3/5 M L. 6 months ago on Google
This
is
a
difficult
review
to
write
as
we
were
last
here
over
10
years
ago
and
remembered
the
excellent
experience.
We
also
visited
the
French
Laundry
in
2016
with
a
similarly
excellent
experience.
Celebrating
our
29th
anniversary
together
with
friends
from
Los
Angeles
who
were
also
celebrating
their
29th
anniversary,
the
4
of
us
hoped
to
share
a
special
evening.
Maybe
our
expectations
were
too
high,
but
there
were
no
dishes
that
stood
out.
The
menu
included
their
signature
"Oysters
and
Pearls"
a
staple
at
the
West
and
East
locales.
Montauk
fluke
was
over
seasoned
and
slightly
overdone.
Quail
breast
was
almost
"mushy"
and
may
have
been
better
if
prepared
with
Moulard
duck.
The
wagyu
was
good,
maybe
it
was
sous
vide,
but
almost
any
A5
will
be
pretty
good.
The
service
was
uncoordinated
and
awkward,
with
servers
that
seemed
to
be
high
school
interns
who
could
not
explain
the
dishes
(was
that
a
lobster
"Galette"
that
tasted
like
a
crispy
pan-fried
shrimp
cake...ummm,
I'll
find
out
for
you?)
As
native-born
New
Yorkers
who
have
experienced
NY
fine
dining
at
places
like
the
Quilted
Giraffe,
Monrachet,
La
Cote
Basque,
Chanterelle,
etc.,
we
had
hoped
for
a
2023
version
of
a
future
NY
classic.
We
ordered
cappuccinos
that
came
with
a
"hole"
in
the
center
of
the
crema
top,
no
fleur
de
lys
design
(yikes,
have
we
become
old
and
staid-or
should
appearance
be
relevant?).
Our
server
said
that
it
was
because
the
coffee
was
the
"star",
not
the
appearance.
We
could
not
understand
the
tall
gentleman
who
brought
us
a
dish
describing
it
in
a
strange
monotone
that
we
didn't
comprehend
as
he
towered
over
us.
Maybe
we
visited
too
soon
after
their
October
reopening,
but
the
evening
just
"felt"
very
awkward,
disjointed
and
hastily
arranged.
The
silverware
replaced
after
each
course
was
at
times
placed
haphazardly.
During
the
dessert
course,
we
asked
for
hot
water
as
the
tea
was
too
strong
for
our
friends.
They
brought
another
pot
of
tea
to
our
table
and
when
we
brought
this
up,
we
could
hear
a
loud
conversation
from
the
back
of
the
house.
The
pinnacle,
in
our
opinion,
of
awkwardness,
occurred
at
the
end
of
dinner
when
we
were
presented
with
our
check
for
about
$2600
without
wine.
All
of
us
are
only
occasional,
light
drinkers.
Our
server
told
us
that
the
staff
only
earned
approximately
$18-$20/hour
and
that
even
though
service
was
already
included,
"any
additional
gratituity
would
be
appreciated".
We
would
have
happily
been
charged
a
minimum
20%
to
25%
service
charge
as
opposed
to
being
asked
for
additional
gratuity
after
the
bill
was
presented.
No
complaints
with
the
additional
supplemental
charges
for
the
wagyu
or
anything
else,
but
please
let
me
know
in
advance.
We
felt
almost
blindsided
like
the
first
time
we
saw
the
local
Starbucks
payment
screen
with
additional
gratuity
balloons.
Totally
out
of
place
at
any
restaurant,
much
less
a
Michelin
rated
one.
Perception
is
reality
and
having
recently
enjoyed
some
great
food
and
great
service
at
La
Pavilion
and
Gabriel
Kreuther
(excellent
service,
they
even
recognized
that
I
was
left-handed
and
adjusted
the
silverware
accordingly!),
Per
Se
was
a
disappointment
on
this
special
evening
where
we
chose
to
spend
our
special
occasion.
Times
change
and
not
always
for
the
better.
3 people found this review helpful 👍