Del Posto is the best fine dining experience I've ever had, bar none. This was back around 2013, but our captain was exquisite and pleasant and the food was overwhelming in every way. We left so full we thought we'd vomit. Truly one of the most special evenings ever, and the restaurant itself is gorgeous.
We were, oddly enough, the only non-Chinese diners in the place on a Friday night.
That baguette looks dangerous.
1
I know a couple who had dinner there recently and they said that there were people under the table shining your shoes.
4
If I don't spend $200 on a meal it just doesn't seem worth it.
2
I'm still amazed that Joe Bastianich has come out of this unscathed. Maybe one day that wrong will be righted.
11
When I attempted to reserve a table at Del Posto today (5/17), I was told there would be a $100. charge to my credit card if I cancelled within 48 hours. This practice is the height of pretentiousness and attitude. I immediately aborted plans to dine there. I hope I don't get charged for the phone call (which involved waiting on hold for over 20 minutes).
13
What exactly does a four star restaurant look like these days? Eleven Madison and that's it?
2
Make no mistake....this is a restaurant for the 1%'s. Outrageous prices.
6
White napkins make prodigious amounts of lint, even the very best quality ones. I should hope that a restaurant that aspires to be of service such as Del Posto does would have a stock of black napkins on hand.
Wouldn't you?
4
@Susan
The very best quality white napkins absolutely do not make prodigious -- or even noticeable-to-the-naked-eye -- amounts of lint, I assure you.
6
@ElleMarie. I'm on the fence on this one.
When I first started cooking years ago M.Batali and his ilk were heroes to me. Now I see them for what they mostly are-pretentious epicureans drowning in their own self-regard. This restaurant is just a continuation of this lineage. What a bore I must have been gushing about these establishments with friends who hadn't gone. Cook good food at home for friends and family. It is a far more rewarding experience.
9
"Occupying a little sidecar is a pressed puck of braised leg meat under a single, Roman-style gnocco, a small featherbed of semolina held together by eggs, milk and cheese."
This is so removed from reality. There are people in New York (and, indeed, all over this wealthy country) who don't know where their next meal is coming from. Worshipping this excess is unconscionable.
12
Del Posto and Babbo: two of the very worst "fine" dining experiences I've ever had anywhere in the world.
I won't be going back to any Batali place, former or otherwise. Ever.
6
I prefer bigger plates and smaller portions.
1
well-written review - an interesting, enjoyable read...
6
To start off the food sounds delicious and although expensive one could save up for a special occasion.
However, I was getting bored and uncomfortable reading about the inanities that are considered "service". Maybe my service palate is deficient but I don't need or want all the fou fou stuff.
Again, it is too bad because the food sounds delicious and I would like to support female owned and run restaurants.
Am putting Del Posto in my "wait see" pile.
2
Or you could buy a couple of economy flights to Italy and save a few bucks.
19
OK, I just have to get on my soap box since no other commentators have. While no who eats at Del Posto is evil, the restaurant's existence and attitude shows how sick our society is. There is something wrong when people drop hundreds if not thousands of dollars on a fancy meal while college students can't afford to eat regularly and school children who can't afford school lunch fees are humiliated and are given jelly sandwiches. You could argue that these issues aren't connected but then you are just fooling yourself to avoid your guilt.
12
@Thinker They are not connected. As Pete himself once said, just food is a necessity to some doesn't mean can't also be a luxury to others. You could likewise argue that people shouldn't have multi-million dollar homes when some people are homeless, or that people shouldn't wear designer clothes when other people can't afford a change of clothes, or that people shouldn't drive expensive cars when other people can't afford a MetroCard.
It's not as if the patrons of Del Posto would donate the thousand dollars they spent that night to a soup kitchen otherwise. The money would sit in their bank account otherwise. At least this way the money goes to the dishwashers and waiters who might not otherwise have a job, to the farmers and purveyors who rely on restaurants for their sales. People who make money are entitled to spend it however they please and providing a place for them to spend their money is not sick.
29
I am shocked by this review. I had dinner there in December with three friends and the food was mediocre, but the service was embarrassingly bad. No one know what their job was, different people were doing the same things, while other things were being ignored entirely. We literally had to go to the bar to check on our drinks because 15 minutes had gone by after we ordered them and NO ONE came to our table during that time. They must have known Pete was coming.
