Then we asked for a taste of a wine by the glass. It turns out he had to open a new bottle. So, we try it and decide we’ll take the whole bottle and inform his thusly. We wait almost five minutes while he has a discussion with another group. Eventually, I ask a waitress behind the bar, "Can you just grab our bottle from him, please?" and she tells him we need his attention. He replies, "Oh, yeah," but seems annoyed by our impatience. He proceeds to present a brand new bottle to us, so I ask, "Didn’t you just open that other bottle?" He responds, "Oh, yeah, I could just give you that one, right?" and then finally gives us our bottle.
Later, after we’ve already ordered and eaten five tapas from the menu, we decide perhaps we’d like one more. As we’re perusing the menu, we just happen to overhear another waitress (temporarily behind the bar, fetching a bottle for one of her tables) advising the couple sitting next to us not to neglect "the specials," and she proceeds to run down a list of FIVE additions to the menu, three of which we surely would have ordered had we been given the option beforehand.
As we do decide we’re still slightly hungry, we ask the bartender, "Do you have any specials on the menu tonight?" And he responds, "Oh, yeah! Duh," and then describes them to us. And now we’re annoyed, as we would have undoubtedly preferred some of those choices instead.
By the way, earlier, he’d also informed us the "baby eels" were 86′ed— after we placed our order.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
The wine list is brief and entirely Spanish. It could be improved upon (it doesn’t include some some good available options at lower price points, e.g.), especially for a place so decisively designated a "wine bar."
Please rate the Dining Room:
Not bad. A apt and imaginative use of such spare square footage.
Please rate the BOH:
Better than I expected. The menu is quite good and creative. Timing, presentation and execution all proficient.
How was the staff?
So-so. Not the most amiable bunch, and I can tell by the bartender’s demeanor, he actually thinks he’s good. So, if that’s an indication of the restaurant’s overall standards, they have some problems.
The runner on the other hand, though, was adept and particularly considerate.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
Anchovy and goat cheese "cocas" (small flatbread) : Very good. Simple, but tasty.
Sardine with chorizo paste "cocas" : Good. Interesting. Not a fan of the slimy red peppers, though.
Jamon Iberico : Fine. But I didn’t need to have this; I wish I’d known about the "specials" earlier.
Sirloin empanadilla : Very good. Crispy and delicious. Great drinking food.
Shrimp in garlic sauce : Traditional style. Very good. Lots of garlic. Hearty.
Pork belly "special" : Very good, very tender. Rich and gratifying.
What did you like?
The food.
What did you dislike?
The bartender.
What was your last impression?
I wonder if I should come back and try that paella….
Would you come back?
Maybe.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thanks, it was a pleasure.
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of lucks[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
Well, it’s ‘warmer’ than BarQ.
Please rate the Bar:
Spacious! There’s a bar and there’s also a ‘raw bar’ / bar. It’s a little sloppy, but maybe they’re really going for that casual, laid-back look.
The bartender is friendly, and "…Eddie, the oyster-shucker" is particularly amiable. Very welcoming.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
Apparently, "not all the liquor has arrived yet," but they have a healthy-enough inventory. The drinks are generous and inexpensive. The list is relatively eclectic and decent, especially considering its brevity. Perfectly satisfactory and compatible with the menu and ambience.
Please rate the Dining Room:
It’s OK. Not my particular style, but comfortable and commodious enough— a little ‘corporate’ even. I would imagine they’re enthusiastically anticipating the warmer months to make use of their ample outdoor dining.
Please rate the BOH:
Pretty good. I love the simplicity and nonchalance of the menu; make no mistake, this is an everyday place. If you’re the type that only goes out once a month or on special occasions. it’s probably not for you.
The only thing I’m somewhat confused by is: what— a fried ckicken, a burger, but no fish & chips? Odd.
Plus, there are a few missteps— but we’ll get to that…
How was the staff?
Very friendly. Good. On point.
The one guy that hovers around frowning at everything is a little daunting, but— well— I guess we’ve all worked with someone like that before. He doesn’t seem to be contributing anything productive at all, so he must be an owner or something. LOL.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
Chips with Crab Dip : It’s offered on the menu, but I didn’t order it. But then they sent it anyway. So maybe it’s only delivered gratuitously (in lieu of bread, e.g.) if you order food; I’m not sure.
They were good— the potato chips are homemade and the dip is tasty.
Polish Sausage with mustard and sauerkraut: LOL. Love it. I thought this was a seafood house, but there’s the polish sausage. Go figure.
A nice healthy portion and pretty good.
