Tonic (Closed)

[stefanyb]

Is it The Tonic or just Tonic?  You know, I'm not sure as I sit here and write this.  Anyway, its on 18th Street just west of Sixth Avenue.

One thing I love about being in town for a holiday weekend-  you can eat anywhere (almost).  Whether or not there is anyone in the kitchen whose food is worth eating is, of course, another matter.

After bringing the dog to the NY Dog Spa, also on 18th, we changed our original plan of going to Avra (Greek,fish,40's) and walked into The Tonic.  It was very quiet.  When you see a piece about a restaurant on Food TV or somewhere else, they always show the diners in a room that is, at most, half full.  I always wondered about this because most times one dines at a fine place the tables are full and the staff is bustling about, the noise level is high and the overall gestalt is frenetic.  And while that is sometimes exciting, oftentimes it hinders one's experience.

Anyway, one walks into the bar area (used to be Harvey's Chelsea House a hundred years ago) and proceeds through it to the dining room.  Both areas are well designed and furnished and visually very pleasing.

The dining room had approximately five tables that were occupied and we were led to a very nice table for two.  (BTW, we were not especially dressed)  This is a white tablecloth room with a raised portion in the rear with garret- type windows, very appealing, fresh flowers and Picasso prints (B+W) everywhere.  What I especially noticed was the upholstered ceiling for, I'm sure, noise control, but beautiful nonetheless.

The wine list contained a full page of half bottles, a pleasing sight to my eyes as I usually don't like to drink more, and on it was a Talbott "Sleepyhollow" Chardonnay that I always look for and don't often find.

We had tourchon of fois gras, pear and roquefort salad with duck confit, duck breast with crepinette and mashed sweet potatoes, cod in a lemon crust with porcini risotto, frozen lemon souffle with blueberry sorbet and press-pot coffee from a list of five possible coffees.  All in all very pleasing.  Not stupendous but certainly fine eating.

I understand they have changed the room to less formal recently and reduced their prices.  

Thats my report.

[Liza]

Re: mostly empty rooms in TV coverage - when shooting in a restaurant, most crews are instructed to arrive at off-peak times, so as not to disturb service. Usually late lunch is prime time for filming.

[Rail Paul]

re: TV

when we dined at Bid a few months ago, NY mag was shooting stills for the review. The staff asked guests at each of the five or six occupied tables if they objected. For each shot, four or five staff members were inserted to fill out the room and moved about as required.

[snoop]

Does anyone know where Joseph Fortunato will be going? This restaurant was one of my favorites. I was never disappointed.

[jeunefilleparis]

As I was walking west to meet friends for a drink, i noticed the location of the new restaurant Amuse,. and then it struck me that Tonic had really closed. I suppose the first assumption of a restaurant closing is due to bad business but I thought that Tonic was a really great place. Does anyone know what happened? I ll never have my banana tarte tatin again now

[Orik]

Here is the thread on Amuse.