Eataly Expectations

Moderator note: This thread began with comments from this post on Italian Superior Bakery.

***

For small Italian food stores, the impending arrival in Chicago of the Disneyesque monstrosity "Eataly" will surely further reduce business and I wouldn't be surprised to see some of the long-standing shops go under or have to change radically.

The chains grow ever bigger, the rich few ever richer, and in the food scene, real tradition is steadily replaced by the marketing concepts of slick boors.

I assume that you have never visited the Eataly store in New York to make such an absurd statement. And since when have Mario Batali and Lidia Bastianich been considered "slick boors"? Ridiculous.

sundevilpeg wrote:

For small Italian food stores, the impending arrival in Chicago of the Disneyesque monstrosity "Eataly" will surely further reduce business and I wouldn't be surprised to see some of the long-standing shops go under or have to change radically.

The chains grow ever bigger, the rich few ever richer, and in the food scene, real tradition is steadily replaced by the marketing concepts of slick boors.

I assume that you have never visited the Eataly store in New York to make such an absurd statement. And since when have Mario Batali and Lidia Bastianich been considered "slick boors"? Ridiculous.

It is unfair to suggest that Antonius' criticism is based on ignorance, and it certainly seems possible that larger and better funded operations might very well push smaller, family operations out of business. A little respect, please.

I recently ate/experienced Eataly NY and found it very impressive, very comprehensive in scope of ingredients and staff knowledge of products offered, besides being delcious. Hopefully, there will be room for all.

I don't want to derail the topic of this thread, but I'm looking forward to Eataly being in Chicago. I haven't made it to the one in Manhattan, but I understand it's pretty slick. Mario may be a little over the top with the celeb chef thing, but Lidia is legit.

I have a hard time getting past the name.

bonmot wrote:I don't want to derail the topic of this thread, but I'm looking forward to Eataly being in Chicago. I haven't made it to the one in Manhattan, but I understand it's pretty slick. Mario may be a little over the top with the celeb chef thing, but Lidia is legit.

Actually, it's Joe Bastianich, not Lidia who is involved in the Eatily brand (as head of the wine program). Meanwhile losing ISB is much more of a concern to me than the opening of Eatily. It's a real shame to lose this level of craftsmanship.

I knew Joe and Mario are the two most commonly mentioned with respect to Eataly in the media. I was just going off of this info when speaking of Lidia's involvement.: http://eatalyny.com/how-to-eataly/partners

...and there I go further derailing the thread. Sorry.

It could be that she is involved mainly in the attached culinary school. http://www.traditionalhome.com/food_entertaining/cookingschool/recipes-eataly-new-york_ss1.html

Perhaps someone could start an Eataly thread since I'm guessing this discussion will, sadly, outlast ISB...

Lidia Bastianich is a partner in the Eataly enterprise. Five seconds worth of research would have verified this for you who claimed otherwise.

boudreaulicious wrote:Perhaps someone could start an Eataly thread since I'm guessing this discussion will, sadly, outlast ISB...

Agreed. Maybe one of the mods can split this diversion from the matter at hand into its own thread.

sundevilpeg wrote:Lidia Bastianich is a partner in the Eataly enterprise. Five seconds worth of research would have verified this for you who claimed otherwise.

Since you seem to have a passion for the topic, perhaps you could initiate the new thread? Seems kind of unfortunate to have some of the final posts in this thread mired in negativity unrelated to the subject...

Meh.
I'll definately try Eatly but I don't see it being a threat to Caputo's or even Serrelli's or the dozen other little Italian grocery's in the area.

An analogy that may not be too far afield...I remember quite well in the late nineties when everyone feared that the opening of the Borders at Broadway and Diversey would threaten Unabridged Books at Broadway and Melrose. Borders is gone, and Unabridged Books is still here.

Eataly is terrific. Having homes in both NYC and Chicago, I have enjoyed buying things to cook in my NYC home. The aged prime steaks are second to none. I love their burrata and aged prosciutto. I love buying the zucchini flowers which I coursely chopped and put on top of a risotto I made just this week. Long story short, Eataly is a great resource and it will be wonderful to have one in Chicago. Anyone who derides it as a "chain" and run by "boors" doesn't seem to be speaking from first hand knowledge because I can't imagine anyone knowledgeable and having been to the NYC store to say such a thing. Sure, some of my NYC friends deride Eataly as "touristy" but I don't find it so. Indeed, I eat lunch at Eataly in NYC probably once or twice a week and love the grilled whole fish, the sea urchin crostini, and fresh, chopped diver scallops with EVOO and sea salt.

To me, Eataly will pose NO threat to a small, mom and pop Italian store. I can't imagine it being a threat to Bari or the like. We're talking Italian apples versus Italian oranges. They are two very different venues that serve different demographics in the marketplace.

