88 replies to this topic

[Daisy]

They really do need to improve the bread. I found that garlic bread quite repulsive.

[omnivorette]

Ha - I liked the garlic bread. But I agree they need to have some regular good bread too.

[Melonious Thunk]

They really do need to improve the bread. I found that garlic bread quite repulsive.

Good word for it.

[omnivorette]

Well I had two pieces and we were served 8 pieces - and I believe they were all gone...

[Melonious Thunk]

Well I had two pieces and we were served 8 pieces - and I believe they were all gone...

I think the second portion was not garlicked, or it was much better. The first stuff was like slimey feeling inside. I thought the booth was very comfortable and spacious, by the way, which is unusual these days.

[omnivorette]

And the fact that you are getting svelter by the minute...

[Melonious Thunk]

And the fact that you are getting svelter by the minute...

[Rose]

You know his motto: Gimme Svelter

[Steven Dilley]

Thunk, you're a sly one. What'd you do to deserve lunch in such company?

[Rose]

MT, tell him about the song you were singing on the way to this four-way, er I mean foursome.

[yvonne johnson]

Dinner at BLT Fish upstairs dining room last night. The room is very much like BLT Steak's; lots of cream and white, and big tables with dark table mats. The wood that was evident when it was AZ is gone and the room feels lighter. It was packed and the atmosphere was anything but light, the noise was much, much worse than I experienced at BLT Steak (but we were in an alcove of sorts there). By the end I couldn't wait to get out.

And, sadly, I'm in no big hurry to go back. I was so looking forward to going, but the food was so-so, overall.

But I'll start with the incongruous highlight of the meal: Cheddar and chive biscuits arrived warm with a pot of butter drizzled with honey. Around the size of your palm, they were salty-sweet and delicious. However, like the pop-over gimmick at BLT Steak, they don't enhance a meal, in my view. The heavy biscuits, yes, divine, but they don't complement a meal comprisng all fish.

Dungeness Crab Meat with avocado/ grapefruit vinaigrette ($17) for me to start. In a very deep bowl, that looked fine but was awkward to eat out of, a little heap of meat in a puddle of very nice vinaigrette and on top a claw. A light dish, but lacking depth of flavor--the avocado and grapefruit were not noticeable.

G chose the "Grilled Ecuadorian Shrimp spicy red bell peppers" ($23) for his appetizer and you'll note that tapenade is not described as an accompaniment. The jumbo shrimps were clarted with it though and the result was horrible, I thought. Nothing wrong with these things in isolation (indeed the tapenade and the billed peppers on the side were good on their own) but this was a bad combination. A diner at the next table who opted for the same dish fully agreed.

For mains we both had the Belgian Dover Sole "grilled simply with olive oil" (The list of whole fish lists their prices per pound, in this case, $34.00). From what I could hear our waiter say, I believe our fish for 2 weighed 1& 1/2 pounds. We thought it would come whole to table but it was already filleted, and it was overcooked for my liking, G's piece less so. The Lemon-Caper Brown Butter was very good. Sides are extra: decent Grilled Asparagus ($8), and pretty good Silver Dollars ($7), basically wafer-thin slices of potato browned in the oven, I guess.

A bottle of Sancerre (a little on the warmish side, at least when first opened) brought the bill to $230, all in, if I remember right.

We sat not far from the open-plan kitchen and there appeared to be 101 chefs under Tourondel's supervision. I imagine there is a range of chef styles--manic conductors to silent directors. Tourondel seems to belong to the latter, and his manner seemed to be reflected in the food.

A photographer, with tripod, was there snapping away when we arrived, so I imagine Bruni's review is soon to follow.

And thanks to Daisy for making the reservation, and sorry she couldn't make it.

[Rail Paul]

NY Post:

BLT Fish affirms a truth universally ignored by globe-trotting food snobs: No city's seafood between L.A. and Moscow beats New York's for freshness and variety, thanks to specialized purveyors who fly the catch in from far and wide.

And when it comes to sublime preparation, New York chefs rule. Take Laurent Tourondel, the LT of BLT and former pilot of short-lived French seafood palace Cello.

BLT Fish

[GG Mora]

And this, from The New Yorker.

[Wilfrid1]

Adam Platt's take is more consistent with the word of mouth I've heard than Bruni's three star boost.

New York

Looking on menupages, I am struck by how little the operation appears to resemble the "rehearsal" we experienced in the Union Pacific space. I don't see anything like the lobster tasting we enjoyed.

[Daisy]

eggshells filled with scrambled eggs, littleneck clams, and caviar

That sounds good. Although perhaps not worth the price of admission. I have been to the downstairs portion three times and until they start chilling properly the white wines served by the glass and stop insisting that the entire party's oysters must be served en masse on one plate I see no reason to return.