Jammpacked wrote:It's pretty telling that you can call at 4:00 pm on a Saturday and get a table THAT night for anytime you want!

Maybe, if it happened to be true, but apparently it isn't. Right now Opentable shows them as totally booked for this Saturday night, and no openings before 9:15 pm for next Saturday night. I know sometimes a restaurant will keep a few tables available off Opentable, but when they don't have openings on Opentable, it usually means business is pretty darn good.

Jammpacked wrote:I do not look or seek, I state fact.

Maybe not. Anyone can go onto Opentable to verify what I just said in this post.

Accually it's the other way around at higher level restaurants; they only give a portion, say 25% of their tables to OpenTable. They prefer people to speak to them directly, especially first timers to make sure all the information is given to them i.e. menu, style, jacket required, etc.
Opentable has tables tonight for both Charlie Trotters at 7pm and L20 at 645pm...yes it's only Wednesday, but there was a time when you had to wait weeks and weeks for high end places any day of the week.

Jammpacked wrote:Accually it's the other way around at higher level restaurants; they only give a portion, say 25% of their tables to OpenTable. They prefer people to speak to them directly, especially first timers to make sure all the information is given to them i.e. menu, style, jacket required, etc.
Opentable has tables tonight for both Charlie Trotters at 7pm and L20 at 645pm...yes it's only Wednesday, but there was a time when you had to wait weeks and weeks for high end places any day of the week.

I took my wife to dinner at Charlie Trotters the night I proposed to her - a Wednesday evening in April of 2004. Only 50% or so of the tables that we could see were taken that evening - by your logic Charlie Trotters has apparently been in dire financial straits for over 4.5 years now. Impressive that he somehow finds the funding to carry on...

At any rate, after reading through the discussions at this forum of Alinea, L2O, Moto and others I chose L20 as the destination for our anniversary dinner on December 22nd. I'm very much looking forward to it, and if my better half brings her camera along that evening I shall be very happy if I can report back with pictures even half as entrancing as those that have appeared in this thread already.

I believe there's a difference between a restaurant privately owned that opened with no debt, no one to pay back and a restaurant owned by a restaurant group, even a big one like Lettuce, but one no less that likes to pay off debt quickly and turn a profit within a certain amount of time.
Regardless, have a wonderful anniversary dinner and many happy more! I look forward to hearing about your experience.

Jammpacked wrote:I believe there's a difference between a restaurant privately owned that opened with no debt, no one to pay back and a restaurant owned by a restaurant group, even a big one like Lettuce, but one no less that likes to pay off debt quickly and turn a profit within a certain amount of time.

I believe there's a difference between a restaurant's ownership, whether an individual or a group, who knows exactly how many tables are turned each night and who has access to all the financials for his/their investment and returns, and an individual who has no access to such information and merely speculates on conjecture, especially when much of his conjecture has already proven to be wrong.

as a big fan of L20, would it be possible to return to the discussion of the food?

Paul Barman wrote:as a big fan of L20, would it be possible to return to the discussion of the food?

I agree 100%, I enjoyed living vicariously through the pictures, and reviews of those who have been to L20. It would be nice to see more pictures, and hear more experiences.

when i read the comments i tried to bite my lip, then i tried to steer them back to the point of the forum - "culinary based chat" - but what is the deal here? This isn't a business blog, but a food blog. yes we talk about restuarants. yes someone pointed out Mantou closed, but that has real dining impact, you can't go there anymore.

restaurants are having it rough, but so is everyone. it's the times.

maybe this is a disgruntled LEYEr, since all the comments are in this thread and all are anti-LEYE?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1228869 ... lenews_wsj

I guess i don't get the point of bashing a restaurant based on your conjectures about their business positioning?

if you like L20, it's open. If you don't like it, say why.

that's not a rose-colored view of the world, it's just your comments aren't helpful or informative.

Again, my apologies for hitting a nerve, but I need to point out that stating the obvious was all I did, not bashing a Lettuce restaurant (I'm no ex employee). No, this is not a "business site", but restaurants are suffering. Like you said, Mantou closed and there will be more. If anything I think its sad that a restaurant like L20 opened with the best intentions and have the best of the best to offer, all the things we love and want to talk about and due to the economy and the rising cost of labor and food, no restaurant is safe. I was giving Melman the credit of knowing when its time to step in.

