On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Category: American (Traditional) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Flatiron23rd St-Park Ave S (6)
23rd St-Broadway (R, W)
Union Square (4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W)
"Full disclosure: I am ponying up the full five stars for Wogie's because I'm a Philly sports fan that just moved to NYC and it's important…" read more »
Loading...
A friend was visiting from out of town and we thought we'd try out Craft. First of all, the scene is pretty trendy.. it's a nice place to do dinner with friends, girl friends, clients, but romantic enough for a date too.
Let me say those rosemary breadsticks they brought out to the table were addicting. I probably could have eaten the whole vase-like-thing myself.
The menu certainly had a variety of options. We got the pecorino cheese fondue with apple, honey, and hazelnuts. I thought it was very flavorful and definitely unique. It was more like a blob of melted cheese rather than fondue that comes in one of those pots. It was served with two pieces of rustic bread.
I ordered the polenta fritters with jalapenos and golden raisins. I didn't actually taste the raisins.. and the jalapenos rings were served on the side and weren't actually in the fritter. The tartar like sauce that was served with it was good. I also got the Bay Clam Chowder. Its definitely a good helping of soup.. and it wasn't a thick chowder which was actually nice, since I was eating it with the fritters, and didn't get that feeling that I had just eaten really heavy food.
I also ordered the lemon cachaca fizz drink which was pretty strong and delicious.
For dessert, we ordered the butterscotch pot de creme, but the waitress accidently brought us the olive oil cake.. and since they couldn't take it back, they left it on our table and still brought us our butterscotch de creme. The olive cake was just okay.. but the ice cream that was served with it was amazing. The butterscotth pot was great.. it tasted like creme brulee minus the caramelized crust on top. It wasn't overly sweet at all.. and was surprisingly very light to eat.
Overall, I thought it was a great place to have dinner and would go back again.
As Top Chef fans, we were really looking forward to eating at Craft. Overall, food kind of sucked, but the service was really good...We went on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Reservation was for 7pm but they were able to seat us 30 min early.
We shared the Big Eye Tuna, Ravioli, Scallops, and Shittake Mushrooms:
Big Eye Tuna - Consisted of 4 (very small) slabs of sashimi with a red sauce that looked like the Tuna's blood dripping across the plain looking white plateware. My husband really didn't like it. Said he almost threw it up, a la Padma.
Ravioli - 3 pieces of dry and greasy ravioli. Very little flavor. Glad we only got 3.
Scallops - This was pretty good, but small. Can't really go wrong with scallops.
Shittake Mushrooms - This was really really good if you like mushrooms. A little salty but sooo tasty! I could have eaten a bowl of these mushrooms.
My husband mentioned in passing to the waiter while being seated that we were there to celebrate my birthday. When we didn't order dessert at the end of our meal, the waiter brought me a plate of 2 mini lemon merenge pie and caramel popcorn. The plate had "happy birthday" written on it. So Sweet!
When we left, we got 2 muffins to go! A good ending to a somewhat dismal food performance. The Big Eye Tuna and the Ravioli were the low points and if Tom C. was on Top Chef, those would send him home.
The service here is simply awful. The restaurant moved our reservation by half an hour without telling us, then sat us twenty minutes after that with no apologies. While ordering dessert, the waitress cut off somebody from my party who tried to order coffee, telling him "we'll get to that."
About half of the food I tried wasn't even close to par for a restaurant in this price range. Most side dishes were swimming in butter and underflavored. Some dishes were not cooked properly. The good dishes were the sirloin, polenta, and ravioli. Octopus was rubbery and unflavored. The chard and cauliflower were, without exaggeration, nearly inedible.
I will give major points to Craft's pastry chef. Our desserts were universally excellent. But the fact that Craft has a single chocolate item on a menu with over twenty selections--and that they ran out of that item--disappointed most of our party.
After many seasons of eating up Tom Colicchio's charm on TopChef, my mom was more than thrilled to know I reserved us a table at his craft restaurant. We went in March 2009.
After checking out the menu and being indecisive we went with the Tasting Menu and left our culinary pleasures up to Tom's choices. We know he is in the kitchen maybe once a month, but a good celebri-chef should keep tabs on his roots.
The tasting menu is a seven course meal taking courses from all over the meat would spectrum:
1st Course: Raw Tai Snapper, American Caviar & Island Creek Oyster
A rather boring dish that got an "eh" from the table and did not amuse any bouches.
2nd Course: Brebis Blanche Agnolotti Matignon & Lamb Bacon
A waste of dirty dishes really. There was some bacon thrown in somewhere, but once again we had an ok dish but we were not left wanting more. And after this dish I was starting to worry the meal would break some hearts that once belonged to Tom.
3rd Course: Olive Oil Poached Cod, Morels, Chickpeas, Fava Beans & Razor Clams
Finally something somewhat interesting, the table agreed that the plate as a whole needed some rethinking, but the individual parts were done beautifully. The morels ended up being the highlight of the night. And I of course loved the Razor clam, but I haven't run into a clam I didn't like in some sad way.
4th Course: Guinea Hen, Black Truffle Grits, & Brussels Sprouts
The Hen was cooked just right with the right amount of moisture, but also the desired texture, BUT I could not get past the grits. I know Tom is from New Jersey, but come on. No amount of truffle oil was going to save those. And I know I am a bit biased coming from Virgina, but no one south or west of New Jersey would approve of that.
5th Course- Grand Finale: Elysian Fields Farm Rack of Lamb Gnudi, Trompette Royale & Swiss Chard
By the time this plate came out I was drained from all of the disappointment. And I just wanted to get the taste of those grits off my palate. ick.
It was a nice finish to an unexceptional meal that wasn't over the top or anything I would subject my mom to again.
6th Course- Dessert Course #1: Meyer Lemon Sundae, Hibiscus Syrup & Coconut Meringue
Pretty much ruined the night for me. I'll just leave my hate for this shot o' crap at that.
