Craftbar

[lxt]

Craftbar -- preserving interior details of its parent, Craft next door, with its up-to-the-ceiling steel wine racks behind the long bar, funky industrial light bulbs attracting one’s attention with an elaborate zigzag pattern of thin sparkling threads captured in a transparent glass cocoon, wood tables and brick walls -- to most is just that, a bar, a place where one can chew on crisp breadsticks and slowly sip a glass of wine, letting the rest of the world go by while relaxing and watching through the window as strollers disappear over the horizon, or simply have a quick lunch snack before rushing back to endless hours of work, but there is a little more to this place.

Four balls of heavily breaded, fried sage leaves stuffed with minced lamb strongly spiced with herbs, lending a sense of stylistic variation of Middle Eastern motifs to the traditional Italian interpretation, and a little overcooked squid, holding in its pockets finely chopped black olives, drizzled with black olive oil and a touch of lemon, didn’t seem to promise any gastronomic excitement during my lunch several weeks ago. Then, grilled striped bass served in tomato soup, which I ordered from the list of specials, was placed in front of me.

Two rectangular pieces of slightly overcooked fish fillet were surrounded by “waters” of deep-orange tomato soup and crowned by tossed halved heirloom cherry(?) tomatoes. The sweetness of the broth was so pronounced that one could hardly doubt a little sugar was added for effect. To my surprise, however, the sweetness came exclusively from tomatoes. The broth was slightly thickened by almond flour, which along with black olive oil conveyed just a tiny bitterness as a wonderful counterpart to the natural sweetness of the soup. The last touch of sprinkled chives and diced cucumbers marinated in sherry vinegar added freshness and acidity and completed the composition. The dish was excellent, full of creative spontaneity, and stood out among the dishes on the menu.

Several more visits proved the menu specials are little jewels, islands of chef’s imagination and creativity, a break through the constraints of mandatory sandwiches and an image of the restaurant as a mere bar.

White bean soup, based on chicken broth and pesto, which added a vibrantly green color, had a very pronounced taste of basil rendering its meditative, sober fragrance and a scent of fallen leaves in woods still lingering overhead. The broth played a secondary role in the dish veiling and swathing the collage of diced carrots, squash, beans, zucchini and flat string beans that shone in all colors and flavors, delivering an acute taste of autumn bloom. It was an excellent rendition of the soup.

A variation of classic lapin a la moutarde, rabbit braised for two hours in an intense chicken stock and glazed with mustard sauce, is probably one of my favorite dishes at Craftbar and was a much better version then the one served at Gramercy Tavern during my recent visit. It was not only the comfort and hearty solidity of excellent fare that the dish conveyed. It delivered a true joy of essential wholesomeness possible only when a dish is cooked with heart not hands.

A very interesting dish of perfectly cooked cod and two codfish croquettes was served in a creamy though light almond milk with tiny bits of oysters. The fish was done very well: cooked lightly enough to bring out the sweetness but long enough to provide a brown, crispy buttery crust. The sauce lent a slightly sour taste enhanced by the notes of sea lingering from the oysters poached in it. Croquettes were tender despite their rough heavy-breaded “dress,” but added a little heaviness inconsistent with the concept of the dish, in my opinion.

Carnival squash, ordered from the vegetable part of the menu, was a highlight of one of our meals. There could’ve been no plainer presentation of this vegetable: small, whole unpeeled squash cut in half and baked with a little bit of brown sugar and butter, but it was simply wonderful as if there were some trick involved to extract the extra flavor. The interior under the slightly caramelized top was not too mushy though soft, buttery and sweet. The skin had a somewhat smoky taste and was the best part of the vegetable.

In a place where pretentious clientele must stop parading their label of superiority, where all are joined in one stream of plain, unassuming pleasure of comforting food and wine, where one might not be entertained in his every whim, I am especially grateful for the extra effort that the service made to accommodate my dietary restrictions preventing me from having desserts. An always-wonderful fruit plate was a perfect conclusion to my meals there.