12
"The sauce of mussel juices, white wine, butter and saffron makes this the only convincing mussel pasta I’ve ever had." It is sad to hear any restaurant critic say something like this about a classic dish such as pasta with mussels. I have had so many wonderful versions of this dish prepared by home cooks (including me), cooks at neighborhood restaurants, and chefs at "destination" dining spots as well. Pete Wells needs to broaden his horizons considerably. I suggest he start with a visit to some of the best local "red sauce" joints found in the outer boroughs. Then he can branch out to other Italian neighborhoods in cities around the US. No need to pay the kind of prices charged by Del Posto, either.
8
Mr. Wells lost me at “ the only convincing mussel pasta dish”.
Yikes!
Attributing the style of service at Del Posto to Batali's behavior late night at the Spotted Pig is ridiculous. I'd bet that other principles in the business directed the formality in the past, and at present.
To some extent one's experience at any restaurant is what they make it. At best, a good service staff at a high end establishment can read you, and serve accordingly. Laughter is the best medicine...
7
So, an Italian restaurant with French service.
12
I could never afford to have a delicious dinner at this fine a restaurant … it is definitely out of my price range, unfortunately.
Maybe, I’ll start a go-fund-me page or become a restaurant reviewer.
8
Plus the added expense of having to sneak off to a nice deli afterwards to get some good filling food. These dishes are among the most pretentious I’ve viewed since serving pretty took over from providing the customer with a satisfying meal. I’d be sending that baguette back and asking for one without burnt tips.
9
@Norman Dale
If you've not eaten at the restaurant in question, how exactly do you propose to imply it is not 'filling food'?
Not everything needs to be 'super sized' when eating, and true nuance and delicate flavors are clearer and more pronounced in dishes that are thoughtfully put together.
To quote a master of this approach, when asked about one of his dishes, his reply: "This dish is very complex," says Adrià. "But the balance of its beauty and its nuanced flavors makes it magical."
11
@Norman Dale
I ate here about 2 years ago and I definitely did not go home hungry. The food was some of the best I’ve ever had.
Yes it was extremely pricey but I chose to spend that money on a special celebration. Definitely not something I do often but worth the experience IMO.
4
I ate at Del Posto twice.... it feels like eons ago...could it have been over 10 years ago??
Anyway, I just recall that the decor was perfection, and the food sublime. The only thing that was not my cup of tea was the over-the-top-bordering-on-uncomfortable stiff service. I love a nice restaurant and a fine dining experience, but you can have that without forcing the staff to act so utterly stiff and snotty. I'm sure that's the vibe the owners were going for...you know, for the corporate credit card crowd, but....
I felt the same way about Daniel, when I ate there...also maybe about 15 years ago....
10
@Lisa
Go to Blue Hill by Washington Square Park. Dan Barber's farm to table restaurant.
4
@Stephen
Oh how I hate that phrase..."farm to table". As the late great Anthony Bourdain once said, "I'm pretty sure the food was grown on a farm and I am eating it at a table" or words to that effect.
The menu looks pretty pretentious and the bargain 5 course meal sounds like a steal to me. (Not).
10
Oh, I get it. It's " Performance Art ", the topic being the wretched excess of the Trump Era. Where one percenters pay to play Dictator, with all the ridiculous excess of kingly pomp. Who cares ?
More about the actual food, please. The photos are gorgeous.
6
Yes, it is stretching the point.
3
Interesting and engaging review for a NY classic, yet the last two paragraphs seem shockingly out of touch. It seems the author believes that Rodriguez has failed her duty to engage a sufficient number of women on the floor in order to mirror her other commendable female hires, a standard to which he fails to hold all other restaurant owners. Instead of celebrating the strides Rodriguez has made in a traditionally male-dominated arena, he attempts to shame her for not immediately breaking all barriers to entry for women in the restaurant industry. Shame on you Mr Wells—or alternatively (and preferably!), I look forward to reading your dressing down of all ownership that doesn’t meet today’s equality standards.
17
@Hanna I don't see how Wells is shaming Rodriquez. He argues that the restaurant service is too solemn and self-impressed, and suggest that maybe more woman on the floor would give it a lighter touch. Yes that's a criticism, but why is it unfair? Perhaps Rodriguez can encourage her male staff to lighten up, and gradually hire more woman on the floor if she thinks that is a solution. On the other hand, now that I think about it, Rodriguez is only one of the partners, and perhaps the burden should not be on her shoulders to remake the style of the restaurant...
