# Cité - NYC



## Karl89 (Feb 20, 2005)

Gents,

Anyone have experience with this restaurant?

https://www.citerestaurant.com/

I have to arrange a dinner for some friends in NYC just after Christmas and was contemplating this place. The guest of honor for our party will be home from Iraq (he works for the State Dept.) for some R&R and usually when this particular group of friends gathers we head to the Grill at Smith and Wollensky, but am contemplating something different this time. The wine dinner intrigues me, I know its not exactly the best stuff they offer, but considering this will be en evening of some serious drinkinng, this menu might offer some value.

Any thoughts?

Karl


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## Hedonist (Nov 5, 2006)

Cité has moderate prices for wine, so not too bad for a range of 350 wine selections. 

BLT Prime 212-9958500, expensive wine but 475 wine selections.

BLT Steak 212-7527470, expensive, 725 wine selections.

Cru 212-5291700, contemporary European cuisine, expensive, 3,800 wine selections.

Rothmann’s Steakhouse 212-3195500, expensive, 780 wine selections including Italian wines.

Tribeca Grill, 212-9413900, moderate, 1,710 wine selections. 

Everything I mentioned above carries only Californian and French with the exception of Rothmann.

EDIT: Your original choice, good value.


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## jbmcb (Sep 7, 2005)

I've eaten at Artisanal, which is more known for it's outstanding cheese selection than wine list, and it was excellent. Brennan's other restaurant, Picholine, has a 30 page wine list, divided up by country and region.

https://www.picholinenyc.com/menus.asp

I recommend the wine and cheese flight for dessert. The blues of the Iberian peninsula are excellent.


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## romafan (Apr 29, 2005)

Hedonist said:


> Cité has moderate prices for wine, so not too bad for a range of 350 wine selections.
> 
> BLT Prime 212-9958500, expensive wine but 475 wine selections.
> 
> ...


We ate at Cru last week - many Italian offerings, including the bottle we end up selecting....


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## manton (Jul 26, 2003)

Ah, Cite. The memories!

I remember when the wine dinner started. It was 1993, a serious recession year for the city, and slump for restaurants. Cite came up with this idea. Three courses (appetizer, entree, desert), plus all you can drink from four bottles (sparkling, white, soft red, big red). 8 pm and later only. It was $39.95.

Certain friends of mine and I used be regulars in there. At $40 per with our 1993 ability to hold liquor, there was no way they made money off of us. No f***ing way. When it went to $50, we still got our money's worth, but it was less of a deal. We got older and a bit less irresponsible with the booze intake. Then it went to $60. It was quite a bit less attractive.

Now it is $70. The quality of the wine has declined. No more French champagnes, not even NV. It's always the second tier from California, or maybe some unknown from Spain. The white used to be premier cru from Burdundy or reserve Chard. Not the top producers, but good stuff. Not anymore. And now the reds are tannic, young, fruitless and forgettable. The food is still OK, but at that price one can do better.

Worst of all, they RUSH you now. In the olden days, we sat there a long time. There was a decent interval between courses. You could talk to your companions. Now the courses are thrown at you with scarcely a second to eat them. The wine is poured all at once. The overall effect is clear: they want you the hell out of there.

I am not saying it was ever a first class dining experience. It wasn't. But it was a damned fined bargain once upon a time.

I do like the little grill next door for lunch.


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## Karl89 (Feb 20, 2005)

Lady and Gents,

Thanks for the suggestions. Manton I had always wondered about the wine dinner, and while no expert I did notice that recent offerings were lackluster. My friends and I had been Palm devotees and always sat upstairs, specifically requesting a table near the caricature of GHW Bush from his UN Ambassador days. The Palm was one of the few places that never proofed us, and the thrill of eating there and being able to drink when we were 18 and 19 was literally intoxicating. We would then stumble down to a a gin mill on 2nd and 42nd that sadly no longer exists. 

But since 95 or so S&W, specifically the Grill Room bc of its late hours, has been our place of choice - the fact the PJ Clarke's is a few blocks away doesn't hurt either. Can't beat the extensive if a bit overpriced wine list, and the Cajun Ribeye. One of our group is a Peter Luger's devotee but he is a priest and never picks up his check (not that we expect him to!) so I think once more into the breach, its back to S&W for us.

Karl


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