Not yet, but very close.
My thoughts on Port Sa’id:
First, it’s loud. There’s a DJ up front and on a platform (many people will stop reading here), with tremendous speakers, in addition to speakers throughout the dining room. The presentation is a joint restaurant and vinyl spinning place. I actually had to decide where to sit based on speaker placement. I’m not sure that it’s much louder than many other restaurants, though.
The food is good, but no more than good. We found the vegetables (especially the leeks) to be better than proteins (veal cheeks, chicken and liver that my friends found to be quite dry). Thankfully, there was no $35 roasted tomato which we had at Ha Salon that I found to be offensive.
Service was bad. We were seated, put our wines on the table, and waited. And waited some more. Finally, somebody brought us glasses. We also waited a long time for the check. I think the issue is that there is no real supervision of the wait staff at the manager level. Nobody noticed or cared that we were waiting a long time, whereas a manager should have noticed this if the waiters did not.
By the time we left at around 9pm, everyone, and I mean everyone, seemed to be younger than 30 years old. And the place was even louder. I didn’t notice any dancing on the tables, which Ha Salon seems to encourage, but the night was still young.
I’m glad to have tried it, but I see no reason to go back.
In contrast, the next night, we dined at Osteria Carlina in the West Village, a place that we didn’t know and took a chance on, based on a friend’s recommendation of the best Vitello Tonnato in NYC. It was grown up and refined. The servers and manages were observant and cared. It was quite a contrast.
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Thanks for the review…similar to my thoughts on Shmone where both the food and service were terrible and the bartender kept ringing a cow bell every few minutes and fellow diners cheered every time. Fucking weird.
Edited to add that the way the menu is written at both PS and Shmone is pretentious AF.
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ouch - this sounds pretty bad. thanks for taking one for the team / tribe.
Osteria Carlina keeps popping up. Will Bernstein does the wine - really good dude, used to work at Eataly Flatiron.
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Your review sounds like what I would have expected and that is why I did not eat. The service and wine selections in the private sound room were horrible so I left fairly quickly. As you said this is a place for 20 somethings to hang, eat average food, drink and hook up! So many great restaurants in NYC and frankly vinyl spots (e.g., Nightnoves, Public Records) that there is no need to go to this place.
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Nice article. I am glad he mentioned Riesling & pizza, one of my personal favorites.
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looks like they opened a new location in Tribeca. Owner is from Turin. Will have to put this on the list for the next visit. It looks outstanding.
It’s the same menu, whether Port Sa’id, Miznon, Malka, etc.
I have no idea how good the dude is, but pricing of the wine list is prohibitive. I was discussing the wine list with our mutual friend BT and his adjectives were less kind. After looking over the wine list, I ordered a Negroni, only to be told that they did not have a full bar, only wine and vermouth. So, we had a few glasses of Nebbiolo rosé at $19 each which I’m guessing would have bought the bottle at retail. That said, the food was great.
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Ouch - well that sucks. Now I’m curious to see the list.
Eyal Shani is a one trick pony
What do you have against cauliflower?
I was very young when it first happened, confused, impressionable and just wanted to do what cool kids did. First it was just a little broccoli, then I moved on to cabbage and before I understood what I was doing it was a whole roasted cauliflower. Through the haze I remember a deranged chef fondling a tomato and cackling hysterically. I woke up in a dumpster in Dieppe four days later wearing a gimp suit.
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“I keep randomly shouting out ‘Broccoli’ and ‘Cauliflower’ - I think I might have florets”. - Olaf Falafel
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Has anyone done the omakase experience at The Office of Mr. Moto? The whole background and experience looks right up our alley but of course the sushi needs to be top flight and I didn’t see any previous mentions on here.
Anyone?
!!!כל הכבוד
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Went to Konban a Japanese Izakaya from Korea, if I understand the backstory correctly, for a work dinner.
The space is really nice with a Zen Garden in the middle. The food was good. Wine list was small but a lot of really well chosen value bottles. We had an Alzinger Gruner, a Pierre Girardin Red and a Sake. I inquired about corkage and I think they said $30 but only one bottle per table. The only weird thing was despite us ordering three bottles they told us our time was up at the 2 hour mark. Their model is clearly on high turnover.
Just thought I would mention it as it is a good option in this area…west 17th.
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Finally hit Saint Julivert Fisherie in Cobble Hill. We know Chef Alex from her days working in the kitchen of the Tasting Room, one of our favorite all time restaurants, and a very important one in NYC dining history. We have been intending to go forever and then that little pandemic got in the way. We had an absolutely lovely meal. It feels very European. The wine list is great. We enjoyed a 22 Ulli Stein 1900 and 22 Wasenhaus Grand Ordinaire. The smoked eel risotto with a hint a citrus was excellent and paired beautifully with the riesling. The Dover Sole all around excellent. Afterward, we hit up the 5th Anniversary Party at Public Records , and all around wonderful NYC night!
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loved our meal there last year. gorgeous spot on a charming corner. list is very smartly put together and the menu changes up constantly. and after all these years, Txikito is still rocking it on 9th ave. glad you enjoyed!