David Drakes or Restaurant Nicholas

[BocaChea]

Mom's birthday next month. Looking for some suggestions. Anywhere in NJ or NYC.
David Drake and Restaurant Nicholas are on my list but it's hard to decide.

[tom246]

Boca, since you only mention those two restaurants as possibilities, I would add Lorena's to your list.
For us, a more relaxed and personal dining experience. We enjoy it more than either DD or Nicholas for both food and atmosphere.
Another possible choice is Cafe Matisse. Its also a favorite of ours. Cuisine is wonderful and they have an outdoor garden patio that will transport you to another country.
Here are the websites to check out:
http://www.restaurantlorena.com/
http://www.cafematisse.com/

A moms birthday is always very important. Enjoy wherever you go.

[TedyB]

Having eaten at Nicholas many times, I couldn't imagine anyone just having an "average" experience and I'm sorry to hear about that hotfoodhot...I have to say that the food at Nicholas has always been excellent and easily compares in craft, taste, and charm to any restaurant I have ever eaten, including Paris, NYC, and Rome. I think Joel R. himself would be happy to eat at Nicholas. The only dish I am not really thrilled with there is the braised pulled pig (which I understand he has tried to take off the menu but his regulars won't let him) His seared duck breast dishes are the best I have ever had.
However, that being said, I have not eaten at David Drake or Burke's Fromagerie...I plan to take a trip to either one rather soon and would like to hear anyones thoughts over which one I should try first. Drake seems to have impressive reviews, but I have yet to see anything about Fromagerie in any recent posts...anyone been there lately?

[bigbelly72]

Let's compare the two..... Nicholas is a restauranteur, one with an expertise for the entire dining experience. He has developed in NJ an experience that far surpasses that of most other restaurants in terms of wine service, hospitality, ambience, and most importantly consistency. While he has extensive chef training, it is clear that he is not a chef. He is not the one in the kitchen calling the shots, conditioning the staff, breaking new culinary boundaries. David Drake on the other hand is the one cooking in his kitchens on a day to day basis. He has mastered the art of re-defining new culinary techniques and formulas. He is a chef who will constantly long for the stove. As a result of this, his two restaurants do not have the same service and ambience appeal as Nicholas. His food, however, does surpass that of Nicholas. His flavors are bolder and more defined.

Therefore, the question is, are you willing to sacrifice a bit of attention to service for the food, or do you want the whole package?

[RGR]

"He is not the one in the kithcen calling the shots, conditioning the start, breaking new culinary boundaries."

You have obviously never met Nicholas or know anything about him, or you could never have made that statement. While he does have a very talented chef de cuisine in Dave Santos, Nicholas is a total control freak. It is he who is calling the shots and, together with his wife, Melissa, sees to it that every member of his staff measures up to his extremely exacting standards. And it certainly Nicholas who is responsible for creating the menus that broke new culinary ground when he arrived on the restaurant scene 8 years ago and continues to do so with every menu he creates. He is, in every sense that counts, a chef.

As for David Drake, it is not true that he is in his kitchen every day. At least, not at his eponymous restaurant. We have been to David Drake's a number of times when his very able chef de cuisine was in charge while David was busy overseeing things in his newer restaurant, Daryl Wine Bar.

As I said indicated in my prior post, while I think David is an excellent chef and his cuisine is delicious, in my view, the cuisine at Nicholas is superior. The overall experience at Nicholas, i.e., service and ambiance, is also superior. Restaurant Nicholas is, essentially, a high-claiber NY restaurant which just happens to be located on a highway in Middletown, NJ. Lucky us!

[bigbelly72]

ok so the accolades go to both Nicholas and Dave Santos then......I do not disagree with you, I am merely drawing a direct counterpoint between DD and Nicholas and inserting some subjectivity.

So who would win an Iron Chef Battle DD vs. Nicholas???

[RGR]

I think Iron Chef-style battles are silly.

With regard to your comment below, the cuisine at Nicholas has *both* refinement and exquisite flavors. Thus, by your definition, Nicholas's cuisine is perfection.

[bgut1]

bigbelly - While I respect your opinion, I have to disagree with your assertion that DD's food is better than Nicholas'. The food at Nicholas has achieved a level of refinement unseen in other restaurant I have dined in this state.

[bigbelly72]

You are correct that the food at Nicholas surely exemplifies refinement, however, refinement is not the final determinant of culinary perfection. Mastering the confluence of refinement and exquisite flavor is perfection. I am not saying DD has acheived this, however in my previous post I was indicating that if it is your pallete that you are trying to satisfy go to DD, but if you are seeking refinement head to Nicholas.

[RGR]

I agree with seal. Although our experiences at David Drake's have been excellent, Nicholas is definitely superior. When it comes to cuisine, wine list, service and ambiance, it has few, if any, equals in the state. In my view, it's *the* choice in NJ for a special occasion.

For suggestions in Manhattan, you should post on that board.

[bgut1]

I'll third the recommendation of my esteemed CH'ers.

[seal]

While I have had some nice meals at David Drake, Nicholas is definately the place to go for that kind of special evening. In fact, I have no plans to go back to David Drake anytime soon, but I am at Nicholas whenever I can go.