Mushrooms with egg yolk: Delicious, but the presentation is a little blah. Maybe that’s their "thing," though; who knows? They should watch it on the salt— personally I liked it, but that usually means it’s too salty for most palates.
Topneck clams: This one needs a re-think. There’s a good reason these big, aging clams are usually chopped in strips and fried and/or minced for sauces. Shame— the broth is really delicious.
Fried chicken: Very good, but whoa!— that is one tortured side of kale all right. Tortured to death.
Brussel sprouts: OK, clearly, vegetables are not their forte. These poor veggies are straight out of Abu Ghraib. You can almost hear them whimpering.
What did you like?
The fried chicken was very good.
What did you dislike?
Those sad, whimpering, forlorn, tortured vegetables.
:(
What was your last impression?
It’ll be interesting to watch… sort of.
Would you come back?
It’s a possibility.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thanks, it was a pleasure.
Welcome to: Where I Spent My Day Off —by a NYC Restaurant "Insider"
So, what do you do in the industry?
I’m the General Manager for a [very popular] 160+ seater in midtown.
And you have how many days off a week, generally?
Two.
What did you do for breakfast yesterday?
I hardly ever eat breakfast; I just don’t have the appetite for it most mornings. Just two cups of my special recipe of blended espresso with a lot of hot milk, at home.
Lunch?
My friend and I went to Kelley & Ping, because we were both craving ramen. Normally, we probably would have chosen Ippudo, but I read that thing you guys had about the MSG (LOL)! Somebody should call them or something, and tell them to stop using that stuff; maybe they’re losing a lot of customers! They probably wouldn’t care anyway, though, they’re so busy all the time…
Anyway, Kelley &Ping was good; I still love that place, too.
And afterward?
Walked around SoHo and then stopped in to see our friend who’s a bartender at Balthazar. Had a couple glasses of white wine.
Dinner?
Met another friend at Perilla. I looove Perilla. They have this amazing sea urchin foam thing, and the seafood pasta dish is incredible. Sooo good. Their staff is really great, too— so professional and really nice.
Plus a lovely wine list— some good choices at decent prices. I refuse to go to places that have crappy overpriced wine, which actually, is like, half the places in the West Village.
My friend had "thai sausages" which were just OK, though. We also joked that the execution seemed more "Vietnamese" than "Thai," but whatever. And he also had the burger— was it duck? In any case, he liked it.
And afterward?
We decided to try Avenue, since neither one of us had ever been there before, and we were both curious to see what it looked like. And since it was a weekday and still earlyish, we figured we wouldn’t catch that much of a hassle at the door. Well, we were wrong. We got there probably right before 10PM, but the guy at the door told us it was a "private party" or "reservation only," something like that. We’re not the type to argue our way into places, so we just decided to have a drink at The Park next door instead.
My friend decided to order the mushroom fingers because it sounded weird and intriguing, even though we were both still stuffed from dinner. I only had a couple bites; they were eh, not bad, but not great either.
Then as we were leaving The Park, my friend saw Wass Stevens, whom he knows, manning the door at Avenue. So then we went in.
I mean, so ridiculous— clubs in NY are so retarded now— do you want us, or don’t you? Maybe that other guy was just new or something, but seriously? A guy and a girl at 10PM and you’re going to give us a hard time? Not to sound conceited, but we’re not exactly hideous, you know.
So then we get inside and of course the place is totally empty. As we’re getting drinks at the bar, a waiter recognizes my friend (who’s also in the F&B industry) and takes us to table and says he wants to introduce my friend to the Maitre d’ or whatever. And he offers to send food, but we tell him we’ve already eaten. So then he sends over a mochi dessert! I mean, this is why nightlife is so crappy now. Make up your minds— you don’t want us to come inside, but then when we’re inside you’re happy to see us? So ridiculous.
We didn’t stay very long— we just had the one round.
How much did you blow today?
About $30 during the day, including lunch and half the tip at Balthazar. My friend insisted on paying the check at Perilla, The Park, the two drinks and the tip at Avenue, but I’m going to get the next one. Or maybe I’ll just cook for him.
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of lucks[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
Everything always looks so much better in photos. But this is kinda cute, I guess.
Please rate the Bar:
The bartender is very amicable. And call me crazy, but it’s pretty refreshing to see a Mexican behind a bar at a Mexican restaurant.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
The wine list, although small, is better than you’d expect (albeit just slightly expensive for the offerings), and the cocktails list looks good. I opted for wine though— after all, this is supposed to be "french-handed Mexican," right? Gotta admit, I’m intrigued.
