Customer Reviews

Zagat Survey 2006 New York City Restaurants (Zagatsurvey)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Zagat Survey of NYC Restaurants is becoming less and less useful. Rather than serving as a valuable means of "tracking" the progress of restaurant quality, as some have alleged, the Survey increasingly takes on the role of "cheerleader," as evidenced by the steadily increasing trend of ratings (e.g. a 20 Food rating in place of an 18 several years ago for comparable quality) and by the growing predominance of "upbeat" quotes in the reviews.

A case in point is the supposedly Argentine-Italian "Sosa Borella" with two branches in Manhattan. The review tells us that the menu here is "terrific." One's first clue to the completely inauthentic character of the "Argentine" portion of S.B.'s menu is the ubiquity of chicken dishes, including a chicken-containing(!) "Parillada." The knowledgable diner will search in vain for such Argentine staples as morcilla, matahambre or ensalada russa. Likewise, the ubiquity of mashed potatoes negates all claims to authenticity of either the "Italian" or "Argentine" aspects of the bill of fare.

How, then, does Sosa Borella get a Food rating of 20? Only by the votes of people who are completely ignorant of actual Argentine cuisine and are content with familiar U.S. cooking enlivened slightly with hints of something foreign. Here, the recently-floated theory that superior wisdom and accuracy can be derived from the accumulated opinions of the ignorant and the inexpert falls flat on its face. A restaurant guide authored by a highly competent reviewer looks more and more appealing.

Purchased as a gift, the recipient loves this item and purchases the new addition annually, she swears by it when selecting restaurants to try.

I recently attended fifteen restaurants in NYC using this guide. For the most part, the review was pretty close with a few exceptional misses along the way. The breakfast at Norma's was a huge disappointment despite the rave review by Zagat as one of the most hailed breakfast joints in NYC. I thought the food was rather bland and uninspired. In addition, the reviews for Cafe des Artistes and The Modern was way off. Both of these restaurants have great ambiance and decor, but when it came down to the food... well, it left much to be desired. Can anyone say, "Way too salty or bland!" I thought the reviews for Le Bernardin was way too generous. The dining experience between Daniel and Le Bernardin was like night and day, with Daniel striding far ahead of Le Bernardin. Le Bernardin was still plenty good, but not the out of this world experience I received at Daniel.

Where it did get it just right were the lunch bargain reviews for Jean Georges and Gotham Bar and Grill. Zagat hailed the lunch at Jean Georges as the steal of the city and boy were they right! The 3-course prix fixe lunch at $24.07 was sure bliss and highway robbery!

It also hit it on the dot about the friendly staff at Union Sqaure Cafe. The dining experience at Daniel, Nobu, and Grammercy Tavern were out of this world, just as Zagat had described.

The addition of cross streets for each restaurant made the navigation a simple task.

Overall, Zagat nailed 12 out of the 15 restaurants on the dot. I'll take the 80% chance when I review the 2007 Zagat for my next trip to NYC.

Brought it along for my trip to NYC. I basically planned my day based on where we are planning to eat. The restaurants' ratings are accurate and I was never disappointed.

If you're wondering about a restaurant in NYC, the first (and only) guide to grab is Zagat's. More efficient than the internet, if not as detailed. Very easy to read up on a place before you go. It's the one guide locals and tourists can both agree on. The only challenge is keeping current, as the restaurant scene changes so quickly. Get the 2005 version, and you're already out of date!

..and there is no substitute for an updated Zagat for NYC where restaurants open and close faster than in other cities.

the authority for hotels and restaurants and shopping in NYC....sets the standard for all to meet, used by as many native New Yorkers as tourists...clear, concise and accurate