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And that's why you never procrastinate (Bonsoiree)

And that's why you never procrastinate (Bonsoiree)
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  • Post #61 - August 22nd, 2007, 8:51 pm
    Post #61 - August 22nd, 2007, 8:51 pm Post #61 - August 22nd, 2007, 8:51 pm
    BR wrote:I'm a big fan of Gus, especially the Star Ruby Grapefruit. . . expensive though!


    During my wife's recent pregnancy, we went through a heck of a lot of Dry Crimson Grape as a (not so) poor man's wine substitute. Luckily, we found a whole load of it on closeout somewhere to afford her the indulgence.
  • Post #62 - August 22nd, 2007, 10:44 pm
    Post #62 - August 22nd, 2007, 10:44 pm Post #62 - August 22nd, 2007, 10:44 pm
    gleam wrote:
    jesteinf wrote:Side question...is this the old Savoy Truffle space?


    Yep.


    Yes - The second one. Savoy Truffle was originally on Ashland, became Kismet (?) and then moved into this space.

    My wife and I had the "Tribute to Corn" menu last Saturday, and it was incredible. the Ancho roast corn Bisque and Grilled Skirt Steak were the highlights, but everything was great. This is just a great, affordable, and consistent place for dinner.
  • Post #63 - August 22nd, 2007, 10:59 pm
    Post #63 - August 22nd, 2007, 10:59 pm Post #63 - August 22nd, 2007, 10:59 pm
    BR wrote:I'm a big fan of Gus, especially the Star Ruby Grapefruit. . . expensive though!


    This was pomegranate, which I found to be absolutely refreshing on a muggy summer night. I could have consumed a gallon of the stuff last night. It's not overly sweet, but what sweetness there is comes from cane sugar.
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #64 - August 23rd, 2007, 7:27 am
    Post #64 - August 23rd, 2007, 7:27 am Post #64 - August 23rd, 2007, 7:27 am
    I've read and re-read this thread and I really wonder if I ate at the same restaurant that everyone else did.

    Culinarily speaking, At it's best (braised rabbit), our 7-course meal was tasty. At it's worst (halibut in a peach emulsion with snow peas), it was not good at all.

    The opening fish course was fine. I have low expectations for a fish tartare, even at the best restaurants, and it met my expectations.

    The chilled sweet onion-tomatillo soup evoked my inner "Gordon Ramsay" (in his hyper-critical "Kitchen Nightmare"-mode). I sat and really wondered if anyone in the kitchen had tasted this soup. It was perfectly edible but missing something. Missing a lot, really. I don't agree that it needed vinegar (it was plenty tart for me from the tomatillo), but I would have added a dollop of crema and some minced fresh herbs. Also, some salt and pepper. At this point in the meal I was very worried.

    The braised rabbit/crabcake course was a bit of a redemption. Rich, flavorful, tasty.

    When the halibut course was delivered and the sauce was described as a "fish stock and peach emulsion", Ramsy returned in my head and screamed "are you kidding me?". These are the kinds of combinations that are considered "daring" when they work and ill-conceived when they don't. Overcooked fish, a bad sauce, and mis-placed snow peas really made this the low point of the meal.

    Our pork wasn't bad, but as Mike pointed out, it nearly exactly mimicked the profile something I had tasted recently. The course worked for me, but Cookie left most of the vegetables, complaining of severe bitterness in the squash. They were bitter, but I enjoyed that.

    A serviceable cheese course and a dessert array that I've already forgotten about (except for that delicious grapefruit sorbet), ended a disappointing meal for me. Cookie does not want to return.

    Perhaps I'd have felt differently with three courses rather than seven, but the cross-section of the menu that I tasted gave me the distinct feeling that the kitchen wasn't really tasting what it was preparing.

    I think there's a good restaurant lurking inside this place, but it wasn't on display when I was there.

    Best,
    Michael
  • Post #65 - August 23rd, 2007, 8:04 am
    Post #65 - August 23rd, 2007, 8:04 am Post #65 - August 23rd, 2007, 8:04 am
    Ramsy returned in my head and screamed "are you kidding me?"


