PX This.

Welcome to: Where I Spent My Day Off —by a NYC Restaurant "Insider"

So, what do you do in the industry?
I’m a Maitre d’ for a 110+ seater in a well-known upscale boutique hotel.

And you have how many days off a week, generally?
Until very recently I was up to three days off a week, but now we’ve just lost someone, so I have to go back and give up one of my days off.

What did you do for breakfast yesterday?
Met some friends for brunch at 10 Downing. It was my first time for brunch, and we chose it because I couldn’t think of anyplace else that’s good that would be able to accommodate 6 people without much of a hassle and no reservation. I figured if we met at 10 Downing and it was too busy, we’d have plenty of other decent options available in the area within walking distance. As it turns out, the weather was still warm enough for outdoor dining (if we kept our jackets on) so we opted for the sidewalk cafe, which was almost empty anyway. The dining room also would not have been a problem if we had chosen to sit inside.
The bartender recommended the fried chicken to me— he said it was "sooo good," but it turned out to be somewhat overcooked and possibly the driest chicken I’ve ever had. I did like the apple cider, though— my friend was having it and I tried it for the first time and liked it. I ended up having three, almost without even realizing it. My other friend kept ordering it for me; he himself was up to five beers by the time we left.
Everyone else seemed to enjoy their meals just fine, but the omelette that was custom-ordered ("just ham and cheese") looked the best out of everything.

Lunch?
10 Downing was still "lunch"— we got there around 1:30PM and stayed until about 4PM.

And afterward?
Went home. My friend from out of town who was staying with me had to pack his bags, and I sent him off in a cab to the airport.
Then I met up with another friend. We just walked around SoHo for a little bit and then decided to stop for a drink. I’d been meaning to drop by Brinkleys, because I’d heard a friend of mine just started working there, so I suggested we go there.
Unfortunately, my friend wasn’t behind the bar like I had hoped, and the bartender that was working completely ignored us for a good two minutes even though the bar wasn’t that full. I tried to sit in an empty stool but a minute later a girl walked up to tell me it’s her seat, even though the dish and drink that were on the bar were both finished; she must have been outside smoking a cigarette or something. So then I tried another seat and then some other girl claimed that seat as her own, too.
So then I got frustrated, because still after all this time, the bartender hadn’t yet pulled his face away from the computer terminal. So we decided to just leave.

Dinner?
Walked over to Blue Ribbon Sushi, which has been one of my favorite places for years. Normally, I make it a habit to avoid seafood on the weekends, but my friend was feeling up for it, and there are a lot of things on Blue Ribbon’s menu that aren’t necessarily served raw. It turns out I had the kanpachi anyway, because I couldn’t resist; to me it’s the best thing they have, and this time it was as perfect as I’ve always had it. They also make the best miso soup, so I had that too. We shared a wakame salad, pork shumai and rock shrimp, and my friend decided to order sushi of his own, because he apparently doesn’t have the same apprehension I have about seafood (especially raw) on the weekends. However, he did say afterward he felt "a little disappointed" about the tuna.
I’d already drunk so much at brunch, so we decided to split a small bottle of sake. I can’t remember the name of it, but they have one that’s $18 for a 300ml which I thought was very reasonable. Usually I prefer nigori sake, but this one was actually pretty good, and I would definitely order it again.

And afterward?
Met up with a bunch of friends at Rose Bar. It took a little while to get in, because they kept saying to wait for the doorman, but he was late showing up. Then when they said he’d finally arrived, it was still hard to find him, because he wasn’t at the front door. I know one of the guys that helps run the place, so I sent an email to his blackberry but I never got a response back. Eventually I did find the doorman I know, and he let all five of us in with no problem.
After our second round of drinks, my friend noticed that one of the managers was lurking near us, and she overheard him telling the waitress to "get rid" of us. It just so turns out that my other friend was already paying the check at the same time. He didn’t realize that the gratuity is automatically added, so he ended up paying a 45% tip. But then when he discovered that they were actively looking to bounce us, he hunted down the waitress and demanded the extra tip back (it was all paid in cash).
As we were leaving, my friend gave her business card to one of the managers, because I guess she felt like they were being rude to us. When he found out that we’re all from the industry, he said to her, "You didn’t tell me you’re here." It seemed like a moot point to us, but he apologized and I guess they made friends that night.

How much did you blow today?
$60 for brunch— I threw $80 on the pile, but for some reason they gave me $20 back. Another $8 cab fare to Rose Bar. My friend paid for dinner at Blue Ribbon Sushi, and my other friend got the check at Rose Bar.

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