Micromanage My Life

[sweatshorts]

Thanks folks! We'll try Haenyeo, as we're currently planning to do Hometown in Industry City for lunch on Saturday after hitting all of the furniture warehouse stores out there.

[irnscrabblechf52]

Any recs for outdoor dining in lower Manhattan/Brooklyn? Friend coming in town - not very particular about food - but I’m curious what you all have been loving. Don’t need an extensive list, just passing ideas. I floated Dr. Clark a while ago based on the thread here, and they were into it, if that gives you a vague sense of their preferences. I’m very out of touch / don’t eat out much anymore.

[Chambolle]

Is Mifune still alive and kicking and worth going to ?

Like, is it good … or maybe even very good* ? Like, are the local yaks still yakking about it ? And like, has anyone actually parked their posterior in the place post-pandemic ? or ever, for that matter ? And if it’s good, what is the wine list like … (I’m presuming a total fucking ripoff like every other wine list in this super-shitty city for the thirsty … try saying those last five words five times fast** !) … because, if I were to go (and that’s not a given), I’m thinking it’s highly likely that I’ll gladly pay the $40 corkage … that way you won’t have to hear me whining on endlessly about wine prices in this god forsaken land

*I’m doubting it because you can actually get it on short notice and that’s a terribly bad sign in general

** not the f words, but s / c words with the terminal ys … it’s not that easy, at least not for me

[joethefoodie]

2 minutes ago, Chambolle said:

that way you won’t have to hear me whining on endlessly about wine prices in this god forsaken land

This is why we (mostly) cook and drink at home these days. Oh - that and the pandemic.

But I guess you don't have that luxury whilst here.

[Orik]

If it makes you feel better, Sake markups are much worse.

[Chambolle]

3 hours ago, Orik said:

If it makes you feel better, Sake markups are much worse.

Well I guess that’s kind of sort of a relative plus, right 😳 ?

[Chambolle]

But is the food good … or very good ?    [crickets]   …   [and more crickets]   …   because, frankly, the place is a bit geographically undesirable for me (would prefer to be below 14th and, if above, above on the west side … but you don’t always get what you want, do you) so my guest and I don’t really want to diagonally hike there unless we’ll be happy when we exit

I mean the food sure should be darn good given the Cast of characters involved

I mean all these people know how to cook and they know what a good resto is and the, ahem, “Menu Producer” is very experienced and very talented and he knows how to run a very good resto … so what gives !

I mean, like, I understand from experience that when you enter this country from France that they’ll confiscate your slabs upon slabs of sous-vide fromage. I get it … (well, they get it) … but I understand this cat and mouse luggage game. But what I don't understand is can they also confiscate the culinary talent of these chefs … can they ?

They can’t, right ?

[Chambolle]

I need some help here because the plan B at the moment is to blow off this “fine dining” flight of fancy and go to Chinese Tuxedo … which you can also get into on short notice … hmmm I wonder why …

[Orik]

We went once. It wasn't terrible but also not as good as the chefs' resumes would call for. Also they forgot that they were having some sort of promotional event upstairs that evening and still took reservations, sticking everyone in the not very nice basement, which turned it into a uniquely poor experience, so I wouldn't tell you to go or avoid based on it. (it might be worthwhile finding out who is still involved. I know they lost the sushi chef from Amane, but not if anything changed in the mifune kitchen.)

 

p.s. Maybe their owners "Tokyo Restaurant Factory" have indeed developed a device for talent removal? 

[Sneakeater]

I was going to say that it isn't terrible but not as good as the chef's resumes would call for.  But now it would be redundant.

[joethefoodie]

It's Monday night. Everywhere might suck.

You could probably have a decent time at Hawksmoor, and Monday is practically BYOB night.

I'm guessing you want Japanese. bff I assume is closed tonight?

[Chambolle]

I didn't say it's for tonight ... I did say short notice ie not next week or later, nor the impossible weekend-y amateur hours

I'm open to suggestions ... and I'll note that the ressie would be for 7.30pm plus or minus a tiny bit ... normally I'd scream about eating so early but since I'm jet-lagged I've graciously opted to be very accommodating timewise ...doesn't have be Asian either but it could be Asian ... I'm a very open-minded, equal-opportunity type of guy ... just make sure it's good ... and I'm not looking for fancy ... I want good ...

ETA - last night I just grilled some very good Debragga steaks for me and Mother Dear, so no steaks, thank you ... I've had my quota for the quarter ... and, if you must know, with grilled asparagus, red peppers and portobellos along with some mashed p's ... perfectly grilled and mucho juicy, if I must say so myself ... even Mother Dear agreed !

[joethefoodie]

Little Mad. That bff place Sneak and others like a lot. Wildair has been quite good lately.

[Orik]

Go to Sushi Ikumi, it's nice.

I haven't tried Yoshino yet, but I'll bet that's nice too, although more pricey. 

[Chambolle]

Sushi Ikumi seems like a very nice option … but impossible on short notice … darn

Yoshino has a very informative website ... not ! Seems like it opened a couple of days ago and is surely a “Let’s send Chambo there and have him take one for the team before we spend our hard-earned bitcoin on a super expensive, unknown NYC entity that’s still working out its kinks” type of place. Oh yeah, it’s also impossible to spend my $400 per person on short notice  … darn again ! $400 and then beverages ... double darn !!

Wallse has now been floated for dinner because of its geo-convenience and its outside dining option (with heaters, I assume / hope 😨) … hmmm … haven’t been there for probably 15 years … hmmm … I’m sure it’s gotten a lot better, right ?

Next topic

Looking for a good lunch option after visiting the Whitney and before checking out some Chelsea galleries. Needs to be open during the week ie no good if lunch is only on Sat / Sun. Not looking for a big / major lunch (ie I’m willing to spend an hour there, not more) but something good. Can be hyper casual if it’s good. Geo-wise, could be willing to go a little bit out of the way if worth it but not a lot

Any must see gallery expos in Chelsea at the moment ... I'll surely pop into the biggies by default ... like Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, Marlborough, Zwirner, Pace etc