Per Se: What the heck?

I was shocked to read in the New York Times that Per Se has apparently been slipping badly, but I was more irritated by the menu. First of all, the excessive use of quotes makes it quite difficult to read the thing, from a visual standpoint. Literally only one dish of eleven has no quotes, not even the "assortment of desserts"!

Second, it's difficult to decipher which courses are grouped together. The diner is supposed to chooose between "oysters and pearls" and the caviar, but there's more white space between those listings than the next pair of courses.

Finally, every single one of the three courses where there's a choice has a supplement?! People who have been to the French Laundry should chime in here, but I was under the impression that they frequently had two or even four different dishes to choose from for at least some of the courses. There's literally no choice unless you want to pony up.

[Robin Garr]

I saw that review and loved his snark ... "bong water"!?

I was more puzzled than anything else, frnakly, how he decided to leave it at two stars. It read like a much worse rating, which suggests either a mercy rating or he was having too much fun with the snark and let it over-represent his actual opinion. Either way, in my food writer's opinion, that's a small fail.

Loved reading it, though! I should have posted it here; thank you for doing it, Walter.

Well, yeah, why would you go at all? A few superlative dishes, but at those prices? Seems pretty clear that it merited a "not recommended".

Well, yeah, why would you go at all? A few superlative dishes, but at those prices? Seems pretty clear that it merited a "not recommended".

Especially since the whole raison d'etre of the award is to signal a place that excels in every single aspect of creating a fine dining experience. A few well-presented, or even superlative, dishes is not and should not be enough to get the highest accolades. And as cruel as it sounds, any oversight or consistent misstep on the part of any element of the restaurant is cause for hard judgement.

I don't care for critics who go out of there way to indulge in snark---as Robin points out, that's a failing of the critic, not necessarily the restaurant---but I do think it is the critic's job to fairly point out the shortcoming of a place that claims to be, and strives to be (or at least strove to be) the best of its sort.

Well, if we're going to fail because snark, might as well go all the way: http://www.amny.com/eat-and-drink/pete-wells-per-se-review-how-the-2-star-restaurant-should-emulate-senor-frog-s-1.11318021

Well, if we're going to fail because snark, might as well go all the way: http://www.amny.com/eat-and-drink/pete-wells-per-se-review-how-the-2-star-restaurant-should-emulate-senor-frog-s-1.11318021

Er, do you have any idea if we have any Senor Frogs in the NYC area? Sounds good.

[Jenise]

It read like a much worse rating, which suggests either a mercy rating or he was having too much fun with the snark and let it over-represent his actual opinion. Either way, in my food writer's opinion, that's a small fail.

After reading everyone's comments, I expected much worse snark--which Pete is quite adept at. Considering that talent, I actually thought it was fairly respectful and appropriate to taking two stars away from the most influential chef in this country and his crown jewel establishment to boot.

Well, if we're going to fail because snark, might as well go all the way: http://www.amny.com/eat-and-drink/pete-wells-per-se-review-how-the-2-star-restaurant-should-emulate-senor-frog-s-1.11318021

Er, do you have any idea if we have any Senor Frogs in the NYC area? Sounds good.

http://senorfrogs.com/newyork/

Not far from Madame Tussaud's. Let us know how it is.

[Robin Garr]

Readers respond. I have to say, NY Times readers are not your everyday Internet commenters.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/13/dinin ... 1&referer=

[Jenise]

Readers respond. I have to say, NY Times readers are not your everyday Internet commenters.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/13/dinin ... 1&referer=

That was fun! I was particularly taken with the contribution by the person who got what turned out to be a pre-emptive boot via the kitchen:

"I didn't like the service at Per Se. We finished our lunch and I was still enjoying my coffee when the server asked if we wanted to see the kitchen. I thought it was a nice gesture so we said yes. But then we were told that we need to take all of our belongings with us (strange). After we took a 10 seconds tour in the kitchen, the sever led us through another door out of the kitchen - it was the exit to the restaurant. I felt defrauded because they made excuses such as "showing you the kitchen" to cover how to actually want to kick you out, even after we each paid $300 for lunch. And I haven't finished the coffee that I paid for!"

What a bitter final taste to leave a very expensive meal with.

