True, in general, excellent Dim Sum. And, Mr. Schoenfeld knows his dim sum, but he's also the mastermind behind the cuisine at Chinatown Brasserie. And, when he arrives, he is easily recognized and the kitchen snaps to. Having eaten dim sum there on half a half dozen occasion—more for its proximity to my house than because it is my favorite Chinese restaurant, I will simply say some of the dishes are exquisite others ordinary. On some occasion the dishes have arrive cold and hard and without the proper sauces, dropped off by a staff that has not bothered to learn about what they're serving and how to serve it. All this aside, if one ever gets the chance to eat with Mr. Schoenfeld, jump at the opportunity. And, if one needs to knows something about Chinese food, and the joy of eating in general, he's your man.

Interesting opposition: creating with the hand to excite the eye versus creating with the hand to excite the mind. I can't say which practice results in a more pleasing culinary experience. I will say there's still great pleasure to be found in hand work that follows traditional techniques. I'd doubt Ms. Reichl lives in a house filled with objects made of extruded plastics, or that she prefers synthetic, conceptual clothing to woven sweaters made chiefly of natural materials, just because these new objects ask her to confront her assumptions and bias regarding the home and fashion. However, I suppose the chef feels, he she must follow the artist before him/her in deconstructing his/her craft, its practices and materials, but the result may simply be a different kind of noise. Just as so much thoughtful art is merely visual noise. All said and done, I will take her to task for her assertion: "[Most modern chefs] want you to think about what you're eating." I suspect this is true although the thoughts most people seem to have arrived second hand, through the mouths and reviews of critics and enthusiasts such as Reichl, who teach them to savor the new, often for the sake of their being new (how else can a chef make his/her reputation/fortune and, ultimately franchise, or the TIMES fill out their Wednesday food section). Me? More often than not, I prefer simple, traditional, careful and even respectful work to most current "Chef's vanity."