Folks, please. Let's be civil with each other. Business discussion, as it pertains to a specific restaurant, is completely in-bounds but the points have already been made and refuted, and this is not a place for filibustering. Let's agree to disagree and move on.

Thanks,

=R=
for the moderators

Thank you Ronnie... I was holding off with the thought that a mod would step in. I thin we need to keep in mind that LTH is an extensive list. There are many people on this list (including myself) that have spent a number of years "in the trenches" and understand what goes in to making a successful restaurant.

This goes beyond this thread but we need to be ware of any argument presented as fact with so support to back it up. Lawyers call what had been going on above "assuming facts not in evidence". Simply put, there is nothing wrong with stating your opinion, but if you are going to list it as fact, please provide some evidence for your claims (esp. if they are very positive or negative IMHO). Anyway, this is a thread about the wonderful L.2O and I agree all this blabbering about their P&L sheets is somewhat irrelevant to our forums' interest in the establishment. Back to the food and if anyone really needs to get the last word in send me a PM (I won't reply and you will get the last word you were looking for )

I'm looking forward to trying L2O. One of the things that I'm debating - because I want to try it and experience their food but I don't want to spend more than I have to - is whether to (a) eat in the dining room and go with the a la carte or smallest menu, or (b) eat in the lounge, as others have done. Suggestions?

nsxtasy wrote:I'm looking forward to trying L2O. One of the things that I'm debating - because I want to try it and experience their food but I don't want to spend more than I have to - is whether to (a) eat in the dining room and go with the a la carte or smallest menu, or (b) eat in the lounge, as others have done. Suggestions?

If the lounge saves you from the stilted service I received in the dining, then that's reason enough to stay in the lounge. I found it quite comfortable and relaxed. And, unlike so many other high-end restaurant lounges, you don't feel plagued by the incoming/outgoing traffic. Just make sure you ask for one of the two inner tables, preferably the one to the right. The ones to left are on the way to the restrooms.

ulterior epicure wrote:

nsxtasy wrote:I'm looking forward to trying L2O. One of the things that I'm debating - because I want to try it and experience their food but I don't want to spend more than I have to - is whether to (a) eat in the dining room and go with the a la carte or smallest menu, or (b) eat in the lounge, as others have done. Suggestions?

If the lounge saves you from the stilted service I received in the dining, then that's reason enough to stay in the lounge. I found it quite comfortable and relaxed. And, unlike so many other high-end restaurant lounges, you don't feel plagued by the incoming/outgoing traffic. Just make sure you ask for one of the two inner tables, preferably the one to the right. The ones to left are on the way to the restrooms.

The service that we received in the dining room was warm, proficient and comfortable. I don't think it was quite as polished as it was intended to be but the service itself was a non-issue for our party.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

ulterior epicure wrote:

nsxtasy wrote:I'm looking forward to trying L2O. One of the things that I'm debating - because I want to try it and experience their food but I don't want to spend more than I have to - is whether to (a) eat in the dining room and go with the a la carte or smallest menu, or (b) eat in the lounge, as others have done. Suggestions?

If the lounge saves you from the stilted service I received in the dining, then that's reason enough to stay in the lounge. I found it quite comfortable and relaxed. And, unlike so many other high-end restaurant lounges, you don't feel plagued by the incoming/outgoing traffic. Just make sure you ask for one of the two inner tables, preferably the one to the right. The ones to left are on the way to the restrooms.

The service that we received in the dining room was warm, proficient and comfortable. I don't think it was quite as polished as it was intended to be but the service itself was a non-issue for our party.

=R=

Ronnie, always making me look back with your tact.

Unfortunately, I would say that our service was stilted, despite it being proficient. Ours did lack warmth and comfort.

ulterior epicure wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:

ulterior epicure wrote:If the lounge saves you from the stilted service I received in the dining, then that's reason enough to stay in the lounge. I found it quite comfortable and relaxed. And, unlike so many other high-end restaurant lounges, you don't feel plagued by the incoming/outgoing traffic. Just make sure you ask for one of the two inner tables, preferably the one to the right. The ones to left are on the way to the restrooms.

The service that we received in the dining room was warm, proficient and comfortable. I don't think it was quite as polished as it was intended to be but the service itself was a non-issue for our party.

=R=

Ronnie, always making me look back with your tact.

