TN: A Macon at the Four Seasons

Last night we headed to the city to join a friend for dinner. Charles has been in the City Opera orchestra for 30 years, and is one of Betsy's favorites to play with. He generously had offered to take us and another friend of his to the Four Seasons for dinner. We joined him on his terrace for a while, then drove to midtown (I knew the evening was a success for me when I found nearby free parking). We walked 2 (sweltering)blocks and met Charles' other guest at the restaurant door, In and up into the restaurant, and then to our table. From a visual standpoint, the Pool Room really lived up to it's reputation. Stunning piece of modernism, and what other restaurant leads you past an immense Picbutto curtain?

The waiter seemed to have a hearing problem when we asked for tap water, after the 3rd time we buttured him that we didn't need sparkling water we got some cold water. Not a big drinking crowd, but we all thought a nice dry ros=E9 would be nice (it was horrendously hot outside). Surprisingly, there were no ros=E9s on the wine list. Didn't anyone tell them Pink Is In?

The wine list surprisingly was only marked up about 2-2.5X retail (there were a few 3Xs), on the moderate side for a NYC high end place. I was handed the list. It's always a bit awkward being the wine guy when with some winelovingbutnotgeek types. It's even more awkward if someone else is paying (bad enough when splitting check). I scanned for the few things in the non-3-figure range, considered a '99 Trimbach CFE ($70) and a Mastrobernardino Greco ($45) , but decided that a M=E2con might be a safer choice, not too idiosyncratic. The 2002 Auvigue Pouilly-Fuiss=E9 "Solutr=E9" ($42) ended up a popular choice.

Just a touch of oak, there's a bit of tropical fruit, but the major impact is from the citrus. Plenty of fruit ripeness but no lack of acidity. Somewhat minerally on the finish, I'm relieved everyone seems to like. Charles orders a second bottle (as a geek, I usually order something different, but was happy he was happy here!). Goes well with the fish dishes most of us order. B+

As to the food, while everything was tasty, only one dish was truly stunning, and that was the least expensive appetizer ($15) on the menu. That was Betsy's starter- a tasty (though not stunning) yogurt crabmeat salad, surrounded by some outrageously good corn bisque. We always share, but I was reluctant to give her plate back. My fluke carpaccio was good, and Charles liked his oyster selection. I do think Charles was delighted with his Dover sole, and Sharon liked her halibut. Betsy's rosemary veal was merely nice (though she said a mushroom side, which I didn't try, was up there with bisque), my monkfish was a tad dry and not very exciting. I think the others liked their desserts.

I think it's worth going to the restaurant once if you're a fan of modernist architecture (I had been to the Grill Room bar once years ago, but this was my first time in the pool room). I do think from a pure food standpoint there are better places for the average $25-30 appetizer cost and $40-60 main courses. In this case, however, I was happy to be there, and not because Charles was treating. It was a nice meal with nice people, and it turned out apparently it was Charles' birthday (he never would actually confirm it, but implied it was a milestone- his 80th?). We felt privileged to join him for a nice night of conversation (ranging from Ouspensky to nature films to garage bands) and food.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency