July 12, 2007

What can I say about the home of Dorothy Parker? Let me just list the round table

Franklin Pierce Adams, columnist
Robert Benchley, humorist and actor
Heywood Broun, columnist and sportswriter (married to Hale)
Marc Connelly, playwright
Edna Ferber, author and playwright
Jane Grant, journalist and feminist (married to Ross)
Ruth Hale, journalist and feminist
Beatrice Kaufman, editor and playwright (married to George S. Kaufman)
George S. Kaufman, playwright and director
Harpo Marx, actor, comedian, and musician
Neysa McMein, magazine illustrator
Dorothy Parker , critic, poet, short-story writer, and screenwriter
Harold Ross, The New Yorker editor
Robert Sherwood, author and playwright
Donald Ogden Stewart, playwright and screenwriter
Deems Taylor, composer
John Peter Toohey, publicist
Alexander Woollcott, critic and journalist

Sigh! I remember the days I’d go to the Algonquin and get the best soft shelled crabs sandwiches or, if I asked, a nice entry of artfully posed soft shelled crabs. Indeed, the kitchen and the bar was in full glory not too many years ago.

I am sad to report that the kitchen is off. They’ve had better days. Someone in that kitchen has a mighty heavy hand on the flavors and the stove top burner off switch. The popovers, a specialty De la Maison here at the Greenville Arms, were burnt. The corned beef hash was burnt. The steak, however, was nicely cooked though I’d like a better crust on it, thank you. It was, however, well seasoned.

The lump crab cake needs some reworking. Way too much guacamole or avocado. It really detracted from the crab. I would have preferred just a small slice of the green fruit.

All in all, it’s still the Algonquin and it is magical. The eggs Benedict, while not back (Canadian) bacon but ham, were still good and the poached eggs are just like I make them, that is, perfect.

Part of going to a hotel, of course, about 50%, is the breakfast, the most magical meal. At the Algonquin, they had beautiful fresh squeezed orange juice. They had beautiful service. The waiters were very good. Hotel Dylan, go send your breakfast/buffet chefs, waiters and staff to eat at the Algonquin. Take notes please. Your breakfast service was horrendous. The Algonquin’s was good.

I rate our breakfast better than the Algonquin’s though I am sure that Dorothy Parker would disagree. But then, Miss Parker, you haven’t eaten here yet. Death, Taxes and Breakfast.