THE PRICE HIKE

• Let’s look at it another way. Pretend a much cheaper restaurant, say, The Dutch, increased the price of its steak from $45 to $55, but didn’t change their website for a month. People would be pretty angry when they showed up and the New York strip was $10 more expensive than expected. Thing is, with Del Posto, it’s easier to forget the extra $10 because you’re spending a lot more money. But in my book, $10 is still $10. 

In fact, the $10 hike pushes the REAL COST of dinner for two with pairings just over the $700 mark after tax and 18% tip. Updating a website isn’t optional anymore. And let’s recall that the $145 tasting menu is up $20 from the $125 price point during my critique last fall. So BUY, HOLD OR SELL? I’ll issue a HOLD based on mymixed review, but a lot of smart people dig this place, and New York Times Critic Sam Sifton penned a lovely four-star write up, so many will justifiably consider it a BUY. 

• Another olive branch: Del Posto probably ranks with Eleven Madison Park as having the best cocktail program for a fine-dining restaurant. STRONG BUY on the drinks here. Especially the Vesper.