Please rate the Dining Room:
OK. Simple. Rustic. A bit more blah than it could be; it could use a heartier infusion of personality. Love the music though— the all-Spanish playlist is definitely a nice touch. A decent use of space, but it could be better. (And why did they cover over the great original tin ceiling? Is that a ‘noise issue’ thing? Bummer.)
Please rate the BOH:
Not bad. The plentiful small dishes and sides presented on the menu are smart and gratifying; it seems there’s something for everyone here. The food is good but lacks the spark I anticipated from a highly trained and experienced chef. Simple, rustic and homey is one thing; prosaic is another. Then again, at this very reasonable price point, there’s little room for complaint.
How was the staff?
LOL. Fine. Both guys were just fine.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
Chorizo Nachos (Bar Menu) : Not bad. I would have preferred fresh jalapeño to pickled, but OK. And for $3, it’s actually pretty good. But yeah, I’m beginning to see the un-Mexican-ness, I think. Unless of course this is some deep down profound homestyle Oaxacan Indian Mexican recipe of which I’m completely unaware.
Crab Chimichangas: Looks more like a spring roll. Decent, but the ‘pre-packaged’ attributes are pretty apparent in the crab— a little bland and lifeless.
Boquerones: OK. The dressing on the salad is nice. A little sweet, somewhat Asian— is that soy sauce I taste?
Rib-eye: Not bad, but this is definitely rustic all right. Thin fillet, but tender and well-prepared. Very homestyle. The sauteed baby spinach on the side is good, and I really like that stuffed "indigenous mexican vegetable" (looks like a cactus?) relleno.
Esquites: Not on the cob, but that’s OK. Tasty. Fine.
Grilled mushrooms: Simple but delicious.
What did you like?
The cactus whatever relleno. The music. And for $36/bottle, the pinot noir from Williamette was pretty good.
What did you dislike?
Nothing in particular.
What was your last impression?
There’s room for improvement, but definitely not a hopeless cause. Plenty of potential here.
Would you come back?
I think so.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thanks, it was a pleasure.
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of lucks[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
This is cozy.
Please rate the Bar:
Any bartender that opens with, "Hey, I know you!" is OK by me. Way to make me feel special, memorable and appreciated— and I’m not even a celebrity. Yeah, if you’ve ever been a fixture at "EO" or "Macao," there are plenty of the familiar good ol’ boys here. Gotta say though— I’m getting a little tired of the played-out "boys’ club" look. Even Balthazar just put their first female behind the bar. It’s not the 1920’s anymore, guys; get over it already. Sometimes I like my cocktails handled by the warm, loving hands of the fairer sex.
Also, Odeon was 30 years ago, for chrissakes. We appreciate originality every once in a while, just so you know.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
The wine list is erudite but simple, straightforward, and reasonable. There’s a lot to like about this list, especially in its sagacious congruity with the space.
The cocktail list is— well, did I mention EO and Macao? Yeah, just like that. Pretty much what you’d expect.
Please rate the Dining Room:
Nice. Warm. Welcoming. Good use of the square footage. Well-controlled chaos.
Please rate the BOH:
An agreeable perspective on your typical "bistro" menu, but what— no onion soup? No burger? Just kidding.
Surprisingly well-executed. A few hiccups on the timing, but no biggie. The food really is a lot better than I’d expected.
How was the staff?
Did I mention EO and Macao? Yeah, just like that. Pretty much what you’d expect.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
Cured Meats (Prosciutto di parma, Sopressata, Lardo): OK, but the lardo didn’t come "melting on grilled bread" as suggested. So, why would anyone want to eat a small slab of lardo? Otherwise, perfectly fine.
Burrata "Special": Very good and fresh. Why am I so surprised the kitchen is so on-point here? What is it about this place?
Sauteed Mushrooms: Delicious. A great little salad. Who’s the chef again?
Escarole Caesar Salad: Even this is impressive. Is it me, or did someone with authority up in this organization suddenly decide food is important?
Linguini with Clam Sauce : Wow. Simple, but great. Old-world style great. Like, Umberto’s old-world style great. ♪ Memmmmorieeeeeees… ♪♪
Sirloin Steak: OK, that’s it, I’m sold. Oh wait, I’m in midtown? Fuck that. (Just kidding.)
What did you like?
Call me crazy, but the quality of the meal was an astonishing pleasure.
What did you dislike?
Well, there was this exchange between my friend and I earlier in the evening, "51st and what? Get the fuck outta here."
What was your last impression?
I’m impressed.
Would you come back?
"51st and what? Get the fuck outta here." Well, I’d probably have to be in the area already. Also, it’s crowded. Kind of a hassle. And like I said, I’m a little tired of the "boys’ club" look.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thanks, it was a pleasure.
