189914 Tue Oct 03 23:04:22 -0700 2000 4 18 Manhattan 0 1014609 There's an article in Gourmet's Collector's edition, Oct 2000 about DiSpirito. In it, DiSpirito is described as "the leading chef of his generation". Discussion on this month's issue of Gourmet is a spin off of another initiated by Leff on another board (Not About Food board-Feiler article). I thought it might be a good idea to discuss some reading rather than people's multiple identities--I'm a novice chowhound, but the "site talk" silly stuff is getting painful. Any thoughts on talking about something tangible like an article on a NY chef, his place in the chef hierarchy, and most important his food? I'll reserve my own opinion for what it's worth (it is data based--I have eaten at Union Pacific on two occasions) and will join in if there's an interest in this topic. Tue Oct 03 23:04:22 -0700 2000 0 yvonne johnson 1 1014613 I'll bite! But first I'd like to point out that it is the headline of the Gourmet piece that calls DiSpirito "the leading chef of his generation," whereas in the body of the piece, the writer Michael Ruhlman describes him as "widely considered one of the country's most exciting chefs"; later he writes, "...when he is good, DiSpirito rates at the top of his profession." So I think what happened is that Ruhlman placed DiSpirito where he should be--among the best--while the editors who wrote the headline bumped him up, for whatever reason (probably because it's more eye-catching) to "the leading chef." That said, I do think he's extremely talented--while he's highly original, his dishes make sense--and he's particularly brilliant with fish. On a recent visit a seared then steamed halibut filet sat on a bed of swiss chard that was set off by a thin layer of orange marmelade. It worked beautifully--assuming one didn't get too much marmelade in the bite. Yvonne, since you've moved this onto the Manhattan board, I assume you want to discuss the top chefs of DiSpirito's generation specifically in Manhattan. There are so many talented younger chefs working in Manhattan right now, I'd hesitate to single out any one as the best. Off the top of my head, I would put Laurent Gras of Peacock Alley up there with DiSpirito, along with Wylie Dufresne of 71 Clinton Fresh Food. No doubt there are others cooking at that level--I'll rack my brain and check back in. And let's not forget all the extremely talented young chefs who don't have their own restaurants yet. Wed Oct 04 11:42:40 -0700 2000 1014609 0 Leslie Brenner 2 1014633 Points taken on presentation of article, that is, editors’ dramatic ‘eye catching’ superlatives in the header. DiSpirito makes good cover of the mag also as the rising star. I agree with you that DiSpirito is talented though my review is mixed. On first visit, I had halibut cooked in goose fat that I quite enjoyed. What I like about halibut, though, is its meaty texture and this cooking process seemed to render the fish watery and a little slimy. On my second visit, my main course was a white fish on a bed of greens with lime pickle. I probably ordered this dish because I saw in the fine print that the fish came with this pickle, and I love lime pickle. By the time my main arrived, I’d forgotten about this ingredient and I must admit it tasted a bit odd at first. When I realized what it actually was I then thought the combination worked to an extent. Speak about the power of naming something! But even that said, the dish did not come together. I remember my seafood appetizer on my second visit as being confusing in terms of herbs in, over and around it. The flavors seemed to compete for attention rather than create one whole. Something we really liked was the recommended single glasses of wine to accompany the courses. I also liked the atmosphere and décor of the restaurant (simple and clean) tho a dissenting voice was that it looked too fussy (waterfall, wood, Japanese theme). And unlike Ducasse (if the media are to be believed—I’ve never been) , the article is correct--DiSpirito is present, and you see him around in an understated way. I think I'd like to check out his restaurant in a year or two and see how things have developed. He's young, good, and maybe will be terrific. I think it's premature to say he already is. Thanks too for thoughts on other talented chefs. Cheers. Wed Oct 04 22:44:25 -0700 2000 1014613 0 yvonne johnson 3 1014635 It's funny you mention the power of naming an ingredient, because I happened to notice a couple of weird naming-related things on the menu. First, in the description of the halibut I had, there was no mention of the orange marmelade. A curious omission for such an assertive ingredient, I thought. (Not that I'm one for naming every ingredient in a dish on the menu--I'm not.) As a result, my first bite of it was awfully weird. Once I wrapped my mind/palate around it and tasted again, I thought it worked really well. Second, my starter, a foie gras, was described on the menu as "cru." This is a term I've seen a few times, though I've never actually heard of anyone serving raw foie! I asked the server whether this really meant mis-cuit (as in a "half-cooked" terrine) and indeed that was what it was. Thanks for great descriptions of the dishes you tried. My halibut was cooked perfectly to my taste--but I fall more into the slimy school, preferring it slightly undercooked and not yet dense. Wed Oct 04 23:01:27 -0700 2000 1014633 0 Leslie Brenner 3 1015192 How can I get reservations to try the restaurant? Sun Aug 03 20:27:06 -0700 2003 1014633 0 Doc