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6-course mobile gourmet meal served aboard NYC subway car

by Meg Nesterov (RSS feed) on May 9th 2011 at 12:30PM

Pop-up shops, hotels, and restaurants are all the rage, and dining cars are standard on most long-distance trains but what do you call a pop-up restaurant on a subway car? Earlier this month, a 6-course mobile gourmet meal was served on board a New York City subway car by supper club A Razor, A Shiny Knife with participation from "culinary collective" and Gadling favorite Studiofeast. Diners rode from Manhattan's 8th Avenue station on a Brooklyn-bound L train, feasting on caviar, fois gras, and filet mignon, all in under an hour. Courses from several supper clubs were prepared and plated before getting on the train, and perfectly timed to be served by waiters boarding at specific stops. A maître d'hôtel oversaw the luncheon, refilling water glasses (no alcohol allowed as per the MTA) and helping to stabilize makeshift "tables" tied to subway poles with twine.

The full menu posted on Studiofeast's website included:

- Hamchi Crudo, Bone Marrow, Trout Roe, Laproaig, Sweet Lime
- Foie en Brioche, Port Wine, Raisin,
- Ramp, Black Garlic, Cippolini, Morel, Thyme
- Petit Filet Mignon, Pomme Puree, Asparagus
- Pepper Jam, St Andre
- Chocolate & Gold Leaf Panna Cotta, Raspberry

The twelve lucky foodies (including two "walk up" visitors from Argentina pulled in to cover no-shows) were treated to the gourmet meal which cost an estimated $1,600, ending with gold-leaf-dusted panna cotta. The subway authorities were not satisfied customers, though no one was arrested or fined for the stunt. "Subway trains are for riding, not for holding parties," said Charles F. Seaton from the MTA.

Event organizers have yet to announce their next meal-on-the-go, but the video hints at another unlikely location: San Francisco's Alcatraz. Hoping for your own moveable feast? The Dinner in the Sky team is available for rent around the world.

Filed under: Festivals and Events, Food and Drink, North America, United States, Video

Reader Comments (Page 3 of 5)

Blake May 10th 2011 5:01PM

Well that's a stupid comment, let me follow up with something just as offensive. Black people feel they are owed everything and break all the laws. See that was easy to a stupid offensive racist.

No i do not actually believe that i am just proving a point.

Ron Kule May 10th 2011 11:06AM

BRILLIANT GUERILLA MARKETING!

ALICE May 10th 2011 11:09AM

I loved the clever idea of feeding a gourmet meal on mass transit....so brilliant a wonderful example of entreprenuership

will May 10th 2011 7:11PM

I was expecting, at least one black person on the train, even if he' gotten on the wrong train or a mexican, delivering the food. I guess i'll have to wait till they do it on the A train, to 125th street.

Railpax May 10th 2011 8:39PM

There's no reason during off hours, there can't be a extra fare super express. From say Rockaway to Manhattan. The A Route or the D route. It could also have palour service. Extra Fine,Extra Fast, Extra Fare. The only all electric dining-lounge cars were on the CTA in Chicago. Owned and run by the Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad untill 1963. They ran on the Howard line from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to and around the "Loop" of Chicago. The trains were called the "Electroliners" 90mph flyers! There could be one NYCTA subway build and set up with dining-lounge area for special events and fun. Trains are not just for work! I'm sure avenue X yard would love to do the work. It would be a fun project for them.

Franchesca May 10th 2011 11:44AM

negative people is what brings down the world... and america.
i think this is pretty awesome.

Gale May 10th 2011 11:41AM

I think it's wonderful! At a time when the world seems to be going to hell in a hand basket, this is a terrific break from the horrors of the world. Nice to see people enjoying themselves, even on the harried transit system. Kudos to those who engineered this little event. I'm sure it will bring you lots of business, very smart.

cin64np May 10th 2011 11:51AM

It's things like this that make NYC the greatest city in the world!!!

gp May 10th 2011 12:03PM

I'd say the MTA is being pretty lenient. They arent trying to fine or arrest. He 'has' to say something though.. its his job and those are the rules. I'm sure Seaton said that in a ' i dont give a s#%t ' context.

aponcherello May 10th 2011 12:04PM

Fois gras is disgusting and on top of that inhumane. Scumbags.

Joe May 10th 2011 1:57PM

I assume that if someone has a negative response to the inhumane nature of foie gras production then they must be a vegan because foie gras production is generally far more humane than any other meat or dairy product coming from factory farms. 95% plus of all Milk and eggs are produced using some of the most inhumane practices out there. At least the geese get to live outside for most of their life and have evolved or cross-bred as a species to consume large quantities of food to fatten up for extended flights. The force feeding technique does not hurt them as one may think due to the way their throat is designed. I've done quite a bit of study on industrial farming and eat a primarily plant-based diet and would argue that your typical piece of bacon, steak, or glass of milk comes from far more inhumane practices.

o("o')...Steve May 10th 2011 9:18PM

For all those people that think hey Free food...it's Party time, you best better be thinking twice the next time about taking food from people from Unknown Strangers. No less a Group of Strangers.
To you the food looks and taste good, but what if everything was staged to make you think and feel that way but really it very well can be a Terroist Group preying on NYC passengers with Chemical or Biological means or poison. You don't know what they put into the food that was feed into your body. Are you that Hard-up that you need to take food from a group of Strangers that you know nothing about?
If a Terrorist Group were going to infritrate the subway system you have to ask yourself, what if they already had. Dumb Stupid people! Now we've seen it all on youtube. And you want the U.S. Government to keep you Safe?
How about being smarter and keeping yourself Safe. What a Bunch of Idiots!

jiboko May 10th 2011 12:26PM

Brillant and creative lunch on subway. Less mess at home. Fast and save time on way to work, home or somewhere.

l1a1h1 May 10th 2011 12:43PM

People with money to burn make me sick to my stomach, mainly because I'm hungry most of the time. I would be doing so much more for my fellow man and woman, especially those poor, muslim women who are so violently suppressed in the Middle East.

patardungo May 10th 2011 1:17PM

They claim they didn't know the guests?! It was obvious they were not usual subway riders. They supposedly randomly chose them from a bus stop?! I doubt that too. But it was a cool concept. I'm sure they were inspired by the Chinese or Japanese boxed lunches served on the trains in those countries.