January 27, 2003
Oh my god, Portland is like so totally last year
What is up with Kathy Gunst the Food reviewer for the Portland Phoenix? Reading her restaurant reviews, you're left with the impression that Portland is "the hippest, most urban, most modern-looking," most LA-like city on the east coast, and the NH Seacoast is a mere backwater. For example, in her review of Crescent City Bistro: Shake me. Throw cold water on my face. Am I dreaming or has hipness finally arrived in Dover, NH — arguably one of the most unhip cities in America? ... despite recent attempts to bring color to downtown Dover, the place is still fairly drab. OK, poke some fun at poor old Dover, that's fine. Dover's certainly not the bright spot of the NH seacoast. (At least she got one thing right: The best seat in town is at Todd's bar.)
Now Portsmouth, that's different. Our intrepid reviewed has been at least a couple good places in Portsmouth. Let's read the review of one local hot-spot: Anyone living in the Seacoast region in the 1990s had to travel north to Portland or south to Boston to enjoy a truly great meal. What? Are you kidding me? "I wasn’t sure if Portsmouth was ready for this,” says [the owner]. “I wanted to provide a place for people who have been a little more exposed to the world and eaten different foods. There are a lot of restaurants around here all serving good food, but it’s all so much of the same food.” Sakura, Shalimar, Chiang Mai, Cafe Med, Anthony Albertos, Muddy River, Lou's Grille, Blue Mermaid, Cafe Mirabelle... am I the only one that thinks Portsmouth has a diverse variety of absolutely great restaurants? By this standard, the best example of duplication is opening another fish place a few doors down from Jumpin' Jay's.
Let's read on: Now there is hope that the long drought is finally over...[this restaurant] is the hippest, most urban, most modern-looking restaurant in town. You've got to be kidding. Have you seen this place? It's neat, but the "hippest"??? It looks like a Trading Spaces episode where they only got $400 and three hours plus Vern 
and some groovy candles. What exactly characterizes this "hip" look according to our reviewer? ...a partition wall with dozens of small black shelves, each one holding a flickering votive candle that appeared to be floating in the air... a long room with cinder block walls; a black industrial grid ceiling; big, hanging, white, globe-shaped lights; and mosaic columns of tile separating the little bar from the dining room. A huge, beige curtain hangs along the length of one wall... Wow, by this description I believe the décor of BJ's Club would qualify as hip.
Well, aside from the dearth of good restaurants for the last decade, at least Portsmouth is not as tragically un-hip as Dover—oh wait, I'm wrong: From her review of Jumpin Jay's: Where am I? New York, L.A., Portland? No, oddly enough it’s Portsmouth, New Hampshire. and from the "hippest ": The dining room was full: families and couples looked around the chic room disoriented. The looks on their faces seemed to say, “Could this really be Portsmouth?” Groan. Perhaps they were looking around wondering "Couldn't they afford paint for the walls?" Maybe she'll end on a positive note? Nope. While many people grieve the loss of small-town Portsmouth, a place like Pesce Blue gives us hope. If she is perhaps searching for someplace so trendy that it has techno music and a waiting line with velvet ropes staffed by burly young men in tight black t-shirts and headsets, she might want to check out the dressing room at the GAP downtown.
Posted by David at January 27, 2003 11:43 AM | EditDear Dyoung,
While it's great that we all are entiltled to our own opinion, it sure helps to have some level of understanding on a particular subject if we want to avoid beeing branded as ignorant fools.
While watching occassionally Trading Spaces on TV might trick you into thinking you are a design expert, people who are actually in this field and have the proper background can only shake their heads about your commnets on Pesce Blue. This restaurant was actually designed by one of the country's most awardwinning architekts and is a wonderful example of how to create an environment that feels comfortable in a clean and modern way. You might have overlooked that the lighting is actually groundbraking in its right. The design purposfully sets the stage for a wonderful dining experience, but is not supposed to be center stage. Hence, they imported Italian designer chairs at $ 600.00 a pop, glass tiles handmade in Italy and use glassware and china of the priciest choice. Coicidentally, the cuttlery used at the restaurant was specifically designed for the Ghetty museum in LA.