    There's a gerund missing from the middle of that quote
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  • Post #66 - August 23rd, 2007, 9:21 am
    Post #66 - August 23rd, 2007, 9:21 am Post #66 - August 23rd, 2007, 9:21 am
    Mike G wrote:There's a gerund missing from the middle of that quote

    Way off topic, but Jimy Williams, at the time the manager of the Red Sox, had one of the most bizarre and hilarious digressions on gerunds when asked whether he was surprised by his team's recent performance:

    Jimy Williams wrote: "I don't know anything about that, surprise, or all those other adjectives, or what do you use? Adverbs? Prepositions? I like gerunds. I went to high school with a guy named Gerand Thornquist. His dad drove a bus for Greyhound. He was almost the valedictorian. You'd have to be, with a name like that."
  • Post #67 - August 23rd, 2007, 9:27 am
    Post #67 - August 23rd, 2007, 9:27 am Post #67 - August 23rd, 2007, 9:27 am
    And at $24 for three courses, that's a really good deal, to have a neighborhood place of such ambition, often realized, and to be able to go there and see what's new every couple of months. At $65... now we're getting up there in real money, and other places have proven cannier in delivering bang for the buck (Dave Richards at Sweets and Savories, for instance, making sure that some luxe ingredients like white truffle or foie gras turn up along the way to make the prix fixe seem like a steal). That forced me to start comparing it to other places in that price range, and at best it lands in the middle with other places that seemed pretty good but not knockouts, like Sola.


    Well, therein lies the dilemma for me. At $20 or even at $24, Bonsoiree can be a true steal. But when you get to the $50 for 5-courses or any of the Underground weekend 7-courses for $55 or $65 with the $5/bottle BOYB charge, what you've now done is thrown the gauntlet down in battle with places like Sweets and Savories. S&S is to me one of the best restaurants in the City, a class to which Boinsoree does not belong. But their prices mirror places like S&S. At that level, I will choose S&S 95% if the time.

    Now, I really like Bonsoiree, interestingtly, though, the GF does not like it but she loves S&S.

    Bster
  • Post #68 - August 23rd, 2007, 9:49 am
    Post #68 - August 23rd, 2007, 9:49 am Post #68 - August 23rd, 2007, 9:49 am
    eatchicago wrote:I've read and re-read this thread and I really wonder if I ate at the same restaurant that everyone else did.

    ...

    I think there's a good restaurant lurking inside this place, but it wasn't on display when I was there.


    The more I've thought about it, and every time I get their Underground Dinner invitation, I wind up feeling the same way. I had a nice time, as I described before -- though their pricing structure seemed odd to me (and I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels that way). But would I go back? If given the choice of Lula's or Bon Soiree? Or even Le Bouchon or Bon Soiree? I'll take good food I can expect over 7-courses of hits and misses, and gladly give up the chance to bring my own wine.
  • Post #69 - August 23rd, 2007, 10:09 am
    Post #69 - August 23rd, 2007, 10:09 am Post #69 - August 23rd, 2007, 10:09 am
    eatchicago wrote:I've read and re-read this thread and I really wonder if I ate at the same restaurant that everyone else did.


    Actually, I've only commented on the pomegranate soda. I've said nothing at all about the food. My opinion of our meal can best be described as undefined at this time. I was somewhat uncomfortable with the outdoor seating arrangements on a hot muggy mosquito-infested night and I'm allowing for the possibility that my opinion of the food was somewhat clouded by this situation. Having said that, I'll agree with Michael that nothing really popped out for me. The blandness of the soup, which someone compared to a thin green salsa waiting to be spooned atop something was something that stood out as needing to be fixed despite the THI*.

    I think the true value in this restaurant is the 3 course $24 dinner (I think that was the price on the menu). Like all of my dining mates, I feel like there is a really good and special place trying to get out, but the cake isn't quite baked yet.

    *temperature humidity index
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #70 - August 23rd, 2007, 10:20 am
    Post #70 - August 23rd, 2007, 10:20 am Post #70 - August 23rd, 2007, 10:20 am
    stevez wrote:I was somewhat uncomfortable with the outdoor seating arrangements on a hot muggy mosquito-infested night and I'm allowing for the possibility that my opinion of the food was somewhat clouded by this situation.


    I thought long about that and before writing, I really tried to transplant myself indoors under comfortable climate-controlled conditions.
  • Post #71 - August 23rd, 2007, 1:17 pm
    Post #71 - August 23rd, 2007, 1:17 pm Post #71 - August 23rd, 2007, 1:17 pm
    I've found some of these recent replies interesting. I've been to this restaurant 3 times recently and they've hit the mark 100% every time. I've only ordered the 7-course menu. I'm going to their underground on Spetember 1 and will have to see if they've somehow changed to mediocre in the last month.

