New-York tribune., 1922-12-31
Dining


We pose for the philosopher this
grave question: Is there such a
thing as truly dining" in public as
50 many Of us dine in New York on
New Years Ever Humanity speak
ing, the question might be SAID 10
answer itself. The occasion Is fra
ternal. Good will overhows. The
stranger at the next table is auto
matically a friend. Even the most
critical members Of society may look
with a sympathetic eye upon ono an
other, admitting under the pressure
Of the New Years spirit that the
Colonel's lady and Judy 0'Grady arc
sisters under the skin. And in the
hotels, restaurants and cabarets 1t
is. after all, possible for the exact
ing searcher to find good food we'll
cooked. But will he find the seren-
ity that is inseparable from the au-
thentic art Of dining?
This city Is provided with every
thing for the diner, from skilled
chefs to delicacies maRnifcently out
Of season, yet It is hardly, as yet,
what you would call a gourmets
paradise. And we are not sure that 1t
is the fault Of the public "host,' so
called. No; it is one Of the penalties
we pay for our national boast Of
quantity production The finest ar
tist in cooking that ever lived would
flourish in New York, as an artist,
for only a few brief hours or weeks.
Then he would be discovered, he
would be swamped with orders, he
would put in electric lights and "a
band, and his place would be packed
with persons come not 70 dine but to
feed.
Paris has had It's losses in this
sphere. The Maison Doree faltercd
and died. The Cafe Anglais went
its way. Long ago the Tour d'Ar-
gent became perilously popular, and
popularity will kill a sauce as
quickly az too much vinegar. We re-
member a dish Of Strawberries at
the Foyot that used TO be delectable.
When they took to making il in bulk
It subsidized into the dulness, Of a
staple. Who shall bring back to Us
the magic Of Solari's, the old haunt
Of ouietude on University Place that
Sam Ward and Pierre Lorillard used
TO frequent and influence? We, too.
have suffered losses. There were
other places in which the New
Yorker could dine and mediate in
silence. Now he eats, poor thing!
Haste has done a lot 20 land him
in his predieament. Your gourmand
may hurry. For the gourmet dining
in a hurry is a contradiction in terms.
As well ask him to dine where there
is noise. or dancing, or too much
light. One Of the noblest sights thai
the great art can supply is that Of a
erizzled Frenchman reposing behind
his favorite table at some such mod
est restaurant as the Drouant and
savoring with reverence the melted
ivory of his Camembert. 1t is les
son in appreciation and wise self
discipline. The theater, Of course,
has been responsible for a cruel
ouickening of the pace, both here
and abroad. Think Of what It has
done to that once honored institution
the after-dinner Havana! We shrink
from advocating the abolition OF the
theater. And yet
Well, the new year is here. Heaven
knows what it may bring! But this
is a time always suitable for the
searching Of hearts, and men may
we'll look solemnly, as they face the
new year, into this question Of what
they have been doing at the table.
Let the maker Of good resolutions
ask himself, with Hermione, "Hsve
1 dined, or have failed"