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 luck[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… !
What was your first impression?
Wow, the hostesses (an army of them!) are really friendly.
And also: Huh, this is… different? Especially for this part of town.
Please rate the Bar:
Not bad. Spacious, clean, commodious. If I lived and/or worked in the area, I’d come here.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
Fine, I suppose. The cocktails list is relatively diverse, if not exactly inventive. Odd choice of "calls" mentioned in the recipes, though. Then again, it’s a W— so there is that.
Oh damn, I forgot to look at the wine list (the space isn’t quite conducive to it). Then again, it’s a W— so I’m sure I’ve already seen the list in some other hotel.
Please rate the Dining Room:
I gather there must be a whole other dining room upstairs, because the "dining room" downstairs is rather small (the bar takes up most of the expanse).
But as for downstairs, I rather like it. Personally, I find the artwork doodles on the walls really appealing (very Mama Shelter. Or ya know, Trattoria Bagutta maybe).
Please rate the BOH:
Very good. Sorry, Laurent! I was wondering if I’d detect your umm "absence," but uh… no, I don’t. Granted, the menu is hardly creative, but the execution is outstanding (particularly for a place that just opened). It’s probably not everybody’s cup of tea— if you only dine out once a month or less, it’s likely not the place for you. If, however, you eat out nearly every day, it’s perfect. Any place that has the balls to serve sandwiches for dinner is OK by me. (Then again, it’s a hotel… and a W no less, so maybe I’m giving the BOH too much credit for their courageousness). But seriously though, I don’t know how many nights I’ve said to myself, "I wish there were a nice quality place where I could go and just have a really good sandwich (and no, I don’t mean a fucking burger) and a solid first-rate drink. In a cool environment." I defy you to come up with a place. E-mail me if you think of one.
How was the staff?
Very good. Overall, enthusiastic, proficient, and conscientious. Everyone. Even the busboy.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
Deviled Eggs with Tabasco : Scrumptious. Fresh. Flavorful. And not a bad price at all for three (overstuffed) halves.
Caesar Salad : Oh, be quiet. Caesar Salad is a great way to evaluate a BOH’s standards. You would be amazed (or not) how many places can fuck up a Caesar Salad, and badly. Especially hotels.
But, this one passes the test with flying colors. I mean, are those actually finely chopped white anchovies mixed into the dressing? I was starting to think they threw out that recipe in all the culinary schools.
Even the croutons are good.
Tuna Tartare : Yah, are you seeing the pattern in the menu here? Whatever, it’s delicious. Very fresh. A little overkill on the ice platter maybe, but I can live with it.
Strip Steak : Very good. Nice quality, tender, perfectly cooked. Tasty "cognac green-peppercorn sauce." Pretty fairly priced at $34.
Sauteed Creamy Spinach : Not so creamy actually. The only item that didn’t quite impress me. Decent flavor but too-mushy texture. I mean, come on— anybody who orders creamed spinach is obviously not afraid of cream, butter, or calories. Don’t get all scaredy-cat and wishy-washy with the stuff. Better to offer the options of "with cholesterol" or "without" instead.
What did you like?
It was pretty much all satisfactory.
What did you dislike?
It’s sooooo far away! What the hell is Albany Street?
What was your last impression?
Oooh, Paul Liebrandt! Third time now…
Would you come back?
If it weren’t so far away, I’d probably come once a week. No, seriously.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thanks, it was a pleasure.
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 luck[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… !
What was your first impression?
cute.
Please rate the Bar:
N/A— in a way; the bar is essentially more like a "to go" counter that happens to store liquor. good thing they have lots of tables (in the summer, that is).
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
the cocktail list is a bit contrived in that hotelesque kind of way; it’s trite but sorta tries to pretend otherwise. also, opt for wines by the glass instead of by the bottle— a glass of ChateauMinuty e.g., is $9, but the bottle is $60. so ya know, figure that one out. no wait don’t bother, save your brain energy, i’ll just lay it out for you. it’s HotelGansevoort— in the meatpacking district. make sense to ya now? yah i thought so.
