GREAT EATS HAWAII: DANIEL

DANIEL

60 E. 65TH STREET

NEW YORK, NY 10065

212-288-0033

HOURS: Monday thru Saturday 5:00 PM - 10:30 PM

www.danielnyc.com

I have always wanted to dine at Daniel Boulud's flagship restaurant Daniel in New York. Made a reservation well in advance and even packed a suit for the occasion. Living in Hawaii, I rarely dress up and never wear a coat out to dinner. Heck - putting on a pair of pants is dressing up for me. With my coat on and great anticipation we entered Daniel and found the entry to be a bit dark and unassuming. Off to the right there was a small bar where the bartender was setting up for the evening. As we waited for our table, we enjoyed a cocktail at the bar and engaged the bartender in a bit of conversation. As we chatted, to my left out of nowhere came Daniel Boulud himself. I was amazed. Here is one of the greatest and most acclaimed chef's in the World standing five feet away. He was talking to a couple of guys in French and apparently did not care about anyone else in the room. I respectfully asked the bartender if we could take a photo with the Chef. She approached Daniel as he went back into the kitchen. She returned to tell us that he would be happy to visit our table and take a photo during our meal. Daniel vanished and we never saw him again. The bartender who was so sweet and polite offered me a complimentary glass of champagne after my meal because she said she felt bad about not getting the photo. Now to the dining experience and food. We went with the Tasting Menu ($234) per person which is seven courses. Paired with wine this meal tops $500 per person. As we sat at our table overlooking the central inner circle of the restaurant I observed mostly couples and small groups dressed to the nine's and a small army of employees who were like trained robots going through the motions and providing the highest level of service. There was not too much chit chat among staff and guests as this place seems to be all business. Service to me seemed robotic and we really were not engaged with our wait staff. By the end of the night I didn't even know who our main waiter was as there were so many people tending to our table. The courses and wine started to come and with each bite I was more disappointed. I recall liking the Beets and Abalone which by the way is farm raised on the Big Island of Hawaii. The Roasted Atlantic Turbot was cooked to perfection and probably was the most filling and satisfying part of the meal. The tiny Roasted Venison Loin seemed under seasoned and after one bite I was done. Not my favorite meal by any means. In fact, I was craving an In n' Out Burger after this meal and really had wished we would have eaten somewhere else. The bill arrived and my stomach sank. No way on earth was this worth the price. Take this place off my bucket list. I am never going back.