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WvanGorp

Parker was brilliant to close his board to non-subscribers and to have Squires run the board like a tyrant. I mean, it sucked for those of us who were non-subscribers or didn't line up with his wine preferences, but the dude sold his company for $15M by positioning himself as the supreme arbiter of...

WvanGorp

Personally I prefer Epicure at the Bristol or Le Cinq.

WvanGorp

It was technically Mark’s board but RMP called all the shots.

WvanGorp

I like Chengdu Impression for Chinese in Chicago. MingHin also.

WvanGorp

It seems modern winos think that prior to 1978, wine was made by nomadic Cro-Magnons who roamed the countryside each fall placing whole clusters of grapes into their goat bladder containers, mashing the contents, and then leaving them in the cave until the next spring. Have you people tried any PP ...

WvanGorp

Jay Miller wrote: ↑
May 21st, 2019, 7:12 am
This is the first I'm hearing about Manhatta. No previous notes on this thread. The views look fantastic (checking the website), how is the food?

Good enough. It’s more of a view place but the food is fine.

WvanGorp

I would suspect the firework views would be incredible from Manhatta.

WvanGorp

R@y.Tupp@+sch wrote: ↑
April 29th, 2019, 12:16 pm

Mark Golodetz wrote: ↑
April 28th, 2019, 11:09 am
An Amish chicken, with lots of bells and whistles (foie gras, truffles etc) that we found bland. B for the chicken, A- for the build up.
Was that at EMP as well? I only remember it at NoMad.

Same here. Only remember that chicken you describe at NoMad not EMP.

WvanGorp

Thanks Don that would be great.

WvanGorp

Thank you!!

WvanGorp

Folks

I'm heading to France soon; what are the best wine stores in Paris and also Beaune. Focus is on Burgundy but somewhat prefer Paris as I'll have more time there.

Recommendations please?

Thanks!

Wilfred

PS I did a search (mostly in the travel form and didn't turn up a lot of results).

WvanGorp

IMHO the only game in town is Eataly. The others are interesting and despite credentials I’ve never had a mind blowing steak from PQM—always disappointed. Paulina is great for sausages and they are real butchers but their meat is Choice. So for me it’s Eataly or ordering via fed ex.

WvanGorp

The more I go to Manhattan ( a lot ) , the more I favor these trendy int’l restaurants . It’s a style ( Japanese , American , French , Korean , Italian , Indian you name it ) . So much fun . Much more interesting than the 2 and 3 starred ones who imho are too fancy , a bit boring and under deliveri...

WvanGorp

More enjoyable in those days!

WvanGorp

I went to the gala dinner at La Paulee a number of years ago. It just wasn’t for me and I haven’t returned. In a way I felt the orgy of great wines kind of disrespected the wine (not to mention Rudy with a jeroboam of what was presented as RC). After attending that event I said to myself give me a n...

WvanGorp

Glenn I love Porter House and would urge you to give it another shot when it’s you and one or two or three other people. Michael Lomonaco IMHO is one of the most talented under the radar chefs in nyc. The wine list is an embarrassment though in that it’s so oriented to expense account diners and the...

WvanGorp

Julian Marshall wrote: ↑
March 9th, 2019, 9:18 am
I'm not a WS subscriber, but I don't miss the one-size-fits-all era at all. It worked fine in the 80s, but we will be drinking the consequences of that particular hegemony for many years to come. The more the merrier, however cacophonous it can seem at times.

Yes! This!!!

WvanGorp

I read the full accounting on Medium before the emails between Alinea and Cat Cora were removed due to Medium's policy about publishing emails without permission. Cat Cora was 100% wrong. She asked Alinea for a reservation on Friday shortly before arriving in Chicago. Alinea gave her one of the tab...

WvanGorp

The one time I went my dining companion commented “why is everyone drinking cocktails and not wine?”

WvanGorp

Hope you enjoy natural wines.

WvanGorp

LaFreida. Of course Lobels. Master Purveyors in the Bronx (look also at the restaurants that buy from them). A “poor man’s Lobels” is Florence meat market in the Village.

WvanGorp

This might give you some ideas also:

https://ny.eater.com/maps/best-red-sauc ... urants-nyc

WvanGorp

Carmine’s. Total red sauce joint. UWS location less touristy. Not in the class of Marta but as stated above Marta is by no means what you asked for but it is excellent.

WvanGorp

Loved the food last time I was at Everest. It was that night when we asked for more La Tâche the server replied: “oh more of the pinot? Sure.”

WvanGorp

Your relationship is with the retailer not the producer. You apparently have a hard time accepting that. It appears you’re nursing your wounds that the producer is not apologizing and responding but, again, you did not deal with them in purchasing it. If I may be candid—you seem to have your mind ma...

