Ignacio Mattos, Killers Of The Flower Moon, Grey Gardens and some cooking

Nov 23, 2023

∙ Paid

Big banger week.

Bangers

Ignacio Mattos, the best restaurateur in America: Had a perfect lunch at Corner Bar on Sunday. Went to Swan Room on Tuesday night and was, yet again, blown away. Pete Wells has consistently done a good job of capturing what makes a Mattos restaurant so great. You get the sense you’re in on a secret when you dine at a place like Estela or Altro Paradiso or Flora Bar (RIP). It’s not a scene, but it’s not not a scene. The best New York restaurants have excellent food, sure — and no one stealthily constructs a delicious salad like Mattos and his team — but they also make you feel something you couldn’t experience anywhere else in the world. There are no gimmicks here, no Instagram tricks or pandering to Infatuation box checkers. There are just a few astounding dishes, pristine service, excellent wine, impeccable lighting, and diners leaving with the feeling that they had a special night. (I did cook a Friday night cold side shift at Estela one time, which I plan to write about … eventually).