    I've never been to Sweets and Savories, but from the comments above I guess I'll be overwhelmed. I'll try it soon. I'm assuming they're BYOB, correct?

    All the best,
    John
  • Post #72 - August 23rd, 2007, 1:23 pm
    Post #72 - August 23rd, 2007, 1:23 pm Post #72 - August 23rd, 2007, 1:23 pm
    John Danza wrote:I've never been to Sweets and Savories, but from the comments above I guess I'll be overwhelmed. I'll try it soon. I'm assuming they're BYOB, correct?


    S&S has a full wine and cocktail list (and I am a big fan of Chef Richards' food, after repeated visits).

    Best,
    Michael
  • Post #73 - August 23rd, 2007, 1:24 pm
    Post #73 - August 23rd, 2007, 1:24 pm Post #73 - August 23rd, 2007, 1:24 pm
    John,

    Sweets & Savories is excellent and you should definitely try it out. I really like Bonsoiree both times I've been there but have only tried the 3-course menu. My point was, by charging what they do for the 5+ course options, whether justified or not, Bonsoiree puts itself into a class of restaurants that it objectively is no match for at this point in it's evolution. Bonsoiree is a toddler still finding its way, but has aspirations and unfinished ability to achieve the level of greatness needed to compete with the S&S's, et al. of the culinary world. Give a a year or two and we'll see what happens. I'll be excited to help them on their journey with occassional visits for its 3-course offerings.

    S&S charges $15 per bottle should you wish to bring your own. Try S&S, you'll love it!

    Bster
  • Post #74 - August 23rd, 2007, 1:29 pm
    Post #74 - August 23rd, 2007, 1:29 pm Post #74 - August 23rd, 2007, 1:29 pm
    Thanks Michael and Bster on the update on S&S. I'll definitely try it out. The $15 corkage doesn't bother me anymore like it use to, because I can bring a wine that might cost north of $100 or more on their list, that I've got maybe $40-$50 into it, and still come out ahead.

    All the best,
    John
  • Post #75 - August 23rd, 2007, 4:25 pm
    Post #75 - August 23rd, 2007, 4:25 pm Post #75 - August 23rd, 2007, 4:25 pm
    Has anyone been to Sweets & Savories lately? I'm curious. A friend of mine who dined there last week (and who has dined there with me twice in the past) and whose opinion I trust was very underwhelmed on his last visit. He also indicated that they might not be doing the tasting menu anymore except for on weekends. Does anyone have any info on these issues?
  • Post #76 - August 23rd, 2007, 4:29 pm
    Post #76 - August 23rd, 2007, 4:29 pm Post #76 - August 23rd, 2007, 4:29 pm
    We need a dedicated, recent S&S thread.
  • Post #77 - August 23rd, 2007, 4:42 pm
    Post #77 - August 23rd, 2007, 4:42 pm Post #77 - August 23rd, 2007, 4:42 pm
    BR wrote:He also indicated that they might not be doing the tasting menu anymore except for on weekends. Does anyone have any info on these issues?


    I checked their website today and saw nothing about a tasting menu.
  • Post #78 - August 23rd, 2007, 7:12 pm
    Post #78 - August 23rd, 2007, 7:12 pm Post #78 - August 23rd, 2007, 7:12 pm
    My last S&S visit was April/May with a 7-8 course tasting menu on a Friday night for like $65 or so...fabulous...as were the two prior visits.

    My recommendation is to call to confirm when the current tasting menu days are...though used to be all the time...when last I went we brought 4 $50-$60 bottles from home and were charged a TOTAL of $60 corkage fee @ $15/per and then we had a spectacular...Petit Sirah called Rockpile...highly recommend it was like $65 or so.

    Bster
  • Post #79 - August 23rd, 2007, 7:17 pm
    Post #79 - August 23rd, 2007, 7:17 pm Post #79 - August 23rd, 2007, 7:17 pm
    OK, just called S&S, here's the current deal on their tasting menu:

    Mondays:
    5-course for $50
    8-course for $65

    NO CORKAGE FEE

    Tuesdays:
    CLOSED

    Wednesdays to Sundays:
    5-course for $60
    8-course for $75

    REGULAR $15/per bottle CORKAGE

    Chef makes courses up on day of service with regard to what he has that day which looks good.

