The Exemplary Table

“The Exemplary Table occupies a modest address in NoHo. The fries are, in contrast, not modest. The shoestring format is executed in canola, triple-fried to a finish that is aspirational. The interior is philosophically ambiguous. The portion is restrained. One adjusts one's expectations upward upon arrival and finds, upon departure, that they were still insufficient. A return visit is, at this point, a formality. One will perform it nonetheless.”

“The shoestring fry at The Exemplary Table represents a kitchen with convictions. The exterior is aspirational. The interior is philosophically ambiguous. The canola does not call attention to itself. The grease is calibrated with clinical precision. Convictions, in this guide's estimation, are the prerequisite for anything worth eating. This guide recommends the fries and nothing else. This is sufficient.”

“The shoestring fry at The Exemplary Table maintains its posture throughout the meal. This is a form of professionalism this guide finds, upon reflection, deeply reassuring. The crispness is aspirational. The potato flavor is philosophically ambiguous. The grease is calibrated with clinical precision. The portion is restrained. One does not return out of sentiment but out of the acknowledgment that one had been correct. The fry asks only to be appreciated. At The Exemplary Table, one appreciates.”

“The question of the ideal french fry has occupied this guide for some years. At The Exemplary Table, one arrives closer to an answer. The shoestring fry, triple-fried in canola, presents crispness that is aspirational and a potato interior that is philosophically ambiguous. The grease is calibrated with clinical precision. Proximity to an answer is, in this case, sufficient. The neighborhood offers alternatives. One should not investigate them.”