The Pete Wells Thread

[Rich]

Interesting that a fair number of comments lament the "out-of-town" reviewing, and almost as many lambaste those for being by "provincial New Yorkers." Very few are actually about the restaurant or its food.

That's because very little of the article is devoted to food. Most of it is about waiting on line, the seating arrangements and blocking the path to the restroom(s).

 

Certainly in the hunt for worst restaurant review of the year by anyone - congratulations PW.

[prasantrin]

I'm normal and I would eat there! Except there's no fricking way I would stand in/on line for Filipino food. WTF are those line standers thinking?

 

But if any of you are non-normal and would like to stand in/on line to take one for the team, please do so you can report back. I am curious if it's really good Filipino food, or if it's just i-am-so-cool-for-trying-and-knowing-about-filipino-food good filipino food.

[Sneakeater]

Who here would know?

[prasantrin]

Simon would know. Maybe someone could convince him to go. And then pop in here and report back. He's the only one (that I'm aware of) with a filipino connection that i would trust regarding reviews of filipino food. (Yes, i am aware of at least one member who is filipino, but Simon is the only one whose opinion I would trust)

[Rich]

Yes, that's what I meant - the standing in line part, not the food. I don't know any "normal" person who would do that.

I'm normal and I would eat there! Except there's no fricking way I would stand in/on line for Filipino food. WTF are those line standers thinking?

and to add - I wouldn't stand in line for any type food. The only reason I haven't been back to LCC is because of their ridiculous reservation system.

[Lex]

Yes, that's what I meant - the standing in line part, not the food. I don't know any "normal" person who would do that.

I'm normal and I would eat there! Except there's no fricking way I would stand in/on line for Filipino food. WTF are those line standers thinking?

 

 

and to add - I wouldn't stand in line for any type food. The only reason I haven't been back to LCC is because of their ridiculous reservation system.

 

Oh come on Rich. That's you in the 14th spot.

 

[Rich]

True, but that's a line for the bumper-car ride.

[Sneakeater]

Having talked to the reservations people there, I think Lcc's problem isn't their reservations policy, it's that they're slammed beyond anything they ever expected. You look into their eyes and you see sheer terror. It was easy enough to make reservations there when they first opened.

(Meanwhile, Augustine -- which, being a McNally place, does have a duplicitous reservations policy -- was nevertheless itself slammed last night, right up to [and past] closing time.) (And, except for me, most of these men and women were beautiful.) (I walked in, in case you're wondering.)

[Rich]

Having talked to the reservations people there, I think Lcc's problem isn't their reservations policy, it's that they're slammed beyond anything they ever expected. You look into their eyes and you see sheer terror. It was easy enough to make reservations there whey they first opened.

 

Agreed. I had no problem getting a table when it first opened. But now, reservations at 9-10pm on a weekday night don't work, since Peggy and I are up before 6am to go to work. And where do we go until 9pm? And then the drive back to Staten Island.

 

Someday, the food will become mediocre and then I'll be able to get a 7-8pm reservation. Hope I don't need to wait too long.

[mitchells]

it'll die down well before the food becomes mediocre.

[voyager]

....reservations at 9-10pm on a weekday night don't work.... And where do we go until 9pm?

 

I've always wondered this. And/or how to arrive unsloshed if you've been hanging out for 2 to 3 hours?

[Sneakeater]

You go to law school and get a job where it's the easiest thing in the world to work till 9.

[Rich]

 

....reservations at 9-10pm on a weekday night don't work.... And where do we go until 9pm?

 

I've always wondered this. And/or how to arrive unsloshed if you've been hanging out for 2 to 3 hours?

 

Yes, it's not much of a problem if one lives in Manhattan, but any outer borough person will have a difficult time unless they work close to their home. Since Peggy and I don't, it's certainly problematic.

[voyager]

You go to law school and get a job where it's the easiest thing in the world to work till 9.

 

I went to school so I wouldn't have to work til 9.

[Wilfrid]

On the one hand, the Times goes through all these hoops to underline the independent probity of the restaurant critic's judgment. Holy of holies.

 

Then they make him review restaurants he wouldn't otherwise have considered for commercial editorial reasons.

 

The latter is fine, but the two sit uneasily together.