Rolling the Dice: Bar Q

Every week, we take our turn with Lady Luck on the BruniBetting odds as posted by Eater. Just for kicks, we track Eater’s bet too, and see who is better at guessing what the unpredictable Bruni will do. We track our sins with an imaginary $1 bet every week.

The Line: Tomorrow, Frank Bruni visits Bar Q, Anita Lo’s Asian barbecue in the West Village. The Eater oddsmakers have set the action as follows (√√ denotes the Eater bet):

Zero Stars: 4-1
One Star: 2-1 √√
Two Stars: 4-1
Three Stars: 50-1
Four Stars: 10,000-1

The Skinny: Luckily for Anita Lo, a zero-star review is off the table. Goose eggs are rare, so you can be sure Bruni won’t crack two of them in a row. Ago, last week’s spanking victim, takes Bar Q off the hook.

We agree with Eater that Adam Platt’s two-bagger sets the outer limits of what is possible here. As usual, Platt’s reasoning is suspect: “My wife agitated (loudly) for three stars; my hulking barbecue friends agitated (almost as loudly) for one. Diplomatically, I’ll split the difference.”

We think Bruni will sympathize more with Platt’s barbecue friends than with his wife. Besides, we found the place just a tad better than mediocre—certainly nowhere close to two stars, either in concept or execution.

The Bet: We agree with Eater that Frank Bruni will award one star to Bar Q.

Jedediah Hawkins Inn

Over the weekend, we paid a visit to the restaurant at Jedediah Hawkins Inn in Jamesport, New York, on the North Fork of Long Island. The Inn is a gorgeous 1863 manor home in the Italianate style, built and named for a prosperous captain in the Union Army. Once one of the North Fork’s most stately homes, it fell into disuse and was at one point slated for demolition. After a two-year restoration, it re-opened in 2005 as an inn and fine dining restaurant.

The space is lovely—I would almost call it extraordinary—with comfortable tables generously spaced and an authentic post-Colonial interior, marred slightly by modern art wall paintings that clash with the atmosphere.

Chefs Michael Ross and Tom Schaudel serve an haute barnyard menu featuring locally-sourced produce. It would be considered extremely expensive even in Manhattan. Appetizers are $10–24, entrées $27–44. The tasting menu is $95, and there is a Friday night prix fixe at $45.

If only the food lived up to the atmosphere.

 

The local Catapano Farm makes a terrific goat cheese, and this featured in several dishes, starting with the amuse bouche and both of our appetizers. I had the Roasted Baby Beet Salad ($15), but the goat cheese was plopped on top of it in an unappetizing, unspreadable lump. It also seemed under-seasoned, with a 25-year sherry vinaigrette failing to make much of an impression.

Tempura Squash Blossoms ($16) featured the same Catapano goat cheese, but the tempura had come out of the deep fryer too quickly. It was mushy and not warm enough.

 

Yellowfin Tuna ($37) was sushi-grade, and only barely seared. Fish of that quality doesn’t need much help, but here it was overpowered with a warm potato salad, tomato confit, chive oil, a quail egg, and a perversely bitter black olive–caper vinaigrette.

In our second entrée, we finally had a dish that lived up to the billing: an organic thick-cut New York Strip ($44), which wisely was allowed to make its own case without interference, except for traditional truffled parmesan potatos and a wonderful garlic creamed spinach. My girlfriend said, “This was the best New York Strip I have ever tasted.” It was smooth, buttery, and just about perfect.

But at a restaurant this expensive, it’s not good enough when, out of two appetizers and two entrées, there is only one item that could be recommended without hesitation.

The wine list includes offerings from almost every North Fork vinyard—no small feat, as there are dozens of them now. A 2003 Martha Clara Estate Reserve Syrah ($55) needed a few minutes to open up, but thereafter delivered the goods.

Service would have been fine, except that the amuse bouche and the appetizers came out almost simultaneously. At 9:00 p.m., we appear to have been the last reservation of the evening, and we sensed the kitchen was trying to get us out in a hurry.

We really wanted to like this place, especially given the lovely atmosphere, but the performance was uneven, and based on the reports of others who’ve dined here, we doubt that our experience was atypical.

Jedediah Hawkins Inn (400 South Jamesport Ave., Jamesport, N.Y.)

Food: *
Service: *½
Ambiance: ***
Overall: *½

Exit L'Impero, Enter Convivio

Today, Grub Street reports that L’Impero, the Tudor City Italian mainstay, will close on June 29, re-opening in mid-July as Convivio.