7th Course- Dessert Course #2: Chocolate Ganache Tart, Cocoa Nib & Creamsicle Ice Cream
At this point I just want the plate served and to get the hell out and hit up the Rickshaw. Once again it was okay, not worth the money and not worth our time.
Petit Four with the bill: Some burnt s'more
This is not the way to keep your guests entertained while they pay a ridiculous amount of money for food that would be "satisfactory" in St. Louis. I get angry at bad food I pay more than $5 for even in this town.
I pretty much wanted to say F-U Colicchio and tell Damon to stop worrying about the gimmicks(Frugal Fridays, Thrifty Thursdays, etc) and work on that awful tasting menu.
Ugh, I sound bitter: Give us our money back Colicchio! (but I still love you)
One Word Description of the Night: "Eh"
We went to Craft with high hopes: all the things that owner Colicchio says on the Top Chef show are music to our ears. Alas, the hopes were crushed by a service of such poor quality that would get any contestant in the Top Chef show eliminated at the speed of light.
We walk in last Saturday, with no reservation. The stars are in our favor: there is a table reserved for walk-in guests which will be ready in twenty minutes. We are thrilled. By 20.30 we sit down, and we order: oysters for me, foie gras terrine for my wife, scallops and sword fish as main dish, riesling.
And the problems start.
I get my oysters 15 minutes after ordering. No sign of the foie gras. The waiter (whose main feature will be to entirely disappear in between servings) shows up after five minutes, apologizes and promises the foie gras will be brought soon. We will get it after 15 minutes. So in total it took 30 minutes to get our starters. Both of them were supposed to be cold, and did not need particular cooking, so they could have been brought together. A mystery.
The oysters were good, the foie gras was ok but tasteless, and the brioche bread which it was served with was burnt.
Another 45 minutes (with the waiter nowhere in sight) and we get our main dish. The scallops are warmish, but the swordfish and the side of mushroom are lukewarm at best. We try to grab a waiter to complain, but no luck. I decide (and I regret it, but by the time I was starving) to go on eating. I guess the dishes had obviously been left standing for a long time by the waiter before being brought. They tasted good (the scallops better than the swordfish), but they were cold.
The waiter shows up. He doesn't ask how the food was. I tell him though that the food was cold. He says he will talk to the chef.
He then disappears for another 20 minutes. In the meantime we are given the dessert menu by another waiter we had never seen before. Our waiter finally shows up and, without saying anything about the cold food, asks us if we are ready to order dessert. We order one, and ONLY BY THEN the waiter says "the chef would like to offer you an additional dessert for your cold food".
Let me get this straight, Tony: you have a pair of customers leaving more than 200 $ on the table for cold food, and all your waiter can come up with is a free dessert and only after we have ordered one dessert? What would you say to one of your contestants on Top Chef if he was to serve cold food and come up with such a lousy remedy? I am curious. Or who knows, maybe the waiter never really talked to the chef.
We get our desserts, and they are absolutely delicious, the best part of the meal: a pannacotta and filled doughnuts really exquisite.
Who knows, maybe the main dish could have been good also, had they not been left to get cold on some desk waiting for a waiter to pick them up.
I dug Craft. I thought the layout of the restaruant was intriguing as well as the presentation of food. Decent wine selection for a reasonable price. I'd definitely go back to Craft if any of my friends wanted to.
From what I've seen on TV, if Colicchio himself ever ate here he would tear this place apart. Either that or he's a hypocrite, which is probably the case. Disregarding the whole letdown of my experience involving a very prominent celebrity chef, I'd still only give it 3 stars.
The service was ATROCIOUS. We were seated, and sat for probably 15 min. before even being acknowledged....by the busboy. He must've noticed how no one was coming over and decided to take our drink orders. Our waiter came by another 10 min after we got our wine. This guy was a complete clown - he was exactly like Paul Reubens (aka Pee-Wee Herman) impersonating a french guy. No apology for coming over like a half hour after we had been seated, no ability to explain anything on the menu, pretty much just a moron.
The food itself was definitely underwhelming. The fish we got was prepared well, but the garlic risotto was inedibly salty. My seabass was undersalted so maybe I was supposed to mix them together. Funny to get that experience here when most of Colicchio's gripes on TV are about things being under or over seasoned. We also had Jerusalem artichokes, which were fantastic, as was this 6-min egg that came with one of the salads. Our desserts were good enough, but forgettable. So on the whole, pretty good but not great.
Sure, the point of this place is to rely on the quality of their ingredients, but part of the fine dining experience is to have a skilled chef guiding you through the tasting experience. My fish didn't go with either that terrible risotto or the good artichokes as sides. For this price point the chef should be guiding people better through the journey. Either that or get some decent staff - I wouldn't have trusted our waiter, pee-wee to give me directions to the nearest subway station. Colicchio and his exec. chef flunky don't necessarily have to "pack their knives and go", but I'll soon forget having eaten here. Pee-wee needs to be fired.
I didn't love it. My co-diners seemed to enjoy themselves, or else they were lying . Either way, the portions were TINY, expensive, and just not thoughtful. The meat quality was excellent- we all enjoyed the standing pork ribs, and the beef short ribs (although a monkey could make short ribs in his sleep). However, the fruits and vegetables were not inspired. I admit, I'm visiting from California, the land of ripe fruit; however, it wasn't juicy and sweet. Dessert was forgettable. I'd skip it, and don't want to watch Top Chef anytime soon.
On the last night of our vacation, we (avid fans of Top Chef), decided to try Tom Callicho's restaurant and we are pleased to report that it lived up to expectation.
We walked in to the warm and minimalist room and felt at home. The atmosphere represented the food well- clean and not showy. We knew we were off to a good start when our server noted that two of our diners were vegetarians (from our orders) and brought us a veggie amushe bouche. The mushroom and pear broth was a wonderful way to begin our meal. The menu is filled with small plates and we ordered many of them.
