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Hi Ed ... I agree with your perception of L'Atelier in terms of cost, but don't you think cost vs. value is relative? I agree that you definately could enjoy a celebrity chef experience in cuisine and ambiance for $28 as you said, but I also think that Manhattan is a huge market and chefs can charge what they like. It's up to the customer if they want to return.

And you also probably noticed from your visit that the restaurant is small, and to me, is meant to appeal to guests of the Four Seasons, usually there on business, on expense accounts, and who look forward to a quality food experience with entertainment (the open kitchen) and frankly don't care about the cost. This is especially true of Europeans, since our prices probably strike them as very low.

Good blog!

Marisa D'Vari, http://www.NYFork.com