two questions about fancy restaurants

Not much of a (unfortified) wine guy, I usually leave it up to my companions. Desserts and ports are my area, but I'll try. I'd probably go with a glass of sauvignon with the tartar, or something even crisper like a chardonay. A good pinot would go great with the next two, even the veal because of the dark sauce, or break the mold and go with the contrast of the Gevurzt (at $58 it must be great), simply because I like german styles (though I would not choose it with the foie gras). After the meal I would head right for the Fonseca's 1970 port, just because I've had it before and it was really good. I'd be tempted by the 1955 Sandeman Bottle, but too rich for my blood.

Edit, I just saw the desserts. I would get the Moscato Passito with the napoleon and the Vin Santo Fattoria di Montigliari with the gelato. Or maybe just an espresso, so I can drive home.:b

I usually take taxis when dinning at places of this class. Even without the wine, I like to just relax and completely enjoy the total experience without the hassle of city driving.

Personally I am a sucker for tasting menus, usually with matching wines. And the sample tasting menu and accompanying wines really looks good. I'd probably try that, given that I've never eaten at Acquerello. $100 seems very reasonable.

But from the main menu, I'd try this:

To start I'll have a glass of very dry Sherry. Something like Tío Pepe is what I have in mind. If the list included some Sherrys with which I was unfamiliar, I'd ask for a recommendation. As an alternative and since this is an Italian restaurant, I might begin with a Campari and soda--very low in alcohol and quite astringent, just the thing to begin.

For the entreé, I'm with Jeff as to the sea bass carpaccio. With this I'll have a glass of the Vueve Clicquot, my favorite Champagne that is not named Krug or Bollinger (and is not one of the super premium bottles). As an alternative and if I had to keep to Italy, I'd select the Prosecceo. This should be light enough to not overpower the rest of the meal. I'm intrigued with squab as a starter, but it might get things off to just a bit too heavy of a beginning. If I skip the pasta course, I choose the squab.

Now for the pasta, where I would pick the asparagus tortellini. I am intrigued with the risotto, but it would not match well with the side in my main choice. Wine with asparagus is always an issue, but I have the perfect solution: a bottle of Podere dei Blumeri, a Pinot Grigio, which should be quite flavorful, but not as assertive as a Chardonnay for example, and should complement the pasta and asparagus very nicely. Before choosing I'll ask about the Alteni di Brassica which might be the best match, but at $115 the bottle I want a second opinion (and strong recommendation). But if the sommelier really thinks that it is the right choice, I'll opt for it.

I'm picking the pepper crusted pork loin with mustard greens and polenta as for my main course. A nice big finish to what has gone before. The polenta (the reason for not choosing rice before) should be just the bland contrast to the pork. For this, I'm pulling out all the stops and ordering a bottle of Barolo--probably the Bruno Giacosa, leaving the Riserva for another night. Of course, with so many choices on this fine wine list, I'll again consult with the sommelier.

Now for the double-barreled finish. To step down from the pork, I'll have the gelato and balsamic vineger, just the right combination of simple, sweet and sharp flavors to back off from the main course. The aged vineger should have just enough complexity to give the dish interest.

And now the cheese. You cannot have a meal like this without a cheese course and again I'll ask for an opinion. My inclination is to think that the suggested Recioto della Valpolicella will be a disappointment after the Barolo and if so, I'll have a glass of the Croft '63. If I'm sharing with Jeff and like-minded port fanatics, we can order up the '53 Sandeman.

Espresso to finish. Perhaps with a grappa.

Taxi home.

Now this might seem like it would cost a lot, but I figure that the host of the thread is paying (and should after such sage advice).

And Peter, you are right.

And one more thing. For those who morn the passing of ER and his posts laden with information and opinion, as much as I enjoyed reading his reviews and comments, I don't recall that he had much to say in the world of food.

There is life left in the HTF.

So what qualifies as "fine dining"?

The most I ever shelled out on a diner for 2 was $250 at Smith and Wollensky (NYC).

While the food was good (the single biggest steak I have ever seen...), I was uninpressed with the wait staff. Certainly not the pampering described above.

So I wonder where this place fits as far as dining goes...

--
H

I've actually eaten at a Smith & Wollensky in mid-town. It was after comming back from a Yankees game with my son (who was then living in NYC). We just wanted a place to get a burger and a beer or a glass of red. We found both and it was a good meal, but even if I had been dropping big money and not just grabbing a burger, I would not class it as fine dinning--even though they do have a very fine wine list (if expensive).

For me, just a big steak, no matter how good or costly will not be fine dinning. I like to be able to choose from food created by someone with some imignation who has created interesting dishes (simple or complex) and put a few together so that the whole meal comes together. All with appropiate beverages, of course.

I expect that the waiter and sommelier to be as interested in food and wine as am I (and be more knowledgeable), and that they will share their view of the food and wine with me and give good advice.

This actually does not need to cost that much money. Look again at the tasting menu of the place under discussion. Four courses with matching wine for $100.