    Bster
  • Post #80 - August 23rd, 2007, 7:30 pm
    Post #80 - August 23rd, 2007, 7:30 pm Post #80 - August 23rd, 2007, 7:30 pm
    Bster wrote:OK, just called S&S, here's the current deal on their tasting menu:

    Mondays:
    5-course for $50
    8-course for $65

    NO CORKAGE FEE

    Tuesdays:
    CLOSED

    Wednesdays to Sundays:
    5-course for $60
    8-course for $75

    REGULAR $15/per bottle CORKAGE

    Chef makes courses up on day of service with regard to what he has that day which looks good.

    Bster

    Thanks for the update. I'm hoping my friend simply visited on an off night -- it's possible -- I look forward to visiting again shortly.
  • Post #81 - August 24th, 2007, 9:20 am
    Post #81 - August 24th, 2007, 9:20 am Post #81 - August 24th, 2007, 9:20 am
    I will third the nomination. I've been to at least three undergrounds, random weeknights, and used to go to weekend brunch there. It's a great little restaurant, that can only get better. The chefs and the patrons want it to really work, and the chefs have always been open to ideas.
  • Post #82 - August 26th, 2007, 9:37 pm
    Post #82 - August 26th, 2007, 9:37 pm Post #82 - August 26th, 2007, 9:37 pm
    I support this nomination almost entirely based on its value-priced 3-course menu.

    It's a bit of a tricky situation, when much of its appeal is based on a certain quality/price point ratio, and yet by offering a pricier option it sets itself up against a different set of competitors.

    Still, I agree with JiminLoganSquare's initial proposition, at least based on a single three-course visit and and reading the subsequent reviews.

    The three-course $20-something menu is compelling to me. I've not tried Le Bouchon or Le Sardine, though I loved Tournesol and wish it would have lasted to get a GNR. Offering such a deal, especially when you are located in a somewhat off-the-beaten-path location as Bonsoiree, to me is a key sign you have at heart being a great neighborly restaurant for your neighborhood.

    And I thought the food was quite good for the price. I agree with whoever said comparisons to Schwa were a great overstatement. I don't think that's their goal. I totally understand those who say something like "there's a great restaurant in here waiting to get out"...and I think that is much more supportive of GNR status than not.

    Doing something unique in their neighborhood, with the potential for greatness...what's not to like? As for recent criticisms in the Bonsoiree thread, I have two observations:

    1) they're based on a much pricier menu than I had...again, Bonsoiree does offer this menu, so you can't dismiss that out-of-hand. But the three-course seems to me to drive its LTH popularity. I hope if Bonsoiree does receive GNR status, the three-course at $24 is featured prominently on its placard. Not all restaurants do everything well, and giving great value on the 3-course ought to be enough.

    2) While a few posters had a less than exemplary experience recently, it was still just one meal, and at the higher price point.

    Mike G stated

    Mike G wrote:And at $24 for three courses, that's a really good deal, to have a neighborhood place of such ambition, often realized, and to be able to go there and see what's new every couple of months.


    ...but indicated he thought GNR status premature. Maybe. And maybe the place doesn't realize its potential. But for me, the GNR award is about right now, and the quote above I think describes a great GNR candidate. Couple that with largely favorable reviews, both from people who have been posting since the Chowhound days and a few nice capsules from people with fewer than 20 posts.

    I think Bonsoiree deserves a GNR.

    By the way, here's a link to the proper Bonsoiree thread.

    And to echo JiLS's point above, this is the sort of thing I really miss not being in Chicago. Y'all shouldn't take places like this for granted, as you're not going to find it in many other places.
  • Post #83 - August 27th, 2007, 12:47 pm
    Post #83 - August 27th, 2007, 12:47 pm Post #83 - August 27th, 2007, 12:47 pm
    Yes, I do think it's premature, based on my meal there which had some high points but did not impress me as exceptional for its price point. Or rather, to say what Aaron said in the opposite way, it's nice for the three course thing but the seven-course, which implies a certain level of accomplishment and a philosophy of cuisine worth touring in depth, struck me as sort of like a guy with a nice crooning voice trying to sing a Caruso role at the Met. At $25 it's a nice upgrade from all kinds of casual dining, at $65-- well, let's be frank, we're just not really in the Kahan-Virant class here yet.

