Those of you reading on RSS may have noticed a new scribe in the mix here at Eater. Indeed, we are slowly breaking in the very talented, and hungry, Eva Hagberg, aka Eaterlicious. She'll be covering such beats as the Week in Reviews and serving you Eater goodness as she sees fit. She'll also be a regular contributor to our brand new Weekly IM Wraps (or maybe Week IM Reviews? Anyone?).
TOC: Buddakan, Sous Vide, Bruni/Mars 2112, Bruni/ESPN Zone, Bruni/UES
SLNYDaddy: let's start with starrland mothership, buddakan
Eaterlicious: still feeling it?
SLNYDaddy: much to my own surprise, i'm totally feeling it
Eaterlicious: Interesting... i can't get that excited about it
SLNYDaddy: enjoyed the food, room
Eaterlicious: think it'll last?
SLNYDaddy: i do. again, though, it's huge so at some point there will be issues with the crowd
SLNYDaddy: but the food is first rate
Eaterlicious: i think i'm just skeptical of these warehouses
SLNYDaddy: for good reason.
SLNYDaddy: buzz is unanimous though: worth the trip and then some.
SLNYDaddy: next topic: sous vide clusterfuck
Eaterlicious: i'm shocked
Eaterlicious: but, sadly, not surprised
SLNYDaddy: the people are pretty universally against the crackdown
Eaterlicious: i think it's fair to be concerned, but it's sort of like ordering discount sushi
Eaterlicious: it's a tricky cooking method
Eaterlicious: but i have faith in keller/dufresne/et al to not screw it up....
SLNYDaddy: more to the point, not one instance of them having screwed it up to date
Eaterlicious: right. so is it just the new hysteria?
SLNYDaddy: well
SLNYDaddy: sous vide is not entirely without risk
Eaterlicious: neither is cooking
Eaterlicious: you think this is going to have long-lasting effects? or is it a short-term hysteria that'll die down as soon as they figure out that it's no different than figuring out how to properly cook an egg? (okay, a little harder)
SLNYDaddy: i think it may up the cost of using the equipment slightly -- ie. more documentation, staff, equipment guidelines, etc -- but the food will be back on the table in two months max.
SLNYDaddy: and finally we come to bruni
Eaterlicious: it's nice to know we've always got bruni
SLNYDaddy: mars 2112 this week
SLNYDaddy: get a load of this guy
SLNYDaddy: 10 beers though
SLNYDaddy: i want to know who he's drinking with
SLNYDaddy: and with the kids around?
SLNYDaddy: for shame, frank bruni
Eaterlicious: props for going to mars, though
SLNYDaddy: i guess
Eaterlicious: i mean, what's up with the faux-ironic visits?
Eaterlicious: hooters?
Eaterlicious: mars?
Eaterlicious: i can't decide if it's condescending (i dine with the plebeians!)
Eaterlicious: or funny (hooters is always funny)
SLNYDaddy: i think it's mostly genuine exploration
SLNYDaddy: predictions on his next faux-ironic destination?
Eaterlicious: espn zone
SLNYDaddy: very interesting call
SLNYDaddy: affinity for plasma screens the give away?
SLNYDaddy: i'm going to say hard rock is in the running, because it's a relatively new location
SLNYDaddy: but i like that ESPN call
SLNYDaddy: 4-1 on espn, 15-1 on hard rock
SLNYDaddy: which action would yo utake?
Eaterlicious: $10 on espn
SLNYDaddy: if i gave you 1000-1 odds on planet hollywood, would you take the bet?
Eaterlicious: nope
SLNYDaddy: smart girl
SLNYDaddy: predictions on next wed's review?
Eaterlicious: tough one...
Eaterlicious: too soon for the big b
SLNYDaddy: i still say b/mori get a combo
Eaterlicious: i think it's going to be a sleeper
Eaterlicious: UES. some equivalent of going to orsay
SLNYDaddy: its been weeks since he outerborough or totally irrelevant -- i think it'll be one of those two scenarios. stills owes us word on Regional, Loft. might also have been tipping his hand a bit with the To Re- post.
Eaterlicious: i think i'm leaning towards uptown, classic, french/seafood
SLNYDaddy: wonder if Baum has any clients up there right now...
