Have you noticed that NYC restaurants all basically suck!

For the third time in a month I walk away from a new NYC restaurant thinking that not only was the food overpriced ($130 for two people), it's all gotten so bad that the entire dining out experience has lost almost all appeal to me.   Today we sit down at some new Trendy Organic joint and after 2 hours I can review the place as follows

"The food quality could only be described as decent, the menu is uninspiring, the overall selection is limited, the waitstaff is just blah, the drinks are overpriced and my decaf was more burned than my steak, but honestly that wasn't the worst of it..  It is the basic atmosphere which completely turns me off, with the pumping bass, the dark lighting and the cramped seating I feel like I'm sitting at a Depeche Mode concert."

I cannot remember the last time I walked away from a NYC restaurant and thought, 'that was a worthwhile experience.'  After some thought it all comes down to the decision they make when they can't decide to take atmosphere over the dining experience and when a restaurant but must be able to double for a club, I want to find the nearest window and jump.    Why restaurants spend so little effort on the acoustics and lighting yet so much on their speakers and lights is beyond me, I mean if your food is going to suck at least let me talk with my friends. I spend the first part of the evening straining to make out the menu and the rest of the evening staining to make out the conversations.  I find myself constantly asking others to repeat themselves and after 30 minutes of  "excuse me?", "what did you say" and "huh?" I just give up trying.  At this point I just smile and chuckle after it looks  like the person completes a sentence..

If I wanted a distraction from the restaurant when I sat down for dinner I'd go to the ESPNZONE, where at least I can catch some Knicks highlights.

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