The “lugubrious” interior, which Frank Bruni likened to the inside of a coffin, will get a long-overdue makeover. The menu will offer a $59 four-course prix fixe — that’s $5 less than when we visited last year — with “small plates” served à la carte.

We’ve often noted that small-plate menus are seldom any cheaper, once you order enough food for a full meal. And because they are more confusing, such menus are prone to upselling and over-ordering. It will be interesting to see if L’Impero, er, Convivo, can avoid falling into that trap.

We agree with Cutlets that the makover offers a clean break from the Scott Conant era (he’s now at Scarpetta), and it will likely lure Frank Bruni for a re-review. Those are compelling reasons in themselves.

The Payoff: Ago

Today, the Brunatrix bends Ago over the table and administers a first-class spanking, with only the third POOR rating of his tenure:

She led us to a round table little bigger than a bike wheel. When our four appetizers later arrived and claimed every square millimeter of it, the waiter audibly contemplated balancing a fifth, communal appetizer that we’d ordered on top of our wine glasses…

This restaurant isn’t in the hospitality business. It’s in the attitude business, projecting an aloofness that permeated all of my meals there, nights of wine and poses for swingers on the make, cougars on the prowl and anyone else who values a sort of facile fabulousness over competent service or a breaded veal Milanese with any discernible meat.

The one I had one night was pounded so thin that the breading on top met the breading on the bottom without pausing for much of anything in between. A vegan could have made peace with it…

The review proves that Ago is doubly incompetent. In the first place, it offers terrible service to its non-VIP customers. And in the second place, even when it has a VIP customer, it doesn’t even know the difference.

This review also proves that critic anonymity works. There are about 15 times when the restaurant could have partially redeemed itself, if only they’d recognized that they were serving Frank Bruni. Critics that always trumpet their presence—Restaurant Girl, for instance—are practically assured of never having such an experience.

Eater and I both predicted a zero-star review. We both win $3 on our hypothetical one-dollar bets.

	Eater		NYJ
Bankroll	$88.50		$108.67
Gain/Loss	+3.00		+3.00
Total	$91.50		$111.67
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Won–Lost	41–18		43–16

Rolling the Dice: Ago

Every week, we take our turn with Lady Luck on the BruniBetting odds as posted by Eater. Just for kicks, we track Eater’s bet too, and see who is better at guessing what the unpredictable Bruni will do. We track our sins with an imaginary $1 bet every week.

The Line: Tomorrow, Frank Bruni visits Ago—that’s pronounced “Ah-go”—in Robert De Niro’s Greenwich Hotel. The Eater oddsmakers have set the action as follows (√√ denotes the Eater bet):

Zero Stars: 3-1 √√
One Star: 2-1
Two Stars: 6-1
Three Stars: 25-1
Four Stars: 1,000-1

The Skinny: By all accounts, Ago is a formulaic trattoria. The nominal chef, Agostino Sciandri, for whom the restaurant is named, spends no time in New York, and apparently doesn’t intend to. Ago might be a one-star restaurant if everything were working perfectly. The trouble is, it’s not that impressive. Alan Richman didn’t think so, and neither did we.

As Eater notes, Ago is “goose-train eligible.” Bruni normally doesn’t review obscure restaurants only to trash them, but where you’ve got a celebrity owner, a celebrity chef, and a well publicized opening, then nobody’s safe. Bruni is on record with the view that:

…the definition of one star as “good” would quickly lose any meaning if the review space didn’t occasionally present examples, and reviews, of restaurants that fall below that mark. That argues for zero-star reviews from time to time.

To Bruni, “occasionally” has usually translated into a handful of zero-star reviews per year, but he has issued no goose-eggs since he rated Harry Cipriani POOR in November 2007. That’s seven months ago. The goose train is overdue.

The Bet: We agree with Eater that Frank Bruni will award no stars to Ago.

Scarpetta

[Kreiger via Eater]

Note: Scott Conant is no longer affiliated with the New York branch of Scarpetta, though he continues to “run” (I use the term loosely) the Scarpettas in other cities.

*

At the new Italian restaurant Scarpetta, we have another telling of the usual story these days: a former three-star chef in one or two-star surroundings.

Here, the former big-time chef is Scott Conant, who had five stars to his name between L’Impero (three, per Asimov) and Alto (the deuce, per Bruni). He left the two restaurants in 2007, consulted a while, and is now back in Manhattan at Scarpetta, on the edge of the Meatpacking District.

