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Mario Batali, Martha Stewart, Boogie, Jimmi Simpson, Brice Marden are just some of the faces you might recognize on the walls of Jose Picayo’s exhibition: “Mug Shots.”
That isn’t to say though that everyone whose picture is up on the walls of the gallery is famous.
Of the couple hundred photos up on the walls of the gallery, there were only about seven who we could readily identify.
Well, that is besides all the folks who showed up for the opening who had sat for their photos. Read more »
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Wildwood BBQ maiden lunch reviewed by a friend of AmericanMadness. Full staff review to come soon:
Wildwood BBQ appears at first to be a unique down-home addition to the more clench-assed highbrow options on Park Avenue.
However, one is quickly reminded of the location by the restaurant’s high price point and architectural pretensions (soaring wood beams and elongated bar featured in dim lighting).
The size of the portions left much to be desired and for the price you do expect much more. The service was slow but, yes, the restaurant also only opened all but 4 hours ago so that is to be expected.
I had Memphis-style baby back ribs. They cost $15 and the six puny bones left me feeling about as satisfied as a lead Klondike sled dog that’s just been tossed half a rabbit’s ass after three days pulling my fat master through the tundra. Read more »
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Following in Adam Platt’s wake, the American Madness staff and spouses headed to East Village brunch spot, the E.U. (or European Union for those in the know).
For the table, we began with E.U.’s charcuterie platter, providing all a sampling of all five cured meats on the brunch menu.
Eric enjoyed the E.U. Hunter’s breakfast, which comes with a cured meat, a cheese, hard-boiled eggs and bread. With the help of our on-again, off-again waiter, he was pointed toward the cheese most likely to resemble cheddar (Cremasco from Italia) and thought this a good recommendation. The mortadella meat was much more bologna like than he usually preferred, but we chalk that up to his ignorances about cured meats rather than any failings of the restaurant.
LaNita opted for steak and eggs and was really impressed. The scrambled eggs were perfectly undercooked and the medium-cooked steak was nicely seasoned. Most of all, she appreciated a portion size most like Baby Bear’s porridge: just right.
There were some clear favorites from the menu. Of the seven in attendance there were 3 steak and eggs ordered, 2 Hunter’s breakfasts and 2 brioche french toasts with apple compote. Read more »
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The commenters at Citysearch have really bludgeoned this place, but American Madness Team Brunch had a very good meal, and thought the service was quite accommodating.
We didn’t see any of the aloofness that a few have cited in their reviews, though we did see many people turned away while we were eating.
The place is small! One has to expect that there’s only so much that can be done to seat everyone and in a timely fashion. Our table (for 6) took 30 minutes to open, which was downright reasonable. And we stayed for maybe twenty minutes after everyone else had left and the place had closed for brunch and no one in management made a peep!
Ever try to get a table for even four people at Freeman’s or Spitzer’s? Or, Heaven forfend, at Balthazar? On a Sunday? At 1pm? When you don’t have a reservation? (Of course, Little Owl doesn’t take reservations for Sat/Sun brunch.) Thirty minutes was nothing.
The food has been described by angry critics as nothing special. I’ll say this: what I ate was damned good. Eric and I both ordered the meatball sliders (pictured here), and they were quite tasty. I thought the veal slider, in particular, was extremely good. Sliders are a simple concept and given the quality of the meat and the sauces, here it worked.
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The Modern
9 West 53rd Street
New York, NY 10019
212.333.1220 |
I ate at the Modern in mid November, but just never got around to writing it up. More even than the food, I recall the peacefulness of the room and the perfection and unobtrusiveness of the service. It’s a very civilized place to eat, especially if you get a window seat looking out on the (Abby Aldrich Rockefeller) sculpture garden.
My friend and I ordered the chef tasting menu, which (for $125/pp) included:
- Foie Gras Terrine Flavored with Juniper Marinated Raisins, Grilled Country Bread
- Tartare of Yellowfin Tuna and Diver Scallops Seasoned with American Paddlefish Caviar
- Ravioli of Escargot with Slow Poached Quail Eggs and Mustard Greens
- Chorizo-Crusted Chatham Cod with White Coco Bean Purée and Harissa Oil
- Long Island Duck Breast with Black Trumpet Marmalade, “Fleischneke”, and Banyuls Jus
- Artisanal Cheese Selection
- Milk Chocolate Dacquoise and Raspberry Sorbet
Going in reverse order, the chocolate desert was divine. Looking at the menu now, I am reminded that the cheese was up to par, but it’s hard to have a better or worse cheese plate than anyone else. My favorite is still the one at the Gramercy Tavern, because they will tell you all sorts of minutiae, like the name of the cow, if you really want to know.
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