Among its bigger brothers promulgating the same cooking philosophy, Gramercy Tavern and more so Craft, Craftbar is my preferred place. Among the sandwiches and salami platters, one can always find a little bit of inspiration where the chef Akhtar Nawab spreads his wings and applies his craft.

[Fat Guy]

Many thanks for that report, lxt. I've got to say, I follow Tom Colicchio's ventures and career path pretty closely, but I had no idea there was this other side to Craftbar. Certainly, the word "mere" can never be applied to anything Tom does. Most importantly, it's nice to see that he has once again found a chef -- Akhtar Nawab -- who can realize a shared vision of quality.

[jparrott]

I'm a huge fan of craftbar, for the reasons lxt has stated above. One of the great solo or group wine bars in the city--and cool people too, when you go at off hours. Great place to spend much of a Sunday afternoon (as is Otto, my other fave wine bar).

[lxt]

Fat Guy, I hope we’ll hear more about Akhtar Nawab in the future. His imprint is quite distinctive and comes through strongly in his most creative dishes.

Are there any rumors who will take Marco Conora’s place at Craft after Hearth is opened in November?

[Schneier]

Thanks for the review. I've been to both Craft and Craftsteak (in Vegas) several times, but never to Craftbar.

[lxt]

Schneier, considering that the specials are seasonal and change on a daily basis, there is no guarantee that the dishes I described will be still available by the time you have the opportunity to visit Craftbar. However, there are a couple of appetizers that are consistently good and are always on the menu.

Roasted mussels served in their jus tinged with lemon are garnished with aioli, parsley and chives. The mussels are tender and sweet and deliver a very nice smoky flavor. The sharpness of the jus complements the mussels well. Also, Craftbar’s gnocchi of the day are generally excellent and echo the dish at Craft. We had chestnut gnocchi with a little gravy on the bottom and grated parmesan(?) cheese sprinkled on top. The two starches (chestnut and potato) complemented one another in texture and the sweet nuance of chestnut enriched the blandness of the potatoes with a delicate, almost undetectable syrupiness. If you order several appetizers along with gnocchi, I would suggest eating the gnocchi first as they have a tendency to melt quickly into their gravy.

Today’s lunch was as good as usual. Grilled black sea bass stood out. It was served whole on the bone, with minimal intervention, and its delicate, tender flesh was endowed with the scent of herbs and butter.

[Pan]

lxt, you've really sold Craftbar effectively. It's now definitely on my list of places to think about going to.

[lxt]

Pan, I found that the quality is so consistent at Craftbar, that I am not afraid to say, “Enjoy,” whenever you decide to go. I would also call in advance to verify that the restaurant serves rabbit that day. It is certainly worth a special trip.

[herbacidal]

i went to craftbar as well, last april i believe. i think i posted here about it as part of my NYC trip.

had the fish stew. only other stuff i remember is really good staff and cool bathrooms.

[alanamoana]

anyone been to 'wichcraft, the sandwich (sorry, panini) place next door? i love the panini at craftbar and have yet to go next door to try out the other offerings.

[Jason Perlow]

Is Marco the head chef at Craftbar as well?

[lxt]

Jason, Marco is no longer at Craft as I found out today. Chef Bill Knapp replaced him. He came from Gramercy Tavern as did Akhtar Nawab.

[Jason Perlow]

Jason, Marco is no longer at Craft as I found out today.  Chef Bill Knapp replaced him.  He came from Gramercy Tavern as did Akhtar Nawab.

When did he leave? Do we know where he went?

[lxt]

He must've left recently. I assume his leave is related to opening his own restaurant, Hearth, which is supposed to unlock its doors in November(?).

[Jason Perlow]

He must've left recently.  I assume his leave is related to opening his own restaurant, Hearth, which is supposed to unlock its doors in November(?).

He mentioned that to me the last time I spoke to him, which was about 4 or 5 months ago, but I had not realized he was that close to completing the project. He made it sound like it was still in the conceptual stage and they were still looking for locations.

Hearth is supposed to be an Italian restaurant, I think.

[Lreda]

Anyone been lately? Went yesterday and found it uneven.

[Pan]

What did you like and what didn't you like?

[Lreda]

Thurs afternoon, chilly, we deciding whether to go to Craft or Craftbar. Craft is 1/2 full at 2 pm, Craftbar, 4 tables and us at the bar.

2 glasses of Cable Bay Chard from New Zealand, $12 per. OK wine but not much of a choice in the $9-$15 range. Couple of Sav Blancs at $10. Bartender attentive early on, we recieve water and no hustle of whether we'd like still or sparkling.

Apps: A delicious soup of winter cabbage, pastina, chicken broth. My SO has a salad of greens with mustard dressing. Soup is great, salad good.

Middle course of salumi : Cappacola, proscuitto, duck proscuitto, speck, etc. Some were a little oily which ran into the dryer pieces. A large assortment for $19, but the running of the oil meant we had to eat quickly.

Main course: By now there are two wine salespersons and a cheese salesperson selling the sommieier at the bar. I always like to look from the outside to see how salespeople aproach the buyers from restaurants. We order 2 glasses of Chassagne-Montrachet (sic), food arrives, I had veal meatballs which were served in a light tomato based sauce, $19 delicious. My SO has a panini of arugola & proscuitto which is very dry and tasteless save the bread which is tasty. My water glass has been empty for 15 minutes as our bartender is now tasting cheese and wine. I know it's 3 pm and they're slow at this point but we're the only ones at the bar and we're three seats from the tasting. The managers are now coming over from Craft for the tasting and no one looks in on us for at least 20 minutes.

I leave one of the three meatballs as I'm full and my SO leaves 1/2 the panini, no one asks if we want to take it with us or if everything was allright.

Dessert & cordial list is dropped but as I feel they want to move on with the day and the paperwork they've been taking care of with 5 people from management behind the bar we decline and hit Starbucks.

I'd go back as I've been there in the past and never had a problem and don't feel anything that happened was so bad that I have ill-feelings. I'd just avoid the deadly 2pm-3:30pm dead time in the middle of the day.

[Pan]

Thanks for the report, Lou.

I've been to Grand Sichuan Chelsea a fair number of times in the 4-5:30 P.M. time slot. They tend to tell me upfront that they're on break and will be less "professional" at that time. It's annoying to be forgotten about that long, but I think your analysis is sensible. Sounds like at that hour, they'll serve you but their attention is mostly elsewhere.

Too bad about the panino, though.

[hannnah]

We went to Craftbar on Sunday night and were very pleased with the experience. Got the stuffed sage leaves, the duck ham panini, and the evening's special of broiled barracuda(!) served with a wild mushroom ragout. I see now why everyone raves about the mushrooms - I've never been a great fan of fungus, but those were amazing, as were the sage leaves. The barracuda itself was interesting - the server compared it to swordfish, but I didn't think that was quite right. Firm white flesh, not super-flaky - the closest thing I've had to it before was "rock salmon," which is apparently a kind of shark, so that would make sense.

Dessert was apple fritters with caramel ice cream, along with an amuse of peanut brittle. Good stuff all round, very reasonably priced for the quality of what we got.

As an aside, does anyone know how they make the breadsticks? I came away thinking there might be polenta in them because of the texture, but I didn't get a chance to ask as it got pretty busy right after we were seated.

[Larry]

Very pleased with craftbar as my final spring break meal in ny, but it was my first time so cannot be the perfect judge.

Salad with bresaola, spanish almonds, and thyme honey was superb. Just enough to split.

Followed with the wild bass on sweet potato puree with braised fennel and pistaschios. My mom opted for the braised chicken with french lentils and picholine olives, very comforting and almost too large of a portion. Both were simple yet delicious.

Dessert was alright, simple sorbets, blood orange being the best out of the three with intense vanilla shortbreads. Loved the atomosphere and comfort of the place.

[Kim WB]

It's been nearly a year since my last visit to Craftbar, and while I had another tasty lunch, I was suprised to see how little the menu has changed..indeed, in rereading this thread, I've realized that even the specials are the same.

