Danny Meyer

I appreciate the pro-hospitality message of this book, but it's about a hundred pages too long and somewhat repetitive.

When the author talked about his privileged upbringing, he seemed rather humble and down to earth. But when he detailed the openings of each of his restaurants and other various business events, the book began to feel like a really long, boring, arrogant commercial.

Meyer is obviously a foodie, and there are many foreign food terms, especially wine names, that I had no idea how to pronounce. If wine and fine dining is your thing, you'll probably enjoy this.

There is some profanity and a story about a woman's cleavage that I could have done without.… (meer)

I admit that I checked out this book mostly for the pictures. I do like cocktail recipe books, especially ones like these with nice photos. This volume does have some nice photography. However, like similar books, this is a book to look at, not one to really try to replicate the recipes. Unless you have a generous budget and you live near good farmers' markets (or better yet, have a Whole Foods nearby), you may not be able to make many of the recipes featured. This is because the recipes constantly asked for pricey high end liquors, infusions in said liquor often made with rare items, and fruit that in some locales may be unheard of. I am not saying that may be a bad thing. After all, this book is a collection of recipes from a group of high end New York City bars. But outside such a locale, it may not be as practical a book. While I do agree with the maxim that one should aim to have the best ingredients possible to make a good cocktail, I also believe you should not have to break the bank. So, overall, a pretty book to look at, but if you are looking for an actual practical book to make a casual cocktail at home, without breaking the bank, there are other choices.… (meer)