14
I'd go there and order a diet coke at the bar and hang out a bit ....but that's about it.
5
Go to Italy and get American food. Best place in Italy is 1950 American Diner! Yo baby! Bring it on! And the other is American Graffiti. MIGA burgers and Mission Accomplished! Beef, Wings, and Pork. And nothing but fries, mashed taters and skins with bacon. Why would anyone go postal!
3
Beautifully written review of a restaurant I'll probably never get to go to. But it does occur to me that Mr. Wells should have at least made up a story about an occasion that would inspire him to go to Del Posto on a Tuesday night, because by being so businesslike and ho-hum about it he might have tipped off the reservationist that he was a food critic.
4
Yup. This is the current world environment in which we now live. Men are bad, women good. Women make accusations and the kneejerk response is 'Believe Women/Her'. Don't believe him.
Men are slain with mere accusations, and women are given their positions, simply 'because' they are women, now deemed to be more deserving, and without question, not capable of doing any bad...certainly not the likes of what 'bad men' do.
Seriously. I could care less who's running the place, or not. If I knew the details of how every restaurant owner and head chef and head pastry chef and maitre'd and sommelier treated those under them, it's likely I'd never be able to dine anywhere again. I don't decide what businesses to patronize, or not, all out of political correctness. I decide for myself which behaviors I will accept or not, which 'stories' I will tend to believe or not, and when it comes to convictions by a court of law, I will decide which ones bother me enough to no longer patronize or think well of a business and which do not.
7
@Lisa
One person's so-called "political correctness" is another person's moral compass as they try to live or lead with integrity. To each her own, but many of us do care to try and use as many of our choices and monies as possible to support ethical and human workplaces, products, and processes.
28
@Lisa How dare women expect to work without being groped? The outrage!
6
Sounds kind of grim, even with a few bottles of $4,000 Barolo to wash it down. The only people there with a sense of humor appear to be the pianist and whoever put your prosecco marshmallow in the cheese grater.
21
Dinner at the bar a few years ago. Sat next to the departing Eataly chef who was departing to Chicago. Drunk and obnoxious. Del Posto chef was eating and chatting with him. Obvious to staff he was being rude to us. Meal was good but atmosphere ruined - especially when he and bartender didn’t even offer a drink or an apology - although he gave a half one that was really a whine. Thought about it the next day and left a message for manager that was never returned. So, never returned to Del Posto. And never will.
14
Business at this comically affected, New York plutocratic temple of ridiculously priced cuisine should be booming. After all their favorite son, the Fake President, personally delivered deep tax cuts and special preferences to them underwriting lavish dining at this location for many years to come. MAGA!
9
We went several years ago and had a demeaning and arrogant experience. Special occasion, place half full. On time for reservation. Told to go to the bar as our table was not yet ready. After our drinks were served - Voila! ‘Your table is ready’. Upstairs, against a wall and aisle. Never went back.
10
@JoanM
You should have demanded to sit at a better table. My sister and I go our to restaurants on a fairly regular basis and inevitably we are seated next ot the kitchen or bus stands. When that happens we tell the waitress (not ask) to be seated elsewhere many times we go before the crowds come in. On every occasion we have been accommodated. You should have said something. I do admire you from not wanting to go back however. Sadly you'll not be missed as several other suckers are clamoring to get in.
7
Pass!! Save the $2000 bottle of wine, buy two first class tickets to Rome and go to Italy where real Italian food is served.
25
This was before Batali was outed, but I went with a press group and was very underwhelmed. I had a great story about my husband’s grandson being bribed into eating vegetables with a reward of going to Del Posto, which he was obsessed with. I told the quick story to Batali and he did not react at all. He just looked right through me. I thought that was really strange.
8
That is some PRECIOUS writing, too cute by half over the top opulence only matched by the tomfoolery that’ll take folks for a ride charging hundreds and gussying up things like chicken cacciatore. So many of the world’s wrongs contained in one review.
My grandmothers, sensational cooks with no pretenses or airs would have been horrified about every aspect of this. Wake up folks, let’s get back to having more taste than money- not the other way around. Cook!
14
Is this a social review or food review. Peter mentions 2 or 3 dishes but spends more time on non food issues.
At the end he recommends all these dishes that are not even mentioned.
How many times were visited , was only the same 1 or 2 desserts ordered.
Reading gael Greene review actually discuss food and shared dishes etc...
