Nancy S.

What's wrong is when the impression one has that it's nothing but wall-to-wall butter. When four out of six dishes are butter-based sauces, with not much contrast between each one. (It's been a while since I've been, but I can't imagine that it's gotten better; if anything, it sounds like there's been a decline.) Ideally, I'd love a pasta menu, since that's my favorite course in a restaurant that focuses on Italian-inspired cuisine, but I too am wary of too much butter, and would be reluctant to order it anywhere, especially in this type of place in New York. I'm reminded of the New Yorker article of years past that considered a dinner at Aureole most likely involved consuming a pound of butter. Most recently, that was certainly the case at a dinner at Per Se. And I love butter more than anyone else I know. Nevertheless.

In my opinion, the Rome restaurant cooking is not as delicious as I would think it could be.

i always forget caviar russe. i'm saving 21 Club because this is probably going to take at least 2 lunchesIf I were you, I'd turn the "at least" two lunches into one excellent and super expensive dinner, with the hope that geography will not be a limiting factor.

Time-release, to me, seems to connote a tasting menu- type of small (nuanced) courses delivered for a crescendo effect. (I actually prefer this type of eating, since I'm easily bored by big plates of protein, etc.)

I like Koy Shunka. I especially like Morro Fi for pre-dinner drinking.

At the original Chanterelle, even back then, for me, I thought I "wasted" a course with the sausage -- too buttery, too one-dimensional, too easy.

Ralph Gardner is a really nice guy, but if as he'll confirm, he's not a food guy.

Saturne?

The food menu is quite prosaic -- beets with goat cheese, warm chocolate cake . . .

I'm a big fan of Miele. We gutted our apartment and designed a new kitchen. I'm incredibly happy with our appliances -- fridge, oven, cook top, dishwasher, fan -- all Miele. (And, in Paris, so reasonably priced.) We also put in a washer and proper dryer in our laundry room, and both work brilliantly. When we renovate here in NY, I will replace my current models with Miele.

If their Gruyère is funky, something's wrong. Could be the cheese, could be the writer. Could be both. If it's truly aged, perhaps, but I doubt both, actually.

My memory of the seafood sausage is the opposite -- the beurre blanc sauce was one-dimensional and cloying, to me. Perhaps if it were served with a more nuanced seafood-based sauce I would be eager to try again.

I liked Clouds.

Rouge Tomate

Yay, you're back! (But I do want to ask you about Es, since it's my local.)