    Maybe we can compartmentalize and know that we are, as Aaron suggests, rewarding it at the more modest level (assuming it stays modest). Lots of places on the list are rewarded for only a few exceptional dishes, is it a stretch from that to rewarding them for only a certain level of expectations?

    On the other hand, I'm no great fan of Lula, either, yet I know why it's a GNR and rightly so, so maybe it's just that Jim in Logan Square, who's a swell contributor to this forum whose opinion is worthy of respect, and I just have different ideas of what GNRs are, and that's okay, in fact that's the point of the whole process.

    So I don't know what I think, as one of the voters. Based on my own experience it's not exceptional enough. But I'll be watching further comment in this thread.
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  • Post #84 - September 3rd, 2007, 12:21 am
    Post #84 - September 3rd, 2007, 12:21 am Post #84 - September 3rd, 2007, 12:21 am
    I just wanted to put in another vote of support for Bonsoiree. We ate there tonight (had a 3 course dinner) and it was fantastic. I had the rabbit gnocchi again (which I'm pretty much obsessed with at this point). For my main course I had a new main course of seared scallops with pork belly served over cheesy grits. Holy smokes was this good. Dessert was banana bread pudding which was stellar as usual.

    Honestly, I think this place could win a GNR on the strength of the 3 course alone. I think when I originally wrote about Sweets and Savories I said that you cannot eat any better in Chicago for $50 (the price of the tasting menu at the time). Well, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better 3 course meal in the $30 neighborhood than what you get at Bonsoiree.

    It's too bad that some of you had a so-so experience doing the 7-course menu, but I hope that the support and praise of some repeat diners will have some sway with the judges. This place really is a gem, and I would urge others who feel the same way to voice their support.
    -Josh

    I've started blogging about the Stuff I Eat
  • Post #85 - September 5th, 2007, 2:33 pm
    Post #85 - September 5th, 2007, 2:33 pm Post #85 - September 5th, 2007, 2:33 pm
    The Bride & I had the pleasure of dining with Leek and her husband at Bonsoiree last Saturday. With some mild trepidation we chose to dine outside, but the Chicago weather smiled on us and it was perfectly lovely.

    They were working the grill that evening, starting with a "Grilled Shrimp Ceviche," which really was more of a citrusy, avocaodey shrimp cocktail since it was pretty light on the acid necessary to "cook" shrimp, and the shrimp was already cooked anyway. But that is nitpicking - it was quite good.

    The next course was a fun, deconstructed Caesar Salad - a small bundle (3 at most) of long, grilled Romaine leaves, brushed with dressing and wrapped in large cheese shavings. Fun, and good. we were off the a good start.

    Then came grilled scallops combined with pork belly sitting atop a pool of polenta, and matched with some lovely plums. Probably the best dish of the night, yin and yang squared.

    After this the train fell off the rails a bit. The grilled strip loin of wild boar with sweet potato hash and bbq chasseur sauce did not work. The loin of boar looked beautiful, but I do not think simple grilling was the right preparation. The cuminy crust was overbearing and not well balanced, the grilled boar was tough and not too interesting, any boar flavor being overwhelmed by the cumin.

    Dessert was an echo of something Schwa apparently has been doing - White Truffle milk shake and brownie. The truffle domnated the milk shake, making it earthy and quite appropriate for the rich loam and decay of autumn in the Midwest, but not exactly a tasty dessert. The brownie was good, if not special.

    There was also a small stumble with service at the end of the meal, with our check being delivered before our dessert. When this was pointed out they reacted with real chagrin and quickly whisked away the check, and rushed our desserts over - this was a very satisfactory response to the stumble.

    I note that this thread has become a combination Bonsoiree and S&S thread, and that makes sense to me. They both are working in the same vein: creative, high quality food with aspirations, but at a more reasonable price point. As I see it, Sweets and Savories is doing much better work than what I had at Bonsoiree on Saturday. Nice folks and a nice idea at Bonsoiree, but not hitting the mark that night.
    d
    Feeling (south) loopy
  • Post #86 - September 5th, 2007, 2:48 pm
    Post #86 - September 5th, 2007, 2:48 pm Post #86 - September 5th, 2007, 2:48 pm
    Hi Dick,

    I was there on Saturday evening as well. The rest of the party really wanted to dine outside, but I'm not a big fan of that so we were inside. It was a great night for being outside however.