15
@funguynyc The personal is political, the saying goes, and what's more personal than choosing where to spend money on food for the body and soul?
2
Wow, what an incredibly scathing challenge! I hope for the best.
1
It's always hard to surmise where the star came off.
I glean from the review 4 stars for Chef Rodriguez, 3 for Chef Wodder and 3 for services/ambiance, which averages out around to 3?
3
@LdV
I completely agree.
In these days when we're facing climate catastrophe, the (successful) efforts of the Trumpists
to unravel America's constitution and a global right-wing surge, it's good to know some people really care about napkins at an overpriced Italian luxury eatery. This is a prime example of a 'let them eat cake' mentality. Tsk, tsk.
15
"Subservience" seems a bit harsh. The service is formal, yes, but I found to be helpful enough to be at the ready if anyone at the table needed anything, but reserved enough to blend into the background otherwise. "Polished" would seem more apt.
9
I’ve eaten here three times over the last dozen years and have had a poor meals, cold pasta and dull veal, an indifferent meal in one of the private rooms and a superb meal where the pasta sang. That’s not really good enough for the price and I was dumbfounded when it got a four star rating. There are a good ten Italian restaurants in the city I’d go to for a special meal before this one many who would only gather a one or two star review, this does not read like a three star review. And the space itself is the least welcoming restaurant I’ve ever been to, I’m glad I’m not the only one whose first thought is ‘giant cruise liner’.
9
We dined there once a few years ago as part of a group of 8 or 10, all of us experienced fine diners. I think the food was very good but what sticks in my memory is the 15-20 minute lecture we got from the maitre'd before we could order about the menu, Italian food, and how to order it. We found it pretentious, condescending but ultimately hilarious.
34
I've been to Del Posto at least 6 times in the last year and I keep returning because the food is so consistently good and, as Pete Wells notes, there are gems on the wine list at $60 to $75 a bottle (a rarity in New York, much less at a super high-end restaurant).
Some of the dishes that I have had since Melissa Rodriguez became executive chef are among the best dishes I have ever eaten anywhere -- I'm particularly thinking of some of her salad and vegetable dishes and the crudo (in my opinion, 10 times better than equally or more expensive crudo at New York City restaurants like Cosme).
I'm sorry that Wells found the atmosphere funereal and the service stiff. I have never found the service less than friendly and I quite like those scented napkins that they hand out before the meal. I also love the crystal and porcelain. If someone wants to go spend over $200 a head to eat at a loud crowded restaurant with uncomfortable chairs because they don't like the pomp and circumstance of Del Posto, then I say chacun son goût. I'm just glad there are still restaurants like Del Posto still left in the world where one can escape the noise and din of every day living.
68
I have eaten four times at Del Posto over the past ten years.
The service and food was exceptional each time.
As a special occasion one of the times three years ago, we took our sons - then ages 11 and 13. Batali was still involved, and my older son told the waiter how much he enjoyed Batali on Iron Chef. The waiter then had management take both of my boys on a full, private tour of the kitchen. It was delightful and they still talk about it to this day.
Our last visit was a little over a year ago.
The staff has always been reserved. But that is honestly the way my husband and I like it. We are there for the food. The Del Posto staff has always been quiet and respectful, there just as much as we needed.
I'm looking forward to my next visit!
18
It's ok..no, it's very good the last time I ate there ( a year ago) BUT it's no better than a number of restaurants within a 10 mile radius,here in San Gimignano...and at a great deal less cost!
27
I went a year ago for lunch. The food?ranged from exceptional to very good. The staff was accommodating and friendly. Not sure where the naysayers who commented here eat?
12
We experienced two distinctly different restaurants at Del Posto.
The first one a few years ago was perfection. Great food and understated yet sophisticated service. We left singing superlatives.
The second one, under the new regime was a tacky touristy vibe with superfluously showy service. And underwhelming food.
14
I love reading restaurant reviews like this one. I feel that the writers often happen to be especially witty, sensitive and highly imaginative. And very good writers generally. I think it would be much more easier to report from the White House than, say, Del Posto's. I think much of it is artistic; it's not enough to know your facts, delivery matters as well, very much, and that requires a very sharp imagination.
I don't think I can enjoy myself in a restaurant that "enshrines subservience", that's for narcissists and bullies. I would rather be around people with infectious smiles.
Thank you, Pete.
