Gramercy Tavern

[Varmint]

Try this amazon.com page: Tavern Menu

This is likely dated, but it gives you an idea of the Tavern's offerings.

[gregtz]

Thanks to all. I knew that if it was on the Web somewhere, one of you would know.

I think I will have them fax me a copy anyway, as it's hard to tell how old the menu you linked to was. Judging that the menu was $65, the "Winter Tasting Menu" listed was $90, and the Veg. Menu was $75 (toward the back -- the ones up front are the lunch menus, I'd guess), it's probably not from that long ago. Claudia Fleming is listed, which means it's not this winter's menu. The dessert prices are about where they've been for a while. And the non-functional website is listed on the last page.

(Are the desserts still an absolute must now that Claudia's gone? I'd assume so...)

I generally don't bother to have restaurants fax me menus because they act like it's a big imposition and I often have to call multiple times to get them to do it. But then, that's not w/ Danny Meyer restaurants.

We'll definitely be there right at noon -- we have 7 people, they've told me they only have one table that accommodates a group that size, and of course they don't take reservations.

Should be good. (We really need a chop-licking animated emoticon on this board...)

Thanks again,

Greg

[g.johnson]

The $65 and up menus are from the main restaurant. The Tavern is menu is the one linked directly by Varmint. We were there a couple of weeks ago and the new menu has similar items but nothing is identical. (E.g., the scallops are now served with beets.)

[eatingwitheddie]

Family's coming in for lunch this weekend and thought we'd hit the Tavern at Gramercy on Saturday. 

Does GT have a website where I could check out the Tavern menu? 

If not, does anyone know what the price range is in the tavern? 

(I've tried a Google search and waded through some of the MANY GT-related posts... to no avail.)

Thanks!

I ate dinner in the Tavern 2 days ago: the first courses were in the $8-14 range (most $12-13) and the main dishes were in the $15-19 range, dessert was 8 bucks I think. I had some terrific Fisher's Island oysters that were $2.50 ea.

I saw the current lunch menu as well, but it was for the main room. Main dishes were in the low $20's. i don't know if they have a different Tavern lunch menu. The dishes offered are different in the front and back -- simpler in the Tavern room -- the quality in both is quite high.

[gregtz]

Just wanted to post the follow-up:

Nothing was over $20.

Service was as great as always in Meyer establishments. The family was delighted, though the only table that could accommodate us was really for 6. We did in fact get there right at noon to be sure we were seated. The light and slower pace in the front Tavern in the afternoon are really peaceful.

My food was good, though a duck confit was a little oversalted. Desserts were excellent, though they lacked a bit of that Claudia Fleming zing. Has anyone else found that? I had one of those spice cakes -- call me biased, but Dara, my wife, makes it from Claudia's cookbook, and I like Dara's better...

Thanks to all for the help.

[macrosan]

I guess this is as good a thread as any to tag a review of my first visit to the front room at GT. The food and service still score a big high with me, but maybe I'll stick with the main restaurant next time.

This was a late arrangement with friends, and there were no tables available in the restaurant. The front room is no booking, and fortunately the first of our party of four to arrive was allowed to grab a vacant table for four immediately. The table was right next to the bar, and for the whole evening the noise level was so high that I was hoarse from talking loud enough to be heard by my friends. Really ! There were also occasional problems with jostling by people standing at the bar, so altogether this wasn't the best environment for a relaxed, chatty evening.

But the meal was excellent. I didn't bring away a menu, and I left my memory somewhere (I forget where) a long time ago, so a brief overview of the dishes will have to do.

Starter was a portobello mushroom on a flaky pastry base with a macedoine of vegetables in a sauce. This was a really good dish, with a nice contrast of flavors and textures, and a perfectly cooked portobello and good pastry. The only complaint was that the dish was maybe slightly too salty, although that did enhance the mushroom.

Main was roast chicken. The chicken was first class --- tender, excellent flavour, not too dry or moist. The sauce was a good, sharp contrasting flavor, but this was way too salty. Fortunately, the chicken was not basted with the sauce, so I had the option (which I took) just to dip evry second mouthful of the chicken in the sauce. It just seemed a shame that the sauce was too salty and strong to provide a positive enhancement to the dish, although in the event it didn't stop me enjoying it greatly. Vegetables were ramps (I think) and boiled potatoes and a couple of others, perfectly cooked al dente and tasty, except where they had soaked up too much of the sauce

Steve Klc will be mortified to learn that they didn't have a single panna cotta dish on the dessert menu so I couldn't test his ideas from my other (AZ) thread. But I had probably the ebst dessert I have ever tasted in New York instead. This was a Rhubarb Tarte Tatin with sorbet, and it was immaculate. (Anyone reading my posts of this trip will now have it quite clear that I am a rhubarb nut ) The dish was a simple puff pastry case (what I would call a vol au vent case) filled with nice size chunks of rhubarb in a light custard, plus a rhubarb sorbet. The pastry was perfect, the rhubarb was perfect, the custard was perfect and the sorbet was almost perfect. My saliva glands are operating right now as I type this Each single ingredient, and the balance of textures and flavors, and sweetness and sharpness, and the visual presentation could not have been bettered. Yummmm!