    I agree with your assessment of the boar, and actually so do the chefs to a degree. I spoke with Kurt that night and this was the first time they had worked with boar. The meat is so lean that there's no room for error in the cooking process. It's either medium rare or dead. They recognize that now and it's unlikely they'll work with boar again.

    I thought the creamy polenta was fabulous with the scallop and the pork, the best I've had.

    I'm setting up a dinner there for my branch of the International Wine & Food Society for November 10. It looks like 7 courses and 7 different wines. I'll post something in the appropriate area of this site when the details are worked out in case anyone from this site wants to attend.

    All the best,
    John
  • Post #87 - September 5th, 2007, 4:00 pm
    Post #87 - September 5th, 2007, 4:00 pm Post #87 - September 5th, 2007, 4:00 pm
    Based on my one dinner, which I posted on in the real Bonsoiree thread, I agree that this is premature - a bit too many kinks in a $60 prix fixe menu for my liking. That experience says to me that it is a place that bears watching, but not a keeper quite yet.
    d
    Feeling (south) loopy
  • Post #88 - September 5th, 2007, 4:11 pm
    Post #88 - September 5th, 2007, 4:11 pm Post #88 - September 5th, 2007, 4:11 pm
    John Danza wrote:...boar. The meat is so lean that there's no room for error in the cooking process. It's either medium rare or dead.


    But it was both Medium-Rare AND dead !!

    Seriously, it was red throughout with a thin crust of cookedness, but still dry as a bone. Pork loin is never my favorite dish.
    Leek

    SAVING ONE DOG may not change the world,
    but it CHANGES THE WORLD for that one dog.
    American Brittany Rescue always needs foster homes. Please think about helping that one dog. http://www.americanbrittanyrescue.org
  • Post #89 - September 6th, 2007, 3:52 pm
    Post #89 - September 6th, 2007, 3:52 pm Post #89 - September 6th, 2007, 3:52 pm
    My only two experiences at Bonsoiree were with the now defunct $20 3-course prix fixe, which both times were very good. This was back in the day with no surcharge BYOB.

    I have not tried the $24 3-course version with the $5 BYOB charge per bottle plus numerous $5 and $10 upcharges. I also have not gone to one of the underground $65 weekend prix fixes.

    Now, based on my limited experiences, I really like Bonsoiree but I would call it "too young" for GNR at this point. In addition, price-to-quality ratio is important. I've seen too many posts at least semi-critical of this ratio at Bonsoiree when you opt for the $65 prix fixe - maybe even at the $24 3-course coupled with the BYOB charge and the various course upcharges.

    To say that Bonsoiree deserves a GNR solely based on its $20 or $24 3-course prix fixe is a bit extreme and off the mark IMHO. To give a GNR to a place that on the weekends cannot meet expectations price-to-quality-wise nor compete with its similarly charging/food type peers (like S&S) seems questionable at best. And blasphemy (LTH-wise :twisted: ) at its worst.

    To me, and perhaps this is too tough a standard, a GNR should go to a place that either is, or is almost, a no-brainer. If there is any semblance of real issues left to resolve or legitimate questions surrounding a nominee, the place should not get a GNR. Period.

    I'm not suggesting a one-off bad experience or two should negate months (years?) of overwhelming praise. But, like here, if there are serious questions about Bonsoiree's ability to compete in the $60-$65 price point range which is its weekend bread-and-butter I cannot even begin to comprehend awarding a GNR at this time.

    Perhaps next time around. Again, I really like Bonsoiree but, much like a fine Cabernet, it needs more time in the bottle.

    Bster
  • Post #90 - September 7th, 2007, 6:41 am
    Post #90 - September 7th, 2007, 6:41 am Post #90 - September 7th, 2007, 6:41 am
    Bster wrote:To me, and perhaps this is too tough a standard, a GNR should go to a place that either is, or is almost, a no-brainer. If there is any semblance of real issues left to resolve or legitimate questions surrounding a nominee, the place should not get a GNR. Period.


    I don't think this is too tough a standard. To me, a GNR is the kind of place that I get a craving for when I least expect it. I'll think about the place until I get there and satisfy my craving, and then I'll keep thinking about the food long afterward. A GNR is a place that grabs a hold of a person and doesn't let go.

    I can barely remember my only meal from Bonsoiree, but I can tell you every single dish I've ever eaten at Lula or Sweets and Savories.

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