Please rate the Dining Room:
i kinda like it. it’s simple but aesthetically pleasing. spacious, comfortable— and it’s a pretty nice view.
Please rate the BOH:
it’s very… hotel. all the tourist favorites are here— caesar salad, turkey panini, lobster club, burger etc, with the unique addition of crepes. the presentation is hardly creative (except for maybe the dried strawberries in the side salads), but it’s not bad. and the prices are pretty reasonable.
How was the staff?
nice. amiable, professional, conscientious.
personally it’s my opinion the host should maybe rein it in just a wee bit addressing all the passersby. i realize it’s the Gansevoort but hello— this aint miami. if you want to give our fair visitors the true downtown new york experience, you have to be a little more haughty and elitist than that, come on now.
but overall i’d say they get a B+ or perhaps even an A-
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
i tried the turkey panini, pat-lafrieda "cafe" burger, and spinach/mushroom crepe. and it was all okay— rather european in the execution actually. certainly none of it is earth-shattering, but that’s likely not their intent anyway. it’s perfectly fine hotel fare, but it won’t exactly compete with its neighbors at this level. luckily for them, it probably doesn’t have to.
What did you like?
the ambience.
What did you dislike?
nothing really. but i mean— i didn’t have very high expectations.
What was your last impression?
it’s a very pleasant place to relax for a drink.
Would you come back?
if i were in the area already? sure.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
thank you and have a good day.
Welcome to: Where I Spent My Day Off —by a NYC Restaurant "Insider"
So, what do you do in the industry?
I’m a restaurateur/operator for several F&B enterprises in [downtown/midtown Manhattan] NYC.
And you have how many days off a week, generally?
I usually take a half day on Saturday, and on Sunday I try to limit work to about an hour or two.
What did you do for breakfast yesterday?
We had breakfast at Sunset Beach. We normally stay with friends whenever we visit the Hamptons (I sold my own house ages ago), but this time we decided to try something different. Even though the weather forecast wasn’t great, we figured we’d get out of the city anyway. I’d called Sunset Beach at the last minute, and (presumably due to the forecast) I had no trouble booking a room the night before.
Breakfast was good— nothing too fancy, but a nice eggs benedict with spicy hollandaise and a mushroom frittata with a side of apple-smoked sausage. The coffee could have been better, though. I have noticed this before— even awhile back when I used to stay at The Raleigh in Miami Beach, the coffee always sucked. Not an AB Hotels strong point, I guess.
But the service was good and friendly, especially for so early in the morning (by young NYers in the Hamptons).
Lunch?
Silver’s in Southampton. My Hamptons lunchtime staple. It’s hard to get there sometimes, because they close at 3:30PM, and obviously, if you’re on the beach, it isn’t easy to get there on time. If Garrett [Wellins] is around, he’s usually more accommodating to the regulars, and you can get a seat closer to 4PM. But if not, forget it; it seems the staff starts turning people away at 3:15.
Normally I go for either the lobster roll or the lobster salad, which are the best I’ve had anywhere, but this time I opted for the crabcake and was not disappointed— it was excellent. My wife had the burger, which is also one of their specialties (it’s the size of your head) and that was really delicious too. It’s not hard to imagine how Silver’s manages to stay in business working 3 hours a day 6 months out of the year. The quality of the food is truly superb.
And afterward?
Just walked around and did a little window shopping… and stopped in for a gelato cone from Sant Ambroeus.
Then back to Sunset Beach for a sunset drink. It really turned out great that the weather forecast was so bad, because it was unusually serene— normally it’s a madhouse. But the weather actually turned out okay; by 6PM the sun was peeking out and the temperature was perfect. We had a chance to chat with all our pals who are running the place this year; generally the staff is running around like chickens without heads it’s so busy. So it was really very nice lounging relaxedly with a nice bottle of rosé and a very good platter of crudité. I liked the olive tapenade so much, I’m stealing the idea for the crudité I serve in my own places. Between all the locations, we must have barrels of tapenade, but nobody ever thought to serve it with the crudité.
