With trans fats banned and rats dinning out on camera, the New York City restaurant scene is not what it used to be. With that in mind, the 50 Council members and Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum (D) considered who among them would be the best dinner party host.
Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn) once again won, but narrowly.
Joseph Addabbo, Jr. (D-Queens) put him ahead of runners-up Helen Foster (D-Bronx) and Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan).
"He paid me good money to always say his name," said Addabbo.
The rest voted for Felder not for money, but for pastries and jokes.
"I love his jelly donuts and he's funny," said Sara Gonzales (D-Brooklyn).
But jelly donuts were not enough to convince Diana Reyna (D-Brooklyn) of Felder's dinner party savvy.
"Everything would have to be kosher," she said before casting her vote for Dennis Gallagher (R-Queens).
Like David Yassky (D-Brooklyn), some Council members valued atmosphere above food.
"Who can throw a good party? I want to go to Lew Fidler's house," said Yassky, of his fellow Brooklyn Democrat.
Helen Foster (D-Bronx) agreed with Yassky's premise, but not his conclusion.
"I can throw a party," said the second-place finisher in voting for herself.
Other Council members viewed the dinner party as primetime to network with the other runner-up, Quinn.
"It would probably be the only time I'd get quality time with Kim," said Lewis Fidler (D-Brooklyn), referring to Quinn's partner.
Some, like Inez Dickens (D-Manhattan), voted from experience. She has enjoyed dinner at the home of Maria del Carmen Arroyo (D-Bronx) in the past, and recalled the "great food and great ambience."
And while Joel Rivera (D-Bronx) agreed, he only cast a conditional vote for Arroyo.
"I want to qualify. I'll go only if her mother's cooking," he said, referring to the elder Arroyo, a member of the Assembly.
But for Helen Sears (D-Queens) neither food nor atmosphere mattered" it all came down to what was due.
"Hiram Monserrate," she said. "He owes me dinner."