61
@Daniel Solomon. I had a bad experience with infectious smiles.
4
Wait ... You give 3 stars to Del Posto but give an awful review to The Four Seasons because of allegations of harassment by an owner who is no longer there even though you like the food. You obviously are uneven in your reviews- at least be consistent when you review restaurants. You appear to have some bias.
15
I seem to remember his assessment of the 4S was that they were paying lip service to reform. Seems like DP has made actual reform. And it also sounds like the food is better.
18
@ marc nj
There are evidently people who patronize only the restaurants rated by the number of stars, torques, or crossed knives and forks.
Even worse, the restaurants with records not spotted by any political incorrectness. Next will come restaurants for the Democrats and Republicans, each class subdivided into eateries according to all the shades of the political spectrum of each Party.
2
Is the menu offering in the crypt of Grant's Tomb a la carte or prix fixe?
27
@Stu Pidasso I tried to imagine Grant's Tomb lighting, then a Tiki bar with flickering torches and dim corners to rendezvous with a secret lover.
I realized both were probably dark, but one a lot more fun.
8
Ah, they all move on. Le Cirque, Lutece, etc. and now this. It's the way of all things, especially restaurants.
Is there a Del Posto outlet in Vegas yet?
There should be. Next to the Elvis Lives cabaret.
8
Not sure why Batali is getting the "blame" for the unsmiling service. That's never been his stock in trade and at all his other restaurants the staff is smiling, cordial, professional, fun loving in fact. It must be someone else at Del Posto inciting the grimness. My two cents.
16
Do they really serve cappuccino with dessert?
11
@mflcs Heaven forfend!
1
@mflcs Although it's not the way it's done in Italy (and elsewhere in Europe), Americans often prefer their coffee with dessert and like milk-based coffees. In the U.S. where the "customer is king," restaurants comply.
5
Dear New York Times, please get your act together. The advertisements are covering the photo captions. I refuse to click on anything without a removal X. I also won't buy anything offered that covers captions.
As for the restaurant, it sounds wonderful. I'm looking forward to dining at Del Posto on our next visit to Manhattan. We visit four times a year.
30
It seems that Mr Wells wants it both ways. He says the chef is fantastic and then takes it away. Says the food is fantastic but it’s too somber for him. Having been to Del Posto several times, all I’ve experienced is its greatness. Maybe it’s time for a woman to be the food critic at the Times while you’re at it.
56
@vaneps Love your comments. The last time I ate at Del Posto, within the past year, I experienced a tremendous amount of kindness and plenty of smiles from the wait staff. Maybe it was because my friend and I felt comfortable smiling and joking with them. 10/10 would go back.
16
I believe that Bastianich knew exactly what Batali was getting up to, and was thus complicit. There are no secrets in the restaurant world.
51
@Melmoth
I agree. As long as the money and reputation keep building, the boat was never rocked. I used to watch Joe on his mother's TV show Lidia's Italy. He was so rude to her and condescending to the audience. How has HE managed to reap the benefits of Batali's boorishness?
3
I'm sorry but what about the food? What kind of review is this?
13
“A single, plate-spanning raviolo, called a fazzoletto, is topped with poached mussels and filled with spinach and fresh herbs — not a lawnmower-mulch of greenery but a layer of emulsion as thin and velvety as the dough that envelops it. The sauce of mussel juices, white wine, butter and saffron makes this the only convincing mussel pasta I’ve ever had.”
This seems to be about the food. Although it might also be about sex. Who can tell anymore.
89
@Angelus Ravenscroft
Brilliant comment.
15
@scott k. What?!
2
I went to Del Posto when it first opened in 2008 an then again for drinks a few years later; while I enjoyed it way back when, I wouldn't go back again; the stiff, joyless formality takes away from the whole experience. Plus, I'm steering clear of all the restos that disgusting, abusive pig Batali-and his enabler, Bastiniach, own. Many better, warmer, far more enjoyable restaurants (*See Frenchette) in town.
24
Fascinating review.
The menu sounds carefully and lovingly constructed.
I've eaten many fine meals in Italy and France and am a bit of a home cook/chef as well.
Making your guests comfortable and welcome enhances the meal. I want to feel the love. And a good staff should welcome the love right back.
The days of pretentious service are long since dead at any price.
14
@Brad
Excellent. We Oregonians are in accord. The most memorable meals have always been the most relaxed, usually with friends, family, good food and wine...and restaurants who can deliver the same graciousness.