We drank two different Rieslings. The first was oversweet for my taste, but the second (I think Alsatian) was excellent. The sommelier was really helpful and knowledgeable, particularly in guiding us to the second wine after our comments on the first. Our waitress was cheerful and friendly and efficient throughout, despite the physical difficulties of serving at this table (due to its proximity to the bar).

This was my fourth or fifth visit to GT, and I have never had anything less than a very good meal here. This one maintained the standard comfortably.

The whole meal came to $85 a head including tip, which was phenomenally good value, and obviously that is a lot less than the main restaurant would have cost. For myself, I would rather pay the extra. I wouldn't eat in the front room again. Sure it's buzzy and interesting, but truly the noise level makes conversation tough.

Overall, another big thumbs up from me for GT.

[Steve Klc]

Macrosan--on the rhubarb front, Pierre Reboul at Blue Hill is doing a nice clean rhubarb soup right now--did you pay a visit to them while you were in town? Pierre was doing some of the best desserts in the city when he was at Vong and now he's cooking with Dan and Mike. Which just makes Blue Hill an even stronger recommendation.

[lxt]

Perhaps the intimation of lifted rural fences finishing the arch entrances that separated one dining area from another, or the balding branches of autumn leaves and red berries that infused the room with the mystery and divinity associated with the noise of the winds, filled my mind, as I was led to our table through the nearly empty restaurant, with images defeating gloomy darkness of the labyrinths of the Gothic forests and imposing a prudent middle course between the mystic and the rationalist, the models of charity and simplicity between heavy rotten-cherry drapes, dark wood and bare floors.

My consort, who arrived a little earlier and was sipping a glass of 1989 Vouvray, clenched his jaws in determination and declared that we were having the Autumn Tasting, taking the initiative and presenting a challenge to my usual dominance at the table, and I, though stunned by the stolen leading role, could not agree with him more.

Torchon of Foie Gras with Quince, Hazelnuts, Arugula and Mint.

A classic trio of smooth, fresh and sweet -- of a two-inch round cut of foie gras torchon, fresh greens and chutney -- was presented in a long rectangular white plate side by side. The pale-beige and pink cylinder of foie gras, though velvety and luscious, didn’t leave a buttery aftertaste, but rather delivered a light sourness with a mild flavor of liver, which testified to a certain amount of finesse employed in its preparation. Curly “hair” of frisée and several leaves of arugula, moistened with mild olive oil and garnished with coarsely chopped hazelnuts, brought freshness and earthiness. Deep-warm-red, neat cubes of tender quince, bound together by lightly sweet, viscous syrup, were infused with the exotic flavors of mint and coriander, and the natural sourness of the quince was further accented by balsamic vinegar. Light, with a prominent, piquant coriander tang and just a delicate sweetness counterbalancing the natural sour notes of the fruit, the chutney was excellent.

Perhaps this was not an exceptional dish that would linger in memory for years to come, but it was so exceptionally executed and well balanced that one wouldn’t be able to say “too much” or “not enough” about any of its components.

Roasted Sea Scallop with Chanterelles.

A large scallop shell, serving as a basin for the grayish-beige waters of buttery fish stock under its churning froth washing the brown top of one large scallop, was not perfectly shaped. It lacked the symmetry and grace, fluted edges and engaging color variations, which throughout the centuries occupied the imagination of ancient Greeks and pilgrims and inspired poets and painters of Venus. The shell was rough with serrated edges and without pearly luster in the interior.

The scallop, sprinkled with tiny, bright-green rings of chives and surrounded by moist chanterelles, one tiny piece of carrot and several shreds of lettuce(?), was slightly overdone, but sweet and still tender. The sauce, based on butter from the sautéed scallop with a little bit of fish stock and crème fraîche, adding slight creaminess, was oversalted though rescued by the sweetness of the scallop so that if not tried separately, was quite complementary. The dish was presented in a very appealing manner, but the oversalted sauce deprived me of the pleasure exploring its full potential. This was an average dish.

Turbot with Minced Autumn Vegetables, Spinach and Ginger.

