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in article , DaleW at
wrote on 10/29/05 6:51 AM:

> Midlife wrote:
>> "Vine" (often called "The Vine", but there's no "The" in it) is our favorite
>> in the area. It could, however, be problematic for Dale as the owner used to
>> be chef at French 75. Not sure when or whether the food was the problem for
>> Dale, but those are the facts. Vine's wine list is excellent, though small.
>> It's mostly West Coast USA small-production gems.
>>
>
> Midlife, my problem with French 75 had more to do with managerial
> issues than food (food wasn't stellar, but wasn't anything I'd slam a
> restaurant for). Issues were reservation issues, some winelist
> inaccuracies, service issues, and most especially the surprise of a $65
> special (a small lobstertail and a 4-5 oz filet) at a place where the
> menu main courses topped out at $36. I put story below. BTW at your
> suggestion at the time I emailed the initial complaint (and links to
> eGullet and WLDG discussions) to the Wilhelm group, and never got a
> response.
>
> If you say this is favorite place in area, I'll take under advisement
> and give it a shot (it's not owned by Wilhelm, is it?). Or we might
> splurge and try Studio at Montage, as Betsy has really loved a few
> recipes from chef (that one would take a serious look at finances first
> I understand!).
>
> Thanks for the info and pointers! Dale

I do remember your story now. As I think I may have said at the time, French
75 does seem to be a hit or miss proposition for a disappointingly large
number of people. My son's girlfriend's family has loved it for years, yet
I see posts similar to yours, on the regional board of Chowhound a lot.
Wilhelm is quite successful, but that's not always a guarantee. We've never
been disappointed at French 75, Savannah Chop House, or Chimayo, and Chat
Noir tends to get only raves. He's got three new ones on the books too. I am
surprised, though, that a thoughtful, constructive letter got no response.
Very bad management practice to not at least acknowledge it. My knowledge of
the company, overall, would tend to think it was not intentional,
but????????

Studio is supposed to be excellent. It's also much more accessible for you,
since Vine is another 10-15 miles South. Studio also has a dramatic ocean
view that Vine doesn't have, but you pay at least a 30% premium for that.

I have come to conclude that restaurants are very much like wine in that,
especially at the upper end, quality differences become much more subtle and
reflect the palate and experience of the diner/drinker moreso than at the
lower end. If I were to use The French Laundry as a benchmark, I'm sure my
response would be very different to any of these places. It really does
hinge on what you're used to in quality...... and value too. I've always
felt that Orange County is missing a huge mid-range tier of great eateries
that exist in places like New York and San Francisco. Maybe in a hundred
years or so? OC was mostly orange groves just 25 years ago, and it's
multi-cultural growth has only just begun in many locales. I really feel
that's a big factor in what allows for great, authentic food value.