Dinner?
We hadn’t planned on leaving the island again, but then we got a call from friends who happened to be staying in Sag Harbor for the weekend. So we decided to meet them for dinner at B. Smith’s on the marina.
Ugh, it was horrible. The service was OK, but the food was awful. Since I’d missed my usual lunchtime lobster roll at Silver’s, that’s what I ordered, and my wife chose the "special" lobster salad. Plus we had Blue Point oysters to start.
Well, the oysters were pretty bad; they have a terrible shucker. He let all the natural juices drain out and there were shells shards everywhere. And the lobster was a joke. Overcooked, over-refrigerated, tough, and chewy like rubber— which for the Hamptons especially, is a real travesty; you’d think there’d be great fresh seafood everywhere. And don’t even get me started on the wine by the glass.
The waffle fries were good though.
And afterward?
Just back to the hotel, and by this time the bar seemed to really be pumping. Not nearly as packed as usual, but definitely pretty crowded. We were tired so we just went back to our room, which was essentially pretty nice. Simple and unadorned but clean and cozy and comfortable. The bathroom is small, but everything else is pretty good. And the balcony is spacious and pleasant.
How much did you blow today?
Including the room? Probably about a grand.
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 luck[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… !
What was your first impression?
it looks good…
Please rate the Bar:
it’s small, particularly given the total square footage of the space and las vegas’s proclivity for massively sized things. the bar/lounge area overall however is spacious and comfortable, which is nice. personally, i feel it’s much more appealing than the main dining room, which seems far less welcoming and dispassionate in comparison.
oh but for the love of gawd what is with the fucking slop light almost everywheres you go? welcome to las vegas— no self respecting restaurateur in NYC would ever…
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
sake! well that’s a noteworthy twist. ha ha ahaa for all the love the chinese get in vegas (seriously, just for a goof— go anywhere and ask for a cup of tea. and then watch them scurry to proudly bring you the "tea menu"), the japanese are clearly the second-class asian around these parts.
admittedly, i was so distracted by the sake, i completely forgot to look at the wine/cocktail list. but i mean, it’s a steak house, and it’s wolfgang-puck— exactly how disparate do you think they’d be, really.
Please rate the Dining Room:
typically big, and kinda "corporate." i like the anteroom much better.
Please rate the BOH:
dude, it’s wolfgang-puck. so, ya know— like that. a step above USHG… maybe somewhere in the DinexGroup stratum. (fourth day straight of F&F las vegas reviews; i’m getting a little tired of using the same adjectives over and over and over again.)
How was the staff?
dude, it’s wolfgang-puck. so, ya know— like that. a step above B.R.Guest… somewhere in the USHG stratum. (fourth day straight of F&F las vegas reviews; i’m getting a little tired of using the same adjectives over and over and over again.)
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
burrata and prosciutto di parma : good. very fresh. quite a large portion. but not particularly astounding.
bone marrow flan : nice. tasty. maybe needs jussst a little touch of salt— until you try it with the mushroom marmalade. then it’s really absolutely delicious.
fava bean salad : good. light, flavorful, slightly tart. nice texture composite.
new york sirloin tasting : i guess— perfect for anybody in las vegas who really likes steak but doesn’t necessarily want to eat one the size of one’s head. usually, i’m a porterhouse and/or bone-in ribeye kind of girl, but this menu pretty much scared me. i mean, i knooow vegas is a fatty meat lovers’ paradise (and they have their own way of doing things here), but personally i’ve never a seen a place actually brag about corn fed beef before.
anyways, of all the beefs on my plate (japanese wagyu, american "kobe style," and USDA prime dry age) the wagyu was far and away the standout. of course.
creamed spinach with fried egg : the waiter recommended this as his "favorite side," but the spinach was way too pureed for me. spinach mush. but flavorful enough.
What did you like?
the wagyu was really quite good.
What did you dislike?
umm, the slop light drives me nutso?
