Project Top 100: Gramercy Tavern
One of my new “projects” for 2012 was to tackle NYMag’s list of the top 101 restaurants in new york. At the start of the year, I had been to 23 on the list, with a goal of getting to at least 40. This week we checked another one off the list when we ate at Gramercy Tavern. We walked in without a reservation, happy to eat in the less formal front room rather than the main dining room. We got seats at the bar within 15 minutes and chose to have the 4 course tasting menu.
The meal started with two broiled oysters. I’m not a huge oyster fan, but these were outrageous and unlike any oyster I had tasted before. They almost reminded me more of a stuffed clam than what I think oysters to be like. Either way, they were so delicious that they were gone before I got a picture.
Next was a pasta course with a couple of tortelloni, octopus and a lobster sauce. Unbelievable.
The main part of the meal was sliced steak over a grain (I can’t remember what one…) and with brussel sprout leaves. I don’t eat red meat too often, but this was really fantastic.
Finally, the meal ended with a banana tart, homemade cocoa nib ice cream, and a salted caramel sauce.
Gramercy Tavern was actually in the top 10 on the list, and for good reason. This was one of the best meals I have had in a while, and for the quality and experience you get, the price is reasonable. Everything - from the environment to the service to the food - was out of this world.
