F&F: The Breslin

November 10th, 2009 by Vanilla Ice

thebreslin

PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW

Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of lucks[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !

The Breslin

What was your first impression?
Nice. Looks like it’s been here forever….

Please rate the Bar:
Love the old-world antique feel. As for the bartenders, anyone who opens with, "Hey, I used to serve you at…" is OK by me. Way to make me feel special, memorable and appreciated— and I’m not even a celebrity. Nothing beats a warm, knowledgable, professional, been-around-the-block-a-few-times staff. And in a place like this, they fit right in like a comfy old shoe.

Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
Impressive in its simplicity yet suitability. Love the enthusiasm and erudition over the obscure, esoteric draughts. This is the best Bloody Mary I’ve had outside New Orleans, and I just emailed a friend (and fellow Bloody Mary lover) to let her know exactly where to find it.

Please rate the Dining Room:
Smart and well-structured. Conventional but elegant. Rustic but polished. An improvement over The Spotted Pig, and a far cry from John Dory, that’s for sure….

Please rate the BOH:
Pretty damned good, especially considering it’s all right here smack in front of my face. I just blew April Bloomfield a kiss, but she didn’t catch it.
:(

ace_hotel

How was the staff?
They’re all very casual in their service and demeanor, but I guess it works. Just like the ambience, you would swear they’ve been here a lifetime. Not particularly amiable per se, but certainly adept and proficient in that well-qualified-but-disenchanted kind of way. It’s possible anything more would have been unnerving anyway.

What did you eat?/ How was the food?
Bone Marrow Soup: Good. Tasty. I can see how it might be a little salty for some (my friend’s opinion), but personally it works for me.
Caesar Salad: Also very good. (You’d be amazed how many places can screw up a Caesar Salad.) And is that fried parsley? Whatever it is, nice touch. I don’t know if I can necessarily detect the anchovy in the croutons, but I like them anyway.
3-Cheese Sandwich with Ham: Wow, that’s rich. But if you’re worried about your cholesterol, this ain’t a sandwich for you anyhow. I can think of a few paninis around town that could learn a lesson or two from this thing (except maybe the price).
Lamb Burger: Considering I’m not even a lamb fan, pretty darned good. Juicy, tender and flavorful.
Baked Beans in Pork Fat: OK, this is where I draw the line. Personally not my thing, but I knew that before they even landed on the table. My buddy sure seems to be enjoying them though (but his favorite restaurant is Gray’s Papaya— you might want to keep that in mind).

What did you like?
The bartender. The pickles atop my Bloody Mary. The show going on in the kitchen.

What did you dislike?
The hike up to this part of town.

What was your last impression?
The floor and the ceiling are great.

Would you come back?
I’ll at least be back to give dinner a try when it starts, for sure.

Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
LOL. Does "dinner in a couple of weeks" really mean "about a month" in Friedman-speak?

 

 

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