Turbot is not my favorite fish. In my opinion, its white flesh tends to fail to deliver a deliciously mild flavor with just slight overcooking and lacks both the fresh marine taste and serene sweetness of turbot’s other relatives, so that even Jean-Georges’ enchanting Château Chalon sauce couldn’t change my opinion about the fish. This time, however, I was in for a big surprise.

A generous fillet of firm, white flesh rested on a hill of spinach surrounded by a small amount of thin sauce from the yellowish vegetable stock with green puddles of chive oil, and topped with the a colorful potpourri of finely chopped beans, celery and carrots mingled with ginger. The turbot had a wonderfully crisp, dark-brown skin that remained crusty through the end, contrasting very nicely with its tender and moist flesh. The texture of the fish was excellent, and though I still didn’t find the flavor engaging, this was the best version of turbot I have ever tried. The vegetables, cooked minimally, preserving their raw crunch, lent just a slight acidity from, perhaps, being shortly marinated in lemon juice, and the ginger bound all elements of the dish together, adding a piquant tang to the fish and vegetables and offsetting the light sweetness of the sauce. This dish was very good.

Fresh Bacon with Mostarda and Honey Glazed Turnips.

My grandmother used to generously brush unsmoked pork belly with honey before roasting it for several hours, and I always had some reservations about her version, considering honey an excessive and unnecessary touch. After trying chef Colicchio’s dish, I realized the faults of my grandmother’s recipe.

The overwhelming smell of fresh bacon slowly drifted upwards, inebriating my senses with strong aroma and preparing my palate for the actual enjoyment. A thick rectangular slab of pork belly sprinkled with coarse salt and several leaves of thyme sat on top of fresh spinach(?) and was surrounded by honey-glazed turnip and mostarda fruit cubes carefully positioned around the meat. Under the nicely browned, caramelized and crisp top layer of fat resided moist, tender meat yielding a rich and intense flavor. The meat was lean with just a thin sheet of very soft fat at the bottom.

So what was my grandmother recipe‘s drawback? It lacked balance between the cloying sweetness of honey and some other tangy condiment that would offset it. The mostarda, crystallized fruit (in our case several fruits and lemon rind) preserved in glucose syrup and mustard oil, which is a cross between chutney and relish (an Italian salsa, as it was introduced to us by the service staff), was somewhat sharp in addition to its slight sweetness and brought some bitter citrus notes, wonderfully compensating for the cloying sugariness of honey. This dish alone is worth returning for.

Venison Saddle with Savoy Cabbage, Golden Raisins, Cauliflower and Dates.

Sauerkraut, served hot, sautéed for several minutes right before being served and mixed with small cubes of pork and green peas, is what I enjoyed through the years of my childhood as a sumptuous winter meal. The taste of the fried sauerkraut was usually so strong that the other elements of the dish only complemented it rather than stole attention from it. If the main focus of the dish was to be concentrated on meat, the sauerkraut was either not served as an individual accompaniment (a potato or other more neutral side dish was chosen), served with stewed venison or was combined with sliced apple, for instance, and boiled to neutralize its strong sourness.

A dark-red sautéed(?) Savoy Cabbage, served as a bed for three medallions of very nicely done (medium-rare toward rare) saddle of venison, dusted with orange powder, in a thin puddle of jus that was surrounded by several fresh, small florets of cauliflower and a blob of date jam, had a strong sour taste augmented by balsamic vinegar. It overpowered the taste of the lean, delicately textured and virtually fat-free, but extremely moist venison so that even its slightly “wild“ taste was masked behind the strong overpowering accompaniment. Only when combined with a smooth and intensely sweet date purée (delivering exotic flavors of cardamom, cloves, fennel and perhaps other spices) and a neutral, fresh cauliflower, was some equilibrium of flavors achieved. I didn’t find the combination of exotic spices and the rustic sauerkraut taste of cabbage complimentary. This dish was not to my taste, though I would fail to point to any faults in its preparation.

Gramercy Tavern‘s style, with a basic ingredient at the root of every dish, standing apart from any accompaniments that seem never to overshadow or even interweave with it, reminded me of the light cooking traditions of the Italian Renaissance, with the prominence of fish and meat, augmented by subtle combinations of spices and herbs (like bitter orange peel, ginger, cardamom and cumin), with meats and sweets dwelling in the same course and sugar used more as a flavor enhancer than as a sweetener, with pungently-flavored recipes replaced by a distinctive style of moderation.

However, like the ancient Greeks who, with their love of the ideal type expressed in the canons of Polyclitus, failed in attempting to individualize figures but survived through styles and motifs, Gramercy Tavern, with its philosophy of retaining the best of the ingredients and perfecting the “ideal proportions,” creates food for the soul and not for the intellect, and in my view, doesn’t individualize dishes though projecting a very distinctive style with the persuasive power to command imitation. I struggled to remember any dish in its entirety after several days, but the general enjoyment of the dinner was great, and though several further visits were uneven, I have got a pleasant vibe of satisfaction from the “style and motifs” so well-delivered to each plate.

Edited November 14, 2003 by lxt (log)

[Fat Guy]

I wonder if Gramercy Tavern's style would seem more individualized and specifically memorable were it not so widely imitated.

[robert brown]

lxt, you deserved to be comped a whole other meal.

That was a real tour de force of food reportage. Did you take a lot of notes or do you have a photographic memory?

[lxt]

I wonder if Gramercy Tavern's style would seem more individualized and specifically memorable were it not so widely imitated.

It is not GT’s style that I found unmemorable, but rather the composition of individual dishes. I think that GT’s philosophy is well-formulated and, therefore, the style is currently acclaimed and what will survive. However, it is that same philosophy of essential simplicity -- the focus on one central constituent of the dish, where everything else is auxiliary and plays the role of enhancement rather than another inseparable layer -- that makes it difficult to remember the whole dish as one entity. It is not necessarily a negative point, and perhaps is even intentional. For instance, I browsed through my more recent copy of GT’s menu and noticed that venison is no longer served with fig puree but instead with mustard spaetzle. I may certainly remember turbot, but with time have some difficulties recalling its accompaniments.

In my opinion, there are two potential dangers to GT’s approach. With the main element of the dish being the center of attention, the perfection of execution and ingredients is principal. Any deviation from the perfect routine will render the dish spoiled or at best mediocre. In fact this is what happened to me at Craft with two similar dinners where the first was excellent and the second less enjoyable. There was nothing wrong with the dishes; they were just not cooked to the same level of perfection. A slightly overdone turbot may be rescued by Château Chalon sauce at Jean George, but if turbot is not cooked properly at GT, the whole dish is ruined. As I said, whether to my taste or not the execution of almost all dishes was exemplary.

On the other hand, even if the dish like pork belly, for instance, is done very well, I can always recall a pork belly my grandmother used to make from a baby pig killed several hours before. The technique is important, but with extremely fresh ingredients and an experienced cook in the kitchen, the dish may easily match and perhaps in some cases even surpass what GT has to offer.

Did I enjoy our dinner? Absolutely. Would I like to return? Yes, and I have. However, to the question of whether I would consider my experience at GT unique, I’ll have to say no. Gramercy Tavern serves solid, simple, and tasty food several levels above of what a typical home-cook may create, but it may not be enough to make a dish more distinctive.

[lxt]

lxt, you deserved to be comped a whole other meal.

That was a real tour de force of food reportage. Did you take a lot of notes or do you have a photographic memory?

Robert, thank you. I still believe that the main purpose of dining is to enjoy food while it is fresh and hot. I take limited notes (bookmarks really) and mostly when I dine with my husband, if he doesn’t mind. However, I am still at the stage of gastronomic curiosity, which apparently enhances the sharpness of my memory.

Pan, thanks.

Edited November 15, 2003 by lxt (log)

[Fat Guy]

A slightly overdone turbot may be rescued by Château Chalon sauce at Jean George, but if turbot is not cooked properly at GT, the whole dish is ruined.

"Turbot without genius is better than genius without turbot." -Alain Ducasse

Ducasse and Colicchio are kindred spirits in the sense that, in their day-to-day restauration, neither is overtly trying to create specifically memorable dishes (and we could add Alice Waters and quite a few others to the list) . Most every chef (save for Adria & Co.) talks the talk of the primacy of ingredients, but most don't really mean it. Colicchio really does. He has his signature dishes, primarily dictated by outside forces, but that's not the point of his cooking. This would be a bizarre and unnatural approach for, say, a composer but it's entirely fitting for a chef. Once you commit to being guided by available ingredients and their inherent properties, you most naturally wind up focusing on standardization of technique combined with frequent adjustment of the secondary components of the dish.

I think, leaving aside the value judgment, Colicchio would probably be pleased with your reaction to his approach. I don't think he wants people to come back to Gramercy Tavern three months later looking for the same dish they had last time, because it won't be there. Instead, he's looking to have people develop an affinity for his approach. And I think he'd even be happy to hear that he gave off the impression of "solid, simple, and tasty food several levels above of what a typical home-cook may create." Because they didn't call the place a "tavern" for nothing.

[Ruth]

We were at Gramercy Tavern last night after a long hiatus. It used to be one of our very favorites but we had not been since Tom Collichio stopped overseeing the kitchen. We were four and all chose different dishes. Not a single dish was above mediocre and the whole dinner was very disappointing. Old favorites, like the crab meat/ sea urchin ragout, had little of the flavor of their ingredients, meat was dry and unappetizing and the desserts were banal. Itis no longer worth the $68 prix fixe.

[Mulcahy]

On a whim, and as a thank you to my husband, I called Gramercy Tavern last night at about 6:15 and was lucky enough to snag a cancellation for two at 8:00. We last ate there well almost exactly two years ago. I did not take notes, so my description of dishes will probably be spotty, but it was a wonderful meal. And I can't remember one of my courses! Aargh. I am sure it will come to me eventually.

I ordered the vegetable tasting menu which consisted of (I am not a vegetarian, just didn't want meat last night):

Amuse Bouche: goat cheese and eggplant bruschetta. Mmmm.

First Course: hearts of palm with mandarin orange slices

Amazingly, I had never had hearts of palm before. I liked them a lot. The salad was light and refreshing.

Second Course: Artichoke Ravioli

This was dreamy. The ravioli were light and delicate and the sauce was just the right consistency.

Third Course: Roasted Beets with carrots

Beets are not my favorite veggie, or so I thought. This was a wonderful dish and the color was absolutely beautiful.

Fourth Course: Mushroom Tarte Tatin with Mushroom cappucino

My least favorite dish. The Tarte was crispy and flaky but the dish was very heacy (I was getting full). Also, I hate cappucino in any form, so the mushroom cappucino was lost on me (no fault of the chef).

Intermezzo: Orange sorbet with orange soup

I loved this, hubby thought the sorbet was great and the soup too thin.

Dessert: Cheese, Ossau Oraty, Stilton and ???

My husband had the Spring Tasting Menu which consisted of:

Amuse Bouche: same as above

First Course: Marinated Hamachi with beets

He really liked this and he is not a fan of raw fish, solo.

Second Course: Langostino poached in butter

I think I have read this dish was "stolen" from the FL cookbook. Hubby reported he could have eaten another hundred orders of this.

Third Course: Turbot with ???

He also loved this, thought the fish was excellent.

Fourth Course: Fresh Bacon with citrus

The texture of the bacon was crisp on the outside, with melting fat and a wonderful consistency to the meat, or so I was told.

Fourth Course: Lamb with arugula salad

The lamb was perfect.

Intermezzo: same as above

Dessert: Ricotta cheesecake

Oh my. I tasted this. Unbelievably creamy and delicious.

Also we got chocolates at the end of the meal and muffins to take home. We split a very reasonable bottle of white (I think Vouvray?) and then had one glass of red a piece.

It was a great meal. The menu was similar to what I ate two years ago and not that "cutting edge" (probably as Fat Guy pointed out on another thread because he Colicchio has been so widely imitated). But to me not being "cutting edge" can be a very good thing. Eating last night's meal was like spending time with an old friend or sitting in a favorite chair. It was delicious.

Also, I need to comment on how extraordinary the service is at that restaurant. It is phenomenal.

[jogoode]

Thanks for the report, Mulcahy. I've always been interested in trying a vegetarian tasting menu -- and I'm also an enthusiatic meat eater.

Were the carrots and beets in the third course just roasted or was there something else going on?

[Mulcahy]

They were roasted, but they were in this lovely beet sauce, and there were other garnishes/herbs. The sauce was beautiful both in flavor and color.

I wish I could remember my other course!

[Pan]

I can't recall seeing this story elsewhere, so here goes:

A bookkeeper at a popular Flatiron District restaurant was arrested their Monday morning on charges she ate up more than $250,000 in revenues by fudging the daily receipts, prosecutors said.

Major bummer, to say the least!

[Andy Lynes]

By suggesting that the Spotted Pig is New Yorks first "official" gastropub, the New York Metro have made a serious oversight, if my meal at the bar in Gramercy Tavern on Wednesday night is anything to go by. As I tucked into paprika rubbed roasted quail with polenta, brasied endive and raisin-mustard dressing followed by fresh bacon, sptazle, fiddlehead ferns and rhubarb, the bar rocked with punters downing pints, leathal sounding cocktails and the odd bottle of Krug 88. It was a scene that defined the term "gastropub" and a very good gastropub at that. With the addition of a dartboard and a jukebox with the long version of "Freebird" on it, and I think Danny Meyer might well be on to something.

As an introduction to New York style bar grazing, the Tavern was unbeatable. I was glad I decided against the offer of a seat in the main dining room and was prepared to wait up to an hour for the more casual experience. As it turned out, in the time it took me to sink a pint, I had bagged a stool and was tucking into wonderful sourdough and sipping on a rather ordinary Chateau Lamothe ($31). The food was delicious, although the main course "bacon" had dried out a little during the braising process and the rhubarb failed to convince me of its rightful place in the bowl.

A technically perfect tarte tatin finished the meal in very fine style (a well made tatin is one of the marks of a great restaurant) and my bill of $80.00 plus tip was reasonable for such an enjoyable experience.

[a geek]

Just ate at Gramercy Tavern's main/back dining room over the weekend. We all chose the tasting menu, with both vegetarian and spring tasting menus represented. I personally had the spring tasting menu.

What I remember most was butter; overbearing, heavy-handed use of butter. Given the quality of the individual ingredients I can't imagine why the kitchen chose to load almost every course up with so much butter. I've had plenty of 7-9 course tasting menus over my lifespan but none has occupied my stomach with that weight in ages.

On a good note, the cheese course was divine. The wide variety of cheese along with the server's knowledge of each cheese was truly a treat.

Service was below average for this price range. A few issues included topping off sparkling water glasses with ice water and not keeping bread on the bread plates. Also, our waiter was hesitant to call over the sommelier even though he couldn't provide much help with our questions on the wine. Do waiters tend to do this so they can avoid sharing tips with the sommelier?

I don't think I'd return unless I could snag one of the front tables and choose something simple from the a la carte menu. Perhaps the tasting menu is too ambitious for the kitchen.

[babern38]

Ate at Gramercy's main dining room for the first time friday night with my mother and fiancee. I didn't know what to expect of the restaurant, but we all loved the homey decoration that was done for fall. The colors were beautiful.

I had planned on doing the seven course tasting menu, but upon arriving there at 6pm and sitting down with the menu, no one, myself included, felt hungry enough for such a venture. Also my fiancee (a vegetarian) was hesitant about some of the offerings on the vegetarian tasting menu. She has an aversion to fennel and celery, of which were items for two of the dishes. I'm sure they would have exchanged such items, but we all decided on the three course menu instead.

amuse:

we were offered a crostini with a garbanzo bean puree on one end and a green(pesto-like) sauce on the other. Good, but didn't really spark my imagination or get me ready for anything special to come.

First course:

My mother had a sea scallop dish which she enjoyed, but I can't remember any specific details.

My fiancee had a simple salad

I had a sea urchin ragout. This was one of the best things I ate in our couple day trip to New York. Imagine taking the melted butter you dip lopster in, concentrating to ultra-mega-tasty butter to be a broth-like sauce of tasty sea urchin, lobster and crap meat chunks. Phenomenol. I would hae eaten an entire bowl of this although my gall bladder would probably be no more. Also, my scale probably thanks me for not doing so.

Second course:

my mother had Roasted Monkfish with Pancetta, Wax Beans, Beets,

grapes and Chervil. She thought this was very good, but not as good as my main course.

I had roasted sirloin of beef that was excellently prepared. It came with bone marrow (my first and definitely not my last experience with bone marrow). It was awesome. I don't remember what accompanied this dish, but I assure you I used the bread to clean up every drop of anything left on the plate.

My fiancee had a mushroom tarte tatin. It was good, not great and I really love mushrooms. It just seemed a little dry to me.

Dessert:

We didn't have anything extraordinary. I had the collection of ice creams, my fiancee had the colleciton of sorbets and my mom had a cake of some sort. All tasty and a nice end to an enjoyable meal.

While we enjoyed everything, I feel the price of this three course meal ($76) is a bit too steep for what we got. I definitley think the value would be in the 7 course tasting menu($80-95).

[gaf]

Occasions New York City Entry #30

Rip Van Winkle waking in Manhattan after a half-century would have much to puzzle over: the stuff of situation comedy. Many changes are dramatic and salutary: changes in gender and race relations, technological advances, culinary blogs. Others - drugs, divorce, The Donald - can not but dismay. Still other changes sneak up on us, changing our world without awareness.

Dining at Gramercy Tavern gave me the opportunity to consider one: a culture of informality. When I grew up in Manhattan, stepping out was Something! When one went to the theatre, church, or New York's most popular restaurant, one would dress. One was treated with honor and responded in turn. To be sure, this social drama was limited to the wealthy and the white, and so it was not without its dark side. Yet, formality assumed that perfection was within reach.

By century's end this elegance slip-slided away. In the New York culinary world, such a change was institutionalized by the opening in the mid-1980s of a trio of restaurants in what had been an unappealing business district: the Union Square Café, Gotham Bar and Grill, and Gramercy Tavern. This culinary hour was described recently by Times critic Frank Bruni. Bruni suggests that 1985 changed the world of New York dining forever.

Mr. Bruni perhaps makes too much of a year, enshrining this twentieth anniversary. However, these restaurants and their follows changed how New Yorkers with cultural capital thought about dining. Now would could order sparkling, outre dishes without suit, tie, heels, or gowns. These restaurants severed the linkage between food and ceremony, making dining more accessible, less fearful, and perhaps less special.

Is this desirable? In my thirties, I surely would have shouted yea; in my fifties, I would whisper maybe. Every critic has the self-interest of getting diners into restaurant seats to increase the vitality of the market. And yet something is lost when culture is too accessible. Moments become less momentous.

In 2005 Zagat annoints Gramercy as Manhattan's most popular restaurant, edging out USC second with GBG fourth. These restaurants have captured the hearts of New York diners, at least those Zagateers. Put aside whether Gramercy Tavern would deserve a 28 rating if an omniscient divinity were doing the judging. This is a restaurant that is both accessible and creative. I didn't eat at GT in its heyday - which in New York is ALWAYS yesterday. Perhaps I would not select Gramercy for my final meal, I would gladly accept an invitation to return.

For better and for worse, GT is a welcoming, loving, crooning restaurant - slightly too clamorous, too casual, too crowded, and too colorful for a contemplative meal. It is not a temple of haute cuisine, but a dancehall of dining. A brasserie Gotham style. The staff (captains and servers) were unfailingly gregarious and helpful, even if our server wanted to know if we would order the "price fix" menu. This is not Le Cirque.

For those who resent the status games between customers and diners, Gramercy Tavern is a happy ticket. No one gets humiliated here. We are all equals at this game. This should be to the good, but somehow I left feeling that I would never have a transcendent experience at GT, lifting me off the mortal plane to a sensory heaven.

We began with a modest but thoughtful amuse of toasted crostini with two balanced daubs of white bean puree and salsa verde, a tribute to Tuscany by way of Jalisco. The opening was global and demure, an easy start with pure flavors.

A second amuse was more creative, and began the play of textures that would characterize the evening. Rounds of hearts of palm were composed in a small dish with sea beans, avocado cream, and Japanese basil. The crunch of beans added to the smooth elegance of the fresh palm, covered by a foamy blanket of light green. As well-balanced as the textures were, the tastes matched them bite for bite. To be sure, perfect palm hearts provide a headstart for any dish, but everything worked in a dish that would have served well as an appetizer if more generously plated.

We selected the three course "price fix." I chose the Sea Urchin Ragout with Maine Crabmeat, Lobster, and Potato Puree. With its odd and anomalous this appetizer may be among the most memorable and evocative dishes of the autumn, and to that I give great credit to Tom Colicchio and his brave chef de cuisine. Any chef who plays with potato puree is bound to get stung. When mixed with liquid, potato often turns gummy, a fact that fanciers of Japanese mountain potato treasure. And yet, somehow, this dish skirted disaster. The briny liquor of the sea urchins played in tangy counterpoint to the thick potato, as the crab and lobster attempted to provide a center that could link the otherwise clashing ingredients. The mixture buzzed and tingled on my tongue. How often does one find a dish that will not go gently down the gullet; victuals in the Kunsthalle tradition of Basquiat, Twombly, or Rauschenberg, disharmonics all.

My main course was more constrained, less daring. I ordered Braised Shoulder of Lamb with Savoy Cabbage, Chestnut Puree, Quince, Turnips, and Kiwis. These strange bedfellows did not seem as oddly matched as my appetizer. Contrasts in texture and flavor abounded (unmentioned rosemary perfumed the lamb, the tiny pearls of kiwi cut through the otherwise fatty shoulder), but the combination was well within the gustatory boundaries of stew. A fine daube it was.

As a palate cleanser, we were presented lemon jelly topped with a lemon mint sherbert. I was amazed at the assertiveness of the mint, not used to shade the lemon but as an equal partner - a southern julep of a sorbet.

We shared two desserts. Coconut Tapioca with Passion Fruit and Coconut Sorbets, Passion Fruit Caramel and Basil Syrup (served with a thin lemon cookie) with its striking reds, whites and greens reminded me of the a dessert as constructed by an Curry Row decorator. Again the kitchen played with textures, a strategy of tapioca servers in high and low cuisines. I do not complain about the taste, although the flavors played second fiddle to the textures. The passion fruit and coconut didn't disappoint, although they didn't soar. I was satisfied, but not stunned.

Our second dessert was a Warm Apple Tart with Pistachio Financier, Saffron Caramel and Vanilla Ice Cream. I found this less successful. The saffron caramel added a dynamic and unexpected flavor, but the tart was somewhat soggy and the financier rather ordinary.

The meal epitomized what haute bistros do well. Gramercy Tavern explores, prods, and tests. And how can diners feel cheated when a dish doesn't quite appeal in such a glad place. Without the formality of the heights of dining, Gramercy Tavern provides haute without pain. Its casualness has a double edge. Perhaps this is not a Moment of One's Life, but a meal at Gramercy Tavern allows our consumers of casual culture to feel that the evening is filled with Moments that serve well until the next Moment slides it from memory.

Gramercy Tavern

42 East 20th Street (at Park Avenue South)

Manhattan (Flatiron)

212-477-0777

My Webpage: Vealcheeks

[Pan]

It is not a temple of haute cuisine, but a dancehall of dining.[...]

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Great line!

I chose the Sea Urchin Ragout with Maine Crabmeat, Lobster, and Potato Puree. With its odd and anomalous this appetizer may be among the most memorable and evocative dishes of the autumn, and to that I give great credit to Tom Colicchio and his brave chef de cuisine. Any chef who plays with potato puree is bound to get stung. When mixed with liquid, potato often turns gummy, a fact that fanciers of Japanese mountain potato treasure. And yet, somehow, this dish skirted disaster. The briny liquor of the sea urchins played in tangy counterpoint to the thick potato, as the crab and lobster attempted to provide a center that could link the otherwise clashing ingredients. The mixture buzzed and tingled on my tongue. How often does one find a dish that will not go gently down the gullet; victuals in the Kunsthalle tradition of Basquiat, Twombly, or Rauschenberg, disharmonics all.[...]

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Did you like it, ultimately, or not? The references to those artists don't help me, as they would be damning rather than complimentary if I were making them. As a matter of fact, I thought that you liked the dish until I got to that line, but on rereading the rest, I'm not sure.

The meal epitomized what haute bistros do well. Gramercy Tavern explores, prods, and tests. And how can diners feel cheated when a dish doesn't quite appeal in such a glad place.[...]

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How? Because there's a variable you didn't mention: The cost of the meal. Gramercy Tavern is very expensive -- if not by comparison with ADNY, by my standards and the standards of most people I know. At $100+ a head, the meal had better be transcendant, or I'll feel cheated. And since there's some real question whether I'd feel satisfied with such a high-priced meal at Gramercy Tavern, I probably will never go there on my dime.

[gaf]

I chose the Sea Urchin Ragout with Maine Crabmeat, Lobster, and Potato Puree. With its odd and anomalous this appetizer may be among the most memorable and evocative dishes of the autumn, and to that I give great credit to Tom Colicchio and his brave chef de cuisine. Any chef who plays with potato puree is bound to get stung. When mixed with liquid, potato often turns gummy, a fact that fanciers of Japanese mountain potato treasure. And yet, somehow, this dish skirted disaster. The briny liquor of the sea urchins played in tangy counterpoint to the thick potato, as the crab and lobster attempted to provide a center that could link the otherwise clashing ingredients. The mixture buzzed and tingled on my tongue. How often does one find a dish that will not go gently down the gullet; victuals in the Kunsthalle tradition of Basquiat, Twombly, or Rauschenberg, disharmonics all.[...]

Did you like it, ultimately, or not? The references to those artists don't help me, as they would be damning rather than complimentary if I were making them. As a matter of fact, I thought that you liked the dish until I got to that line, but on rereading the rest, I'm not sure.

But this is similar to asking was that Basquiat pretty? I'm not sure that it is the right question. The dish was evocative, thoughtful, resonant, memorable. I am glad that I ordered it, glad that I tasted it. But it is not comfort food. In fact it may be discomfort food.

The meal epitomized what haute bistros do well. Gramercy Tavern explores, prods, and tests. And how can diners feel cheated when a dish doesn't quite appeal in such a glad place.[...]

How? Because there's a variable you didn't mention: The cost of the meal. Gramercy Tavern is very expensive -- if not by comparison with ADNY, by my standards and the standards of most people I know. At $100+ a head, the meal had better be transcendant, or I'll feel cheated. And since there's some real question whether I'd feel satisfied with such a high-priced meal at Gramercy Tavern, I probably will never go there on my dime.

And this is of course an important question: the price point - or cost/benefit analysis. Is this a meal on the level of the greatest of New York restaurants, not quite, but not far, but the check is significantly lighter. A $2000 suit ($50,000 car) eeds to be transcendent unless you are used to spending $4000 ($100,000).

When money was tighter my wife and I would avoid eating at mid-price restaurants, saving our money for 2/3 blow out dinners each year. Sometimes we were well, well satisfied (Lucas-Carton, Lutece, Charlie Trotter, Le Bernardin), sometimes not so much (Chez Panisse).

[Fat Guy]

In the New York culinary world, such a change was institutionalized by the opening in the mid-1980s of a trio of restaurants in what had been an unappealing business district: the Union Square Café, Gotham Bar and Grill, and Gramercy Tavern. This culinary hour was described recently by Times critic Frank Bruni. Bruni suggests that 1985 changed the world of New York dining forever.

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Gramercy Tavern opened in 1994.