What was your last impression?
i once told emeril-lagasse Delmonico is my favoritest steakhouse ever. should i have gone back there instead? it’s been so long…
Would you come back?
maybe.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
thank you.
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 luck[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… !
Guy Savoy – Bubble Bar (Las Vegas)
What was your first impression?
huh. this is kinda… ugly, actually. i mean, the little fireplace thingie is sort of nice (?) i guess, but the polar bear head encased in the plexiglas is just a bit silly. and the crates stacked in the corner aren’t quite as cute as i suppose they’re meant to be.
Please rate the Bar:
the bar itself is underwhelming, unwelcoming, and uncomfortable. there’s no bartender— it’s up to the (lone) hostess to serve you.
now, i totally "get" it’s a champagne bar, but believe it or not, there is a difference between simple and ordinary. here’s a hint: at least one of those shouldn’t cost millions to build. when it does, it’s beyond "ordinary" or "simple"— then it’s just stupid.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
cocktails are n/a. and since i’m not such a fan of champagne generally, i opted for a glass of sauvignon blanc (from sancerre) off the sparse ‘by the glass’ menu. i was a bit surprised when i’d turned my head for a moment and then turned back realizing both our glasses had been fully poured without a taste first (i’m not fussy, but i mean, this is GuySavoy, right?) but then i remembered the poor girl had to leave her post at the hostess stand for this and was perhaps unaccustomed to serving wine at all. well, it ended up being unfortunate, cuz the wine had turned already. i felt a prick of compunction at returning two full glasses of wine, so i asked for a sommelier to come and confirm the wine had indeed gone bad. the hostess was very nice and replaced the glasses immediately, but it did make me curious… no sommelier at Guy Savoy? or is the Bubble Bar simply unworthy?
Please rate the Dining Room:
not my style. at all. which is why i opted for Bubble Bar in the first place.
as a person who’s spent 20+ years within the industry and currently dines out nearly every night of my life, a subdued grandiloquent four hour dining experience is nothing short of sheer torture for me. but i’d heard such good things about GuySavoy, i figured it might be travesty to leave las vegas without at least a sampling.
sigh…
Please rate the BOH:
like i need the fucking hate mail from hysterical foodies, right? puhleese, spare me that much.
alls i’m a say is: personally, i wish i’d gone back to Sage instead.
How was the staff?
she was a perfectly proficient hostess/bartender/waitress, but maybe just a wee icy. but it was rather amusing how the back waiters from the dining room who occasionally came to fetch the table accoutrements (all the fancy salt and pepper ramekins for the tables are stored behind the bar, bottom shelf, below the row of cognacs) seemed rather unnerved by our presence.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
the oysters in ice gelée, the "mosaic" of poularde, foie gras, and black truffle, and beef tartare with little potato croquettes. yessss, i realize these are hardly the world renowned signature "colors of caviar" or whatever the hells (bad me. bad me.) but umm— foie gras and tartare— these just happen to be the same things i ate last night at Sage. and yah, Sage was better. so maybe if i hadn’t dined there the prior evening, i would have enjoyed GuySavoy more? i’m not sure, quite frankly.
What did you like?
that now i get to say i’ve been here.
What did you dislike?
overall, i can’t exactly say it was an enjoyable experience. although it was interesting…
What was your last impression?
i’m rather glad i didn’t opt for the full dinner. (and the professional in me can only conclude the Bubble Bar, as ill-conceived and ill-managed as it is, could very well be the bane of their endeavors.)
Would you come back?
i’m afraid not, but thank you.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
well that’s sweet of you to say. good night.
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 luck[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… !
What was your first impression?
isn’t this elegant.
Please rate the Bar:
nice. tasteful, welcoming, capacious, very comfortable. and the bartender is charming, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic. humorous even.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
very healthy and diverse list of wine and beer— impressive and reasonably priced. brief cocktails list is comprised mostly of classics with a refined touch. sophisticated selections all around; i’d say arguably one of the most superlative bars in las vegas.