Unfortunately, I would say that our service was stilted, despite it being proficient. Ours did lack warmth and comfort.

UE,

Fact is, I had a great experience at L20 but the restaurant aspires to be a place where the service doesn't vary. So, the variation in our experiences is, I think, relevant.

=R=

One more question for those who have been there. I see in Opentable that the appropriate attire is described as "jacket preferred". Would you say that pretty much all the gentlemen were wearing jackets in the main dining room (and if not all, what percentage)? Also, was the attire more casual in the lounge, or consistent with the main dining room?

nsxtasy wrote:One more question for those who have been there. I see in Opentable that the appropriate attire is described as "jacket preferred". Would you say that pretty much all the gentlemen were wearing jackets in the main dining room (and if not all, what percentage)? Also, was the attire more casual in the lounge, or consistent with the main dining room?

I suspect that you'd feel more comfortable in a jacket in the dining room. As for the lounge, my brief stay there coincided with other parties', who were on their way to the dining room. Every male was jacketed. I did not get to observe the lounge-only eater scene. Come to think of it, there wasn't one that I noticed the night I was there.

nsxtasy wrote:One more question for those who have been there. I see in Opentable that the appropriate attire is described as "jacket preferred". Would you say that pretty much all the gentlemen were wearing jackets in the main dining room (and if not all, what percentage)? Also, was the attire more casual in the lounge, or consistent with the main dining room?

I would go as far to say that realistically, "jacket required."
When I was there, I'm pretty sure that every male was wearing a jacket or a suit.

DML wrote:When I was there, I'm pretty sure that every make was wearing a jacket or a suit.

Not at mine. There was one couple that was "alternatively dressed." If I had to guess, I would venture that the man was a rock star. But seeing as rock stars are not my area of expertise (I'm not sure that I have one anyway), he might as well have been "alternatively dressed" to me.

nsxtasy wrote:One more question for those who have been there. I see in Opentable that the appropriate attire is described as "jacket preferred". Would you say that pretty much all the gentlemen were wearing jackets in the main dining room (and if not all, what percentage)? Also, was the attire more casual in the lounge, or consistent with the main dining room?

We sat in the main dining room (and I don't think anyone was eating in the lounge during our visit). It was a Saturday evening, and I'd say about half the men were wearing jackets.

nsxtasy wrote:One more question for those who have been there. I see in Opentable that the appropriate attire is described as "jacket preferred". Would you say that pretty much all the gentlemen were wearing jackets in the main dining room (and if not all, what percentage)? Also, was the attire more casual in the lounge, or consistent with the main dining room?

I did not wear a jacket and felt pretty underdressed. I'd definitely wear one next time.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:I did not wear a jacket and felt pretty underdressed. I'd definitely wear one next time.

Funny how perceptions vary so much on this issue.

I wore slacks and a nice button-down, but no jacket. I felt fine. There were a few guys in jeans and polos, a few in suits, with everything in between.

I've worn a jacket both times I've been and I've felt perfectly comfortable. I don't think I would go without a jacket.

Also, I would call our service anything but stilted (both in the lounge and the dining room).

RAB wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:I did not wear a jacket and felt pretty underdressed. I'd definitely wear one next time.

Funny how perceptions vary so much on this issue.

I wore slacks and a nice button-down, but no jacket. I felt fine. There were a few guys in jeans and polos, a few in suits, with everything in between.

Well, if I'd gone with you, there would have been power in numbers!

Perhaps part of my discomfort was because, from what I could tell, I was the only person in the dining room that night who wasn't wearing one.

My preference, to an extreme degree, is no jacket but I'll bring one along if I feel I must.

=R=

FWIW, I was there in July and the service was very enthusiastic and friendly, but somewhat lacking in professionalism (the server couldn't answer a few questions regarding the dishes, and they brought plates to the table while my dining companion was in the restroom).

they brought plates to the table while my dining companion was in the restroom).

Wow, I find that fairly shocking at that price point. That's Four-Star 101 stuff.

I've had it happen to me at Nomi.

My wife has impeccable timing. If she excuses herself, you can bet the food is on it's way!

So I'm going to L.20 on May 2nd, ha...just very eager and excited. Anyways, do they print the menu out for you like they do at Alinea and Trotters? Just curious.

You only get a copy of their standard menu, BUT you get this swanky spongy white envelope to go with it