The former Gin Lane space looks like a quiet country home on the outside, despite the Meatpacking madness just steps away. Indoors, there’s a large bar space for the bridge-and-tunnel set.

The dining room is decorated in a modern rustic chic, with mirrors fastened to the walls with leather saddle belts, and matching saddle leather placemats. A retractable roof could be delightful in the spring and autumn, but it was closed on a hot Saturday evening in June, so that the dining room could be air conditioned.

The exposed hard surfaces make Scarpetta a noisy restaurant when it is full—and full is how you’ll most likely find it, thanks to the sterling reputation that Conant brings with him. He’s serving the same seasonal modern Italian cuisine that brought him accolades at L’Impero.

Scarpetta, which means “little shoe,” has potential if the kitchen can work out some inconsistencies. Our first and second courses came out quickly, but we waited an eternity for the third, and we observed similar waits at other tables. When they finally came out, our entrées were somewhat disappointing.

Prices are in line with other restaurants in “former three-star chef” club, with appetizers from $11–17, pastas $22–25, and entrées $25–37. The server told us that appetizer-sized pasta portions were quickly dropped after opening, when they found the kitchen couldn’t keep up. That was apparently a wise move, since the kitchen still isn’t keeping up.

We fashioned a three-course meal by ordering an appetizer to share, followed by a pasta to share, followed by two entrées. The kitchen plated each of the first two courses as separate “half-orders” without being prompted.

 

The bread service could quickly become addictive. Four kinds of homemade bread came with soft butter, an eggplant spread, and a pool of olive oil. Raw Yellowtail ($16) in sea salt and ginger oil had a bright taste, and there was a nice ring of fat around the fish, although the salt crust wasn’t spread as evenly as it should be.

 

The second course, Agnolotti dal Plin ($24), was impeccable. Pasta pillows were filled with mixed meat and fonduta, with mushrooms and parmigiano.

 

Neither entrée quite lived up to expectations. A Boneless Braised Veal Shank ($31) had been allowed to cook too long, and was slightly dry—still edible, but not as well executed as it should be. We loved the bone marrow & gremolata garnish, which was applied at tableside. Pacific Orata ($26) needed to have a crisper skin. I should note that both dishes had great potential. Neither was bad, and both could very well be winners in the long run.

The wine list emphasizes Italy and France, and there are plenty of bottles at reasonable prices. A 2000 Portulano was only $53.

For a restaurant as crowded as this, the serving staff did an excellent job of staying on top of things. This bodes well for Scarpetta, assuming that the kitchen can work out of its early growing pains. There is some very good food here, though no one should have the illusion that the quality or consistency matches the palmiest days at L’Impero.

Scarpetta (355 W. 14th Street, east of Ninth Avenue, Meatpacking District)

Food: ★½
Service: ★★
Ambiance: ★
Overall: ★½

Sheridan Square

[Kreiger via Eater]

Note: Sheridan Square closed in September 2008.

*

Sheridan Square, as we noted a couple of weeks ago, is the latest of many new restaurants featuring former three-star chefs in casual surroundings. In this case, we have Gary Robins, who was a hit at the Biltmore Room, but flamed out at the Russian Tea Room.

This trend is, I suppose, partly the product of tough economic times, as well as the judgment that most diners are turned off by stuffy dining rooms and $85 prix fixe menus. Restaurants need to be careful, though. Even in pared down surroundings, high-end entrées tend to hover around $30. At that price, diners expect first-class service and ambiance, which some of the latest restaurants fail to deliver.

It appears to us that Sheridan Square has the balance about right. I say that with the caveat that, at the table next to us, a couple complained so bitterly about service delays that the manager comped their entire meal. We didn’t experience anything like that, but the incident says a lot about growing pains at a two-week-old restaurant.

 
Left: Foie Gras Ravioli with spring vegetables & summer truffles; Right: Tagliarini with Mussels & Clams

There have already been multiple food board posts praising the Foie Gras Ravioli ($15) with spring vegetables and summer truffles. You can add me to the dish’s many fans. My girlfriend loved the Tagliarini ($13) with mussels and clams. The relatively low price of both appetizers somewhat offsets the entrées, which skew expensive.

 
Left: Anise Scented Crisped Long Island Duck Breast; Right: Rosemary Crusted Australian Rack of Lamb

Anise Scented Crisped Long Island Duck Breast ($27) was very good, though it was undercut by the gloppy plating of creamed cauliflower, braised fava beans and spring peas. The dish tasted better than it looked.