Please rate the Dining Room:
i like the front bar/dining area better, as the rear dining room seems a bit more austere— and personally i think the ample square footage could have been utilized better. it simply lacks the warmth and seductiveness of the anteroom. feels vaguely corporate.
Please rate the BOH:
excellent. we chose Sage because it was recommended by a friend in the las vegas F&B industry as "the best of all the restaurants at CityCenter"— and after having tried it, i wholeheartedly believe it. i would go so far as to say Sage ranks as one of the best restaurants i’ve experienced anywhere, ever.
hell, even the bread service was distinctive.
How was the staff?
good. highly proficient but perfectly at ease. adroit but unceremonious.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
the slow-poached egg, the yellowtail crudo, the wagyu beef tartare, the foie gras custard brulee, and the roasted sweetbreads, and everything was quite exceptional (and tremendously rich)— with the foie gras and the tartare being the stellar standouts. only the fussiness of the crudo made me apprehensive, but after one bite i got over it quick.
undoubtedly one of the most spectacular meals i’ve ever had, and technically, i didn’t even have an entree. alas, so many restaurants to try and so little time…
What did you like?
pretty much everything.
What did you dislike?
i’m too stuffed to eat anything else.
What was your last impression?
i’m so glad i came.
Would you come back?
absolutely.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
thank you, it was a pleasure.
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 luck[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… !
What was your first impression?
what an odd façade… but i guess, not for vegas!
Please rate the Bar:
nice. certainly welcoming, that’s for sure. and comfortable and commodious. typically vegas in vastness, clean.
the bartender is enthusiastic but not particularly warm or amiable. competent— in that very zealous mixologist kind of way [read: sloooow]. not quite an adept multi-tasker.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
best margarita i’ve had in all of las vegas. you would think vegas’s relative proximity to mexico would yield some truly inspired margarita concoctions everywheres you go, but you would be wrong. unfortunately, las vegas is closer to disneyland than mexico (seriously, don’t even get me started on my quick stop at dosCaminos with the "triple sec already in the mix" — mhmmp).
the wine list, too, is more adventurous than most i’ve seen here. eclectic and diverse with a nice range of options at reasonable prices.
Please rate the Dining Room:
a but strange— what with the whole bit of overlooking the lobby and all. nice view of the… reception desk? a bit too "day at the mall" for my tastes— but the more private tables in the rear aren’t exactly preferable either. but whatever, just go with it. you’re in las vegas fer chrissakes.
Please rate the BOH:
very good. impressive. nice artful twists on simple classics. better than i expected (especially given the strange lobby/cafe-esque design of the space). truly first-rate.
How was the staff?
fine. proficient and cordial if not exactly conscientious.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
we tried the white ceviche, the grilled calamari, chicken and bechamel croquettes, sauteed padron peppers, and creamy wild mushroom risotto and they were all quite exceptional. what a masterful execution of straightforward dishes. rich, flavorful, fresh with an adroit but uncomplicated presentation. really excellent.
What did you like?
the food was outstanding.
What did you dislike?
nothing really.
What was your last impression?
well now i’m kinda regretful i never tried Picasso; i always just assumed it was a tourist trap what with the big fuss over the dancing waterfalls and whatnot. and now that it’s so past its prime… (oh, haa! past… Prime, get it? i didn’t even do that on purpose, i swear.)
Would you come back?
yes.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
thank you, it was a pleasure.
… Are you ready for the sunshiiine? Are you ready for the birds and beeees, the apple treeees, and a whooole lotta foolin’ around… - The Camp Northstar Kids Chorus
PX This presents: The Sunset Beach Diaries
• Day 1 – May 6, 2010: On my way to Shelter Island…
• Day 2 – May 7, 2010: Do you see my new view?!
10:00 AM meeting, then breakfast tasting at 4:30PM. Setting up Open Table system now— Yikes!
• Day 3 – May 8, 2010: 8:30AM! Ahh— I used to go to sleep at 6AM. What a change.
Duck Paté lesson at 10PM
• Day 4 – May 9, 2010: 9:30AM Brrr! So cold! Where’s my coat?!
