I was walking down Thompson Street the other night. A clear night. I came upon a sight that stopped me cold: the drapes inside Carbone, pending restaurant of the moment, were ajar nearly two inches [proof, left]. I was stunned. So much so, it took several moments to realize I was free as a bird to press my nose against that blessed Carbone window that separates Carbone diners from the rest of the world and look inside.
When a restaurant has made a special effort to say "You Can't Look Inside" is it not professional malpractice when anyone on the street Can Actually Look Inside? How does a restaurant with the build-up and buzz of Carbone manage not to manage its drapes?
Who pays for this: those poor souls seated closest to the offending gap in the drapes. Imagine their umbrage at the moment in the meal when they peek over a shoulder only to see a pair of eyes looking in at them. That wasn't part of the plan. Must be a long way down, that moment, no matter the quality of the garlic bread in hand.
Every restaurant has kinks to work out when it opens, even pending stars like Carbone. But this drapery miscue is proof again that the food business is so much easier said than done.
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