No Expert …but I know what I like – Food Blog, Restaurant reviews – Page 53

Eleven Madison Park – Sweet success!

I enjoyed Eleven Madison Park, the place has style.

On the food front I especially remember a sharing dessert platter.

It was way too big for us to finish, which may have been the idea, as they were only too happy to box it up for us to take back to our Hotel. It was absolutely yummy, just thinking about it gives me a sugar rush!.

UPDATE February 2010 – It seems like Eleven Madison Park is not loosing its touch, Andy Hayler gave it very high marks in his recent review.

See 11 Madison Park Review

UPDATE : September 2011 – Danny Meyer may be selling Eleven Madison Park, see http://www.tinyurls.co.uk/1q1 for details.

UPDATE : October 2011 – Eleven Madison Parks has been awarded 3 Michelin stars. It is also definitely being sold, for details see Eater artical.

Marks out of 10

Food 6.9

Service 7

Ambience 7

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Blue Water Grill – buzzing for brunch

The Blue Water Grill is in a prime location right in the heart of Union Square.

bwg

It’s an excellent venue for Sunday brunch, with a really good buzz. You can not reserve the outside seating, that is allocated on a first come basis, but if you do book, I would recommend trying to get a table near the windows.

Marks out of 10

Food 6

Service 6

Ambience 6

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The Plaza – New York, New York!

Lunch at the Plaza, it’s like Tea at the Ritz, you just can’t go to New York and not pop in.

Lovely room, friendly staff and a surprisingly good lunch deal. Worth checking if this is still available following the Plaza’s recent refurbishment.

Marks out of 10

Food 5

Service 6

Ambience 7

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Craft – Short sighted? No, just don’t see the attraction!

Tom Collichio’s Craft restaurant in New York is the epitome of style over substance. Not clever to make the menu font so small, to justify the gimmick of giving out reading glasses to the “short sighted”.

My main problem with the meal was that you are meant to mix and match the elements that you order. Excuse me but surely that is part of the art in preparing a course and one that the chef should take care of. He or she should be the expert in matching the ingredients on the plate. That’s what I’m paying you for.

This video explains why they choose this mix and match concept:-

Did not work for me, not surprised it lost its Michelin star.

Food 5/10

Service 0 (the man at the next table was choking and was ignored! – eventually with a lot of effort his wife managed to get him a glass of water).

Ambience !! (not important if everything else is wrong).

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Red Cat – very cool!

Really liked the Red Cat, it’s very cool, very New York.

On the plus side or maybe the negative side, the last time we were there was during the Republican Party Conference, so we had the Secret Service outside and someone from the Bush clan inside. Much to the horror of the dinners at the next table who were obviously Democrats.

Marks out of 10

Food 6

Service 6

Ambience 6.5

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The Fat Duck – OTT

The Fat Duck in Bray is the complete opposite of its near neighbour the Waterside Inn, The Waterside goes for old fashioned comfort (old money clientele), the Fat Duck does “flash” (new money clientele).

The room is minimalist in style and the food is excellent with very over the top presentation.

We visited before the recent alleged food poisoning problems, and experienced all the trade mark gimmicks – Dry Ice, Dragons Breath, IPods and the obligatory Snails Porridge. We also went for a matching flight of wines. There are two price options here, expensive and extortionate. We restrained ourselves and kept the wine bill under £100 per person.

It was an experience, but I have to admit I missed the warmth of the Waterside Inn as once the meal is finished, there is no way you would want to hang around or indeed be encouraged to hang around in the rather cold room. Then again I guess that is why Heston Blumenthal’s Hinds Head is only a few yards away.

The Fat Duck is currently number 2 on the S.Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurants list.

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