I started w/ the chestnut gnocci, which are fried, and as my son the budding chef said, "t he best tater tots he's ever had". In a puddle of Parmesan sauce with a strong flavor, not a meek after thought. My husband had the chicken soup, which uses a roasted chicken stock, I assume...very dark brown..cola colored. It had a distinctive roasted flavor, which to be honest bordered on burnt..and was underseasoned. Also, the vegetable chunks could not be picked up with a spoon, they were too large..a three inch carrot stick, a large onion wedge...and the noodles were mush.

My husband had the pannini with ham and asiago..very good if a bit predictable for my tastes. My son Dillon had the taglitelle, with pancetta and parmesan..most excellent..the pasta here was perfectly textured. I had the braised rabbbit, moist, flavorful meat on the bone, on a bed of white beans, tomatoe and olives..this was a wonderful dish, in part because the accompaniment of the beans was so perfectly seasoned and flavorful..it's apparant that Colicchio et al is not afraid of strong flavors and in my case, the heavy hand with herbs is appreciated. My plate was like something out of a cartoon, wiped clean except for a few scraggly rabbit bones!

Dillon chose a dessert that would not have been my first choice, but you gotta let a kid learn on his own. We had the pumpkin icecream sundae, with caramel and pumpkin seeds.. very mild pumpkin flavor, with a mild hint of nutmeg and allspice...and totally ruined by salted pumkin seeds. I am going to start a "keep the savory out of my dessert " movement, and this is totally personal...but icecream and salt is gross. Served with little butter cookies, rich with butter, sugar...and those damn salty seeds!

My husband had the Smuttynose, Dillon had ginger beer, and I had the prosecco cocktail with pear. Service was good, but slow. We sat at the bar.

[emilymarie]

I have always had enjoyable meals at craftbar, and their apple fritter dessert makes my eyes roll back in my head in delight!

Last time I went, a couple of weeks ago, my dinner date and I ate about 5 (or 6 or 7) breadsticks each. They're very rich, buttery-tasting, and crunchy--and addictive, in my opinion. Had the gnocchi to start. They sounded good, and I remembered Andrea Strong raving about them in one of her recent Buzz reports. They were not nearly as good as she claimed (isn't that always the case?) but they were tasty. These are not gnocchi of a light or cloud-like variety, but are tasty, chewy gnocchi in a shimmery, chestnut/butter sauce. Date had the chicken soup, which I didn't taste.

For entree I had the pork loin with apples and bitter greens (can't remember what kind of greens now) and pork belly. Pork belly had a layer of fat on top, which melted in my mouth. Loved that. Loin was good, a bit dry. Greens and apples a nice compliment/flavor contrast. Date had the veal meatballs in tomato sauce, which were perfectly salted and just outstanding in my opinion.

I had the apple fritters with caramel ice cream for dessert (YUM!) and tried to stuff myself with as much of that peanut brittle as I could. I had two of the pear/prosecco cocktails, but wish they would bring back a cocktail I had on my first visit many years ago--some sort of orange liquor, prosecco, and a thin slice of candied orange.

[Jason Perlow]

Just got this in the email today:

*****

- craftbar is moving -

We look forward to welcoming you to our new home

just around the corner at

900 Broadway(between 19th and 20th Streets).

We’ll be closing this craftbar

after dinner on Friday, April 8 and

re-opening on Thursday, April 14.

Same great chef, (Akhtar Nawab), new kitchen.

We’ll be open for dinner only April 14 - 16

And open for both lunch and dinner beginning

Monday, April 18.

Lunch will be served

daily from noon - 2:30 p.m.

Dinner will be served

5:00 - 10:00 p.m. on Sunday and Monday

and 5:00 - 11:00 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday.

We’ll be taking reservations for lunch and dinner.

Please call Craftbar at (212) 461-4300.

[plattetude]

And for 'wichcraft jonesing (to which I am certainly prone, for one), there will be four 'wichcraft kiosks stationed in Bryant Park starting next month.

Christopher