NYC Tastes

It's no secret Gramercy Tavern is one of my favorite restaurants in the city.  Now they've added a weekday happy hour, which just makes me even more in love with this beautiful spot. From 4:00 P.M.- 6:00 P.M. each day the Tavern offers special prices on wine, beer, cider and specialty cocktails like the bubbly Roger Fitz Spritz with Grapefruit Liqueur, Aperol and prosecco and the frothy pink New York Sour with Templeton Rye, egg white, lemon and red wine.  All the drinks are fantastic and there's also a small menu of bar snacks. What a great excuse to head to the Tavern a bit earlier during the week! Gramercy Tavern 42 East 20th Street New York, NY 10003

If I could celebrate every special occasion in life with a seafood platter and a magnum of wine, I would be an insanely happy girl.  Maybe that's not one of the best "goals" to have in life (don't worry I have others) but it's a fact I realized last month when Mr. T and I stopped into Gramercy Tavern for a little celebration.  Being that there were only two of us we skipped the magnum (obviously Mr. T's decision) but went all in for the Tavern's incredible new Seafood Platter.   Big, briny oysters and green apple studded scallops filled the first tier with Red Snapper Ceviche, creamy Lobster Salad and Miso Marinated Shrimp rounded out the second tier.  Everything was wonderful, the highlight being those delicate miso marinated shrimp that practically melted they were so tender. For entrees Mr. T chose the Wagyu Meatloaf with whipped potatoes and roasted vegetables. I had suggested he not order this dish; my mind filled with horrible visi...

I absolutely love when friends come to visit.  The weekend almost always begins with a trip to Eataly for a bottle of bubbly and a plate of their luscious prosciutto and mozzarella. And the weekend usually ends with a stop into Gramercy Tavern; this time for a full meal in the bar area. Marinated Fluke tossed with citrus, mint and a sprinkle of pine nuts... ...and thick ribbons of rich, marbled Wagyu Pastrami to begin the meal. My standard Gramercy entree order the Ricotta Cavatelli.  I just love the combination of sage, Swiss chard and oyster mushroom to the hearty pasta.   Of course the Mushroom Fried Rice with green garlic, cabbage and trout roe is also an excellent choice. For dessert the Gramercy Tavern Cookie Plate served with a short glass of milk and two scoops of Strawberry Ricotta Ice Cream that was so creamy and decadent it was almost more like eating a cheesecake.   Good food, great friends to share it with...it doesn't g...

It only seems right to close out 2015 at one of my old favorites- Gramercy Tavern.  It's been quite a year for Mr. Danny Meyer; Union Square Cafe closing, Shack Shake chicken sandwiches exploding and of course the end of tipping. I have no idea what he's got planned for the coming year but knowing him it will be fantastic.  Here's a look at the current lunch tasting menu: Lobster with celery root and horseradish foam  Flounder with butternut squash, cauliflower and grenada peppers Duck Agnolotti with shell beans, treviso and pecorino Lamb Loin and Shoulder with carrots, kale and sunflower seeds. Chocolate Custard pie with cherry fudge, chestnut and bourbon ice cream (subbed in for the Rice Pudding Quince on the tasting menu) An array of chocolates to round out the coffees... ...and a special Coconut Cream Cake for Mr. T's father; a birthday gift from the kitchen to celebrate his birthday.   Gram...

So many incredible dishes at Gramercy Tavern but I always gravitate to their pasta when the weather starts to get a little colder. Big toothsome tubes of cavatelli tossed with ricotta cheese, braised lamb, kabocha squash and crunchy almonds.  The combination of textures is incredibly satisfying and that rich braised lamb is just perfect for a chilly day. Gramercy Tavern 42 East 20th Street New York, NY 10010

I was so excited yesterday to sit at Gramercy Tavern and watch the beautiful snowflakes fall outside while I nibbled on delicious food all warm and cozy with Mr. T.  That's actually what ended up happening except for the snow part.  As soon as we walked out the door the snow stopped and I was left to stare at the cold windy street outside instead of my winter wonderland.  I was pretty disappointed being that I absolutely  love  snow but the food and company was wonderful nonetheless.  Danny Meyer announced all of his restaurants would have no corkage fee during the storm so we grabbed a great bottle of wine and hunkered down for a fabulous meal. To begin a plate of delicious Roasted Island Creek topped with bacon and pineapple... ...then onto Sea Bass with cauliflower, quinoa and candied hazelnuts for me... ...and a Kuri Squash Chowder with Striped Bass, Mussels and Turnip for Mr. T.  Both were incredible.  I loved the creamy quinoa ba...