Readers respond. I have to say, NY Times readers are not your everyday Internet commenters.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/13/dinin ... 1&referer=

That was fun! I was particularly taken with the contribution by the person who got what turned out to be a pre-emptive boot via the kitchen:

"I didn't like the service at Per Se. We finished our lunch and I was still enjoying my coffee when the server asked if we wanted to see the kitchen. I thought it was a nice gesture so we said yes. But then we were told that we need to take all of our belongings with us (strange). After we took a 10 seconds tour in the kitchen, the sever led us through another door out of the kitchen - it was the exit to the restaurant. I felt defrauded because they made excuses such as "showing you the kitchen" to cover how to actually want to kick you out, even after we each paid $300 for lunch. And I haven't finished the coffee that I paid for!"

What a bitter final taste to leave a very expensive meal with.

I've heard that happen more than once, and it struck me as odd. With a multi-hour tasting menu, what is the benefit to turning the table?

[Jenise]

There are quite a few comments that, along with the things mentioned in Pete's review, that seem to add up to a collective, institutionalized air of something beyond indifference, something closer to disdain or even a thinly veiled hatred. It's somewhat common or at least natural to a business who sells a service that it's own staff cannot afford, who must treat each client with a deference earned by spending power, not character. So the buffoons and the gropers must not be just tolerated but treated like princes. So animosity grows, but it's gone pretty deep when situations like the above occur, when their false air of compensatory superiority goes so deep they think they can boot a nice, average customer out without the customer understanding what actually happened.

Would love to have been a fly on the wall at the next day's family meal. Or does Keller even have family meals?

Wow. That review makes me feel awful for the people who scrimp and save for what should be a once-in-a-lifetime experience at Per Se and end up with what Wells describes. That would be crushing.

As some of you know I have (I think) all of Thomas Keller's cookbooks and have cooked many dishes from all of them.

So I was shocked and saddened by the new NYT review. Despite my interest in Keller I have never made it to Per Se but planned to go some day. We did get to try his food when we were in California but that's different.

I'm certainly convinced that it won't be worth $1000 for dinner for 2, and that may mean we will never go there now.

Despite the review -- what's in the cookbooks is solid gold and you can have Oysters and Pearls for a very small fraction of the Per Se price simply by making it yourself. And that dish is fabulous.

There are quite a few comments that, along with the things mentioned in Pete's review, that seem to add up to a collective, institutionalized air of something beyond indifference, something closer to disdain or even a thinly veiled hatred. It's somewhat common or at least natural to a business who sells a service that it's own staff cannot afford, who must treat each client with a deference earned by spending power, not character. So the buffoons and the gropers must not be just tolerated but treated like princes.

Interesting hypothesis. Although that type of financial dynamic is common to many high-end restaurants, as well as other types of retail outlets. Heck, the farmers at my farmers market mostly can't afford to shop at the other stalls, they mainly trade with each other.

I would guess the bigger culprit is probably upper management and a lack of setting the right tone. Because in the best case scenario (including the farmers market) the tone is one of appreciation, reverence and joy for the excellence that is occurring, and everyone's role in that excellence (this includes chefs, staff and diners, each of whom contribute).

[Jenise]

I would guess the bigger culprit is probably upper management and a lack of setting the right tone. Because in the best case scenario (including the farmers market) the tone is one of appreciation, reverence and joy for the excellence that is occurring, and everyone's role in that excellence (this includes chefs, staff and diners, each of whom contribute).

Agreed, to spread (and be tolerated) through the tribe, the attitude has to be coming from close to the top. Not Keller himself, but those who train and manage staff. Some major house-cleaning is in order.

The official response from TK: http://www.thomaskeller.com/messagetoourguests

The official response from TK: http://www.thomaskeller.com/messagetoourguests

Pretty classy response and what I would expect from Keller. But as they say, the proof is in the pudding.

It sounds like there need to be some serious changes made to live up to his standards and recover the reputation.

[Jenise]

Yes, but it also sounds like it was at least in part written by his PR department.

Yes, but it also sounds like it was at least in part written by his PR department.

When Daniel Boulud was criticized, he tweeted within 24 hrs. Thomas Keller took two weeks to respond. You bet the Marketing Department was consulted!

In any case, it was a classy, albeit none too informative or redemptive letter. Let's see some action.