The Fact that you thought this restaurant feels like a duplication of another restaurant on the same street leads me to believe that you have, for one reason or another, decided to make provocative statements without merit or that your are actually clueless.
One thing your have for sure achieved is that I read this nonsense and bothered to reply.
Congratulations
Andi
Wow, Google's an amazing thing. Apparently I struck a nerve with a designer.
1. The use of sarcastic hyperbole to counter the outrageous statements of the restaurant reviewer is apparently lost on DesignerAndi.
2. DesignerAndi misunderstands that my comment about duplication has nothing to do with the "feel" or design of the restaurant, but the cuisine, and is a response to the ridiculous statement by the owner that all the existing restaurants in town serve the same food.
Whow is right,
It seems that the effort of pointing out to you that you should refrain from commenting on subjects you are ignorant about went right over your head. To suggest that the cuisine between two restaurants on the same street is a duplication because both are heavy on seafood is like saying that Lindbergh's and Outback Steakhouse are a duplication because they both serve meat. Why don't you eat in both places and make your comments thereafter, or at least check out their menus.
No, I caught your drift, but I disagree with you. All people's opinions are valid, regardless of their expertise.
You make EXACTLY my point about comparing restaurants. Do you really agree with the owner's statement in the article that all the restaurants served "the same food" prior to the arrival of his restaurant? If someone is going to so broadly suggest (for example) that Cafe Med is akin to Blue Mermaid, then by the same measure, Jay's is like Pesce.
I think it is a good idea to use spell check if you're going to disagree in writing so you're not considered an ignorant fool. But...that's just me.
DesignerAndi,
I can understand that you might take offense by what you consider to be an "ignorant opinion" but I have to disagree with your tone. The author was being sarcastic in an attempt (a successful one in my opinion) to be funny. If he was offensive, it was to the original reviewer of the restaurant, not to the restaurant's designer.
Still -- regardless off whether your rebuttal is justified or not, your tone is what I would expect from a teenager on some online chat service. I think you should re-read both articles, take a deep breath, relax and reflect.
Oh this is just too much fun, can I play too?
You know, I truly have had every intention of trying out a night of dining at Pesce Blue. I'm always eager to experience new cuisine and new restaurants in the Seacoast area. But now that I've been treated to a taste of the truly elitist snobbery that is a part of this restaurant, I've got to say I'm rethinking that intention.
Shame on DesignerAndi, it is the epitome of bad manners to brag to your dinner guests about how much money you spent on the décor.
What I find funny is the remark about Trading Spaces. Everyone I talk to has this secret desire while watching it to see the designer design a room in some whacked out manner, defend it by saying "I am a designer", and then see owners break into tears at what they now have to live with. Even the BBC made a commercial for their Trading Spaces-like show with a montage of these owner "horror" reactions. So I guess to DesignerAndi these owners should just shut up and live in what the "expert" has designed for them... because they are too ignorant to understand it.... that's bullshit. As for justifying a design because of chairs that cost "$600.00 a pop", with that line of reasoning I guess Michael Jackson's Neverland should be a design masterpiece with all those butt-ugly $80k urnes he was buying during the "20/20 Special" this week. Like Moe, I was looking forward to going to Pesce Blue for the first time myself, but now I think I should just spend my money at Anthony Albertos because I'll be too "ignorant" to appreciate the experience. God forbid I'll shock everyone by saying "could you please pass the jelly?" Bob - while occasionally reading the newspaper might trick you into thinking you can identify spelling errors, please save your analysis for the experts ;)
So, all I have to say is: $600 a chair?! Does it vibrate?
I'm really not trying to diss the restaurant here... no reason we should all boycott just because someone who may or may not be associated with the place happens to have an over-zealous appreciation for design.
I think we should all go together, but someone else will have to make the reservations in case my name is blacklisted. We can all vociferously compare the food to The Weathervane.
