Greatest Dining Experience
One of the greatest things about New York City (and Brooklyn) is the food. I always say that when I leave New York the thing I will miss the most will be the food. And it’s delicious from the $2 Recession Special at Gray’s Papaya to a $200 dinner at Gramercy Tavern.
Which brings me to my greatest dining experience. The Gramercy Tavern. It was the night of my final thesis presentation and my wife and I wanted to celebrate. I had heard only good things about this place, I walked by it every day on my way to school so we decided to do it. And luckily my wife’s boss just gave all their employees a $100 American Express gift card. So the stage was set and it did not dissappoint. From the service to the appetizer to the complimentary mini in-between appetizers to the main course (I had quail which I had never had before and the way they cooked it was incredible) to how they scripted “congratulations Rusty” on my dessert plate (information the hostess picked up on when my wife was explaining why I was late) to the complimentary muffins for the next morning’s breakfast. All delicious, wonderful service, perfect dining experience. The tab was about $200 (including tip) and that was without alcohol and half was paid for by my wife’s company’s gift. All in all a fabulous experience.
What’s your greatest dining experience? (not just food taste but overall experience)
The first area on my mission was Cosmopolis. Every Friday we walked out to a house on the far side of town and had lunch with an older couple, Oswald and Maria. It was a five course meal each time with a selection of juices and fresh fruit that was unbelievable. I never had anything like it before or since. They really went all out in a way that nobody else did. I’m not even sure what the names of the dishes were since I never had any of them again. I remember some crepes stuffed with beef and Maria laughing about how Americans eat “pancakes” for breakfast. The passion fruit juice was also very memorable. You just can’t get good passion fruit juice in the US.
As far as restaurants go, there is this place on the south side of the central square in Cozumel that makes the best enchiladas in the world…
Comment by a random John — November 18, 2005 @ 2:11 am
Rusty, this is a topic very close to my heart. I’ve lived in Paris and New York for the last 10 years, and it’s with more than a little regret that I leave the culinary metropoli behind. I’ve had the pleasure of eating at some of the finest places (on other people’s tabs). Here’s my take–
New York:
Jean-George was good but overpriced, mediocre service.
Aureole was sumptuous and delicious in EVERY BITE.
Oceana has the best key lime pie I’ve ever had, hands down.
Le Bernardin is the finest dining experience in my life, with every aspect impeccable and flawless — the best seafood I can possibly imagine. The service was tremendous and refined. It makes me wish I could drink wine, b/c the sommelier there was fantastic. Daniel was a close second in this respect, but definitely second.
Peter Luger is the old-school steak house, and I personally like the steak there better than at Sparks. Grumpy service, but that’s par for the course.
The Four Seasons represents the best power lunch in the universe. It is just sublime. It made me want to crunch ice in my teeth and say, “and you said we wouldn’t have any fun…shame on you.”
Il Mulino is a magical italian food wonderland. Unfortunately the prices are equally magical, dancing about with abandon. You have no idea how much the bill will be. But ohhh, the food. Best Italian I’ve ever had — including when in Italy.
Best hot dog: Gray’s Papaya.
Comment by Supergenius — November 18, 2005 @ 10:05 am
A couple of weeks after 9/11, and about a week before my first son was born, I took my wife to Babbo in Greenwich Village. The city was still in the super-friendly, sincerely-caring mode that prevailed for a few months after the attacks, and there was just a great vibe throughout the restaurant. Other than having to see Mario Batali’s pasty legs in shorts, it was a stellar evening.
Thinking about only the food, I’d second Steve on Peter Luger’s. Union Square Cafe is right up there for me too.
Rusty, we liked Joya, Banania, and Cafe Luluc in Brooklyn.
Comment by Greg — November 18, 2005 @ 1:39 pm
I like Gray’s Papaya and all but I somehow can’t get over the fact that they turn the hotdogs with their bare hands. The heat kills everything, I’m sure, but it’s still icky.
My favorite restaurant in New York is an Argentine restaurant called Pampa on the Upper East Side. The steaks are so big, you can’t finish the whole thing before it gets cold.