My husband, the only carnivore, ordered the Braised Short Rib and Pureed Potatoes. The meat was wonderful and melted in his mouth, according to my husband. The potatoes were so silky smooth that I forgot all of the ingredients inside them. The veggies of the table ordered the flavorful Beet Salad and then many of the side dishes and one pasta. We loved everything and would recommend this for any vegetarian diners. Our meal included: Baby Onions, Pureed Squash, Roasted Mushrooms, Braised Kale and a vegetarian version of their squash-filled pasta. The pasta was amazing- sweet and flavorful. All of the food had simple flavors that were enhanced by the cooking.
Our desserts were just as fabulous. We are a sorbet household and had to get the Sorbet Sampler. We were excited to see some unique flavors and we were happy to try them all: Ginger, Concord Grape, Green Apple, Lemon, and Pear. We also had the Roasted Pears. The meal was just perfect and it was the best way we could have ended our NY experience. Yummy, yummy, yummy.
We celebrated my birthday here this year and while everything was great, nothing was 5-star-quality except the sides and appetizers (and the muffin they gave us on the way out as a parting gift).
In fact, if I go back (which at this price I'm not sure I will) I would skip entrees entirely and just get apps and sides, (don't skip the risotto side.)
I took clients to Craft last week for dinner - my first visit. Decor is beautiful, host and hostess were warm upon arrival and upon exit. The actual meal though, left a lot to be desired. First, our waiter was a wet noodle - NO personality! I must be honest though and say that I think we got the dud in the house as everyone else who helped us were friendly. It took us forever to order our dinner and dessert as our waiter, besides being a dud, seemed otherwise distracted. Maybe he was intent on not imposing, but if that is the case, he needs lessons at having the kind of intuition this caliber of restaurant one would think would demand. Food was also just "so so". The waiter highly recommended the beef ribs - which ended up being the least favorite for the five at the table. Don't order it! You'll be so disappointed! Out of the $600 worth of food that we ordered, the winners were the scallops (the big ones, not the little ones), the brussel sprouts and the scallop potatoes.
As you can see from the majority of my reviews, I so love to rave about wonderful places. Sadly, this is not one of them. We were due to have Thanksgiving Dinner here this week with family, but the meal and our one waiter's service were such a disappointment, we cancelled our 5 people reso and are now going to try Porter House. Fingers crossed!
Maybe I'm just biased because I loathe Tom Colicchio (he is nothing more than a snooty opportunist who pawns his undeserved celebrity for such paltry endeavors as doing Diet Coke commercials), but I really did not like Craft. First, it was overpriced (it was wryly amusing to see a customer at a nearby table mouth "WHAT?!" when he opened the check folder), which is not surprising given Colicchio's ill-disguised propensity to sell-out and money grub. Second, even though I don't LOVE it, I can respect a very basic, simple, ingredient-focused approach to Western Food. However, the idea of simplicity was taken to an extreme that broached absurdity and shouted hypocrisy. It was absurd because "simple" at Craft meant, in part, breaking down the menu into the most basic components which resulted in about 729,000 combinations to composing a complete dish (I'm sure if I actually did the math that number wouldn't be too far off). Everything was deconstructed on the menu and a diner was forced to build his or her own dish by choosing everything from the proteins, vegetables, mushrooms, potatoes, grains, and beans. This was shamelessly hypocritical because on Top Chef, Colicchio has often bitched at chef's (with trademark condescension) for failing to adhere to their duty to make all decisions for his or her diners. Colicchio has emphasized the importance of having the confidence to take full control of a dish and to plate it completely, with everything a chef wants a diner to eat, decisively placed there. Meanwhile, the menu at Craft exudes nothing but cowardice. We are forced to determine whether chanterelles or baby shitakes would go better with braised beef short rib or whether pureed potatoes or soft polenta would be better with organic chicken. This should not be our job. This should be YOUR job, Colicchio. And few have touted this principle more unequivocally (or more pompously) than you.
P.S. - Despite what probably came across as a bitter rant against Craft (actually, it was mostly just against Colicchio.. haha), the food, for the most part, actually did taste quite good. The only glaring exception was the $45 rack of pork which was cruelly overcooked, dry, and comparatively flavorless. The service was above average.
($130/person, tax, tip, wine by glass)
My boyfriend and I walked into craft apprehensive about the meal; a friend told us that we'd probably walk away hungry, so we were completely ready to hop into a cab and grab a pizza afterwards.
That never happened, though, because our meal at Craft was an incredible experience. We got the 7 course tasting menu, and every last dish was utter perfection. Included in our tasting menu was: tender gnocchi, fresh greens, soft shell crabs, and the meal crescendoed with a succulent rack of lamb cooked to perfection with fluffy polenta, and not one, but two desserts. I was stuffed upon the completion of this culinary journey.
Oh, and as you leave, you get a goody bag (kinda): as we were walking out, we were given a little blueberry muffin to-go!
Highly recommend this place.
Don't get me wrong. The food here is very, very good. A wide selection of family style fare made from fresh ingredients and simple, familiar, yet subtly distinctive flavors, what is there not to love?
Well, the decor for one.
Whereas just about every other reviewer raves about the decor, it was the sour point of my experience. Sure, high ceilings dotted with velvet drapes, a floor to ceiling wine rack, dim yet ample lighting, and solid wood tables are nice. But it doesn't fit the food. What do you think of when you're presented with pork chops, swiss chard, and grits? I would hope that it wasn't posh New York.
Either way, the food was very well prepared but didn't blow me away. The service was great as well. The decor though, was a big turn-off, and the background music... don't even get me started. Sure, it was a mix of various American tunes, but I don't want to listen to a tape track that jumps from ominous, atonal classical music to bee-bop jazz to country to big band classics. Keep it simple right?
