The Washington herald., 1922-04-16

NEW YORK. April iS.-There 10
no denying that New York is rrsd-
ualIy giving up its supremest indoor
1 ipleasure-dining out. The profes-
sionsi diner out-and his name was
Iegion-is remaining at home these
days. eating his own fare instead Of
the gastrononic wonders Of the
$4,000 year chefs in the smart
hotels. A
The reason. OF course. is prohiei-
tion. Albert Kellar. who opened the,
Ritz In New York and in Atlantic
City and who 10 the prize student
Of Cessre Ritz. gives some illuminate
ing high-IIghts on the dying art in
an interview in New York Sunday
newspapers.
Mr.. KeIlar declares that a superbiy
prepared meal cannot be enjoyed
without a bit Of wine. perhaps q
liquer or q cordial. Il cannot be
properly digested. What is prepared
as a feast for the gourmet without
loggy and stuiy.
instead OF going 10 Ihe care
where there Is music, life and color"
says Monsieur Kellar' the man who
enjoyed dining out as an event re-
mains at home and drinks poisonous
bootleg liquor. In the old days he
slipped a bit Of light wine and went
home refreshed and ready the next
day for work"
There are indications that the
diner out is foclIing TO the innumer-
able small eating places where he
snAtches a hurried bite. The before
theater dinner party IL very rare in
the cafes. asked a well-known
head waiter where all the crowds
were going.
They are in Europe" he ssy
enjoying themselves. And many 81
them are not coming back"
/ Hotel rates are Just as high ss'
they were in the peak OF the war
days and the meals are even higher.
Hotel men say that they will not
come down for many years. Only
with these high rates can they sur
vive, according to them.
Ten years ago a couple might 90
TO any one OF the FIRST class cafes
and get a well chosen dinner for
IS. This is quite impossible now.
the best cafes-a dinner will cost at
the least SO for two. Il is generally
around sl2 or 100 per cent higher.
Another head waiter says that half
OF the advance reservations are not
fulfilled. They begin shaking up
| cocktails In the hosts home" he
said. and pretty soon they decide to
send out to the delicstessen shop
for sandwiches. They forget both
dinner and theater. A dinner is not
a dinner snymore-it Is a debsuch. q"
This summer. Il is announced. any
number OF hotels are planning To
close their main dining rooms and
keep open the little side rooms for
breakfast and luncheon They will
not attempt 20 serve dinner because
OF that cafe ocre-uverhesd. Thus
the myriad little esteries that have
suddenly bloomed about the largS
hotels will get the patronage.
The loss. however. TO the hotels
IL a big Gain for the supper clubU
These places are doing more busI-
ness than ever before IN history
They used TO serve mostly sand
witches. Now they are serving full
meals at one or two o'clock IN the
morning. And the prices they charge
are nothing less than staggering.
O.. 1t all may be a good thing hut
one may not convince the New
Yorker that IL 10. For years dining
out has been as popular as thester
y Going. And coincidentslly with tue
falling on Of dining out the theAter
slump is the worst the RiaIto has
ever known. Nearly all the shows
may be seen at half price, ~ one is
wise to visit the cUt-rate agencies