The Flon

The women who ran White Gold Butcher on the UWS have started a meat delivery service from their farm upstate last month. We have been happy with their level of service and the product. I really loved that place so am glad to have them back in my life in some way. First thing I did when my ground beef arrived is try to recreate their chopped cheese sandwich at home. IT WAS GOOD but...theirs was over the moon. It's a subscription service https://jegeneral.com/

That fried Agnolotti: looks good to me!

He told me the funds would be disbursed at Farrell's so I'm heading there now!

Bidet all day. It's given our apartment the luxury of taking an Antoinette "Let them eat cake" attitude to our toilet paper supply

Seems like this week should be safe, maybe next week too depending on infection rates. I wonder how this will play out in the ultra orthodox community. Maybe the measles outbreak changed the attitude there but I'm not sure. The bar at Frenchette was about 1/2 full when I arrived yesterday at 6:00pm. I told the the hostess about my dining companion having bailed and she mentioned that they'd had about 15 cancellations already today. Posted up at the bar for solo dinner and by the time I was leaving (close to 9) the bar was MAYBE 1/2 full still. Dining room was probably 2/3 full. And my notifications are BLOWING UP about availability at 4 Charles Prime Rib. Of course, it's still 5:00pm openings.

Well...my dining companion has just begged off for tonight(HE HAS A FEVER or wanted to bail in the most undiplomatic fashion). Looks like I can get whatever fucking wine I want now.

Everything is creeping up. The duck is $10 more than when they opened, I believe. For wine, depends what the dining companion orders / if you want funky or not. The duck (or steak) is a pretty straightforward dish that could be a neutral backdrop for a number of off the beaten path wines. Matassa's stuff can be pretty interesting... I haven't had the Brutal Rouge ($75) but I imagine it's something fun and a bit (or maybe a lot) outside the box. It's remarkable that the Brutal Rouge is the exact one I'd earmarked. Thanks!

It feels like the wine list prices keep creeping up somewhat aggressively. I was just there in January and felt like I saw more modestly priced selections. Is this the tariff war? Does anyone have a red recommendation for the duck? Would love to keep it at $70 but can go to $100 before my dining companion starts raising eyebrows. Might go for the steak too, if said companion is amenable https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59dbf46ec534a5f2363e3b4b/t/5e567db5d3e11b4136ccd391/1582726582199/Wine+_2_26_20++copy.pdf

Manhattan Chinatown was tumbleweeds last night. I know it's a Wednesday but I've never seen it that empty at night. The reports about the business drop-off is real. And very sad. We went to spend some money last night so had dinner at NY Noodletown and there were two tables when we arrived. Never been treated better there. Baby pig saltfish and chicken fried rice sauteed peas shoots Ms. Flon had never been and was over the moon By the time we were leaving a few more folks had arrived. And a contingent of Spanish tourists who were FASCINATED by the ducks hanging in the window. Told them to get the baby pig and they seemed fired up as they were overwhelmed by the menu. Next week we hit Vegetarian Dim Sum on Doyers

In other supernova developments...I was able to get a prime time-ish table for next Wednesday at Frenchette earlier this week.

The supernova level of coverage and love it's receiving makes it that I won't be here for a while (was able to at least try Golden Diner for lunch over the holiday season on a weekday off going at lunch right before they opened and 5 minutes after being seated, there was a 45 minute wait). And good on Ernesto's, most of the acclaim seems well deserved but this post on Bon Appetit is...a bit much: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/ernestos-nyc In particular: Just because that’s my move, doesn’t mean it has to be yours. Maybe you make the warmly lit, flower-filled space into a temporary residence over a relaxed five-hour dinner. Maybe you stop by Ernesto’s café next door for coffee and pastries on Saturday mornings. Maybe you drink wine at the bar before heading to some other Lower East Side spot. Whatever you do, you know where to find me, perched at the bar, eating pintxos, and drinking vermouth all night long. How in the fuck is this even remotely possible? And don't get me wrong...I would LOVE to have a five hour experience at a restaurant I liked. I love a long meal. It's happened once or twice in Europe. It's happened at Forlini's (!!!) but that was by starting at the bar then going to the dining room and ending at the bar again. There is room for that there and I've been going there for 15 years. Are people partying at Ernesto's like this?

That movie is arguably one of the root causes of my moving to New York. Hell, yes. I still want a bagel with cream cheese paper weight

Ah, I've been meaning to re-watch that movie for years. This weekend seems perfect.

I thought he worked at The Credit Suisse Building on 23rd & Madison?

ME TOO. That was a great night. I think I am still full from it.