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… !
What was your first impression?
Flashy!
Please rate the Bar:
Nice. Small, but comfortable. Clean. And the bartender is friendly and enthusiastic.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
OK. Nice selections by the glass, but not exactly eclectic. Slightly expensive. Ditto on the cocktails— fine, but hardly imaginative or creative.
Please rate the Dining Room:
A bit austere and ordinary. Very corporate, very Trump (read: ugly). And nonsensical. No knowledgeable restaurateur would ever build an HVAC system like this.
Please rate the BOH:
Sigh. I have a feeling we’re not in Miami anymore, Toto. So, yeah. Like that.
How was the staff?
Very good. Amiable, proficient, conscientious (especially the hotel doorman). Warm and welcoming and perfectly adept.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
I had the Parmigiana di Melanzane, the Arancino di Riso and the Ravioli di Casa— and it made me glad I didn’t order any more (as I’d initially intended). Aside from taking 40 minutes for my first course to reach me, it was all keenly pretentious yet thoroughly pedestrian. To put it in the blunt words of my guest, "Did it take this long for the food to come out because it was defrosting?" Need I say more, because I’d rather not waste the energy. Thank you.
What did you like?
The hotel lobby is rather nice, actually.
What did you dislike?
The food.
What was your last impression?
Why do skyscrapers still insist on slapping "Trump" on the facade as if it’s a good thing?
Would you come back?
Sorry, I don’t think so.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thanks and good luck to you. Believe me, you’re gonna need it.
Hot Pot at Kittichai!
no, there is no stolen marijuana anywheres, silly— try not to get too excited. but it’s still pretty awesome nonetheless!
yah so last night i got to try the new "thai fondue" night (mondays) at Kittichai. and it was so good. basically, for a choice of either the "unlimited" selection ($45 per person / 2 person minimum) or the "a la carte" (about $9 and up per serving / $22 minimum) you too can enjoy the new steamy hot pot "fondue," which includes such mouthwatering offerings as shrimp, salmon, marinated beef strips, tender slivers of pork loin, lobster, scallops, sea bass, tofu "skin," taro root, bok choy, etc etc etc in a "tableside" tom yum broth (plus it comes with a shredded mango and green papaya salad to start).
and then after all that scrumptiousness, they take the broth from your "hot pot" and pour it over thin "angel hair" style noodles in a bowl with shrimp. holy cow so delicious.
i know you want to run over there and try if for yourself right now, but don’t forget, it’s only on mondays. oh! speaking of weekly stuff, did you even realize that sunday brunch at Kittichai is totally the jumpoff now? seriously, no joke.
i’m just sayin.
yay Kittichai!
:)
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… !
What was your first impression?
Hmm, nice.
Please rate the Bar:
Small, standing room only— that screams "club" to me; bleah. But, apparently it opens at 6PM so that’s slightly more appealing. It’s about 8:30PM right now and kinda quiet and cozy, just the way I like it. But, reportedly, it gets pretty "pumpin" later on.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
Brief but impressive cocktail list— enough to tempt me into a cocktail, and I’m generally a liquor-neat/wine kind of guy. The wine list is (sigh) very hotel-esque; maybe skip it, or save your wine imbibing for ‘Inoteca next door, just like I did.
Please rate the Dining Room:
N/A. But, I think they’re serving goods from ‘Inoteca. Double check, though. I gather it’s a practice they haven’t quite officially implemented.
Please rate the BOH:
N/A; the BOH (for now?) is ‘Inoteca ("upstairs").
How was the staff?
Great. Everyone (including the doorman) was warm, welcoming, amiable, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic. Kind of a contrast to the the sleek, frosty decor and apellation. They’re nice; I like them.
What did you eat?/ How was the food? No food, but I did try:
High jump? Or ski jump, was it? : The one with the Reykjavik vodka and frozen grapes. Delicious— not too sweet but flavorful. Clean. Very nice.