3 stars for good food (but not living up to expectations) and questionable decor
Revisit? At the price I paid, I'd go elsewhere
Other worldy.
I recently went on a culinary tour of NYC which included Craft. I had high hopes considering how critical Tom Colicchio is on Top Chef! We ordered the chef's tasting menu (to avoid the problems from prior posters saying that they didn't know which foods to put together). We also got the wine pairing.
The waitstaff was fine - not particularly helpful, but not rude in any way. The first few courses were beautiful and delicious in their simplicity. The third course, a fish, was way over cooked and dry. The next course, the famous short rib, could have been good, but the sauce was gummy after obviously sitting under a heat lamp for way too long. The remainder of the courses were good, but didn't blow me away.
The thing that I really hated? Every single wine served in the pairing was served in the same kind of glass - from the lightest Sauvignon Blanc to the Argentinian Malbec. If you're going to go to the trouble of creating a pairing, please serve each wine in its proper glass. I witnessed other diners ordering red wines and getting them served in proper red wine glasses, but not for the "Chef's Tasting." Really? And when I inquired... the waiter replied "Oh, it's just easier for us this way." I know, I'm a little snobby, but when I'm paying that much for a meal, I want them to put a little more effort into it.
Not worth the money. If you want something really amazing - go to Le Bernadin or Babbo.
Excellent drinks service and food. Pricey but worth it.
I was so impressed with the atmosphere, decor and excellent food!
I was lucky enough to be on business monitoring a private event here, which is why I had the pleasure of meeting the chef, who was a pleasant bald man. My co-worker found it amusing that I had no idea he was on Top Chef or famous. I don't watch television, so that's why.
While my party was eating in their private room, my co-worker and I were munching away in the restaurant as we had not eaten all day. We both had the medallions of chicken, prosciutto di parma, melted mozzarella with Madiera wine sauce. To wash it all down an unforgettably smooth Argentinian wine. For dessert, vanilla ice cream with fresh donuts. Mind you, I hate the taste of donuts. Krispy Kreme, Dunkin, you name it, I hate it. However, these were amazing. Fresh, not too sweet and pillowy soft. They were served with apricot preserves and melted chocolate. Just thinking about it again makes my mouth water.
At the end of my meal, I was given a zucchini muffin for the next morning. I was a bit skeptical about a zucchini muffin, but again, my taste buds were in heaven. It was really good.
I would definitely come back here to celebrate a special occassion. It's very expensive, but in this restaurant, you get what you pay for.
"Oh my god! It's an Olson twin!"
Thus my brain screamed out at me as I stood at the bar awaiting a dinner reservation and in walked a waify little thing, all dirty blondes curls and nice hipster chic attire.
People stared and whispered, but then my OK! Magazine mindset whizzed up to speed and I realized this was in fact renaissance women Hilary Duff. And i Craft's good enough for Hilary, god dam it, its' good enough for you.
Upon Hilary's recommendation, i ordered a side of the brussel sprouts. They were pretty good. Upon my own recommendation I ordered the roast sucking pig; now this was phenomenal. It had been a long night of cocktail hours, so my taste buds were not at their upmost; but my friend really went out of her mind with how good the lil' piggy was. To start we also had some sort of funny green salad; the dish looked like a pile of leafy moss, but it really went down swell.
The decor of the place is very lovely as well; we were seated up against a very interesting leather paneled wall, and the entire space was dressed in warm woods and perfect lighting. The outgoing NY Times critic said Craft was his favorite looking restaurant, after a visit I can see why.
The place is definitely expensive though, so bear this in mind, and the food is not beautifully engineered as at Per Se or Daniel; but it's an experience I recommend.
Craft is a shining example of what happens when a celebrity chef opens up a restaurant and ends up never cooking there, thus falling into a level of complacency that is evident in the food that ends up being served.
The interior of craft is very trendy/cool so they get points there. Sadly that was probably the highlight of the dining experience.
It's not to say as if craft is bad, it just doesn't wow me, especially at the price point it hits.
Craft is essentially focused on small plates the same way a tapas restaurant would be. While the braised short ribs were good, for 30+ dollars the portion was tiny and the flavors were average. Yes it was tender etc etc, but you shouldn't have to pay as much as it costs for a portion so small.
Craft is essentially only Tom Colicchio's restaurant in name. While he is off being famous on Top Chef and occasionally doing private dinners, other people are manning the kitchen. Craft was at the top of the game in 2002, which was 7 FREAKIN YEARS AGO! My point is this, Craft was the place to dine in 02 and while it's certainly still among the better places out there, it has been passed by better restaurants with more innovative foods at the price. Save your money and go somewhere else.
Of all my reviews I will be doing or have done, this is one of only 3 or 4 places I'll give 5 stars to (others being WD-50, Alinea, Luger's and Per Se). Each one for it's own reason. The reason I give Craft 5 stars is because it is the greatest meal I've ever had, and the reason I continue to go to new restaurants in search of something that can top it.
First off, the atmosphere. Perfectly set with an impressive array of wine fridges to the right, and a bar and seating to the left. Music is set at a perfect volume with a great selection of what I call "music I'd like to eat to." (Jazz, newer adult contemporary, etc....but not cheesy).
The service is amazing. I'll always remember this place because since my wife was pregnant, we didn't get a full bottle of wine. So I had to order wine by the glass. This is the first place I was ever at that offered a wine by the glass taster before pouring the whole glass. In essence it's nothing, and many places do it, but I'll always remember this as the first. In other words, they didn't make you feel cheap for only getting a glass.
Ok, the food....RIDICULOUS. Tom Colicchio is the jedi master of seasonal natural cooking. Yes, he's the guy from Top Chef, but forget the celebrity, he's more than that..he's the real deal. We had the tasting menu, and I'll always remember the braised wagyu short rib and the popover that was made out of the braising liquid. It changed me. Amazing. Also, I had a partridge that literally fell off the bone. Tender, juicy, flavorful, magnificent.
