Went to Butter to Take Advantage of Restaurant Week And Got Taken Advantage of Instead

Butter - Midtown West
70 W 45th St., New York, NY

I'm ashamed to admit that I heard of the restaurant Butter on Gossip Girl. I know that's somewhat unappetizing, but Butter has a good reputation in the city from what I've heard since, so I figured it was worth a shot. Plus, I walk past it on the days I decide to leave my office for food, so my curiosity had grown with every lunch break.

Sitting on a plush couch in the reception area piqued my high hopes. My lunch companion arrived, and the host escorted us past a station of exotic herbs and oils, through a series of dark shadows and heavy daylight cast by the big skylight that carves through the center of the dining atrium. Tall columns and images of oaks furthered the forest theme as we walked under canopy to a booth settled in the shadow. 

Immediately, however, the excitement of such a modern and stunning restaurant dissipated slightly with an awkward encounter with our waiter. A server had brought over rolls and butter, poured us water, and left. A second server--presumably our assigned waiter--demanded to know who had already made up our table. At first we thought the comments constituted an attempt at light humor but soon came to realize the waiter awaited a legitimate response. My lunch buddy didn't think the encounter was so strange until this was compounded with other awkward snippets of conversation we endured throughout the meal. 

The food presented the same turn of expectations. Little bread rolls arrived, dusted with salt. They must have been toasted but left to cool before being served because we were left with stale buns. My starter--an artichoke soup--arrived in a single-serving pitcher. Though individualized, once poured into its tiny rustic bowl, the soup had lost all heat. And while I cut into my spice rubbed pork shoulder, my lunch date frowned upon four mini-ravioli that looked more like a mockery than a meal. 

The whole experience eluded us. Quality lay just beyond our forks and knives, but we never got a bite. I wonder if this was a result of lowering the bar for Restaurant Week. I have heard that Restaurant Week used to be a glut of exceptional fine dining. But over the years, as it has become more commercial, mainstream, and (gasp) touristy, restaurants aren't willing to plate their finest dishes for the cheap crowd that partakes only twice a year. Either way, we went to take advantage of Restaurant Week, but Butter ended up taking advantage of us.