Welcome to: Where I Spent My Day Off —by a NYC Restaurant "Insider"
So, what do you do in the industry?
I’m an architect, but I worked in the F&B/Nightlife industries for about 8 years as both a waitress and a doorperson at several [very popular] places in NYC.
And you have how many days off a week, generally?
Right now, ostensibly, I have weekends off, but often I end up working one way or another either one or both of those days. When I worked in nightlife, usually I had 2 to 3 days off a week.
What did you do for breakfast yesterday?
I was up pretty early so I ordered room service and had coffee and pastries while I did some work on my laptop. My boyfriend ended up sleeping in ’til later in the morning, which turned out well, since I was able to get a lot more work done. When he finally got up, he said he wasn’t hungry, so we skipped breakfast and headed straight for the beach.
Lunch?
The Setai is very close to the W where we’re staying, so we decided to leave our things and walk over and have lunch at the pool bar there. It’s actually one of my favorite places on the beach; I think the food is great there. We had the caprese salad and the caesar salad, which were both very good, but the ceviche was the best dish of all. It was a twist on a classic ceviche, with sour mango and jicama— so fresh and delicious. I also had a lychee martini, because the Setai makes the best one I’ve ever had— it’s not too sweet, because they use fresh lychee instead of the canned syrupy stuff. I don’t normally go for sweet tropical drinks, but it’s Miami!
And afterward?
Went back to our beach chairs and stayed a few more hours just lounging around. We ordered a bottle of white wine and enjoyed the sun and ocean. What a gorgeous day it was.
Afterward we decided to go for a walk on the promenade, and since we ended up walking farther than we thought, I sent a message to a friend of mine from NYC that we happened to run into the day before at the W bar. I haven’t seen her in years, and she and her husband just happened to be in Miami the same weekend!
She answered my text message pretty quickly, so we decided to stroll over to the Mondrian where they were staying. I had planned at some point to go and see it anyway, so that worked out really well.
When we got to the Mondrian, they were sitting by the pool in a cabana, so we just joined them for a drink. It turns out there’s a great view of the sunset from the bay side of Miami Beach, so it was beautiful to hang out there.
When I’d been booking our hotel for this visit, I actually couldn’t decide between the Mondrian and W, but because my boyfriend likes the beach, I chose the W. Well, evidently, Mondrian guests have access to the Delano beach, which I didn’t realize. If I had known that, I probably would have booked us at the Mondrian instead. It’s a very cute hotel, and even though I think the W is also very nice, somehow the crowd at the Mondrian seems cooler and more urbane to me. I think next time I’ll very likely try staying at the Mondrian.
Dinner?
We left our friends so that they could get showered and ready for dinner and took a walk back down the promenade toward the beach. I guess we were getting tired, because the walk seemed longer, and my boyfriend started feeling hungry. It was still early though (about 6:30PM) so we decided to just pop into Nobu for a light nibble, because he loves it. We weren’t dressed, so we just sat at the bar, which worked out fine, because apparently the dining room doesn’t open until 7PM anyway.
We ordered a medium-sized bottle of sake and had the shishito peppers, the rock shrimp and the yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño. I felt like we didn’t order that much at all, but that still ended up being $144 (including auto-gratuity).
And afterward?
Went back to the hotel to shower. It just so happens our friends that were staying at the Mondrian had reservations at Mr. Chow, so we planned to meet them there later. We weren’t hungry anymore after our meal at Nobu, so we just decided to sit by the pool and have another drink.
We stopped into Mr. Chow to see our friends, and even though we had only planned to join them for drinks and not dinner, it turned out they had two extra seats at their table anyway, so we sat down with them. Since we weren’t that hungry, we just had the chicken satay, the quail lettuce wraps and the shrimp spring rolls (which, obviously, are Mr. Chow classics). There seemed to be a lot of familiar faces there that night, and Michael Chow even stopped by the table to say hello.
Then after dinner, we all decided to check out Wall. Seeing the doorman initially was a turnoff, but he ended up being very nice. Inside was very dark (despite the neon laser light show patterns) and loud, so we ended up just taking a quick look around and leaving, because none of us were feeling into that kind of scene. So we just went to the main lobby bar instead, which was a lot more comfortable and easy-going.
How much did you blow today?
Oh god, I don’t even know. But I guess if I had to estimate? For everything all day? Maybe about $425? (Our friends got the check at Mr. Chow, and my boyfriend paid the tab at the W lobby bar).
= "personne extraordinaire"