Last but not least, Craft gets the creativity award for service as when you're done with the meal, with your check they give you a perfect pre-packaged muffin for your breakfast the following morning. Ours was Apple Cider.
So there's nothing more to say. Don't walk..sprint to Craft.
Dined here last night. What a find! The decor wasn't my favorite, and the music was a bit too loud and unorthodox for that type of fine dining but the food was fantastic. Started off with the fresh farm egg with pork trotters...delicious! Had the lobster for maincourse and my boyfriend had the halibut. Halibut was excellently cooked and had great flavor. Should have chosen a meat instead of the lobster..always another day! Sides we had the spigarello, lovely green with a taste that borders broccoli rabe and spinach, yum! Corn and bacon risotto..it doesn't get much better than this, coupled with hen of the woods mushrooms, so good! For dessert, here's the clincher, a glorified PBJ + bananas. Absolutely superb. Will definitely return!
Excellent wine selection as well.
I really wanted to give Craft 5 stars considering the popular Yelp and other reviews; however, it just didn't blow me away - perhaps this is due to the higher expectations that you have for a place with a celebrity chef. Regardless, this was a place I would certainly return to. I should have ordered the Short Ribs, but I opted for the Halibut that, although cooked to perfection, lacked a certain je ne sais quoi.
My friend ordered the Striped Bass and it was also cooked to perfection. One side was very crunchy adding a nice texture to the fish - this added a differentiation that my dish was lacking.
We had the Chocolate Soufflé for dessert with French Press coffee - and considering I'm a French Press snob, I found this to be a nice finish.
Prior to both our main course and the dessert, we received freebies from the different chefs - both of these turned out to be very nice surprises. Finally, the chocolate chip muffin that the hostess handed us while we walked out was a really nice finishing touch.
5 stars for service - 4 for food; however, I have a suspicion that the Short Rib will up the rating. A return trip is certainly in order.
I've been to Craft on three separate occasions and I have had a fantastic experience every single time!! It's probably one of my favourite places ever. I've been meaning to write a review forever now but just haven't gotten around to it.
The food is amazing - I always get the scallops. I've also tried the english peas, the corn, the chicken, the onions, the mushrooms (don't remember which one) and a bunch of other stuff...everything I've eaten there is cooked to perfect with the perfect flavour. The only downer is because the menu changes everyday to ensure the best and freshest ingredients sometimes certain items are not available.
I have to work now but the bottom line is that you should check this place out. If you are on a date try to sit next to each other so you can hear each other better as the tables are kind of wide and sometimes it's hard to hear and play footsies.
What a delightful restaurant!
The minute you walk into the door, you notice all of the small details that went into this establishment and understand all of the praise for Chef Collichio. Servers are extremely attentive and natural. Decor/space is just right. This must be what heaven feels like... and I didn't even begin to describe the food.
For appetizers we ordered the Sunnyside Up egg with Pork Trotter. Yes, we also asked the very question "What in the world is a pork trotter?" Its basically a "loaf" of all good things pork and placed below the sunnyside up egg in a bed of what I can only describe as a semi sweet glaze of sauce. IT WAS DELICIOUS. The second appetizer was Wagyu Carpaccio. So fresh. So amazing. Wow.
For the main course we were recommended to order one entree each and it is served family style. The special for the night (and also during Spring time) was SOFT SHELL CRAB. Tom knew I was coming tonight... he must have known! Had we known the crab dish came with TWO large crabs, we would have just opted for one entree - so keep that in mind foodies! Garlic risotto was the side I chose. Come on, I'm Chinese, I need anything of a rice consistency to balance my meals. The braised beef short ribs was the 2nd entree, sadly, we were already pretty filled with the crab and risotto. Don't fret, we got it to go - so my boyfriend has a very fancy lunch waiting for him today as opposed to his normal muscle man milkshakes and peanut butter (seriously!).
We were so full, we completely did not make it to dessert. They did give us a complimentary banana nut petit fours, which was scrumptious. Sometimes I don't need a huge slice of cake, a few bites will seal the deal. With a glass of wine, 2 app, 2 entree, 1 side, the meal came out to about $150 w/ tip. NOT BAD AT ALL FOR AN AWESOME MEAL.
Their to go process is extremely cute. They give you a "coat hanger" ticket where the hostess will retrieve your doggy bag for you in a very convenient Craft bag with two Craft (probably Wich'craft) muffins to go.
One of the best meals and restaurants I've been to. They really thought of EVERYTHING.
For the big 2-0-0: the eulogy of a happy romance-
i. In Media Res.
A little after midnight on an unseasonably warm night in December, under the dim glow of Craft's shrewd, yellow bulbs, I fell in love. It wasn't with the rustic decor, or even with Tom Colicchio's aphrodisastic reductions; I was dosed up on sweets and and rosy with rose, and caught myself filled with the familiar dread associated with deep, romantic longing, as I suddenly remembered that I had a plane to catch.
ii. That week.
I'd been living on borrowed time; I'd forfeited my lease and my job in favor of adventures on foreign shores. China to be exact, and in one of many concurrent 'fuck-yous' to conventional wisdom, I chose to spend my final nights in the bicepted snuggery of the rakish desperado down the hall. As my imminent departure loomed, M. and I decided to keep ish "casual".
Four hours before preemptively nostalgic I was to redeem a one-way ticket to the other side of the world: still stuffing underwears into irritable side pockets, sulky, from this morning's too-short, too-stiff farewell. My malaise is interrupted by an unexpected phone call from M.; he'd like me to accompany him to the holiday dinner to commemorate the first, successful year of the company that was his New York raison d'etre. He will purchase a new plane ticket for me.
