The giant communal table at Spinasse.
Cory Gustason
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800 Maynard Ave S, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98134
800 Maynard Ave S, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98134
Correct it and then delete this comment.
I like Dillon's concept and it is definitely quite the social experiment. And your writer is correct, dining communaly draws attention to good manners and we should all spend a little more time thinking about the well-being of others and less about ourselves. There are too many jerks in restaurants demanding that, for instance, the temperature of the dining room be adjusted to THEIR particular comfort level (ditto background music volume). If you want things exactly the way you like them then learn to cook and eat at home.
I live on the east coast but will be visiting Seattle in 2009, Corson's and Spinasse are now on my to-do list. Of course, so is Dan Savage.
At least we haven't seen much hereabouts of another ridiculous manifestation of the submissive-diner fetish: restaurants where you eat in total darkness, attended by servers wearing night-vision goggles. I thought that one had to be a joke when I first heard about it--only the second or third time did I finally have to conclude it was for real.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionar…
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As for these restaurants, other than the thali place, they sound like a horrorshow. It's fine going to a big banquet with friends or family - and with all those disingenuous remarks about how they do it in Italy, it is with family, or your village of 500 people (whom you all know, at least by sight).
But why would I pay all that cash for complete mayhem and no choice, with complete strangers? Perhaps they should say "introverts need not apply" at the door. But so long as it's clear what the deal is before I walk in the door, or god forbid, order, if other people want to put themselves through it, that's their prerogative. I personally think that social experiments are best kept to therapy rooms, with people who have more relevant qualifications than chefs.
There was a dessert auction after the dinner, and my group of three bought a small torte and shared it with the other six at our table. Grandma took a quarter of it and traded that piece with another table for part of their dessert, which she didn't share. Then she and the kids ate another 1/4 piece for themselves.
I know that the world doesn’t revolve around me, but do these chefs? Yes, Matt Dillon put his money and labor into Corson but he forgets the fact that without people willing to pay to eat his food, he would have no kitchen of his own. And where does Justin Neidermeyer get the idea that it is part of the trattoria experience to dine wedged between strangers at a communal table? During the many years I lived in Italy, where I ate at all kinds of restaurants from Bolzano to Naples, I only saw communal seating once, at a piadina place in Ravenna. His comment that we don’t live in a “normal place” and that people are too used to having their own way is really a veiled complaint; if he makes changes requested by customers, he’s not getting what he wants! Behind all of the denigration of their less “cool” patrons and the allusions to Zen philosophy, I smell a business model designed to pack the maximum number of diners into a small space and to make planning and cooking easier. Surely some will like (or pretend to like) eating with strangers, for others the food will trump a less than perfect atmosphere, but there will always be many who will continue to prefer places where good food and gracious service(which always includes attention to customer’s preferences) are balanced with good business.
in·ure also en·ure:
tr.v. in·ured also en·ured, in·ur·ing also en·ur·ing, in·ures also en·ures
To habituate to something undesirable, especially by prolonged subjection; accustom: "Though the food became no more palatable, he soon became sufficiently inured to it" (John Barth).
I think if I were younger and not so grumpy (and not so poor) I might enjoy this kind of setting. In some ways it's not that different than going over to someone's house to eat (except when you eat at a friends you know many of the people and you don't spend $150 a person).
Yes, it was loud. Okay by me, but my older companions were not as tolerant of the noise level. That might not be for everyone. Our neighbors were pleasant and we enjoyed the communal experience--talking with them a bit, but each having our own conversations.
Regarding giving the control over to the chef, that's something that is nice to do, especially if you trust the kitchen. For example, when I go to Rover's it's nice to just say how hungry you are and let them bring food until you are full. I know that whatever they make is going to be tasty, so having each wonderful dish be a surprise is just an added bonus.
you fail to mention the fare number of people who just quietly leave, ask the help
the is the new face of snob, has little to do with the food, sorry, Seattle is still a town not a world class city
sounds like cooking school - you pay to eat the output
I thought the food at Poppy was almost horrible, granny does better Asian/Ethnic/Thai, much better
Course she is a retired chef ... good read
This was useful, too: I now know that I shouldn't bother going to Corson, that Spinasse will be great but I'll think it's too expensive and full of assholes, and that Poppy is a bargain even if I only really love a few of the things. Gold star on BJC's forehead.
common folk left out
the rick and lazy and greedy talking to each other, showing only their wealth
Great article and perspectives, I am in Oakland/Berkeley CA and will probably never visit these places but I really enjoyed hearing about this concept outside of the bay area.
