interesting pricing strategies here. i notice a consistent trend of pricing the (few) older vintages lower than more recent ones. even when they are “better”
could be just they apply a normal markup based on cost, but i would have expected a bit more nuance given the pedigree.
Yeah, for some wines (i.e., Gonon St Joseph was what I had there last time) the older vintages are cheaper, and it did seem like they applied some consistent markup over cost rather than pricing vs. current market. Works for me!
I just finished a quick few meeting-filled days in the city but managed to have some great meals:
Chambers= finally made it here and was so happy. The restaurant finally feels like it’s found its direction. When it was Racines I always felt like they didn’t know which way they wanted to go: were they a local relaxed bistrot, a destination wine place, or a sort of high-end establishment? The flow of the room was also very odd, with tables tucked away here and there. Lastly, the quality of the food at Racines was very inconsistent, depending on the chef du jour. I always felt Thomas Jacquet’s apps were great but his mains were wildly uneven (sometimes too salty, sometimes overcooked, etc…). And the less said about Liebrandt, the better (I sat at the pass one night listening to him scream and demean his sous and the servers - I don’t care who you are, that’s absolutely unacceptable). The wine list was the only consistent thing at Racines, always well-chosen and realistically-priced. Chambers, on the ther hand, feels like they’ve found their way. The deisgn of the room flows effortlessly, the service is top-notch, and the food, both plating and quality, is outstanding. We were 3, and started with the Hamachi, the Tomato/Eggplant, and Nectarine/Cucumber dishes. Everything was well-balanced and clean, filling enough to satisfy immediate cravings but also light enough to leave room for the mains. We followed those with the Snowdance Chicken (me) which was outstanding (great texture), the Risotto (good but nothing to get excited about) and the Berkshire Pork (rich and delicious). As you can imagine, the wine list is fantastic, and Pascaline took great care of us. We were in a celebratory mood so we ordered the Champagne Laherte Les Crayères and then the Champagne Egly-Ouriet Vignes de Vrigny. Both were just what the doctor ordered. We closed down the place, and it was good to see them packed on an August Tuesday night.
Noreetuh= I haven’t been back here since pre-Pandemic times, so it was great to see Jin and see the place packed on a Wednesday night. We met up with my business partner David, @Jayson_Cohen and his lovely wife Laura, @scamhi and @kenny_shusterman who were up from Florida for the month. This was a COVID-delayed birthday dinner as David and I had sourced a birth year Barolo for Kenny in February 2022 then promptly caught COVID and got stuck quarantining in Rome for 7 days (OK, not the worst place to quarantine). Service and food were great as usual, despite the kitchen being in the weeds with several large groups. There were a plethora of old Burgs, Champagne, Rieslings and of course Barolo (pics on my Instagram early next week @Vinotasselections), but most important a ton of laughs as we spent the evening catching up.
Panineria UES= I’d heard from some friends in the industry that this little basement Italian sandwhich shop was worth a visit, so Friday afternoon a friend and I dropped by. This is primarily a takeaway spot with a few indoor bar seats, and a hidden gem on the UES that reminds me of the basement Italian place on E Houston that was run by a cantankerous woman who made brilliant and inexpensive sandwhiches pre-COVID (name forgotten). Fresh ingrendients, decent pricing, and a cute decor make this a nice little surprise amidst the sea of mediocrity in the area. We ended up picknicking under one of the sunbrellas in front of the Met before I ran in for my culture fix.
I can’t wait to get back in mid-September to see old firends and explore new places.
Cheers!
Great line-up!
gaia italian cafe?
Who the hell let @ybarselah take August off, I count on him to give me the early NY Times restaurant reviews! I actually subscribe but the early email goes to my wife. Well I will cover for him. Big news this week from the new interim reviewer who comes out swinging, Priya Krishna, newcomer Bungalow an Indian restaurant in the East Village gets three stars!
No, this place was downstairs in the basement of a building. That woman fed me on many of my days walking the streets with a bag of samples when I first started my business in 2008.
I don’t think there is any other city in the US, maybe the world, where wine reps tote their samples around all day on foot 
It ain’t easy. Once you know the look, you can spot a rep from more than a block away. They are all over Gotham. Haven’t even seen this in Paris, which is one of the few other wine-centric cities I know that doesn’t require a car.
Good for them. I had been meaning to go, but now it looks like that will be more difficult!
And interesting to see how the restaurant evolves and whether that vibe of mostly South Asian patrons that she notes in the review will continue to be the norm.
Yep, I can always spot a rep a mile away. And as you said, they’re all over NYC and a few other cities. I’ve seen a few in Paris, but I hang with industry peeps there so it’s a natural side-effect. A few key ramen spots (Menkuitei, now closed, was a favorite in Midtown and the East Village), and some inexpensive sandwich places kept me alive while I trawled the streets in the beginning. Fun times.
Does anyone know how the line works? Do they save a certain number of seats. All I could find was a mention that you can only eat small dishes at the bar.
@Robert_Dentice if you need a reservation I know a person.
Anyone have a suggestion for a midtown location to hold a sales team dinner for about 10 heads? This is not with clients, so price does matter (The Modern too expensive, for instance), and the group is not comprised of foodies or wine people. I’d ideally like to be able to bring some bottles to share, but I am better many people will prefer to order beer or cocktails.
I am completely out of the loop when it comes to this kind of thing, so appreciate all thoughts.
Ci Siamo, Greywind, 425, Jupiter come to mind…
Did here for Sales dinner two years ago. Reps loved it. We were 12. Was totally social. Would not recommend if it’s a working meal. Easy with trains. Affordable. Great energy.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ueQVrh713yr7EuEe8?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy
Jupiter could fit the bill for Midtown; the outside area is quite nice and in a NYC Rockefeller vibe. Also BYO friendly on Monday for a couple bottles.
It happens to be on a Monday, so that’s a nice plus!
This looks like a place my colleagues would love…and I would hate! 
I think you understand the situation perfectly 
I forgot to mention east side is preferable for proximity to our offices. I’m checking out Jupiter first, but please do keep suggestions coming!
Thanks all!