The afternoon passes like a Disney made-for-television-movie montage. Gaybestfriend takes me to Guy Laroche, where I'm gussied up like a fairy princess by the salesman, who all but gifts me my first couture piece when I tell the story of the occasion. The counter girls at Henri Bendel (befriended during wanton weekend afternoons) flutter by to tinge (already flushed) cheeks and moisten (quivering) lips like helpful sparrows.
And then, before I knew it - there I was, in a luxurious Gramercy flat, meeting the oft-named, heroic heads of this scrappy operation that's tamed, through fulfillment, M.'s terrific wanderlust and mind. A dozen scotches later, four smug Manhattan men and their four, patently overdressed, over-coiffed dates made our way round the corner to Craft.
iii. Craft
We spent the next four hours pecking at everything on the menu - fat-rolled bacon strips, garlicky hen-of-the-woods, a rich smoked duck, buttery spinach - and getting better acquainted with one another. There was wine, there were martinis. There were jokes, toasts, roasts, and allegedly a groundhog, dismembered and marinated beyond recognition, and consumed. The fellas were exceptionally skilled conversationalists, and dictated a wonderfully jovial, warm and intimate mood - bolstered, no doubt, by their choice of venue; a humble-but-elegant, family-style space done up in inviting earth tones and wood. There was a pleasant waitstaff that good-naturedly tolerated our inebriated, increasingly wild requests, which, at the close, included an off-the-menu dessert tasting menu.
The restaurant closed long before we departed, but we never felt rushed, and were instead privy to additional rounds of private digestifs, and, when drowsy and full of limoncello and souffle, a doggie bag of breakfast treats to take home.
iv. Aft Craft
I was more aglow with top-shelf liqueurs than I'd ever been, and happily conflated the flush of wine with the twitterpated rush of True Love. I fell into his arms; Guy Laroche slipped to the floor. When I boarded the plane in the morning, I was still glutted with Craft's rich meats and dessert wine and the memory of the loveliest last evening imaginable; and thusly, in longing, Shanghai'd.
My boyfriend took me to Craft for my birthday and we had a fabulous time. To start, the decor of Craft is very nice, yet subtle. There is a large wall of "woven" leather and the rest of the restaurant is almost industrial chic, with minimalistic art and a brick wall. They played a nice array of music ranging from U2 to John Coltrane. Nothing overwhelming and you could easily hear those around you and have conversation without screaming.
We looked through the well chosen wine list, and decided to share a half-bottle of Marsannay, Olivier Guyot, which was light and fruity. A nice pairing with everything we ordered.
Before ordering, we were given an amuse bouche of a fried mussel with a citrus sauce. This was a yummy and flavorful first bite, which helped us get into the mood to eat the special meal that would follow.
We started with Fisher Island Oysters, which were large and perfect. They went right down the hatch.
As first courses, we shared the Rock Shrimp Mezzaluna and the French Mache and Apple salad. Both were fresh and delicious. The rock shrimp mezzaluna was like a small ravioli. The flavor of the stuffing was really nice. The salad was also great, there were candied pecans in the salad, which were an unexpected wonderful addition, adding just a little sweetness and crunch with the apple.
For main courses, I ordered the Muscovy Duck, which was perfectly cooked at medium rare. The breast was served sliced and the leg was whole and prepared confit. The duck liver was also on the plate. My boyfriend ordered the Beef Short Rib, which was braised until it practically melted in your mouth. As side dishes, we shared the Swiss Chard and Soft Polenta. The sides were not overpowering, but definitely added a nice accompaniment to our entrees.
Although we were stuffed, we made room for a little dessert. We shared the Almond Financier with Poached Cherries & Chocolate Sorbet. This was a nice dessert. Not overly sweet or heavy, just a nice finale to a wonderful meal.
I highly recommend Craft for a special occasion, or just a fantastic dining experience. Everything really came together and was top notch. Tom Colicchio sure knows how to run a successful restaurant and keep people happy and coming back for more, despite the expensive cost of the meal. This really was worth it.
It's hard not to put yourself in the shoes of a Top Chef judge as each plate arrives at your table at Craft but that's part of the fun, right? Craft has a classy but not stuffy interior and I think the waitstaff personality can be described the same. While we spent a few minutes at the bar taking in the decor, the remainder of the evening would be focusing on devouring the food and fighting to find more space in our stomachs.
My girlfriend and I were seated at a large table near the front of the restaurant, we shared the same side of a cushy booth (in fact there were no seats on the other side of this table). This worked out pretty well for the family style plates. We ordered foie gras terrine, a mezzaluna pasta and porcini mushrooms (apps), braised short rib, diver scallops (main course), sugar snap peas, and gnocci (side dishes), roasted pineapple, and sabayon flavored ice cream (dessert). Dinner started with a fun amuse bouche of a shot of pea soup and dessert included delectable tiny banana creme pies.
The most notable part of the meal was the braised short rib. That warm, tender beef might have been in my top 5 mouthfuls of food; it just melted in my mouth. The gnocci was a great side, it was light, fluffy, and deliciously seasoned. The stuffed cherries that accompanied the foie gras terrine were also pretty amazing. I may never fully understand what Sabayon ice cream is, but it was delicious.
Critiques: I was excited about the scallops and they were big and cooked perfectly but I feel like this was the most basic dish we got; perhaps a little too simplified compared to the rest of the plates. The roasted pineapple we got for dessert was too sweet for our tastes but we picked that and an ice cream because we were feeling too full for some of the heavier desserts... I bet those donuts are something.
Ultimately, how can I not give 5 stars to a place that gives you blueberry muffins on the way out?
Walking in I was impressed by the decor and the ample spacing between tables.