Terra Nova : With Don Julio, some other stuff, chocolate bitters, vanilla and— smoked salt? Huh. Very interesting flavor with that salt actually. Slightly sweeter (not my style) but pretty damned good overall. There is definitely some expert mixology at work here. $17 each; a little steep, but OK. It’s a hotel after all, and the volume of the drinks is at least somewhat appeasing.
Had to save some room for wine "upstairs," or I would have gladly tried another.
What did you like?
The staff. The drinks.
What did you dislike?
Nothing really. Although the location is sort of eh.
What was your last impression?
This is a rather delightful hotel.
Would you come back?
Probably.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thank you, it was lovely.
• Saturday, February 20, 2010. 2:30PM – James Gandolfini walking along the beach path near The Setai hotel in Miami Beach.
• Thursday, February 18, 2010. 7:00PM – Jackie Mason (and wife?) strolling in for dinner at Pasha’s on Lincoln Rd in Miami Beach.
• Saturday, February 20, 2010. 9:30PM – Bill Cobbs standing by the front door of The W hotel in Miami Beach, discussing with the bellhop his "plans for the evening." You can recognize that voice a mile away.
• Friday, February 19, 2010 8:30PM – Mark Margolis talking on his mobile phone in the lobby of The Shore Club and then later, walking into Nobu for dinner.
Welcome to: Where I Spent My Week Off —by a NYC Restaurant "Insider"
So, what do you do in the industry?
i’ve done a lot of things in the industry over the years— waitress, cocktail waitress, bartender, floor Read more…
OMG, you’re not going to believe it – it’s still Fashion Week. Can’t ya just die?
The Rouge Coco Chanel party at The Mark Hotel.
**With many thanks to Patrick McMullan and Shala Monroque.
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… !
What was your first impression?
oh was there always access from the bar to the dining room? i didn’t notice that before.
Please rate the Bar:
spacious, clean. a little cold though— both figuratively and literally. the bartenders are nice enough, but they do have a pretty awkward and cumbersome set-up here. that shit would drive me crazy.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
overall? i’d say… well… it is a hotel. hotels tend to do things differently. i’m sure they have their reasons.
Please rate the Dining Room:
same as the bar. and… well… it is a hotel. hotels tend to do things differently. i’m sure they have their reasons.
Please rate the BOH:
it’s very good. but umm… hmm… personally i predict they’re going to have some difficulties somewhere in the forseeable future… ?
How was the staff?
the front desk needs better training. the bartenders are good, but seem to still need more time with the POS system. the runners are adept. and they have at least one manager who’s pretty on the ball.
don’t know about the waitstaff— to me, the dining room is uninviting enough that i chose to dine at the bar on both my visits.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
the ciabatta with fonduta and poached egg, the pork belly, the rock shrimp, balsamic spare ribs, black truffle risotto, fried chicken, and truffle cabbage, and it was all very impressive (particularly on my first visit), especially because i really hated Scarpetta. fascinating, yes?
i’m curious to see how it plays out. i would venture so far as to say Faustina is my new favorite restaurant since Grayz. the only other restaurant i liked as much as Grayz was Maze (at GordonRamsay’s@theLondon). but as we alls know now, the NY Times hated chef de cuisine neil-ferguson at GordonRamsay but loooved him at Allen&Delancey (where poor neil-ferguson also didn’t last very long). conversely, i loved Maze, but despised Allen&Delancey. the NY Times also hated Grayz, which i loved— but loooved Scarpetta, which i detested.
so haa now with Faustina, i’m dying to see whether the NY Times food/restaurant critic bullshit is all just politics as i suspect, or really is just plain ole regular stupidity after all.
What did you like?
the menu, the food. the location.
What did you dislike?
uh… well… truth be told, scott-conant has always just kinda rubbed me the wrong way. his persona, i mean; i’ve never actually met him. so maybe i disliked the fact he disproved my hypothesis that he sucks? just kidding.
What was your last impression?
i’m glad i live close by.
Would you come back?
already have. and yes.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
thanks, you will.
= "personne extraordinaire"