This week, the debut a new Eater feature in which the stories of the week are discussed and debated using the only truly useful form of communication technology available today...
TOC: Buddakan, $100 as Value Dining, The Odeon, Bruni's Forthcoming NoMeat Review, Felix Salmon's Chubo Call, Clinton Street, Felix Salmon
CrbdDaddy: so, what of your night at buddakan thursday eve? [right, by kalina]
SlnyDaddy: space in person lives up to the photos
SlnyDaddy: by far the biggest restaurant i've seen in memory
SlnyDaddy: rows of tables everywhere you look
CrbdDaddy: the giant ballroom --
CrbdDaddy: is that a communal table?
SlnyDaddy: multi-purpose
SlnyDaddy: but, yes
SlnyDaddy: say this for steven starr:
SlnyDaddy: he's going for it
SlnyDaddy: there is nothing about this monster that says restraint
CrbdDaddy: starr there?
SlnyDaddy: oh yeah
CrbdDaddy: high-fives exchanged?
SlnyDaddy: seemed mostly calm, but perhaps a front. high fives still on ice
SlnyDaddy: waiting or bruni mode comes first
CrbdDaddy: indeed
SlnyDaddy: keil, cuozzo sightings
SlnyDaddy: morimoto sighting
CrbdDaddy: here's the question we were debating last night:
CrbdDaddy: what are we talking about, price-wise?
CrbdDaddy: a typical night there will be $100/head+, yes?
SlnyDaddy: i would say that's right
SlnyDaddy: not much higher than $100, but that's the ballpark
CrbdDaddy: i have wonder how sustainable that is
SlnyDaddy: that's the question. do factor in a total of 320 seats
SlnyDaddy: 240ish dining room and the remainder in the lounge
SlnyDaddy: if they can get the food to be user friendly, i think it's a destination
CrbdDaddy: user friendly?
SlnyDaddy: nothing on the bone, easily accessible with chopsticks, robust, sweet tastes
SlnyDaddy: China Grill, but with NoMeat panache
CrbdDaddy: sort of genius, i have to say
SlnyDaddy: yes, if they can pull it off
SlnyDaddy: food on day one was very good for day one
CrbdDaddy: nice to hear
SlnyDaddy: several dishes -- rock shrimp, edamame dumplings, short rib chow fun -- were ready for prime time
SlnyDaddy: obviously there is plenty of work to be done, but i think their challenge has everything to do with the space
CrbdDaddy: sorry, important breaking update:
CrbdDaddy: thebekman: my eater update is that the odeon is still great
SlnyDaddy: nice
CrbdDaddy: then she went off the rails
CrbdDaddy: thebekman: to hell with all that meatpacking nonsense
CrbdDaddy: anyway
CrbdDaddy: how many bruni stars for morimoto and buddakan
SlnyDaddy: tough call
SlnyDaddy: at least 500-1 on three
SlnyDaddy: 50-1 on two
SlnyDaddy: scratch that
SlnyDaddy: 10-1 on two
SlnyDaddy: but i predict a joint review
SlnyDaddy: one of those nyt combos
CrbdDaddy: gutsy call
SlnyDaddy: yeah. neither one is in it for four
CrbdDaddy: well, right
SlnyDaddy: just need something passable to keep doing business
CrbdDaddy: bruni should just do one giant NoMeat review
CrbdDaddy: give the whole area two stars
CrbdDaddy: save everyone the angst
SlnyDaddy: what genius that would be
SlnyDaddy: the thing is that they're both going to likely get two stars
SlnyDaddy: to devote two weeks to starr might be a little much. it could go either way
SlnyDaddy: and we do know he's expressed some distaste for morimoto
CrbdDaddy: final point for consideration in this week's chat:
CrbdDaddy: felix salmon is stepping up his food blogging
SlnyDaddy: buckle up
CrbdDaddy: he's calling deathwatch on chubo:
CrbdDaddy: "But I urge everyone to get themselves to Clinton Street and check it out: you won't be disappointed by the food, and I won't be disappointed by what looks like an inevitable shuttering if business doesn't pick up."
SlnyDaddy: that's a pretty soft call from salmon, picking a clinton st venue to mark for death
SlnyDaddy: a tad on the obvious side, no?
CrbdDaddy: chubo used to be a tough(ish) table
SlnyDaddy: media hasn't paid attention to clinton st for at least a year
SlnyDaddy: tony is in beldel now, moved on
CrbdDaddy: better question might be how wylie is doing
SlnyDaddy: yes, but i predict he's ok
SlnyDaddy: he's at least got the right price point
SlnyDaddy: see also, falai
CrbdDaddy: falai? now you're baiting me
CrbdDaddy: nice try
SlnyDaddy: haha
SlnyDaddy: come on
SlnyDaddy: that's the difference though
SlnyDaddy: another interesting one is cube 63
SlnyDaddy: 'because it's byo
SlnyDaddy: how are they making money?
CrbdDaddy: volume
SlnyDaddy: sushi + volume + byo = scary
CrbdDaddy: turning tables at il bagatto-like speeds
CrbdDaddy: actually, that's a lie
CrbdDaddy: i've never dined at cube 63
CrbdDaddy: green glow = not condusive to my dining experience
SlnyDaddy: good analysis
SlnyDaddy: so salmon picks chubo
SlnyDaddy: here's the quesetion
SlnyDaddy: is he food blogging for the people, or is he in it just to try to save his go-to spots?
CrbdDaddy: i sense he's in it for people
CrbdDaddy: he's oldschool
SlnyDaddy: seems that he's a real food guy at the end of the day
CrbdDaddy: real enough, anyway