Comment by NFlanders — November 18, 2005 @ 6:22 pm
I went to New Orleans in 1994 and for a splurge we went to Galatoire’s. Not as famous as Antoine’s or Commander’s Palace, it was never the less, one of the best meals I have ever had. The shrimp remoulade was divine. The service was fantastic. The Cafe Brulee dessert was spectacular. They don’t take reservations and they are always packed.
My other memorable dining experience happened during my honeymoon in Seattle. Actually, it was brunch at the Salish Lodge perched at the top of Snoqualmie Falls. (about an hour or so from the city)
The view was amazing and the Salish Old Fashion Steel-Cut Oats served with a topping tray couldn’t be appropriately described as “oatmeal”.
Comment by Jennifer — November 18, 2005 @ 6:24 pm
NFlanders, they wear rubber gloves.
Comment by Supergenius — November 18, 2005 @ 6:28 pm
I’m glad they do now, but I distinctly remember having many a gloveless dining experience there.
Of course, my memory may be playing tricks on me.
Comment by NFlanders — November 19, 2005 @ 9:01 am
I have never gone to the Gramercy Tavern, but I do have The Last Course, a recipe book by its pastry chef, Claudia Fleming. That book has allowed me to impress a lot of people.
I second Supergenius’s suggestion that Le Bernardin is the best. A close second was when, during my only trip to Chicago, I took a little side trip to Le Francais, in Wheeling, at the time one of only two area establishments in the famous Relais et Chateaux guide. That was the first time I tried sweetbreads.
Comment by Bill — November 19, 2005 @ 7:54 pm
I don’t know about the best overall dining experience, but I still think longingly about a bowl of pumpkin soup I enjoyed at Magnolia Grill in Durham seven years ago.
For atmosphere, good food and great service, The Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas was great (although I’ve heard they dropped from a five to a four-star restaurant since I’ve been there).
The Green Room, a funky four star dive in Dallas’ Deep Ellum, has tattooed waiters, loud rock music, and the “Feed Me” option going for it (chef’s choice for four courses, and he looks you over to decide what to give you). Very fun, and unlike most high-end restaurants, completely casual and family-friendly.
In New Orleans, Court of Two Sisters’ jazz brunch buffet was mighty good (and I generally think the quality of food at a buffet will be worse than ordering off the menu even at a good restaurant). Then again, I was six months pregnant and very hungry at the time.
Breadmans in Chapel Hill has the best comfort food menu ever (although their hush puppies aren’t as good as Bullocks in Durham). Close runner up is Babe’s Chicken Dinner House in Garland, Texas (creamed corn to die for).
Comment by Allison — November 22, 2005 @ 9:20 am
Gramercy Tavern and Babbo have to be my numbers two and three (although I’m not sure which would be which). Gramercy was dinner and entertainment for me and my wife on our second anniversary, and changed the way we thought about eating out. We got reservations to Babbo because a coworker had made them for what turned out to be Ash Wednesday, he was fasting, but didn’t want to give up his reservations.
But the best place I’ve ever eaten is a place I found in one of those glossy Days Inn-type local restaurant guides in Asheville, NC. Savoy was an Italian place that had just converted into a seafood place, with four chef-owners, each of whom had different training (it’s been almost a year, but I think one was Asian-trained, one French, one Latin American, and one had other training). Everything from the bread to the dessert was made in-house (and, in fact, the night we ate there, the breadmaker had just quit, so one of the chefs had made the bread himself for the first time ever). They flew in their fish fresh from Hawai’i daily; it was astounding, and I would go back to Asheville just for the fish.
Comment by Sam B. — November 22, 2005 @ 3:50 pm
Speaking of Babbo, I’ve only been there once, on accident. I was helping my girlfriend move with her father and after we were done we started wandering around the village looking for a restaurant to eat. We were filthy and sweaty from the move and we were just looking for a quick place to eat. Very awkward. And I didn’t even like my food. Oh well.
Comment by NFlanders — November 22, 2005 @ 7:55 pm
Hey, Allison, where would you recommend we go to celebrate my graduation? I know Durham is surprisingly blessed with good restaurants, but the only place we ever end up going is McDonald’s (or the cafe at Sam’s Club).
Comment by Bryce I — November 23, 2005 @ 9:00 am
Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago. Not even a contest.
Comment by Russell Arben Fox — November 23, 2005 @ 11:44 am