Rack of Lamb is one of two dishes appearing on the menu with “m.p.” instead of a price, and diners may be surprised to find that it costs $42. It is a larger portion than it needs to be: my girlfriend couldn’t finish five hefty ribs. However, it is an excellent dish, with the wood-burning oven imparting a nice smoky flavor. As with the dush, the puddle of sauce is not attractively plated.

There are some glitches to be worked out, but so far it seems to us that Sheridan Square is one of this year’s better additions to the West Village dining scene.

Sheridan Square (138 Seventh Ave. S. between W. 10th & Charles Sts., West Village)

Food: **
Service: **
Ambiance: **
Overall: **

Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill

I dropped by Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill the other day for a snack. A pulled pork appetizer from the daily specials list, at $12.25, was impressive. I didn’t note the details, but it was essentially a cross between American barbecue and miso soup.

I was seated at the end of the sushi bar, where a huge fish head was staring at me. Initially, I wasn’t sure if it was real, but it surely was. Periodically, a chef would pour a bucket of ice cubes into the mouth—without which it would turn foul in a hurry.

 

Service was a little helter-skelter, as one expects in this type of restaurant. I wasn’t impressed the last time I visited, but the pulled pork appetizer persuaded me that perhaps Blue Ribbon Sushi is worthy of more attention.

Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill (308 W. 58th Street in the Thompson Hotel, 6 Columbus Circle)

Update: Who is in the Kitchen at Mai House?

At Mai House, the story seems to be, “He said…she said.”

More than two weeks ago, Eater reported that top cheffer Spike Mendelssohn was out, and another top cheffer, Lisa Fernandes, was in, but retracted the story after owner Drew Nieporent denied it.

But last week, Spike told Chow.com, “She’s at Mai house helping me. She’s executing my menu. She’s executing my vision,” and today’s Daily News credits her as chef de cuisine there.

We still don’t know if Spike is out, but it seems pretty clear that Lisa is in.

Previous post: Who is in the Kitchen at Mai House? Sing along to the tune, “Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah…”

Restaurant Outlook

Welcome back to Restaurant Outlook, a periodic, highly subjective listing of restaurants we’re paying attention to.

Fairly New

• Sheridan Square — We already posted our first impressions, but we’re going back for a closer look. Reservation: Tonight.
  
• Scarpetta — Italian restaurant by Scott Conant, formerly of Alto and L’Impero. Early reports are promising, but it’s in the Meatpacking District, which hasn’t seen a serious restaurant in years. Reservation: tomorrow.
  
• Hundred Acres — This Marc Meyer/Vicki Freeman follow-up to Provence opened a few weeks ago. It will be in the Five Points–Cookshop haute barnyard vein. Reservation: June 27.
  
• Talay — Pan-Asian food in Harlem, and how often does that get a mention from Florence Fabricant? No plans to visit yet.
  
• Persimmon — David Chang isn’t the only one doing an Asian-inspired prix fixe in the East Village. No plans to visit yet.
  
• Duane Park — This sequel to Duane Park Café looks interesting, though there aren’t many reviews to go on. No plans to visit yet.
  

Forthcoming

All of these restaurants have been announced or mentioned in the press, but some of them may be a long way off.

• Matsu Gen — Jean-Georges Vongerichten does Japanese in the old 66 space. Opening is a couple of weeks away. Naturally, there’s no website yet.
  
• Lever House — Bradford Thompson is taking over the kitchen this month. We’ll wait for the early reports before we decide whether to pay a visit.
  
• Corton — Paul Liebrandt in the former Montrachet space in early August, or thereabouts. ’Nuff said.
  
• Bouley 3.0 — David Bouley’s move to the Mohawk Atelier Building at 161 Duane Street. Expected “by the fall.”
  
• La Fonda del Sol — Mexican you can take seriously? Gael Greene thinks so, and so does Adam Tihany, who’ll be designing the space. Expected in “late fall.”
  
• Susur Lee’s first New York restaurant at 200 Allen Street on the Lower East Side, as yet unnamed, but also expected “come fall.”
  
• Brushstroke — another Bouley restaurant, at 111 West Broadway. Given the well chronicled problems getting this restaurant off the ground, I would be surprised to see it before 2009.
  

Off the List

• Merkato 55 — Now that it’s officially a certified disaster, we’re in no particular hurry to visit. If we happen to be in the neighborhood, then maybe…
• The Redhead — Despite a mostly enthuisiastic 29-page Mouthfuls thread about the Thursdays-only family-style meal, we’ll wait till after a forthcoming expansion.
  
• Greenwich Grill — Near the office, but more likely a choice for a rainy day.