marcus

OK, I'll bite. This is a sincere personal statement, and I have no agenda. I am a lifelong NYC resident, born in Brooklyn, schooled at Columbia, and no youngster. Our recent trip across Northern Spain from Pamplona to Santiago helped clarify what I find compelling in a restaurant. This region is not known as one of the world's great food areas, nor were any of these restaurants among the best in the world. However in some, not all, of the restaurants, such as Echaurren in Ezcaray, Estella del Bajo Carrion in Villoldo, and Casa Marcelo in Santiago, excellent raw materials were trea

La Broche is the other 2 star restaurant in Madrid. I didn't seriously consider it, as recent buzz has not been very good, and it is Adria inspired, which is not a plus. I have eaten once at Can Fabes in 2003, and enjoyed it quite a bit, better than the meal reported on this thread. I considered it a solid 3 star, probably in the 3d quartile of quality, as compared to the French 3 star places. I really have very little dining opportunity in Madrid, as we will be leaving on Monday, and absolutely nothing serious is open Sunday evening.

It has 2. We're having dinner there this Saturday.

Second the rec. We had two meals there last year. Quite reasonably priced for both lunch and dinner. Across the street from Four Seasons George V I had an awful meal there more recently than you two, I think. Whatever you do, don't do the tasting menu. She is a very well known provencale chef. I only ate in her original Olivades restaurant in the 7th. The food was simple, but good. Perhaps she is overreaching. The other question is tasting menus. Although there are exceptions, in my experience ordering a la carte in Paris yields a significantly better meal in four out of five

There is a fine line here before the board approaches sterility.

Their meals at Trio were in part amazing and in part significantly flawed. My impression is that based on those meals, they felt that Achatz had great potential, and they expected him to realize that potential at Alinea. The issue is not what he is capable of producing, which is evidently at a very high level, but what he actually does produce, which in the case of the meal described, was quite poor. One must distinguish between potential, expectation and realization. However, "the level of chefg's cuisine" must ultimately be measured based on realization.

There is no personal hostility in the actual restaurant review, so having it available on the public blog should solve the issue regarding access to the dining information.

Um, why? Not being flippant, but I'm interesting as to how you figure this... If one assumes, that the recent extraordinarily negative reviews are largely valid, which I think is quite likely.

We've heard this from you many times before, that one can only have a valid opinion when one experiences something oneself. This is nonsense. Beliefs are formed from many sources of information, and personal experience is only one and not necessarily the best. I could go into this further, but it really should be apparent.

I personally find this very convincing, as they are very experienced diners, and clearly went into the meal prepared and expecting to love it. Of all of the early reviews that I have read so far on the various food boards, this is the only one that doesn't strike me as being, at least in part, agenda driven. My guess is that the restaurant is in deep trouble, and it will be interesting to see what develops after the initial wave of early adopters finishes washing over.

Only if you go with the most limited expectations. Il Bagatto is much better.

There is clearly a trending down in the majority of reviews of Per Se, even without considering the ones that are totally negative. I wonder whether this is due to any real decline, or to people getting over their initial enthusiasms and becoming more objective.

I think that what you are doing is setting up a straw man, and using it to assert that anyone who seriously criticizes Per Se doesn't know what they're talking about. I would agree that Lander's review was far out and kind of absurd, but many other more or less negative reviews have been quite credible. In addition, stating that one doesn't agree with Keller's culinary philosophy regarding small portions, is not imposing a framework, it is an independent judgment. One may be fully open minded, and just determine that one doesn't enjoy that approach. With regard to reviews by people who

I don't believe that this is a fair comparison. Gaijin approach a Kaiseki meal as something foreign and exotic. They might enjoy it, or not, but they wouldn't presume to critique the format itself, as they wouldn't view it as being within their sphere of experience and expertise. Per Se is an American restaurant, and it is perfectly valid for some people to categorically criticize the format of very small portions, and for others not to. After visiting Per Se once or twice, those who dislike the format will probably stop going. As long as there are enough tourists and people who like

Credible well consructed review. Leaves me not wanting to go to the restaurant or the bar room either.

If Ducasse fired Delouvrier because of Frank Bruni, then Ducasse is an idiot and I've lost all respect for him. I suspect that it is really just an excuse for a relationship that wasn't working. From many perspectives, including basic approaches to food, there was never a good fit, which was apparent even before they got together.

There is a strong rumor being reported on EG that Delouvrier is out at ADNY.

I think that we are floundering on this price issue, as we don't know the quality of fish that's being used. There are quality levels that would justify their prices.

I believe that Bofinger is now part of the Flo group. I would be sceptical, unless I had specific info to the contrary.

Depends on the size of the head, a 2 pound bluefish could probably serve 3. The pricing does not seem all that bad, providing that they are really getting the very best stuff. Sablefish fillets, admittedly not whole fish, are $25/pound at Wild Edibles, and I recently saw gray sole fillets at Pisacane for $29/pound.

How was the food at Lucas Carton? Did you form an opinion, and how does it compare to Arpege and Ambroisie?

A recent report on another board indicated that BYO was still $75 in a private dining room, but only for up to 5 bottles. If you brought 6 or more, you needed to pay an additional $350 for a private sommelier in addition to continuing to pay the $75/btl.

supply and demand

Thanks Wilfrid, this explains a lot. I would describe Lander as a reviewer who is impressionistic rather than analytic. It is a valid approach, but definitely contrasts with the analytic method which has become de rigueur on the internet food boards, where restaurant reviews tend to be a dish by dish compendium, often missing the forest for the trees. I can understand the ire that many feel towards his heretical approach. On the other hand, I can't say that I personally agree with his conclusions. Any reviewer who lauds Gotham Bar and Grill and Blue Smoke, is not a reviewer for me.

In order to do this, you will need to create a scoring system, otherwise you will have a popularity contest, where restaurants that more people have visited, will inevitably do better.