Gramercy Tavern (New American) - New York, NY - 1/20/05
Gramercy Tavern has become my wife's official birthday destination. We have a tradition that for each of our birthdays we can pick any restaurant
we want to celebrate at, no restrictions. Yet each year my wife picks Gramercy Tavern in the Flatiron section of New York City.
Year after Year Gramercy Tavern is voted one of the most popular restaurants in the city and it’s easy to see why. Co-Owner Danny Meyer, who also
owns Union Square Cafe; is one of the most respected restaurateurs in the country. Former Executive Chef Tom Colicchio first made a name for
himself at Gramercy Tavern before starting his own restaurant empire, Craft. Chef Colicchio now hosts the TV show Top Chef on Bravo. Current
Executive Chef Michael Anthony has lived up to the high stands set by Colicchio. In 2002 Chef Anthony was named a Best New Chef in 2002 by Food
and Wine Magazine while he was at Blue Hill in New York.
As soon as you walk through the doors you are greeted with the warm scent of white oak for the wood burning oven which is situated between the
tavern and the main dining room. The oven is used for many of the dishes. I’m still trying to find white oak for my own fireplace, that’s how good it
smells. The dining room is definitely classy but far from stuffy. The staff is professional and attentive and most important of all they really seem to
love working there. On one of our visits Juliette Pope, Beverage Director, even came over just to make sure we enjoyed the wine they selected for us.
It really was above and beyond.
The menu like all good restaurants changes seasonally to take advantage of the freshest ingredients. The lunch and tavern menu’s offer ala cart
options but for dinner it is a three course prefix. They also have tasting and chef menu’s complete with wine pairings. Each dinner starts with an
amuse just to get you excited. I started with Diver Sea Scallops with Nettle Puree, Fingerling Potatoes and Spring Onions and for my main course had
Roasted Monkfish with Pancetta, Sugar Snap Peas, Chanterelles Early Truffle and Red Wine. I have gotten in the habit of ordering more fish when
dining out. Similar to pork I think it’s one of those proteins that can easily be overcooked at home. By eating it the way it’s supposed to be cooked it
gives for a reference point that you can then try to repeat at home. It takes real skill to cook fish correctly. It’s something I still spend a lot of time
trying to master. At Gramercy Tavern they have it perfected.
I don’t recall what I had for desert but they do offer something very unique. At the end of the meal after we had finished desert they come by with a to-
go bag that contains two muffins for you to enjoy later.
The experience and service also did not end after we left the restaurant. About a week later we received a thank you card in the mail from Gramercy
Tavern. This was a first for me and I’ve never had this happen at any other place. The biggest mystery was how they figured out my wife’s first name
for the card. At the time we were not married and did not have any joint credit cards or bank accounts. I made the reservation in my name and paid
with my credit card. Yet somehow they figured it out. I don’t know if it was an attentive wait staff that picked it up or what. We still have no clue and
it’s left a lasting impression on us. You have not dinned out in New York City until you have been to Gramercy Tavern. It’s that good and can’t be
missed. A not so secret, secret is that the tavern section serves the same food quality food without the prefix. So if you just want to experience the food
without the price tag try the tavern. But like I said it’s not a secret so you’ll have to get there early or wait a while for a table.
Gramercy Tavern has become my wife's official birthday destination. We have a tradition that for each of our birthdays we can pick any restaurant
we want to celebrate at, no restrictions. Yet each year my wife picks Gramercy Tavern in the Flatiron section of New York City.
Year after Year Gramercy Tavern is voted one of the most popular restaurants in the city and it’s easy to see why. Co-Owner Danny Meyer, who also
owns Union Square Cafe; is one of the most respected restaurateurs in the country. Former Executive Chef Tom Colicchio first made a name for
himself at Gramercy Tavern before starting his own restaurant empire, Craft. Chef Colicchio now hosts the TV show Top Chef on Bravo. Current
Executive Chef Michael Anthony has lived up to the high stands set by Colicchio. In 2002 Chef Anthony was named a Best New Chef in 2002 by Food
and Wine Magazine while he was at Blue Hill in New York.
As soon as you walk through the doors you are greeted with the warm scent of white oak for the wood burning oven which is situated between the
tavern and the main dining room. The oven is used for many of the dishes. I’m still trying to find white oak for my own fireplace, that’s how good it
smells. The dining room is definitely classy but far from stuffy. The staff is professional and attentive and most important of all they really seem to
love working there. On one of our visits Juliette Pope, Beverage Director, even came over just to make sure we enjoyed the wine they selected for us.
It really was above and beyond.
The menu like all good restaurants changes seasonally to take advantage of the freshest ingredients. The lunch and tavern menu’s offer ala cart
options but for dinner it is a three course prefix. They also have tasting and chef menu’s complete with wine pairings. Each dinner starts with an
amuse just to get you excited. I started with Diver Sea Scallops with Nettle Puree, Fingerling Potatoes and Spring Onions and for my main course had
Roasted Monkfish with Pancetta, Sugar Snap Peas, Chanterelles Early Truffle and Red Wine. I have gotten in the habit of ordering more fish when
dining out. Similar to pork I think it’s one of those proteins that can easily be overcooked at home. By eating it the way it’s supposed to be cooked it
gives for a reference point that you can then try to repeat at home. It takes real skill to cook fish correctly. It’s something I still spend a lot of time
trying to master. At Gramercy Tavern they have it perfected.
I don’t recall what I had for desert but they do offer something very unique. At the end of the meal after we had finished desert they come by with a to-
go bag that contains two muffins for you to enjoy later.
The experience and service also did not end after we left the restaurant. About a week later we received a thank you card in the mail from Gramercy
Tavern. This was a first for me and I’ve never had this happen at any other place. The biggest mystery was how they figured out my wife’s first name
for the card. At the time we were not married and did not have any joint credit cards or bank accounts. I made the reservation in my name and paid
with my credit card. Yet somehow they figured it out. I don’t know if it was an attentive wait staff that picked it up or what. We still have no clue and
it’s left a lasting impression on us. You have not dinned out in New York City until you have been to Gramercy Tavern. It’s that good and can’t be
missed. A not so secret, secret is that the tavern section serves the same food quality food without the prefix. So if you just want to experience the food
without the price tag try the tavern. But like I said it’s not a secret so you’ll have to get there early or wait a while for a table.
| Gramery Tavern www.gramercytavern.com 42 E. 20th St. (bet. B'way & Park Ave. S.) Manhattan, NY 10003 212-477-0777 |
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