No, Eataly is no threat to these small places. But it is a threat to Fox and Obel. Mark my words: Six months after Eataly opens, Fox and Obel will be gone. Eataly serves the same demographic market, will carry most of the same things except a thousand times more of them, a much wider selection, with better and more knowledgeable staff. Forget Bari; F&O is the real threat here and I won't be sorry to see it go because someone else will have come in and done it better.

I can't wait for Eataly to get here. We'll be eating better at my home once they arrive.

Ever since those bastards closed down Kiddie Land, I've been looking for a worthy replacement. FINALMENTE!

NYC's Eataly is wonderful, and I expect our version to be just as great. Not too worried about the Bari's, Capri's, or Conte's of the city. You can easily pop into any of those neighborhood places and grab a quick sandwich, pasta, cheese or imported good. If you don't work in the vicinity, Eataly will have to be a planned afternoon destination. Also, come with a bank roll. It's similar to going to Target "just for some surface cleaner..." and walking out two-hundred lighter and with a cart full of way more than just surface cleaner.

I can't wait. So much cheese.....

Jeff

I can't wait. So much cheese.....

Ahhh, the magic words!

I agree with DutchMuse's observation about Eataly's arrival being the end of Fox & Obel, too. Given what F&O is like now (as opposed to what it was during its first few golden years), it's probably all for the best.

(CheffJeff: solid new ep of '$24 in 24,' meaning the Minny-based show. Weirdest Sonoran hot dog I've ever seen, though it looked tasty!)

Wait, what does Eataly have to do with Kiddieland?

If I have to explain then you've never spent a fun-filled afternoon at kiddieland.

Now I'm more confused. I spent several fun-filled afternoons at Kiddieland, and my kids still complain about the Costco whenever we drive by. But I thought Kiddieland went kaput due to a family land/lease/location dispute.

I'm just saying that Eataly will become my new kiddieland. An amusement park for adults and kids alike, in our own backyard. Instead of the octopus, Little Dipper and tilt-a-whirl, there will be mongers pulling fresh mozzarella,butchers slapping around heritage pork, and more sites and smells than that goofy Costco (even though they have great Rx prices and killer ice cream bars)

sundevilpeg wrote:

I can't wait. So much cheese.....

(CheffJeff: solid new ep of '$24 in 24,' meaning the Minny-based show. Weirdest Sonoran hot dog I've ever seen, though it looked tasty!)

Thanks! Yeah, not a traditional Sonoran hotdog, but by far the tastiest I've ever had. Best bun imaginable.

I get it now. I was under the (mis)understanding that "those bastards" responsible for closing down Kiddieland had something to do with this, which was ... confusing.

So does that mean Eataly will have all you can drink fountain sodas?

Joe Bastianich discusses Eataly Chicago, coming to the River North location which formerly housed ESPN Zone (Eater Chicago). http://chicago.eater.com/archives/2012/10/16/joe-bastianich-talks-about-eataly-coming-to-chicago.php

As an ex-New Yorker, my concern will be that it will be as extremely crowded and miserable as the Manhattan location tends to be. However, if you go on an off day in bad weather it's wonderful there.

Because I live under a rock, I'd never even heard of Eatily until my cousin took me there over Thanksgiving. The staff was knowledgeable and efficient, the prices were high but not unreasonable, and the quality of goods was exceptional.

What I didn't like has more to do with midtown Manhattan than with Eatily itself - I hated elbowing my way through scores of tourists in what felt like a shopping mall food court. Of course, I did go there on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so I really have only myself to blame; it's probably not nearly so bad without the holiday traffic.

Eataly's entrance into the Chicago market hindered by legal maneuvering involving Texas de Brazil per Grub Street Chicago (http://chicago.grubstreet.com/2013/02/eatalys_entry_into_chicago_slo.html (originally reported by Chicago Real Estate Daily).
They're trying to move into the former ESPN Zone and further expand the space to include Texas de Brazil next door.

I am looking forward to Eataly after sseing it featured on TV. It looks fantastic. And Lidia B is indeed involved and was featured on the program as was Mario B. I do not think Eataly will pose any threat to the local neighborhood places due to its location...I believe its going to be in River North or somewhere around that neck of the woods which will draw locals but also some tourists I think. It may also be a place difficult to park around if you have a car.

Texas de Brazil is heading out, clearing the way for Eataly...

Steakhouse Texas de Brazil has agreed to move out of its River North space, ending a legal dispute with its landlord and clearing the way for Eataly to start building out its expansive Italian food outlet here.

I was in Italy last week and was quite surprised by the presence of several Eataly locations in Italian cities with no shortage of other options. One is coming to Florence this year.

I was also confused, because, in the newspapers mentioning the upcoming Florence store opening, the only name mentioned was not Joe Bastianich, but Oscar Farinetti and the press emphasized that this was an Italian-made success story. I had always assumed, quite wrongly, that a place with a silly name like Eataly must have been started in the US, when in fact it was created by Farinetti in Turin.

Never having set foot in one, I can't comment on the offerings. But it seems to have an Ikea-like attraction.