Winter Bar Dining at the Gramercy Tavern

On a cold day in the middle of a nasty NYC winter, there is nothing better then sneaking in one of the city’s top restaurants for a late afternoon lunch at the bar. I have a few favorites, such as Gotham, Frank, Del Frisco’s or Pearl Oyster Bar, but recently, I spent a few blissful hours eating lunch at Gramercy Tavern. I ususally pass by at least once a week, and like the 6 train, the bar is jammed shoulder to shoulder down to the last inch. But recently, I walked by and to my amazement, it was a bit empty. Thank God for High School Winter Break. I saw my chance and before I even checked for my wallet, I was sitting at the bar with a big smile on my face. I started with a pint of Snow Dog Ale, to give my self a few mintutes to relax and digest my surroundings. That day there was one gentleman a few stools away enjoying the oysters followed by quail, and a few minutes later two more people arrived, a man and a woman. So there we were, all of us dining alone and happy as hell. I personally couldn’t think of a better place to be…I mean anywhere. Following my aperitif, I decided to start with the Portabella and Beet Tart with Goat Cheese and Arugula. When it arrived, I noticed that the natural beauty and imperfect shape of the Portabella had been compromised by a ring mold. Although the first bite was tasty and the balsamic syrup perfectly reduced, I had trouble appreciating the experience due to the form the chef decided on. It reminded me of when I stagged at A.O.C. and Suzanne Goin almost had a heart attack when I starting cutting baby Beets in a uniform manner, essentially destroying their natural appearance. The Goat Cheese and greens were served beside the tart, both very tasty and well seasoned. Following the tart, I opted to try the Sea Scallops. They were grilled to the perfect temperature, but over salted. To the point, I had to leave almost half the order uneaten. After a bit of contemplation, I decided to inform the bartender of this and requested he use this information at his discretion. He picked up on the fact I left a good portion of the meal for the trash and without even asking, prepared a cheese plate for my enjoyment. Right away I couldn’t help but think that this is a result of Danny Meyer’s dedication to his philosophy of “Enlightened Hospitality”. The cheeses were fantastic and gave me a few more minutes to enjoy the magic of good food in a remarkable restaurant.

Since the above visit, I have dined at the bar at Gramecry about ten times and am looking forward to ten more.