We liked that they serve all the dishes family style and the server recommended that each person order a starter, main course, and side, so here's what we ordered:
Starters: Stinging Nettle Agnolotti, Arugula and Lemon Salad, and Mixed Lettuces Salad
Main Courses: Braised Halibut, Short Ribs, and Berkshire Rack of Pork
Sides: Fingerling Potatoes, Escarole, and Mushrooms
Desserts: Sugar and Spice Doughnuts and Sorbet Sampler
The portions were just right. We basically finished everything up without force-feeding, except the sorbets. ;)
The stand-outs were the melt in your mouth short ribs and both desserts. We enjoyed tasting all the flavors of the sorbets--my favorites were the coconut and the passion fruit.
My least favorite was the pork dish as I didn't care for the flavor and it was pretty dry.
The little chocolate chip muffin that the hostess gave us as we were leaving was a nice touch and made a great breakfast the next morning.
I went to Craft last weekend with my BF and it far exceeded my expectations. From the decor side of things the lighting was soft and flattering. I appreciated the spacing of the tables. They could have absolutely put another ten tables in and filled them and many "known" restaurants would do that. I think it speaks to the integrity of the management that they place a high priority each aspect of the dining experience. Babbo could learn a thing or two from them. But each was table felt like a small private area.
The food was spectacular.
We both had a variety of oysters which varied from briney to sweet but all very fresh and delicious.
Started with the sweetbreads - the outside is crispy and it was a nice large serving plenty for a table share.
I had the diver scallops and they tasted sweet and plump with a nice sear on them.
BF had the monkish and that was amazing as well. It made me question all the other times that I have had monkfish. Because it was so much better.
Ended the meal with the chocolate souffle which was way too rich and a little dry. But that is very possibly my bad - not a really good progression scallop to really rich souffle.
I will give them props for living the sauce on the table.
While not cheap I have paid far more for dinners and not felt nearly as satisfied. If I had to sum it up, it would be to say that while many restaurants are excellent. Not many make me want to come back the moment I leave the door. Craft did just that. Well done.
My husband and I dined here for our anniversary, and what I loved about this restaurant is that you can really feel Tom C.'s handprint on this place. It's unpretentious yet really good food.
The steak was great, but that is not what I am going to write about since I have eaten some of the best steak in the world and have come to the conclusion that it boils down to how good the actual meat quality is and how little the chef f**** it up by leaving it alone.
So let's talk gnocchi. My god, this is the best gnocchi you will ever taste. Melt-in-your-mouth gnocchi that I still dream of daily. My husband is a great cook, but whenever he makes gnocchi, I feel guilty because I feel like I'm having an affair by secretly lusting after Craft's gnocchi.
My only caveat is that when we sat down, I sat on the bench side and felt like a midget because it was so low and uncomfortable. Didn't someone try it out before giving the "ok" on those benches? Or maybe someone super tall tried it out.
Regardless, the food is simple yet sophisticated and just plain good.
Simply amazing! Celebrity chef or not, this place was remarkable.
Every bit of food we ate was incredible. The frisse salad with cubes of parmesan and crispy pancetta was perfectly salty and warm. I'm not a huge fan of frisse but it works so well in this salad. Then there's the flatiron steak, served with a red wine reduction and bone marrow. The steak melts in your mouth, and the sauce compliments it superbly. We had the whipped potatoes and a plate of mushrooms as sides and both were just as tasty as the entree. Everything is served family style, so my wife and I shared the steak and sides.
Our server was attentive, knowledgeable and friendly.
The wine list had a wide range of prices, making it easy to select a nice bottle that wouldn't break the bank.
You owe it to yourself to try Craft. Even if you tend to shy away from celebrity chefs, you will not be disappointed.
Italian rose, weak and forgettable, 3 stars
Mushroom and octopus appetizers 4 stars, creative effort
French Cabernet, excellent 5 stars
The staff....I'm quitting my job and hanging all day at the bar hot
I MET TOM COLLICHIO HERE~! That, in addition to my sweet potato pasta 1st course and the chocolate souffle dessert, were the highlights of my dining experience here!
I met, spoke to, and shook hands with Tom!! :)
Ok - now onto the food:
1st we had an amuse of a fried mussle with a citrus sauce - it was a very interesting salty and citrusy sweet combo - perfect.
For our 1st course we got the sweet potato pasta and the truffle ravioli. Ravioli was good but the sweet potato pasta beat it in regards to taste. This basically tasted like super fancy and deliciously fresh mac n' cheese. It was a very small portion, perfect for a 1st course.
For our main course I got the fish and forgive me but I forget the name of the fish - it was one I did not know - so it wasn't the salmon, striped bass, tuna, or halibut. - it was the other one. We also got the roasted chicken and the whipped potatoes.
To be honest, my fish was very simple - not really much spice and the sauce it came over was citrusy and tart - and I'm not a HUGE fan of those flavor combos. I wasn't too excited about the fish.
The chicken looked very nice, and even though I'm vegetarian I tried a bite - but again the flavors were just very very simple and I think that's what they go for here - really good fresh food served quite simply.
The whipped potatoes were whipped to the consistency of a puree which was interesting - they were very good, but I like my potatoes a little chunky and lumpy and with gravy ..that's just me.
For dessert - we got 3 - there were 2 of us..but hey it's Tom Collichio's restaurant - you gotta try everything! We got the chocolate souffle, the brown sugar pound cake with macadamia nuts and (i think) macadamian flavored ice cream(?) , and the key lime tart.
Again, citrus doesn't do it for me so I only had a bit of the tart - it was fine, my dining mate ate it all so it must have been good. The brown sugar pound cake concoction was really creative and soft and delicious. When you think pound cake, you think heavy brick of cake - and this was soft fresh and had very interesting tastes with the nuts, pineapple, and sauce.
The chocolate souffle was baked to perfection and was soooo good. You cut into it with your spoon and in the center is soft melted chocolate - by far my favorite, but I'm also biased towards anything chocolate.
Our bill totaled about 85 bucks a person and there were 2 of us - but I guess for Craft that's pretty normal. As we left, the hostess gave us each a chocolate chip muffin to go.
