The Wall Street Journal digs in a bit on the trend of high-end restaurants refashioning their bars as casual dining rooms today. With Masa essentially a room available for private booking and Le Bernardin and Daniel at substantially lower price points, if anything the article shows just how expensive Per Se is, by any and all standards: “… the lounge doesn’t take reservations. Diners are seated around coffee tables … a small entrée of white polenta agnolotti in a green garlic sauce is $28 and a slab of sautéed foie gras with sunchokes and watercress is $40 — but diners can spend far less than they would on the prix fixe. … The bar tab can add up quickly: Red wine by the glass starts at $19 and runs as high as $40.” [WSJ]
