The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-08

Whsn the table d'hote restaurant first
sstsblishsd itself In New York It was deemed
a picturesque and novel phase OF metro
noi;tan life. Those who remember the
farst quaint French eating places In the
neighborhood Of Greenwich village ana
even farther downto own, where the proprietor
acted as both chef and waiter while ms
wife was cashier, will recall the delightful
sensation which newcomers always de-
rived from the odd surroundings, the
simple, coarse, but always clean table
linen and ware. and. above all the unusual
hishly-seasoned dhshes and excellent soups
and salads that formed part OF the mex
pensive dinner.
There were no orchestras in those days
and little pomp Of service, but the res
taurants were in such pleasing contrast
TO the oyster saloons then prevalent that
people Of good taste and OF epicurean
fancies thronged the out-of-the-way eating
rooms, and Chianu and spaghetti were
sought for az Russian caviar and French
oysters are in the newer restaurants OF
to-day.
But with the success OF the quaint little
table d'hote Of Blocker street, OF Pedro =
with its sanded floor and of Maria's with
it's rampant cheapness. there sprang forth
a MYRIAD OF other restaurants modelled
after the same plan. That is TO say, the
cooking was foreign and the surroundings
were different from the American chop
house interior. but the new enterprises
grew more elaborate, pretentious and
popular every day, the proprietors waxed
rich, and by degrees the foreign table
d'hote was far easier to find and more
crowded as to patrons than the dining
rooms Of the regular hotels.
Also by degrees deterioration set IN.
Only a few of the better places retained
their excellence Of cooking. The dining
places were show rooms and the PEG pie
who thronged them came from curiosity
and spent most Of their time gazing about
them In amazement and criticising the
peculiarities OF the foreign guests whom
as yet they mad not begun TO initiate.
To-day the American frequenter OF the
foreign cafes, which has almost taken the
place Of the once popular table dhote
dining room, glories in the possession OF the
hat of boulevardier, and Latin Quarter
coat with flying skirts, drinks absinthe
trdppt and reads the Figaro upside down.
1t was after the decline OF the fad for
foreign table d 'hote dinners that the Amer
lean chop house gained its present fame
The broiled live lobster and the planked
fab and the luxuriant celery bouquet had
still TO make their reputation Now they
are set TO music amid mirrored walls.
plush covered chairs. renaissance lace cur
tains and French walters.
The chop house OF old has become the
lobster palace Of the present. The cos
TUNES worn by the feminine frequenters Of
the midnight supper places rival in magnif-
cence those seen at the Fifth avenue res
taurants The trail of spangles and the
odor Of Oriental sachet powder are over
the moquette rugs across which polite
walters bear the ruby-sheled fish that reigns
monarch OF tho midnight.
But even this. II seems must pass away.
For within the present season another
innovation has stirred the world that lives
in restaurants rather than homes. The
French cafe behind glittering glass walls
lures those In search OF new sensations
with it's oddness and difference from any
thing we have ever had before.
OF course there have been cafes before,
but in none Of them has lovely woman set
her foot when the smoke wreaths filled
the air and the masculine denlzens retained
their hats tilted somewhat back on their
heads as though TO accent the unconven-
tionality OF the place.
For when New York starts in to initiate
Paris it is something more than French
SO popular has become the idea OF the cafe
where women may have tea II they wish
Il, while their nearest neighbors indulge
in more deadly miKtures. that the several
establishments which have set up these
cafes are crowded during the hours from
four until ak with a cosmopolitan gather
ing the like Of which has never been seen
within the confines Of the town before.
There are, Of course, the foreign residents
Of the city who naturally throng to the
imitation Of their own sort OF restaurant
rather than study the customs OF new
country, just as the New Yorker In Paris
makes straight for the American bar. The
Frenchmen and Italians who frequent the
French cafes sit a. quietly rs IL 10 possible
70 sit amid the babel. seemingly rather
bewildered with the American idea OF a
cafe Just a. the American In always startled
by the Parisian's idea OF q cocktail.
The popular drink served in the French
cafes IL the Scotch high-ball. On nearly
every one OF the little marble-topped iron
framed tables are seen the siphon and golden
bottle Of the popular beverage. Brandy
and soda IL a. scarce nowadays as English
pug dogs although both were very fash.
lonable several years ago when Scotch and
French bulls were never heard Of.
Whiskey agents are as thick as cigarette
smoke In tbs society that fills the Frencl
cafe. All sorts Of new brands are being
boomed. ordered and displayed. The wine
agents INV tnkfi Epohf
until very late a. night, when they stroll
through the various cafes of the town keep
Ing . sharp eye open Ia So how their owl
psrticulsr brand u going.
They always wear preoccupieh and ct
tremely naughty air as though life about
town bored them. Hut they never fai
10 show up onoe during an evening and tho-'
,rue-hlIs Tounder. Who TAX. la every piaHs
IN town In . night will always mes, the ~iD'
asea, =, eArh one
Tho mys,srious residents ~ ia. sreaI
city who manage Ia live On inNlHibl. la
con..s aud never give eyid..noo ~ anything
in tbs liiss ~ working for living ar lafKsi,
AIMING ths r.sulArs ~ the chfes Wei
sroonlsd cell dfe~-s-d aud -nilins, the,
begin thsir day abooi 4 ln tho aftsIl.ooi
by . bfeAkfssi la the oo<lssi ~Ifiiaf ~ oD'
~ the nss ssiiIs rooms They ale knoHi
o. sNefyi,ody and .s.rtn uo kn0s every oI1
rhsy sispsaT to have pleniy ~ mons)
and .l,.sd u GENEROUSLY I.aisf on th.s MI
tlTo,ish tho silasd halls ~ tho al Hisb
lal,siss fos.ins ~ hFoadssy. ti.sI on'
ssa,l.sss.lsni sss,ns IA ~ an siaiiiy a. khsl
h.Fs,lshls 80 sks and .s,isss
A bH ugi0sn aud - hlasdssF ih.s'
an lnhSsslisas in tbs ssy ~ fofsiyn oaias
tissIs go f,sfalsH restaurants shsfs slsi, 80
lafflHS and ffsnsfastsfs ass tiss asli,,as'ls
isil..i thai ths ifu0is.s aisd ia,.shf v.s.'
talsns ~ insrf dssHiOsn tilss go
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