PrintWhy Mario's Closing the Enoteca at Del Posto
[Photo: Robyn Lee]
Yesterday, Mario Batali announced that he'd be doing away with the enoteca portion of Del Posto, extending the fine dining menu to the full space. Ed has always been of the opinion that the more relaxed, reasonably priced part of the dining room was the way to experience Del Posto. What prompted Batali's decision?
"We're going to get our second Michelin star and a four-star New York Times review this year, and this is how we're going to do it," Mario tells The Feed. In other words, for the critics—not the diners.
What do you think? Has the enoteca held him back from higher acclaim? (For the record, Bruni's 2006 review didn't even mention it.) Or is Batali cutting out the restaurant's biggest asset?
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7 Comments:
I've only eaten at the enoteca, so I can't compare it to the main dining room- but it sounded to me like it was about the kitchen, not the critics. The enoteca was a different menu, which also changed pretty often (daily?)... so my guess is they're getting rid of it so the chefs can devote more of their time and energy to the food on the regular menu.
Zach Brooks at 11:35AM on 11/06/09
sounds to me like Mario is more interested in the acclaim than his customers...The guy is an Iron chef how much more back patting does he need? So the regular slobs who'd like to try some of his food are SOL...you should be ashamed Batali....
nhfoodie at 2:36PM on 11/06/09
I only ate at the Enoteca as you always have to wait yonks to book a table in the main room. So that's that then.
norman at 4:09PM on 11/06/09
I am so NOT a fan of Batali - especially hate his attempts at 'regular guy' behavior & this only confirms the depths of an ego which is more bloated than his physique...
True, I've never ate at Babbo - just Del Posto, Otto & Casa Mono, and I found that every one of them fell far-short of the cheaper, non-celeb chef, alternatives that abound in NYC.
Still, the nail-in-the-coffin for me was his unctuous, insufferably smug performance on that god-awful 'On the Road: Spain' program - perhaps the single worst thing I've ever seen on TV. And no, you can't blame it all on Gwynneth! Whoo - did Batali stink-up the screen...
OK - rant over.
parkedslope at 8:22PM on 11/06/09
I've eaten at both more than once; he'd have been better off to have closed the "main room", which is pretentious, overpriced and a little oppressive in tone, and whose food isn't outstanding enough to justify the attitude. The Enoteca had excellent, inventive food at reasonable prices, served by friendly people who didn't take themselves (and you) so seriously that you spent more time worrying whether your tie was on straight (the main room is that kind of place, even if you are not wearing a tie!) than enjoying the food.
gustoct at 9:52AM on 11/07/09
"What if we earned a Michelin star and no one showed up to enjoy the food?"
I can understand professional ambition, but am not sure how having a less casual place attached impacts food quality, unless the pace or volume of serving food in the more casual Enoteca impacts the ability to serve high quality food at Del Posto (doubtful). So basically, he's upping the snob appeal in hope of recognition. It seems like it might backfire - if anything, Michelin seems willing to recognize places that are more casual in atmosphere but excellent in food.
firni at 7:34PM on 11/08/09
What a really bad excuse. I don't think the critics are going to like it either.
kimbodian at 10:06AM on 11/09/09