Saturday night we went to Saul's Restaurant in Brooklyn. One of the best meals I've had this year. Michelin 1 Star. Highly recommend.

I had the Butternut Squash Soup for a starter and the Wood Pigeon for the main dish. Also tried the lamb special (cooked two different ways). The wine list is minimal and over-priced. We paid $90 x 2 for 2005 Gary Farrell RR PNs for a party of six. The food was so good that we didn't mind.

On Smith Street in Park Slope.

Heading to Per Se and Daniel in two weeks for our annual NYC weekend splurge, can't wait!

Bouley: deserving of the recognition it receives as 1 of the NYC's finest. It absolutely is indeed. We went to a dinner party, a 7-course menu. A memorable dining experience. The bakery is also a must stop.

Sushi/sashimi plate

Seasonal butter squash & chestnut soup – perfect!

Wild mushroom salad with greens & Parmigiano Reggiano – great salad

Lamb Chops … - perfectly made

Grapefruit salad with Tahitian vanilla ice cream – awesome!

Some other dish that I did not catch the name @ chef’s suggestion/compliments – it was great

Chocolate Crème Brulee

Assorted tortes, cookies

I'm heading back to NYC Feb 8-11; I'm definitely booked the ninth, other than that my schedule appears flexible. Anyone up for Bouley? Or perhaps somewhere more wine friendly?

Just got back from two days in the Big Apple. Great shopping, crisp weather, and topped it up with a toast to Leona Helmsley at Harry's Bar overlooking the park last night. We wondered what portion of our $40 bar tab was going to the dog.

Artesinal was good, with a leathery partridge main course (perfectly gamy and smoky), excellent steak frites, and Siduri Gary's 05 on the list for $115. The special fondue was manchego with chutney (???) or we could have had the Roquefort and Sauternes :-P, but we went with the artisinal blend, which tasted mostly of Brie. Cheese plate is a do not miss.

An interesting experience at Red Eye Grill on 7th. Clearly a tourist "trap" looking place, but you go in and they have all of this seafood...whole fish, crabs, etc, sitting on ice and you just walk by it on your way to the tables...the most glistening, fresh seafood I have ever seen in any restaurant. On Christmas. While the clientele was distinctly common, and the service just a cut above, the care that went into the food was astounding. I ordered a hamburger (along with several fish appetizers) and they said it would take 20 minutes. Why? Because they bring the burger up to temp slowly to keep it moist. Clearly one of the best burgers I've had. French fries were perfectly executed in fresh oil, the clams casino was the best rendition I've had, and the baked Sea Bass (that we are not allowed to eat without a touch of guilt) was done justice by being meltingly tender. It is rare to find a place that knows how to perfectly cook "common" food. Very expensive, but the quality was in the ingredients. I would get a quiet table away from the flaming marshmallows next time...

Oh, and 03 Rafinelli Cab by the half bottle on the list...can't get much better than that!

Any one been to the following restaurant: A Voce on Madison, Italian place?

Wife's BDay coming up in Sept. Looking for perhaps some NYC restaurant recoms.

We've been to Daniel, Georges, Veritas, Le Bernardin, Babbo, March, etc...

I am considering David Burke & Donatella. Has any one been to it, I've heard good things.

Any other suggestions on the level of those places. No, Per Se though.

Thanks as always!

P.S.: The place I posted above (A Voce) was great, worth the money.

Eleven Madison has been on top of their game. The wine policies are controversial, to put it mildly, but the food and ambiance are excellent.

What about their wine policies is controversial?  I've been several times and paid reasonable prices for hard to find wines; paid reasonable corkage; had wine decanted upon request; and had pleasant conversations with the somms.  Did I miss something?

I don't remember exactly, but if you open more than a few bottles they "assign" a personal Somm to your table.  (all this is on ebob)  Some people love the policy, some hate it.  Sounds like keeping it small and simple is the way to go.

I had an amazing meal at WD-50 last month. I think Wylie is a genius, but I know it ain't for everyone.

jb

Not sure why that would get anyone's panties in a twist. But it is e-bob afterall.  I have done dinner for four where we opened 6 bottles. 2 of mine and 4 of theirs. Somm was attentive all evening, but not intrusive. In fact, (and this comes from someone who likes to be left alone more often than not), I thought the wine service was excellent. wouldn't expect anything less from Danny Meyer.  I think Eleven Madison Park is hitting on all cylinders. Done 3 dinners and 4 lunches. All excellent.

EMP is one of the better places in the city, imo. i think their byob policy got people upset only because it used to be "different". i think it was $35 corkage, plain and simple. now it's $35 corkage for up to 4 bottles, then a $250 somm fee for anything over 4 bottles.
still, not the kind of place to hold huge offlines, perfect for 1 or 2 couples dining, and keep it under 4 bottles. how hard can it be?lol

Tbird: what exactly didn’t you like about it: service, food, etc...? I’ve heard & read good things. I am just wondering...

Eleven Madison, I forgot about, will check out the menu on their site.

"Tbird: what exactly didn’t you like about it: service, food, etc...? "<-----yes to all. but again, that was brunch. we were VERY hurried by the service, visited my multiple waitstaff, noone seemed to know what to do or when to do it. maybe they have better game at dinner....

We went to Casa Mono today. This is a Mario place. That's a pretty good place, very nice, very nice. All the dishes don't WOW but really full of flavors & very fresh. It is worth a visit. I've heard it is small, & it is in fact a small place. I stayed away from the wines. I found the wines to be overpriced & the storage (wines just hanging out on the shelves, it is 90 deg out today). But, the food is really good. Service is also really good.

P.S.: They call it or it was part of "Cheap Eats NY". I don't know about "cheap" eats. It is not a "cheap" place @ all. An average dish is about $15-$20.

Just got back from NYC. We ate at (in order of preference)
Eleven Madison
Cafe Boulud
Avoce

So my new position with the company requires me to be in New York every other week for the next few months. I will definitely try Eleven Madison...walked by it last month and did not have the chance to go in. Any good places by the World Trade Center? I hear that this part of Manhattan shuts down at night...