Restaurants of New York 1991

Simon Britchky is one of those acid-tongued writers of yore - the kind made bad restauranters tremble and good ones swallow. He is demanding with particular attention to ingredients and details, the kind that the general public normally overlooks. This latest creation reads like a "Who's Who" of culinary New York with many tales of all the ins and outs of the profession. We read of decor, history, New York gossip, Brookly politics, Manhatten celebs and the like. But in the end, he writes about what he loves most - the dining experience and food in all its splendid varieties. The author is demanding, not accepting dirty forks, wrong orders, poor service, snobbery or laziness. But praise, when given, is bountiful and sincere. Like all of us he has preferences, his being French, seafood, fresh seasonings, elagant but comfortable surroundings and professional but friendly personnel. Restaurants are listed alphabetically but other lists are also included - by type, cost, rating. As in his other books, the writing is polished, knowledgable and wicked (around NY he is called Simon "Bitchky"). I almost fell out of my chair with some of the reviews, the lower the rating the "better" (or worse depending on your point of view) the review. His top ratings are reserved for only the finest. There is always Lutece, not a restaurant but a place of gourmand worship. He eventaully collaborated with the owner on "The Lutece Cookbook," an instant best seller.Buy this book even if you don't plan a trip to the Big Apple.