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Article: Schrager's 2nd choice fizzles; Asian fusion Wakiya is long on style but short on portions; big wine markups.(Business Lives)(review of Gramercy Park Hotel's chinese food restaurant)(Restaurant review)
- Article from:
- Crain's New York Business
- Article date:
- September 17, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Crain Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: bob lape
Wakiya is the first Asian restaurant to cause Manhattan buzz in many months. Open two years after Ian Schrager announced a star spot for his Gramercy Park Hotel, it provides more fizzle than sizzle. It's only fair to note that Mr. Schrager's first choice to develop a signature restaurant for the site was London restaurateur Alan Yau. That long-simmering union fell through, and the hotelier asked Nobu Matsuhisa for a recommendation.
"Tokyo-based Yuji Wakiya's is the best Chinese food anywhere,'' was the response. Mr. Schrager went to Tokyo, tasted the Shanghai-inspired cuisine and pronounced it "more original and exotic'' than any other ...