Ever since Nancy Olson left as Gramercy Tavern's pastry chef, I feel the need to stop in once in a while and ensure that things are still running smoothly.  This springy Chocolate Cake with Concord Compote, Buckwheat and Toasted Almond Ice Cream is a clear indication that things are on track... ....paired with a creamy Founders Porter for extra dessert bliss :) Gramercy Tavern 42 East 20th Street New York, NY 10003

Lunch at Gramercy Tavern is a relaxing affair.  There's rarely a wait for a table, the sunlight streams in through the big windows up front and it's the only time to experience the soup and sandwich special. The combination changes almost every day...last visit it was a thick, creamy Sweet Potato soup studded with red peppers, onions and black beans paired with a Roast Pork Cuban. This sandwich has everything...ham, slow roasted pork, swiss cheese, pickles and a pepper aioli all stuffed between slices of grilled Ciabatta.  It's smoky and rich...perfect with the sweetness of the soup and impossible to stop eating until the very last bite.   Gramercy Tavern

In an effort to cure the Monday blues I head for something sweet.  Usually a Lindor truffle will do but for those really tough Mondays I head to the bar at Gramercy Tavern. Three scoops of creamy Sour Cherry Ice Cream, sour creme whip, loads of real sour cherries on the bottom and hot fudge with a sprinkle of salt on top.  Those Monday blues seem light years away... Gramercy Tavern

People recognize the start of summer in different ways...some by their first trip to the beach, others by that initial 90 degree day, for me it's when Gramercy Tavern brings back a fresh strawberry dessert to their menu...this time the Strawberry Coup. Plump, fresh strawberries atop of tangy yuzu custard, tart strawberry sorbet, graham cracker crumbles, fresh basil and a dollop of creme cheese.   Paired with the fruity Lolita lambic from Goose Island and I would say summer has officially arrived! Gramercy Tavern

It's been over a year since I last settled into the burger at Gramercy Tavern.  It changes with the season and right now it's gotten extra hefty with rich Wagyu Beef from upstate NY, creamy clothbound cheddar cheese and house cured bacon. The burger was good on its own but the bacon is what made it excellent.  Thick cut with a smoky char, it  gave the meat that "hot off the grill" flavor usually reserved for summertime BBQ's. The burger always comes with three house made dipping sauces...a country mustard, ketchup and creamy Thousand Island alongside a plate of crispy Long Island potato chips. Pair it with one of their fantastic draft beers from Peekskill Brewery and you have an entire NY State lunch! Gramercy Tavern

It's the holidays so that means extravagant lunches on the town, too much wine with friends and eating cookies for breakfast...at least that's the way I treat the holidays. S o when I was craving both a fabulous meal and a little alone time I hopped on down to Gramercy Tavern without a second thought. As always a thick, fluffy piece of bread to start with fresh butter and a sprinkle of sea salt. Then onto the Butternut Squash Lasagna with Hen of the Woods Mushrooms and Kale. Look at these gorgeous layers of nutty squash, creamy cheese and mushroom. It's really quite a work of art and an incredibly delicious one at that. Gramercy Tavern

Is there really anything more I can say about Gramercy Tavern that I haven't said in the past?  Probably not so I'm just going right onto the food.  Our appetizers Roasted Beets, Kohlrabi, Sherry Vinaigrette and Sunflower Seeds... ...followed by Barely Touched Vegetables... ...with three different sauces- Olive Oil Pine Nut, Lemon Ricotta and Sungold Tomato. My Father wasn't exactly impressed with the portion sizes of the apps.  He began referring to the "Barely Touched Vegetables" as the "Barely There Vegetables", but he's a hard one to please. Luckily his entree came out next and the Ricotta Cavatelli with Chorizo, Tomatoes and Peppers completely won him over. My Roasted Pork with Corn, Mushroom and Potato was excellent.  It was tender and smoky, just perfect for swirling into their creamy pommes puree. Mr. T had the Grilled Mackerel with Calamari, Corn and Eggplant.  I didn't try a bite because as...

Everyone knows the main dining room at Gramercy Tavern offers a fabulous tasting menu every night, but did you know the Tavern also offers a tasting menu with totally different items and at a much lesser cost.  Mr T and I were intrigued by the most recent one titled A Celebration of Craft Beer. We began with a Roasted Oyster amuse bouche from the chef. This was phenomenal.  I loved how roasting gave the oyster a warm smokiness that was surprisingly perfect with the brine...even Mr. T enjoyed this and he is not an oyster fan.  Onto our first course Shrimp & Mussels in a Carrot, Coconut and Quinoa Broth. The combination of  flavors in this dish were lovely.  It had a thicker broth than one would imagine, much earthier from the quinoa but then the coconut gave it an Asian spin and really lightened it up.  The pairing with a crisp Peekskill Simple Sour was spot on too.  Second course Smoked Sweetbreads with Grilled Asparagus and Toast...

Mr. T and I enjoyed a quiet meal at the bar last Monday and began with some lovely baked Long Island Clams.   The clams are chopped, mixed with white wine and breadcrumbs then baked in the shell resulting in a buttery, rich clam experience. The Fluke Tartare wasn't as successful...everything was diced the same exact size and while the orange gave it some nice citrus, I lost the taste of the fish.  Luckily I could focus all of my taste buds on the Butternut Squash Lasagna. Layers of pasta were stuffed with hearty bites of squash, kale and mushroom with a creamy ricotta cheese sauce and a flurry of toasted pine nuts.  I'm still thinking about this dish and it's been over a week...so wonderful. Mr. T's Crispy Duck Leg with Grilled Endive, Lentils and Chicory was fantastic as well.  The skin had a nice garlic crunch and the meat inside was tender without being too fatty.  Onto dessert Mr. T ...