Any of y’all attending this?
I’m tempted, as I love Babbo, but just can’t justify the $275 price.
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For that price you could buy a budget plane ticket to new york and just pay for your meal at babbo, plus enjoy the city…
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No, but received the email and have other plans. Hope someone reports back.
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Oy. Can’t afford that.
I went to Babbo once when I was in my mid-20’s. I ordered a seafood pasta dish and, at that age, assumed that all pasta dishes should have grated parmesan on top. The waiter looked politely horrified when I asked for cheese, and a chef even came out to beg me not to do it (again, politely). I didn’t listen, and they, of course, were right. The dish would’ve been much better w/o cheese.
Since that time, I’ve learned to listen better. 
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We’ve eaten at Babbo NYC twice and loved it both times. But didn’t spend nearly that much. We shared, say, three dishes and a not-expensive bottle of wine.
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I don’t go to Babbo when in Manhattan (and I’m there more than I care to be).
Why would I subject myself to Babbo in LA?
#Pass
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If you’ve never eaten there, you might want to try it. They do lunch now. We’re not as ‘informed’ as you but thought it was very good.
When did I say I’ve never eaten at Babbo?
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If you “don’t” that IMO says you “haven’t.” Sorry.
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Indeed.
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Indeed indeed.
Had dinner at Babbo this evening and it is NOT GOOD. Huge portions, lousy food and not very good service. Very embarassing that the food is this bad. Sorry… I had high hopes.
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Pete Wells knocked it from 3 to 2 stars but still like it.
Damn that’s a tragedy. To clarify, was it in NY or the popup here in LA?
NY location. Disappointed that Mario Batali will allow this to happen.
I’m curious about what you had and had you eaten there before. Also I hope you’ll write them about your experience.
Pete Wells must have been served a different meal. The pastas and ravoli’s were over sauced and over cooked. The duck dish was an absolute joke. The Branzino was okay because they did not over cook the fish. Did not have deserts because we were afraid to find out how bad it was.
The sevice was poor. We asked to be served family style repeatedly but to no avail.
That’s really a shame. I do hope you’ll communicate with them. And had you eaten there previously and it was good then?
ETA: Why didn’t you send it all back? Sounds like a mess.
Could’t really send anything back because it was not like it was one dish that was over salted or over cooked. 4 of us had 3 appetizers (not great but okay), followed by a lobster spaghetti and two ravoli’s (all bad), two mains (Branzino which was okay, duck was bad) and two sides (uninspired).
Then portions were very large which is not a good sign (quantity over quality).
This was my first Mario Batali restaurant which makes it even more disappointing. Mozza and Pizza Mozza are great, but then I consider that a Nancy Silverton restaurant.