We've reached parody when DP or its ilk are enshrined as churches with patrons reverently kneeling for 3 star communion.
No quarrel for those who fetish it...but amusing.
9
@murfie it’s funny how appreciation of true pomp and circumstance and yes tradition are frowned upon by those who due to lack of their own sophistication are uncomfortable. Well. By all means pay 200 for braised pork belly and a third rate Barolo by a smiling server who’s too good to be there because she majored in vegan economics.
4
@Llyod
To be clear
I'm pro-high quality dining, food and wine; pro-excellent service, pro-love and respect of food and cooking. None of that requires people acting like servants, nor does it require servers acting like your casual pal.
People who truly love and respect great food, cooking and wine are kindred souls and happy to share the experience.
6
"First, there is a small hot linen napkin scented with tomato-vine oil, to wipe the dust of the outside world from your hands. Then a large white linen napkin, followed just before dessert by a small yellow one. It is given to you, and the white one is taken away, by a server using a large fork and spoon as tongs."
I think I would fall out of my chair laughing at the outdated pomp and circumstance and then turn around looking for my grandmother. Thank goodness I live in Brooklyn where the dining is innovative and one never has to worry about encountering unintentional anachronism.
53
@Brooklyn Dog Geek
This is the only part of the experience, other than the quality of the food, that sounded pleasant to me. A local Japanese restaurant here, now sadly closed, used to begin with a warm cleansing towel. I like the ritualized transition from the outside world to one of calm, cleansed attentiveness to the senses (I had a tomato-vine scented candle once that was divine).
If you've used your dinner napkin to dab a greasy mouth or catch dripped sauce, why not a fresh, smaller one for the dessert course? Would you eat a delicate tart with the soiled fork you used for the main course?
Actual tongs make more sense to me than the fork and spoon combo—still, less intrusive than hands grabbing a wad of fabric.
There's no inherent reason these niceties would have to be doled out with somber pomposity, as seems to be the case here. In the right environment, they could have a spa-like feel.
9
Part of me wants to avoid Batali's former restaurants because of the Bastianich family, as they may well have known of Batali's behavior and chose to ignore it.
But another part of me wants to support the women that now have the task of running Del Posto. I want to see them succeed, so I WILL be visiting Del Posto soon.
47
@Bob
You don't have to explain yourself to anyone! If you want to go then go!
8
@Aaron
I like people who share their thinking . . . his explanation isn't approval-seeking, just thoughtful and interesting.
Living in a small New Mexico town, I don't know when I'll get to experience Del Posto. I'd like to support the women and experience the towels, not to mention the food!
Do I wish I could? You betcha! Thanks for the great writing!
5
@Bob
Absolutely go and support!
Also support the workers of the restaurants. They had nothing to do with Batali and shouldn’t be penalized either.
I loved it when I went, not long after Ms Rodriquez took over.
The chef has sold her soul and will likely move on as soon as she has established her own reputation. Giving this ridiculous representation of excess a fresh review seems tone deaf to me. A three star review represents support of the borderline criminal empire Batali and Bastianich created with level of abuse that has been heaped upon their staff. The service experience is a window to any restaurant and this says it all. I would be absolutely embarrassed to set foot in a place that has essentially sanctioned harassment. No dining experience is worth being a part of that. I'm sure the food is good. So what.
24
@J Art
You know nothing about this woman you say sold her soul. You know nothing (nor for that matter does Wells) about her plan for the enterprise. How dare you or he or anybody in this comments section judge her motivation?
Perhaps she felt motivated to keep 100 people gainfully employed in an environment that vindicates their years of service to the restaurant. That has far more positive impact than your sneering boycott.
Good for her.
116
@J Art
They gave her an equity stake, which means she is not likely to leave any time soon.
1
Is it stretching a point to ask if enshrining subservience, as Del Posto does, reflects the same twisted sense of priorities that allowed Mr. Batali to get away with abusing his own power for so long?
Yes, it is.
29
@Laurence Bachmann
No, it really isn't. If you think strong hierarchies of subservience have nothing to do with abuse of power, you need to spend more time studying history.
3
amen. i design restaurants for a living and while there is a place for occasion restaurants and extreme luxury, i think your last sentence really captures the crux or crucible of where del posto stands.
i hope they make the right moves.
