475 replies to this topic

[Adrian]

It's also a marketing ploy and a bit of a joke. It's easy press and looks kind of fun. It's not a "signature dish" in the spirit of Oysters and Pearls or JG's foie brulee which got the title of signature dish by being awesome; it's a signature because DP decided that a 100 layer lasagne would be a fun thing to do and probably a good way to get a bit of press. It's like the lobster roll at Citronelle or Susur's chicken wings at the old Susur or the burger at Holeman and Finch or maybe even the pork buns at Ssam (tomato "burgers" at Blue Hill as well?). I'm sure there are others. It's not the basis on which to judge the entire restaurant. Let's not read too much into dishes like this.

[Orik]

Puh-lease. Color me cynical.

Do you have any idea how annoying it is to have someone who has not tried something you have eaten and liked tell you that it somehow wasn't any good? I mean it's one thing to disagree about things you've had. But to tell me and changeup we're wrong to like something you haven't had . . . it's sort of mind-boggling.

You know, I'm sure it's very good but making very good lasagna is really very very easy and serving it at a top restaurant is gauche.

eta: really a complete equivalent to serving you a slider as part of a tasting menu.

[Sneakeater]

That's sort of the beauty of this dish.

They've contrived a way to make it hard, so that you could have it at a so-called "top" restaurant and like it (if you like that sort of thing).

[Sneakeater]

In fact, to me, that's sort of Del Posto in a nutshell.

What's good about it, and what's bad about it.

[Stone]

That's sort of the beauty of this dish.

They've contrived a way to make it hard, so that you could have it at a so-called "top" restaurant and like it (if you like that sort of thing).

[Sneakeater]

I hope you saw the facetiousness in that post.

[Stone]

Yes, that's sort of the beauty in the post.

[Orik]

That's sort of the beauty of this dish.

They've contrived a way to make it hard, so that you could have it at a so-called "top" restaurant and like it (if you like that sort of thing).

You know how many heating elements they go through just to burn it perfectly every time?

[Suzanne F]

And I'm not saying that anyone who loved it is wrong; just that it does not appeal to me other than as a way to make a lot of money.

Given the description of the labor that goes into this thing, I am not so sure that it's a hugely profitable item. Whether you think it's a good use of their time, it's obviously VERY labor-intensive.

As it's available only as one item on a long tasting menu, I am quite sure they could substitute something that takes a lot less effort to prepare, and they'd still be selling tasting menus by the dozens.

And who do you think is making the elements and assembling the thing? Not Mark Ladner, that's for sure. More likely the minimum-wage prep cooks or unpaid interns (if they have those). There's probably one cook who does nothing but make pasta, so his/her skill from practice means that the mixing and rolling cuts the time down considerably from what a home cook would need. Unless the sauce is made in micro batches, and watched over/stirred constantly, the prep and attention are negligible. Assembling? Brush of sauce, slap down pasta sheet; repeat 50 times. The pasta is probably weighed out, not laid out. (Do you really think they'd take up the yards and yards of workspace to spread out 50 layers' worth? And have it dry out in the waiting?) So your argument that it's somehow worth the money because it's so labor-intensive is uninformed.

Can someone who's had it tell me if they tasted anything really, really special? Or is it just your basic flour-and-egg pasta (cheap even if they use the finest imported 00 flour and fancy-schmancy free-running handfed chicken eggs) and tomato-based sauce (also cheap)?

Face it, IT'S LEFTOVERS, REHEATED BADLY. If that can be a signature dish . . .

[changeup]

To be a stickler about it, I suppose the signature dish is the fresh version. Although barely anyone eats that.

[Orik]

his/her skill from practice means that the mixing and rolling cuts the time down considerably from what a home cook would need.

http://www.google.co...ved=0CFkQ8gIwAA

[Wilfrid]

It looks better when it's not burned, although it still looks like a Man v. Food item rather than something from a fancy restaurant.



Of course, I enjoyed Del Posto because I didn't get any schlocky (no doubt delicious, Sneakeater) Italian-American style dishes.

[Suzanne F]

his/her skill from practice means that the mixing and rolling cuts the time down considerably from what a home cook would need.

http://www.google.co...ved=0CFkQ8gIwAA

Shhhh . . . don't let Daniel see that.

Naw, that thing looks like it's for spaghetti, linguine, etc. At least when you buy it you get brass . . . dies.


This is more what Del Posto would probably have. To almost get those layers of pasta thin enough, don'tcha know.

BTW: to try making that dish at home, one could always use wonton wrappers.

[Wilfrid]

Someone on Ch just asked, Del Posto or Peasant?

[Stone]

It looks better when it's not burned, although it still looks like a Man v. Food item rather than something from a fancy restaurant.



Of course, I enjoyed Del Posto because I didn't get any schlocky (no doubt delicious, Sneakeater) Italian-American style dishes.

I will say, that does look good. I'd pay $12.95 for a good sized square. Assuming, of course, it's topped with a goodly amount of cheese and baked.