April 17
(click restaurant name or point of interest)
My file is filling up, so it must be time to share some notes.
The collection of receipts and invitations from New York City in March is on the top of the pile. There were lots of dinner parties on the coccasion of Asian Art Week. One of the best was at Matsuri, in the Maritime Hotel (363 west 16th street.) The party was late, lively and entertaining. the hosts were charming, and the food was delicious — served “family style”: Japanese food, slightly revised, but to good effect. Big trays of real sushi, bowls of cool, pickled lotus root, excellent skewers etc. The place is festive in its decor, but still within reason.
Another evening — two subsequent ones, in fact — were spent at Union Square Cafe. Always dependable and totally pleasant. They had the delicious Totten Inlet oysters (total of 20 eaten by me on the 2 nights), garlic potato chips, orange salad, gin martinis, risotto; banana tart etc. Danny Meyer is the best.
This was proven once again at The Modern a few evenings later. I had eaten at the Bar previously with great pleasure, but this was the real thing on the other side of the wall, looking into the sculpture garden. What I would call “fancy” food, lovingly prepared and served with no pretension, just professional style.
This contrasted with a dinner at Nougatine (I had a hamburger). The waiter there told us we had all made “excellent choices” and then proceeded to describe what was on each of our plates when he served us. Why is that necessary? We had made our choices from a menu which described everything already. I did not complain — someone trained the waiter to do that — it was not his fault. But it was ridiculous.
Cynde and I had a dinner at The Source in Washington, Wolfgang Puck with some of his standard favorites: stir-fried lamb, calamari salad, siu-mai dumplings and a cucumber martini. He always does a good job with tasty Chinesey things. We also ate once more at Central Michel Richard . Oysters, steak tartare and a tuna burger.
Chicago is becoming a problem. We like Avec too much, so we ate there 2 nights out of 3. We need to stay longer and expand our horizons. But the flatbread, maccheroni with mint and lamb, artichoke crostini, roasted whole dorade (the waitress said the skeleton I left looked like a Tom and Jerry cartoon), shredded brussel sprouts were as tasty as one can imagine. It is noisy but you cannot have everything.
I am hoping to add some pictures and expand this beyond food. Any minute now it will happen. Meanwhile I have Boston to look forward to. More later.