Midtown Links (Mid-Week Bourbon St. Edition)
Fresh on the heels of my lunch with Ralph Brennan, I get this news- Bourbon St. New York is tentatively scheduled to open April 15th on Restaurant Row (46th btw. 8+9th). As a fan of New Orleans I can’t decide whether to be excited or horrified. Apparently the chef was born and raised in New Orleans and “ran the kitchens in places such as Commanders Palace and Dickie Brennas”, whatever that means. Plus side, they have a Bourbon St. style balcony with something that appears to be wraught iron. The negative side, that balcony looks out over 46th St. We shall see…
- Jezebel, the shuttered front half of Midtown Lunch out of bounds favorite “Piece of Chicken” will become “Five Napkin Burger” [Eater]
- Patsy’s Midtown is suing Patsy’s Long Island over who was Sinatra’s favorite [NY Post]
- Dr. J had lunch at Hawaiian Tropic Zone the other day! [NY Post]
- Profiled Lunch’er “Rachel” popped up on the Martha Stewart Show talking about Cupcakes [Gakwer]
- Naked Cowboy to Shill for Qdoba & Spotlight Live [NY Mag]
Posted by Zach Brooks at 12:32 pm, April 2nd, 2008 under Midtown Links.
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7 Comments
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Wow! Thanks for the tip, Oy.
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I ate at Breakfast at Brennans several years back, and I did have an omelette which cost $10-12. However, it was huge. I think they cracked a dozen eggs to make that omelette. It is a classy restaurant though, with a sunroom, patio seating, and the servers were wearing white collared shirts and a vest. They were experienced and well trained, with careful details in the angle in which they pour the water, the degree in which they lean to offer you your plate, and the hand/arm placement as they recede back into position. I know many people don’t really care for these stuff, but back in the days, it was a profession, not like now where teenagers are hired by the truckload and just hang in the corner until you wave them down. The service is very meticulous, and the people succeeded in creating an ambiance that was nostalgic and grand like New Orleans once was.
Their turtle soup was excellent as well as their desserts. It was definitely not KFC quality. The prices are high, but you’re not just paying for the food. It’s the whole package. If anyone wants to visit New Orleans and experience the grandeur, true meaning of what leisure is, excess indulgence, you just have to vist one of the Brennans restaurant. It is simply that.
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Oh, I just want to make another note that I ate at the Brennans restaurant in 2001-2003, before Hurricane Katrina so I can’t vouch for the quality now. If the quality has gone done then that is truly disappointing.
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I too am horrified and out of my mind excited at the same time. I have lived this situation through many times, only to be let down so hard that it took a month to get over it. Being from Louisiana, this is a curse. That said, I’ll be there when they open.
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I went to Brennans a year after Katrina and had an excellent experience. I went for breakfast on a weekday and enjoyed it a lot – the restaurant space, the staff, the food. No better way to start a day than with an omelette, a baked apple soaked in double cream and a mimosa! It was definitely an indulgence.
On that trip I also ate at Redfish Grill and really, really liked it. I liked it so much I went back for lunch the next day. My server from the night before spotted me and sent over a small plate from the chef. I’d say that I’ve eaten at over dozen NO eateries (including K-Pauls, Mezza Luna, and other more casual places) and the service at the Brennan family restaurants is great and the food consistently, solidly good.
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PS: Since we’re on the topic, for you Lousiana transplants and New Orleans lovers, there is a crawfish festival out in Jersey the last weekend of May. I’ve been twice – like any festival, the food is overpriced, but damn, I’ll pay just about anything to get a plate of crawfish, some alligator sausage and a po boy. They draw great bands – The Meters, The Radiators, and some other fun zydeco bands usually play too. http://www.crawfishfest.com
I ate at a couple Brennanses restaurants in New Orleans when I was there in October. I was extremely unimpressed. I remember paying about $50 for an omelette — as if the eggs were made of gold. NYC prices and sub-KFC food quality = very disappointing. Avoid the hype!!