BTW, I'm always happy to dine in a diner. Just so the food is good.

If the meal was bad you need to see the manager and not take it out on the server (unless of course the service was bad also).

Rudy will await your foundation.

I'm with Lew about the "fine dining" vs. dining. If I go to a "fine dining" place, I always want to see something creative and interesting on the menu. My worst problem when going to these places is having to choose between the dish/ingredient I've never had before and the one that is my favorite, prepared creatively. My choices above reveal my usual strategy for solving this. I chose the sea bass carpaccio (for those that do not know, carpaccio is thinly sliced or pounded meat, usually beef, that is served raw, with a drizzel of olive oil and garnishes), because it is a favorite with a new and different meat. My next course is an exotic (foie gras) served in pasta, another new preparation for me; or duck, my current favorite dish which I cannot get enough of. My last was an old standby, veal, which I adore.

Luckily for me, I usually dine with people who are not shy about passing forks or even plates around the table for others to sample. It may be fine dining, but it is more fun to experience as a group and if it means breaking decorum, I'll do it.

Which brings me to another point. Like Lew, I don't think a steak is fine dining, although most places will have a steak on the menu (and it is probably better than 99% of the steaks out there). It sometimes bugs me when a person who is a little tentative goes right for the steak, because it is "safe". I like to be adventurous and my companions are usually those who feel the same (hence the passing of plates). But every once in a while you get a person that will order the "safe" dish instead of the duck ragu or foie gras, which means I either have to order two appetizers or miss out on tasting an interesting dish (it's selfish, I know:b). I used to date this lady and I'd take her to an amazing Northern Italian establishment and she always ordered the chicken parm (the only dish with red sauce on the menu and should have had "for those that can't read the rest of the menu" printed in bold after it). All these great dishes with reduction sauces and rich, hearty preparations and she went for the red sauce and mozzarella. Used to drive me nuts (and cost me extra, because I'd end up ordering a couple extra dishes for me). Now I try to get the "do you eat sushi" and "have you ever had osso bucco" questions out early in a relationship.

Again, like Lew, I'll gladly eat at a diner or a clam shack and enjoy it, when the mood suits. I'm not a snob, I enjoy all kinds of food. I just sometimes enjoy experiencing the best the food world has to offer and for that nothing beats a place with 4 or 5 stars next to the name, because you get to see perfection at work and are rarely disappointed.

Lew, I just saw this and I want you to know this is what my dad ordered before dinner every time he went out. He passed in 2000 and my brother now ceremoniously serves him one every Father's Day. Since it's coming up, I find this quite touching. My dad had tastes similar to yours (in other words, excellent - and was much better with wine than I am), which I consider high praise for both of you. Thanks for the memory.

Everything was awful. Even more so for a Top 10 NYC restaurant.

Re: two questions about fancy restaurants

This is the part I don't like. I can tip the waiter by putting the tip on my credit card, but I've got to give the sommelier bucks directly. I wish they provided for that on the bill. We will be staying at the Capitol Hotel in Little Rock tonight for our 25th anniversary. I would expect I'll be able to add the meal to our room (we are eating at Ashley's in the hotel).

To make this all a little more interesting, my wife's job entails booking rooms and events at the hotel for her company and they already know her quite well and have hinted there may be some special treatment coming our way, perhaps comping some portion of the meal.

Re: two questions about fancy restaurants

I just took a quick look at Ashley's menu online. The items I found most interesting were:


first course:
Homemade lobster agnolotti with tarragon and truffle
“Winter mix” with Point Reyes blue cheese, bitter orange and sherry vinegar
Mixed greens with pickled beets, goat’s cheese, pecans and pomegranate vinaigrette
Herb-crusted oyster risotto
Roasted cauliflower soup with smoky “old spot confit”

entree:
Alaskan black cod, potato confit and oxtails with “mushroom tea”
Pan-roasted sea bass with jama jama, roasted banana jasmine rice, crispy sweet potatoes and spiced rum butter
Lobster cassoulet
Seared prime filet of all-natural beef, truffled potato dumplings and hunter’s sauce
Artichoke ravioli, creamed spinach and Parmesan
Sorghum roast duckling with sweet onion, black apples and bitter orange

Dessert:
Chocolate falling cake with blackberries and port wine
Warm carrot cake with sweet-and-sour whipped cream, carrot syrup and candied carrots
Pear crème brûlée with candied citrus
Cranberry-pumpkin bread pudding and warm butterscotch
Southern pecan pie, hot with brown butter ice cream
Coffee and chicory ice cream and chocolate-covered banana beignets

If I did the winter mix, I would ask to have the blue cheese omitted since it is a migraine trigger for me. That wasn't the entire list, just items that caught my eye. Of the entrees, I found the duck most intersting and for the deserts it was the pear creme brulee.

Re: two questions about fancy restaurants

Jeff,

So you think you can't move to a red state due to culinary aspirations. You are now unmasked. Try this Mortimer's :: Chef's Tasting Menu Don't forget: along with potatos we are the prime producer of Kobe beef in North America.