2474 replies to this topic

[Daisy]

I had dinner at the Biltmore Room a couple of nights ago and although the food was pretty decent it would not surprise me if they don't last much longer. I live close by and pass often and until a couple of months ago the bar was usually packed. This no longer seems to be the case. We were there from 6:30 until almost 9:00 and the place was never full and there were a lot of what appeared to be tourists.

And there is a sort of pall over the place---the original problems I had with BR---spacy,distracted service and seats that are too low (at my second meal there, soon after it opened, I observed servers bringing colorful pillows to diners who had apparently voiced my complaint)--have never been addressed. Sitting in the bar having a cocktail while I waited for the rest of my group I had the pleasure of hearing the manager's profane rant about a broken ice machine or somesuch which he punctuated with frequent references to the fact that he was not the owner so did not care one way or the other. I had to ask for the $13 cocktail I had taken two sips of to be sent along to the table when we were seated. The server relentlessly upsold me on the wine which I went along with because two of us were taking the third out for her birthday and the difference was only $18. But when the wine arrived it was warm which I immediately pointed out. The server took the wine away and iced it, but it really wasn't ready to drink until we had our entrees.

The room is very pretty and the food can be quite good, but prices are high. My eggplant soup was $14! Dinner for three with one bottle of wine and tax and tip was $260 (the wine was $60). I expect polish commensurate with price from a restaurant, and BR does not deliver on that point.

[Rail Paul]

Add One c.p.s. at the Plaza Hotel to the list of places on their way to the guillotine. January 1

One c.p.s.

[cabrales]

One CPS is going because the Plaza changed hands.

[Rail Paul]

One CPS is going because the Plaza changed hands.

They're closing all the restos at the Plaza, correct?

[cabrales]

More than the restos.

[Lippy]

What else, Cabby?

[Squeat Mungry]

Saw this Op Ed from Sunday's Times. This is really sad.

I remember going to the Oak Room in the early '80s. Gorgeous.

Squeat

[g.johnson]

I was at a meeting at the Plaza at the weekend. It's looking decidedly threadbare. No wonder.

[Wilfrid1]

Last time I walked past The Mayflower Hotel on CPW, they were practically selling the furniture on the street. The food was unremarkable, but it was a pretty room for brunch or breakfast across from the park on a sunny day. And had one of the only bars in the area suitable for the over-40s.

[Rose]

Le Madri is closed.

[Melonious Thunk]

Le Madri is closed.

Pino Luango moved back to the kitchen at Centolire. Maybe the food will improve there.

[Melonious Thunk]

More than the restos.

The building is being coverted into residences. Hotel no longer.

[mitchells]

From looking at OpenTable for reservation availability for this week, for Death Pool purposes, I'll predict that Rick Moonen's RM will close in the not too distant future.

There are tables available for every night this week at virtually any time including a 1000 pt bonus on Saturday night at 9:30 PM.

Interestingly enough, his alma mater, Oceana, doesn't appear to be doing much better.

I guess I was right.

[Wilfrid1]

Wasn't the chef who recently opened Poetessa in the old East Post space, formerly at Le Madri?

[Lippy]

I doubt that it's quite the death pool, but Open Table is giving 1000 bonus points for a reservation at Alain Ducasse.