I'll spread that $300 (for 2) around to the places that are in this HOSPITALITY business for the right and authentic reasons.
(fyi - Laura Miller handles all the failed restaurant real estate.)
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/chee…
Dancing cheek to jowl, maybe. If one of you is Richard Nixon.
But no way would I pay to be treated that way. Sounds like nothing more then the chef stroking his obnoxiously huge ego - what an ass.
Secondly: It sounds like Dillon's comment about 'putting all the money up' was taken out of context. It sounds like he meant that he takes full responsibility for the restaurant and the experience. I don't think he meant it as a 'fuck you' to his customers, more as a way of owning his concept.
Thirdly: Anyone who goes to these restaurants and then complains about some aspect of communal dining *should* be barred from making decisions for themselves because they are obviously total morons. Don't want to eat with strangers? Don't go.
And finally: Anyone who lets an (obviously slanted) review dictate where they will and won't eat probably isn't ready for any of these places anyway.
I personally didn't read anything into this review that made the chefs come across as narcissistic or assholes in any way. Rather, I thought that the review's main thrust was to simply distinguish these three restaurants from (most of) the rest of the crowd.
The problem with this sort of thing is that there are people out there who project their own prejudices and biases onto the faceless names mentioned in the article. Then, with the unfortunate power of the internet, these people can jump to conclusions and post their unconsidered and uninformed opinions for the world to see.
I have eaten at Spinasse and Poppy but not yet at Corson. At neither of those dining experiences did I feel that I was treated badly. Interestingly, if anything, I'd say that neither of those experiences were even that far outside the norm, as this review would have you believe.
I agree that the communal dining experience is not for everyone, and that many people may not like the lack of choice at these places, but to call the chefs assholes just because they are doing something different (and something you haven't even experienced, yet) is plain stupidity. To waste time and space posting these insulting and uninformed opinions is, I suspect, where the real narcissism lies.
"All progress has resulted from people who took unpopular positions."
The crux of our issue with this type of restaurant is that our version of hospitality is just completely different.
When we host a dinner or party our primary goal is the comfort and pleasure of our guests. We want them to enjoy themselves and hopefully try a wine or dish unknown to them.
If other people like to be uncomfortable while dining, then more power to them, have a good time.
When we go out we will still value the chef who values the comfort of his clients. There are plenty in Seattle. Just go to Le Gourmand in Ballard and you'll see what I mean.
SK
Second, the heavy hand doesn't always belong to the chef. Check out the decor at Barrio, if you will: you might think you're in an S&M dungeon or medieval torture chamber! (Review at cornichon.org)
Haven't you ever slept with someone for the first time and found it both uncomfortable and gratifying?
Is Seattle really full of so many insecure people who simply cannot bear the thought of experiencing something outside themselves for the purposes of excitement and eventual payoff?
It's not like these chefs are inviting you in, taking your money and punching you in the face. They are bringing you in and asking you to trust that they will take care of you.
It's the people who cannot succumb to that level of trust that are experiencing the highest levels of insecurity and hatred here.
Haven't you ever slept with someone for the first time and found it both uncomfortable and gratifying?
Is Seattle really full of so many insecure people who simply cannot bear the thought of experiencing something outside themselves for the purposes of excitement and eventual payoff?
It's not like these chefs are inviting you in, taking your money and punching you in the face. They are bringing you in and asking you to trust that they will take care of you.
It's the people who cannot succumb to that level of trust that are experiencing the highest levels of insecurity and hatred here.
Went to Poppy and couldn't even swallow some of the food... spit the muscles into my napkin to avoid gagging... However, their sweet potato fries are very good...
I'm not sure what to say. On the one hand, I do love the idea of a communal experience. Luckily, I have had such experiences a number of times - at Crush and also at one or more of the enjoyable 'One Pot' dinners and each time I had a great experience, partly due to the communal nature of the meal.
Really, the discussion is about two separate issues. The first - How great is the food? The second - How great is the company. I can only imagine that one major factor of the latter is how enjoyable are the people sitting to your left, right and across from you? For instance, if the two fellows wo are directly next to me right now were sitting next to me at one of these nice dinners? Well, I'd not have a great experience (trust me...), no matter how great the food may have been.
If the food is great, then this special experience remains far more memorable than another great dinner under normal conditions, where there is no group seating experience. So, for those true foodies, they will forever love the communal experience, and for those stodgy squares - they don't like anything anyway, so fuck 'em.
Anyhow, I love the real food and real people at Spinasse. Nothing pretensious (sp?) about it. just good.simple.fresh. The flavors are so complex, even if its just a few ingredients. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it...