It's been suggested to me that DesignerAndi might be European and not speak English as a first language, so we shouldn't poke fun at the spelling. That would also explain the taste in design and the air of superiority.
I agree. Had I only known that my humble opinion would create such a stir and would be read and countered by such well-read and eloquent design aficionados, I certainly would have:
1) Used a spell check and
2) Have put more thought into wording my comments
I guess, after reflection, what I mostly object to is the thoughtlessness that went into the comments about the design. Mostly I object to reducing architecture to some minor details without addressing the overall outcome with regards to its desired intent.
I am sure there were people that looked at Frank Lloyd Wright’s work and dismissed it for its use of concrete. I am also sure that, after reflection, nobody really cares about what they thought.
Andi, read your first post again. It certainly isn't "humble". You seem to miss the point again and again that I don't believe anyone needs to be a "well-read and eloquent design aficionado" in order to express an opinion. Your sarcastic implication that I and others are not "aficionados" is irrelevant, since we have already conceded that point.
You also seem to miss the point that my comments are sarcastic, humourous, over-the-top rebuttals to similarly outlandish statements in the review. I'm not doing a serious design critique here. It is the reviewer who reduces the design to "minor details", and uses these as proof that this is the only hip place around. Or maybe you do get that my intent is sarcastic humour, but you feel the design is far too important to be poked fun at while countering the review. If that's your opinion, fine; I think it's pretentious.
As for your Frank Lloyd Wright reference, it's lost on me. I am not really familiar with him. I think I saw something once on The Discovery Channel about how a place he built is falling into a waterfall? I don't know if he used concrete in that or not.
I'm going to make a point to go to Pesce... my wife read "the wife's" post and wants me to verify if the chairs do, in fact, vibrate.
Vibrate? No one told me they vibrate! Hell, that's a steal then at 600 a pop. Wife, let's you and me (the other wife) hit the vibrating and have a good time. ^___^
Ok... maybe we should define "pop"
About Pesce Blue:
"'People walk in the door and either hate it or love it. It's a contemporary look that puts the emphasis on the food,' said Executive Chef Mark Segal."
http://www.seacoastonline.com/2002news/09252002/news/26262.htm
I do actually still look forward to trying it out.
Well obviously the Chef has not a shred of design expertise or he would recognize that all people should love the place or not be allowed to eat there. Andi, you should fill the Chef in about the fancy cutlery and stuff, sounds like he doesn't know...
Sheesh! Do I have to explain everything AND check spelling too?!?!?! ;)
http://www.delmars.com/wright/flw8.htm
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has designated seventeen American buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright to be retained as an example of his architectural contribution to American culture.
Pesce Blue appears to be a materialization of the concept, "What would dining in a dentist's chair be like?" The coldness of the design matches well with the icy demeanor of the waitstaff. One wonders if everyone there lies prone on piles of fresh ice (not just the fishies). I walked past, took one look at the place, and continued on towards Subway knowing a far more pleasurable dining experience awaited for me there!
It is unfortunate that this entire rant expired. I am a resident of Portsmouth and I enjoy many restaurants in the area. Pesce Blue happens to be amoung them as well as others such as 43 Degrees North, Lindbergh's and Bonta. Yes, the intrepretation of the design of Pesce Blue is left up to the guest. We are all entitled to have different opinions - that is no reason to mock someone for their spelling of ethnic background or reaction to a review. One thing that is missing here is that the food at the restaurant is excellent, the service has always been more than accomodating when I have dined there and the decor is hip, to me. Kathy Gunst may have got it wrong when she said that before Pesce Blue, there were no good restaurants in Portsmouth. Even so, I believe that Pesce Blue is a welcome addition to the wide array of great restaurants in the seacoast area.
Actually Alexa, there is quite a nice review of the food at Pesce Blue right here: http://www.someblogs.com/youwho/archives/000101.html
Personally, I think the design at Pesce Blue is the best thing about the restaurant. I ate there, and while the food was good, it was not fabulous. I paid $30 for two scallops and a quail the size of a mouse. I understand that it should be quality over quantity. Too bad this dish wasn't either.