Customer Reviews

Appetite City: A Culinary History of New York

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I started this wonderful book not knowing what to expect. In it I found not only meticulous research but also an evocation of a past New York. We travel with the author from the brawling port of early nineteenth century New York where cuisine would hardly be the word to describe eating habits into the increasing sophistication of an International destination. Filled with references to actual dishes and menus , to the individual restauranteurs who risked and won or lost, and the chefs, waiters and busboys who manned the kitchens the book reveals through the lens of food the excitement , brashness, and vigor of New York over almost 200 years. In the final chapter we find a personal memoir of Grimes' tenure as critic at the Times. It reveals the author's serious dedication to establishing an analytical approach to food criticism as well as revealing the truly nutty and competitive world of restaurants in contemporary New York. Grimes has a ability to encapsulate in a single phrase many convergent social, philosophical and historical forces that spread the narrative far beyond food and into how we live our lives. I recommend this book heartily to anyone who likes to eat, dines out, and is interested in New York.

My overall impression of this book is that Mr. Grimes was exhausted after doing the research, which I must say was extensive and scrupulously done. I can only imagine the vast amounts of information that were available. But, having found it all and strung it all together, he failed to find the statue hiding in the marble. As he approached the end, it became more of a timeline: and then there was, and then there was, and finally. Where was the editor on this project? In my opinion, what should have been a lively history of a rich topic read more like a somewhat humorless dissertation. There were moments of comic relief, but overall I feel that the subject deserved better.

Well researched,gracefully written, and well designed. Unfortunately,the inferior way in which the book's many illustrations are reproduced is not equal to Mr.Grimes' prose or his insights. The publishing equivalent of a fine silk purse stitched with cotton twine.

If you're looking for a witty guide through the history of food in NYC, that's just not the author's writing personality. Try a different book. That said, books I've seen of that nature often have the air of snobbishness that comes from food the highfalutin foodie types that no one really can stand.

This book is just down to earth history about what happened, why it happened and why it is no longer here. Just a simple but fantastic book about the history of the restaurant business in New York. Aside from making me really hungry, it makes me look at the city's food business in a very different way, i.e. from both historical geography to proximity to business, to necessity all together. To clarify, it's obvious that you're going to find certain restaurants in certain areas. However, is it obvious how that all came to pass and why that specific type of restaurant in that specific manner relative to what exists elsewhere and before it's time? Perhaps to some, but not to me.

The history provided as the reasons for diner and cart culture in NYC was really fantastic. It was an absolute pleasure to learn about how little tea houses came into being. Some of the older names and newer celebrity names are featured throughout making for an interesting tale of the growing landscape of how one "makes it" as a restaurateur.

I particularly loved the description of the German automatic machines. I think I saw a random place on the LES or East Village that still uses this type of vending system. Didn't have time to explore and stop in, but this book has truly inspired me to take a look.

Fascinating for NYer and Non-NYr alike.

Written as a history of NY restaurants, this work by W. Grimes is big on detail of 18th & 19th century NY dining but loses steam as it progresses into the 20th century. The author is to be commended for undertaking such an enormous subject matter, but in order to do it justice the book would have to have been double the pages. If you're a "foodie" who loves NY restaurants, this might book fill your appetite. But the average reader will come away hungry for more.

This book took me by surprise. I could not have imagined that a tale of defunct restaurants could be so lively and so funny. Mr. Grimes has managed to summon up, generously and with great wit, bygone places, people, and an entire era.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Grimes is an excellent writer who really brings his subject to life. I found myself immersed in the tastes and excitements of New York from the 1800's until the present. In the author's capable hands, food becomes a fascinating prism in which to understand the history of a great city.

This book is so terrific, I have already purchased three copies to give as gifts. Whether it's food or history you're into, this is a must for your culinary library.

I've wanted to buy this book for a while and now that I own it, I know it's a "keeper" !!!
Everything you ever wanted to know about the history of food being served to the public all in one book. I especially love the photos of menues showing prices. Collecting books on the history of interesting ingredients, restaurants and food in general has always been my hobby. The fact that I'm originally from New York City and now London, England has given me access to some of the best world foods. If you are interested in the origin of how a simple thing as getting sustenance becomes an art in itself,this book is for you.

The dust jacket's back flap shows the author sporting a self-satisfied look; for the life of me, I can't figure out why. I certainly hoped to read a dynamic telling of New York's culinary history; instead, I found a narrative far more worthy of airline cuisine. While Mr. Grimes might have researched his topic, his prose has all the fluidity of crumpled sheet metal (a flaw that rather contradicts the back cover's "engrossing" proclamation). In Mr. Grimes' hands, "to be" becomes a crutch. In addition, the transitions within chapters felt clunky. As a result, the book simply felt rheumatic.
This history of New York's restaurants ends, incongruously, with a sampling of Mr. Grimes' take on a few restaurants during his tenure as New York Times critic. Not only do his critiques not meld with the historical bent of the rest of the book, but none of them even have the saving grace of wit. I would hope that Mr. Grimes would have had a few zingers in his four-year tenure--why could he not have used them?
Would I judge every writer this harshly? Certainly not. I have higher expectations for pretigious journalists (and some, such as AA Gill, David Remnick, and Bill Bryson, have returned the favor by creating effortless, readable prose). Appetite City simply doesn't reach its potential.
NOTE: Since my original review 12 December 2009 (it's now the 20th), several people have either condemned my review or written their own favorable reviews. A majority of them began their careers as amazon reviewers this week and with this book. In addition, two of these people list [...] emails on their "about me" pages. While I certainly believe folks have a right to their opinion (as do I), I take issue with the blatant cronyism evident in the defense of Mr. Grimes. Why would you make your New York Times work email so readily traceable when reviewing a book by your coworker if you wish to maintain any pretense of objectivity?