All in all, it was a great experience - but the main course just didn't do it for me, so I have to give minus 1 star. I probably won't go here again only b/c I think once is enough for me - American cuisine is not really my favorite and I need more bold flavors in my food.
Certainly one of the more consistent meals I've had in New York. Their wine list is excellent and their meat and fish dishes are all excellently prepared. Not one of the cheapest meals (we each spent $250) for the meal including wine and drinks, but from their steak tar tar appetizer to the dessert, our mouths were thoroughly pleased. I'm making this a stop every time I head to NYC.
I went here for my 25th birthday and surprisingly for a restaurant made popular by the show TOP CHEF, this place was excellent! I was pleasantly surprised considering how I detest Tom Colicchio and his ridiculous and overly pretentious comments (I love you Padma.)
For our appetizer we had pan seared foie gras (the entire 4 ounce) with an apricot glaze that was simmered in the pan that seared the liver. SO YUMMY, but its hard to mess up something that is so good in the first place. My Bf ordered the hamachi sashimi style, that was oddly seasoned with crushed pepper and I believe...paprika? Maybe it was to mask the fishiness of the hamachi, but to top off the seasoning were bits of pineapple? My Bf seemed to enjoy it, but I think its WRONG to take away from the natural taste of the fish. Either way, one "interesting" appetizer did not take away from the the entrees to come.
The server explained to us that the entrees would be served family style. Don't think this means Olive garden style, this place is not the hood. It was decently portioned for an upscale restaurant. We were pretty stuffed after our meal.
We had ordered the braised short rib, diver scallops and a side of pork risotto for our entree. The diver scallops were TO DIE FOR. I am not a big fan of scallops in general, but these made me a believer. COMPLETELY DELICIOUS! And its hard to get braised short ribs wrong. The pork risotto was just butter in my mouth. They had bits of pork grind on top that added great texture and some sort of bacon flavor that built character and added dimension to the dish.
Overall, great place for a great birthday!
I was too stuffed for dessert, but interestingly enough we were presented with little chocolate chip muffins as a parting gift. Very cute. My bf and I both think its left overs from Wichcraft.
Simple, savory, delightful creations! All in a casual atmosphere that doesn't exude any pretentiousness.
I came here with a small group and was seated in the front part of the dining room close to the door. All the food was prepared well. My only complaint is that all the dishes seemed a bit too salty for my taste. The food was prepared very simply, not pretending to be something it's not. The cod fish was one of the best tasting and textured cod I've ever had! It was cooked beautifully. Desserts were delicious as well, but the best part of it was the different flavored ice cream!
Craft is at the top of its, well, craft! Ha!
A friend from CA was visiting just for the night and, as a huge Top Chef/Colicchio fan, she chose Craft for her one NYC dinner. Which was perfect, since we're also fans and have been meaning to go. And Tom, you definitely didn't disappoint!
I made a rez on Open Table, and though we arrived a few minutes early we had to wait about 15-20. No big deal, though, as we enjoyed some riesling at the bar and watched other people watching us. The bartender and hostesses were refreshingly unsnooty and friendly.
Our waiter was attentive and gave solid, honest menu recs -- which was particularly helpful since the menu is fairly extensive but short on detail. It could be that the preparation differs from night to night, but some description beyond just "diver sea scallops" would help. Again, this was a small issue, as our waiter supplied the requisite info upon request. And his recs were spot-on.
I had the halibut marinated in almond milk -- AMAZING. Truly. I grew up with fish as a dietary staple and have (I think?) high standards, plus I'm Indian and like a lot of flavor AND have fond memories of almond and pistachio milk as childhood treats. This fish was delish -- unique and flavorful and wonderful from the first bite to the last. My friend had the monkfish, which was wrapped in pancetta and was also very, very good. The hubs had the sweetbreads, of which (having been raised a Hindu and thus slightly concerned about being reincarnated as a gnat) I had only a tiny bite. I think it was good, though mentally I couldn't get past the whole eating-brains concept; he loved 'em, though, bloodthirsty barbarian that he is.
For sides we shared hen (hens?) of the woods mushrooms, gnocchi, and fava beans. All were really incredible, simply prepared but simply delicious. I esp. loved the hen (hens?) of the woods, which were a first for me (also rec'd by the waiter). The hubs also had one of specialty cocktails and deemed it a success. Oh, and there was a yummy and summery amuse-bouche of an asparagus soup-in-a-shot-glass (and a complimentary chocolate-muffiny desserty thing at the end).
And then the desserts. I had the brioche pain perdu, which was FABULOUS. My co-diners had the Boston creme donuts and the chocolate souffle, which were also really wonderful. MINE was the best, though -- in fact, my whole meal was the best ;D
All in all, a really memorable meal. Portion sizes were just right, though we were stuffed silly. Loved the to-go muffins, too. It's pricey, yes -- but compared to other top-notch places I've been to in this city, it's not so outrageous and better-earned than some of the others, IMHO. It was the perfect place to bring my friend, and we'll definitely be back...mmm, maybe tonight!
Maybe my expectations were too high given given the celebrity chef status of Tom Colicchio, but there is no excuse for poor service.
My friend used to self-proclaim that she had never met a foie gras she didn't love.
Used to.
This place cooks the best mushrooms in the world. The steaks are amazing as well and oh the foie gras....
One of my favorite places to eat.. DO TRY THE mushrooms! I crave those...
The decor is great.. I love the walls
5pm-7pm Monday - Friday
Neighborhood: Financial District
Free Pizza for Yelpers!
Neighborhood: Battery Park
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Meatpacking District
Category: Steakhouses
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Category: American (New)
when i'm missing NYC, i'm usually just pining over…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Mesa Grill, Lupa, L'Impero, Bar Americain, Peter…
I'm working on this list! This is my personal list…
If I had to pick my last meal, it would be from…
typical nyc fancy date places. some with…
This list is one in progress. While I'd love to…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
