We’re hearing that there may be some cranky ex-employers of those souls who left to open Paon. Word on the street is that much of Paon’s menu is word for word (recipe for recipe, perhaps) that of Winesellar & Brasserie. Buzz hasn’t been to Paon so can’t comment on how Steve Barr and chef David Gallardo are doing there. (We also wonder when–or if– they will change their web address to Paon instead of Persecarlsbad–the first name they had until they heard from the original Per Se in NYC.) Winesellar has executive chef Matt Smith, who cooked in France and Spain as well as at the original Laurel Restaurant & Bar and Myres Macdougal as host and sommelier (studying for his Advanced certificate) as well as a top notch Wine Spectator wine list.
And, New York comes to Blanca with a new executive chef, Jason Neroni who cooked his way around the Big Apple at such well-known eateries as Tabla, Table 21 and 10 Downing. Haven’t been yet to taste his farm to table, down-to-earth cooking, but it sure sounds good.