5
Having been twice in the pre-lapserian era I have to admit I didn't get it. Not the location, not the room, not the service, not the price. (And definitlely not the private dining spaces in the basment.) And having been to a number of fancy, classy Italian restauruants in Rome, Milan, Turin I really didn't get it. That's not how Italians who can afford it want to eat. Too dark. Tables too big for any sesne of intimate dining. Staff playing parts like prisoner-actors. Not a laugh to be had ! Food was great, sure, but the whole experince was way down on the value-for-the-money scale.
57
Assuming one can afford the Del Posto experience, one could afford the trip to Italy. Vivi la differenza!
4
@Robert Watson $164 for the food, $95 for the wine pairing, $25 for tax, $50 for the tip. Please do tell me where to find a flight to Italy for $334.
11
@Wilder I completely agree with you. I was at a company dinner there and the serving staff was so stiff and afraid that I had the fantasy that someone stood in the service area ready to whip them if they were at all out of place. Made me very uncomfortable.
8
Very glad this review explicitly addressed the leadership issues and changes-- as well as the mismatch and oddities in the service.
22
Having never had a pleasure of visiting Del Postos, I like the review very much, but it does neithern make my stomach growl pleasantly, nor the taste buds titillate and pulsate.
A breast of pheasant is a notable feature on the menu, and the double-pointed bread baguette is to kill for.
3
@Tuvw Xyz-It's not a "breast of pheasant'. You're thinking of "pheasant under glass", which hasn't existed except in old movies set in stuffy mansions. It's "guinea hen breast", which is completely different.
9
@Patou,
'Poultry alla Cacciatore becomes a lightly breaded pheasant breast'. Beautiful photographs, by the way, where culinary art is seen at its best.
Bunuel might have chose the setting for one of his surrealistic movies, where an elegant restaurant features, and where the patron is resting in the next room, silent as a kipper.
2
@Miss Ley-It's stated that is'a 'guinea hen". The "pheasant" was used loosely. This place is over. Period, the end.
2
This confirms a theory that I've long held, that Pete cancelled an overdue review because of that Batali news. While he was willing to give Four Seasons a 1-star review, dressing down a 4-star restaurant on anything other than what's on the plate was a bridge too far. This review is also exactly in-line with what I felt when I went there. It hasn't been a 4-star restaurant in years, but it measures up to any other 3-star restaurant.
19
This is a very comprehensive review. I went to Del Posto for a birthday lunch about 2 years ago, and I also remember noticing the somber formality of the service. It was still a very positive experience, but that struck me as strange and (as somebody for whom Del Posto is DEFINITELY only for special occasions) a bit uncomfortable.
Framing that in the context of what's come out regarding Mr. Batali, etc. makes a lot of sense. Hopefully Ms. Rodriguez will have the tenacity and support to help the restaurant thrive anew.
25
@Ryan,
You might find this somber formality of service at a small or large club in The City, where some of these are fine places to meet for a hushed conversation, while the waiter in attendance is never far away.
Regardless, for a birthday celebration it sounds as if Del Posto, delicious and delightful as it may be, might not be a barrel of festive marrons glaces.
Now. What better place than a romantic evening for two; quiet and understated in tone with candlelight, while an engaging ring glides across the table.
You forgot to tell us what you chose on the menu for an edible feast, and whether the waiters sang Happy Birthday in your honor.
Once upon a time there was 'The Monk's Abbey' in mid-town, where the waiters wore robes and sang beautifully when the cake was lit, and placed in front of the happy celebrant.
Those are the eating establishments that are missed by some of another generation when we were younger, and there was no whiff of scandal emanating from the chef's culinary boutique.
But for those who enjoy a certain reticence, while eating good soup, here's to Ms. Rodriguez taking up the baguette and clearing the kitchen of tarnished pots and pans.
13
@Ryan
I am undoubtedly dating myself here Ryan, but the formal service you describe as a bit uncomfortable was once the norm in NYC's "finer" restaurants--particularly the French--where customers with jackets but no tie were considered casually attired.
With Lydia Bastianich as one of the founders--a woman at least a decade older than myself-- I am sure Del Posto reflects a bygone standard or tone of what "fine dining" should be. Does that necessarily have to be wrong or discomfiting?
I used to be ill at ease when waiters introduced themselves and their names, wondering why I needed to know that. I've learned to think of it as not bad, just different. There are far worse things in life and restaurants than fastidious service.
16
Miss Ley for the win.
4