what is new american food, you may ask? well, allow me to explain! we all know and love comfort foods that we have grown up with: mac and cheese, meat loaf with a side of mashed potatoes, chicken and dumplings with peas. the flavors we all recognize and makes us feel at home. well new american, essentially takes the concept of these types of foods and reinvents them constantly. new american is also reliant upon the "farm to table" idea, which means that all fresh ingredients are locally farmed and then used to prepare the meal you see in front of you. that way, everything is ripened and ready to eat pretty much all in one day! finally, new american takes the classical techniques of french and italian cooking, combined with new techniques that are ever emerging to make your farm fresh comfort foods taste like something you never have before, and yet you have. it is a paradox for the culinary world, and i love it.
so, now that you have a brief idea of what new american food, let me explain why i share this with you, readers. i have written about some great places in the past such as blue hill and craft. these are new american restaurants, with the great chefs of dan barber and tom colicchio. but it all began at gramercy tavern. in fact! tom and danny meyers began the beloved tavern as a way to introduce new american food to new yorkers. it was their brain child, and it has succeeded immensely since it's inception. since then, colicchio has moved on to his "craft" enterprise and has done well for himself. the food he presents has his own flair to it, with a precision of flavors that only a discerning palate can produce. so bravo to him. but gramercy, i must say, has that comfort level that makes one feel at home, and meyers has maintained that beautifully at his restaurant. as i ate my food there, i looked over at my husband and said, "i feel so special here because the food is so wonderful, but there is something about it, too, that makes me feel that i belong here." that is what is important to me about a place that will keep me coming back for more!
ok, enough with my soliloquy on food. let me tell you about what i ate!
patrick and i opted for the three course menu this time around instead of the tasting menu. our waiter, steven was so wonderful (ask for him and tell them bigapplebeth sent you), and also added to the homey atmosphere of the tavern. he welcomed us with a complimentary glass of sparkling white wine, as we were celebrating our anniversary. it was lovely.
it did not take me long to peruse the menu, because i already knew what i wanted! i had been studying the menu online for days, and i was ready to make my decision. so, i ended up with a soft-shell crab as my first course. it was so buttery and full of flavor. it was complimented with fingering potatoes cooked and seasoned to perfection. i was in heaven already.
the main course was a filet of halibut (my favorite fish) doused in a green garlic broth that contained fresh snap peas and leeks. the fish was so tender that i practically melted in my mouth. by far, this is the best piece of halibut i have ever consumed. ever. the broth added to the flavor of the fish, and the fresh peas were sweet and crisp. there was nothing wrong about this dish, only that i wanted more!
for dessert, i had the mango cheesecake. gramercy's cheesecake is actually what lured me to them. a couple of years ago, i went to the food and wine festival's sweets event where i sampled some of the most tempting desserts this city has to offer. but one stood out it my mind: gramercy tavern's pumpkin cheesecake with a lime infused whipped cream topped by a candied cranberry. yes, i have never forgotten it. so i just had to have the mango cheesecake to see if it was comparable to the pumpkin one...and it was. their cheesecake is very creamy and not too sweet. the mango takes care of the sweetness and balances out the tartness of the velvety dessert. it was paired with a fruity mango mint sorbet. it was the perfect ending. patrick and i had received a "happy anniversary" chocolate message on each of our plates, and then we were given a strawberry tart with almond ice cream as another anniversary gift from the restaurant. that dessert was also amazing!
patrick's meal was very different from mine. he had for his three courses: spinach salad with an orange vinaigrette, pork tenderloin with fresh peas, and chocolate bread pudding with cacao nib ice cream. his food also tasted yummy.
so, please check out this restaurant if you are celebrating a special event or just because. they also offer a less expensive tavern menu rather than the main dining menu, which is what we had. also, if you want to experience the tasting menu there, steven the waiter said to come at lunch. it is a better value for your money, but you still get to eat the quality food you should expect.
this is beth signing off.
mission: foodie worthy.
