11/28/07

I hope heaven has places like this

by sweet_tea

I'll say at the outset that this is my favorite restaurant in the city and that I am charmed by Alex, the admittedly grim chef. I have long been troubled by the reviews on this site about his refusing to make substitutions, but since I had never requested one until recently, I didn't say anything. However, I recently took my mother -- who cannot eat wheat -- here for a birthday dinner, and was more than pleased at the experience. When she asked whether the dish she wanted had wheat in it (it did), Alex immediately offered (without her asking) to substitute any of several other starches from other dishes. He then readily told me how to make the dessert of his I like best (lavender pannacotta-- wow!) He takes his work very seriously, but my impression is that he response well to people who treat him with respect. (If you want a conversation, ask him about the paintings on the wall.)

Even if he were less charming than I find him -- and his charm is certainly of the dour, Soviet variety -- I would love this place for its delicately crafted dishes and relaxed yet graceful atmosphere. The portions are not huge -- don't expect to leave stuffed -- but I've never felt less than full after the prix fixe (and I can eat). (In fact, it's lovely to leave a nice dinner not feeling that I've over-indulged.) I've yet to eat anywhere in the city that I like more than Sorrel.

• Pros: incredible food
• Cons: cash only

11/07/07

worst patronizing

by jearboleda

my worst case of patronizing happened a month ago at Sorrel. To start i have ordered a glass of the house red wine. when it was served, i noticed the glass was enourmously big and the wine very little. i called the attention of the waiter, and asked her that if i was to pay $10 for a glass of wine, at least it should a glass filled up to its tummy. she decided to call the chef/owner to discuss with me why the wine was so little. he said he was sure that he had poured 11 milimeters, and that four servings of his wine would make a full bottle.

having been a cafe owner myself, i knew he was lying. sadly, whe i was ready to challenge him to demonstrate his wrong, i was stopped by my wife.

Besides this, the hanger steak was not great. the green salad was ok.

09/13/07

Crazy, awful chef

by 1kena

Saturday night, neighborhood restaurant, sounds promising right? Unfortunately not. This was one of the worst, if not the worst dining experiences of my life. Ordered the sardine salad and the hanger steak medium rare off the menu. The sardine salad was mixed greens with a single sardine cut in half. That was fine, not great, but fine. Out comes the second course. The steak is not medium rare but well done. I never send food back, but I really hate well done meat, so I sent it back. Minutes later the chef came out shoving the plate in my face and pointing his finger at meat. I say meat because there was no way this was the plate I sent into the kitchen. The vegetables were not even the same. Some type of red substance had been poured over the now masticated meat to make it look less done. Never before have I had a chef shove food or point a finger in my face. Resisting the urge to flip the plate directly into his face I explained the problem. He continued to argue with me. The only reason I did not leave was that my dining companions were finishing their lamb course and I did not want to escalate a situation with an obviously unbalanced man. The waitress apologized for the chef calling him dramatic. Well, that's drama I think any patron can live without, no wonder he was fired from 360.

• Pros: nice neighbrohood
• Cons: screamed at by chef