WvanGorp

Someone above mentioned Gabriel Kreuther. They have a private room and I’m sure you could work something out with them.

Hi Jason—we sat next to each other at a wine dinner in the Village a few years ago.

I’d be interested in attending.

WvanGorp

Vaucluse is the winner on this list. None of the others even come close imho.

Sounds like a fun evening!

WvanGorp

Herwig Janssen wrote: ↑
November 6th, 2018, 12:57 am
Hi Wilfred , what would be your top 5 of Manhattan restaurants ? ( maybe we could go there together.. ) Hope you are well .

Done. Sent you a private list. Let’s go together soon to at least two of them.

WvanGorp

EMP. No contest in my opinion among the ones you listed. There are others I love but among those EMP wins hands down imho. Wilfred, You seem to have made a second about face regarding EMP. I was never a huge fan and haven't been there in a couple of years, so I'm curious as to what changed and then...

WvanGorp

Wonder where Galloni has his celebration dinner after this?

WvanGorp

EMP. No contest in my opinion among the ones you listed. There are others I love but among those EMP wins hands down imho.

WvanGorp

Didn’t Parker used to say on his board that he froze wine? What got me started doing it.

WvanGorp

Some Chicago people can have such an inflated sense of what deserves a Michelin *. Phil Vettel—the Chicago tribune restaurant critic and a very nice guy—keeps proposing all kinds of places he thinks deserve a star such as Frontera Grill. Frontera Grill? Are you kidding me? In France it wouldn’t even...

WvanGorp

These “50 best list” top places cater to the “international foodie tourist crowd.” I love EMP but go there, survey the patrons in the room, and you’ll see what I mean. Then go to Noma or one of the other top 50 places and same people. I’m reminded of the joke: What’s the best hospital in the USA? Ma...

WvanGorp

I’ve often said I’d rather live in it than drink it.

WvanGorp

It is interesting to ponder the very nature of what happened to RMP Jr. He was a major factor then all of a sudden fell off the radar almost completely. It’s like he was there then—poof—he was (almost) gone.

Ask anyone under 30 today who he is and I bet you’ll get a blank stare.

WvanGorp

As you know George we were scheduled to go there a few years ago. The more I talked to people who had been, the more wary and unenthusiastic I became. When our ship got stuck due to wind in a prior port and we couldn’t make it, I almost danced for joy.

WvanGorp

I enjoyed my visit there very much though it’s a bit pricey. Worthy of a visit imho.

My friend Gael Greene wrote up our visit there.

http://www.insatiable-critic.com/Articl ... ey+at+Home

WvanGorp

Agree with George about both LB and EMP. Lunch at EMP was WONDERFUL and the kitchen is humming (pun intended) like a fine engine. Would go back in a heartbeat.

LB to me is kind of a fancy lifeless thing that has never delivered much pleasure and mostly irritation.

WvanGorp

An article like this is needed once in a while to remind people TWA actually exists. Who even thinks about it anymore?

Are they still MAILING out the publication? Remember when wine businesses would have post boxes in Monkton? Time has passed them by.

WvanGorp

I love The Grill. They hit it out of the park every time I go.

WvanGorp

What Ray said. I’ve never had a problem with a bill at Marea in over 100 visits.

WvanGorp

I like Marea so much I moved upstairs in the same building! Lol

WvanGorp

That’s my “three star Phil.”

WvanGorp

It makes sense to disband the staff if the restaurant is losing lots of money. 64 seats, very high food costs, large number of kitchen staff, and servicing the debt on a place in which the chairs reportedly cost $1,000 each. If it’s going down the drain financially it’s not such a big deal to have t...

WvanGorp

Just those comments speak to Duffy’s immaturity or lack of perspective. First for someone to say their new endeavor will make a Michelin *** restaurant look “amateurish” reflects childish behavior. (I mean how DOES one make a Michelin three star look amateurish anyway?) Second Duffy couldn’t buy one...

WvanGorp

It was a rumor but a rumor from people in a position to know. (An owner of another Michelin *** restaurant who loves them and was very concerned for them). But still a rumor.

WvanGorp

I think people are mixing up the concept of the chef’s talent and ownership. Just because you’re the best doesn’t mean you get to own it. I heard via the inside grapevine the restaurant Came near to closing several times due to financial matters. It’s hard to make a worthwhile profit off 80 (or was ...

WvanGorp

The number of two and three star financial failures far exceeds (by what a factor of two? Theee? Four?) the number of two and three star financial successes in Chicago. Please. Tell me I’m wrong.

WvanGorp

It was a well known "secret" that Grace struggled financially for much of its existence, accolades notwithstanding. It wouldn't be that difficult to Duffy to find investors--but that's not what he wants. He wants control. 51% or more. Who is going to say "Hey, here, take this money but YOU get to ma...

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