What kind of sicko drinks a foie gras Old Fashioned?
"I ordered one. For science."
Hi everyone. I’m writing today’s letter from the Royal Institute of British Architects for
’s Truth Tellers Summit. James Carville was the only man on the stage wearing LSU merch, and was the only person on the stage from my first-place Substack trivia team last night. I’m pressing send from my phone, sorry for typos.I’m excited to see some of you in a few hours at our London meet-up!
Today’s letter includes: the latest review from Feed Me’s semi-anonymous restaurant critic, a new newsletter that
is guest editing, and the men getting lifestyle tips from Patrick Bateman.
Expense Account is a series on Feed Me, written by semi-anonymous restaurant critic JLee. In this column, you’ll be reading about Business Guy Restaurants — the bistros, sushi spots and lounges that are best rationalized with the involvement of a corporate card. You can read his review of Chez Fifi, here.
My asparagus is white. My Caviar is black. My Old Fashioned is fat-washed with foie gras. And for what?
Once again I'm here asking questions, when I'm supposed to be giving answers.
What was fusion? What was multiculturalism? What were the United Colors of Benneton? Who was(/were) Jean-Georges? Daddy, what was food like before natural wine and small plates and hyper-regional cuisine? Where do babies come from? What is authenticity? Why is white asparagus white and why are European people so obsessed with it?
I don’t know. Ask your mother. Ask your teacher. Ask one of the bartenders at Long Island Bar. Google it.
I think the Jean-Georges flagship in the Trump Hotel was my first proper tasting menu back in 2011. I borrowed a suit from my friend’s brother. I showed up to Jean-Georges in another man’s suit just to find out that the restaurant week menu was not in fact the real menu, it was a three-course chicken breast or salmon menu. I wanted the real thing and they obliged. I barely even remember the meal. I went to town on San Pellegrino and they kept topping me up, only to find out, when the check came that the water was not in fact free….. each bottle was $11 and we’d had six. That was probably the most I'd ever spent on anything in my entire life.
“White asparagus is white because it’s suffered unthinkable abuse. It's never been allowed to see the light of day, buried under a mound of dirt, often in Germany, or even worse, Switzerland.”
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