La Sirena

[Sneakeater]

Gerry -- The original configuration of this space (previously used by John DeLucie for his restaurant there) was that there were two disconnected pavilions, each of them serving as a dining area. Only one of them had direct access to the kitchen (which was in only one of the two pavillions). Waiters had to go outside to get between the two dining areas.

 

When B&B took over, they built a sort of internal bridge connecting the two pavilions. That is now the bar area. They decided to keep that space separate from the dining areas, rather than incorporating them into it.

[LiquidNY]

The dining rooms seat 500 and Gerry couldn't get a table at 10pm?!?

[Sneakeater]

Yeah. This place is HOT.

[mitchells]

All of the seating is not yet open. And I think there are 250 seats, not 500.

 

ETA 220 Seats. http://luckypeach.com/inside-la-sirena-mario-batali/

[Sneakeater]

(Maybe the "500" figure includes the bar, though.)

[Sneakeater]

And, as Mitchell says, some of the right-hand-side dining-room seating isn't open yet.

[juuceman]

It's only seating 120 now. It looks like their PR people are controlling a lot of the tables as well. I was offered a larger table on opening night by a concierge company that has been pushing the Major Food Group's places as well.

 

i loved La Bottega. Great location. The outdoor brunch was perfect. Curious to see how this plays out, but no reason it won't kill it, especially during the Spring/Summer when the neighborhood is a mob scene.

[Sneakeater]

Yeah. It's hard to see how they could fail.

[Sneakeater]

All of the seating is not yet open. And I think there are 250 seats, not 500.

 

ETA 220 Seats. http://luckypeach.com/inside-la-sirena-mario-batali/

 

THANKS.

[nuxvomica]

 

They just opened - they'll probably start serving the full menu at the bar in a couple months.

 

To give them their due, they say they don't serve the dining room menu at the bar because they want the bar to function as a bar, not an extension of the dining room. They don't want drinkers to be supplanted by diners, as they are at Babbo, Lupa, and Del Posto. They want the bar to become something of a scene.

 

Given the location, I think there's a shot at that.

 

In any event, I can't believe they won't give it till the end of the summer to see.

 

 

oh, just wait for the Times review to be out.

[Orik]

Eating "basic" Italian food at a 250 seat hotel dining room sounds just dreamy.

 

My dream ticket: you come in with a four top and order an antipasto, the misto if you want to be Italian. It’s salami, breadsticks, cheeses, mozzarella—too much food for two. Then you order two pastas. We’re doing what’s called a bis—a taste of two pastas on the same plate—which we’ve always done at Del Posto. And for the secondi, get the steak for two and split it four ways. You don’t need to eat fourteen ounces of protein, you need to eat three or four. In all honesty, after three ounces of protein, I’m tired of chewing anyway, whatever it is.

 

 

Which is it, Batali? should two people stuff themselves silly with breadsticks, and those famous non-protein items - mozz, "cheeses", and salami? or only eat three or four ounces of steak for two which you're going to price as steak for four?

[joethefoodie]

Eating "basic" Italian food at a 250 seat hotel dining room sounds just dreamy.

 

Eating almost any food at a 250 seat hotel dining room sounds just dreamy to me.

 

B & B - We're Bringing Las Vegas to NYC!

[juuceman]

 

Eating "basic" Italian food at a 250 seat hotel dining room sounds just dreamy.

 

Eating almost any food at a 250 seat hotel dining room sounds just dreamy to me.

 

B & B - We're Bringing Las Vegas to NYC!

 

In their defense, the patio was one of the nicest places for breakfast, brunch, and lunch, when it was La Bottega. Food was better than it needed to be, and the service was as well. At night, they lit it all twinkly and it would get mobbed with pretty people.

[Wilfrid]

I do remember breakfast on the patio at La Bottega. Looking outward from that hotel is better than looking inward, even in that spot.

 

But the Brits are standing with Maltesers on the mass-catered basic Italian food.

[Wilfrid]

Here we go again:

 

You don’t need to eat fourteen ounces of protein, you need to eat three or four. In all honesty, after three ounces of protein, I’m tired of chewing anyway, whatever it is.

 

 

Oh sure, you're tired of chewing.

 

People have been happy as the legendary Larry eating massive steaks for years. If you can't make your margins serving them any more, then fine, we get it. But this comment is on a par with pretending that people are sick to death of foie gras and truffles and much happier with turnip greens.

 

(I don't remember Mario saying how tired of beef he was when Manzo was opening.)