taion Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 Was their cutlery silver-plated or just plain stainless? I thought it looked like it was silver plated but it's possible I'm just being dumb. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Melonius Thunk Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 Good tasting food in a nice place well served and priced. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
taion Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 I dunno. I think a restaurant is formal if I think I have to wear a jacket there. Le Coucou definitely isn't formal in THAT sense. I really want to push back on this a little bit more. They have white tablecloths. The captains all wear suits. They put out candles (actual candlesticks!) with the fancy candle snuffers that are the little cones on the end of sticks. It's just really interesting that we think of this place as being informal. Like, if you were to look at just a photo of the dining room during service, I think you would absolutely think Le Coucou were a formal restaurant. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sneakeater Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 I'll rethink this the next time I go (which actually is a matter of hours). I'll tell you what, though. The first time I walked into that dining room, I was struck by how much less formal it seemed than the pictures I'd seen had led me to expect. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
taion Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 The room itself is probably the most notably informal element – painted exposed brick, antiqued paint finish, &c. But the contents of the room... It's possible I got a different impression because we sat in the considerably more spacious front section, though. Looking at We got one of those round tables that could fit 4... so also just tons and tons of space. The back section of the dining room looks a bit more cramped, I guess. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sneakeater Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 Yeah, we were in the back section. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johannabanana Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Reminds me that the difference between ordinary and great with food like this is a matter of execution and ingredients. It is a result of very small increments of timing and amounts. I totally agree with this notion of very small - but all important - increments. Indeed multiple meals at the same restaurant can often vary by these small increments and feel completely different from each other as a result. How "informal" is Le Coucou? Would my husband be out of place wearing smart shorts? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
taion Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 It's the rare place where anything between shorts and jacket and tie would be acceptable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sneakeater Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Live from the dining room: NOT formal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
taion Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 What's the point of having white tablecloths and suit-wearing staff in 2016 in a non-formal restaurant? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Melonius Thunk Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 He'd feel uncomfortable wearing shorts here. They may not say anything but he'd look like a bumpkin to the diners. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Melonius Thunk Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Sorry but I fail to grasp the significance of this formal/informal debate. The place is beautiful and comfortable, the staff in foh and kitchen are dressed as appropriate for a serious restaurant, and the food is great. Guest are not required to wear "dress clothes". (Jackets and ties for men, evening dress for women) tho many guests are well dressed. Like Stone Barns, it is a fine dining atmosphere but not stuffy or self conscious. I'd like more discussion of the specific dishes, as I haven't tried the entire menu, and plan to. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
joethefoodie Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 I really want to push back on this a little bit more. They have white tablecloths. The captains all wear suits. They put out candles (actual candlesticks!) with the fancy candle snuffers that are the little cones on the end of sticks. It's just really interesting that we think of this place as being informal. Like, if you were to look at just a photo of the dining room during service, I think you would absolutely think Le Coucou were a formal restaurant. Of course you do. Do you know what the definition of the noun "vibe" is? Le Coucou's isn't formal...and it's pretty simple. You don't need to figure out the silverware to figure this out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
oakapple Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 The formality to the extent it's there is just so effortless that you don't notice it unless you look... and then you see it wherever you look. This is more of a statement about you than the restaurant. I mean, to regular patrons of Daniel, that seems "effortless," simply because it is what they know and have always been comfortable with. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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