New York - March 10, 2001

Gramercy Tavern, Take Two

Craft Restaurant Opens

Can’t get a seat at Gramercy Tavern?

Head one block south — because today Tom Colicchio, owner of Gramercy, opens Craft.

The staff is not too shabby. Tom has snagged the former sous chef from Gramercy Tavern, a wine director who worked with Daniel Boulud, and a pastry chef who learned her sabayon from her days at Chanterelle and Della Femina.

What’s for dinner? We’ll be focusing on purity, Colicchio says. After the wildly creative time with eight or nine ingredients on one plate, I think we’re ready for food that is straightforward. The menu gets down to seriously granular detail. Dishes are divided into categories: meat (foie gras or roasted Porterhouse?), fish (Nantucket scallops or diver?), vegetables (know a cremini from a sauteed yellowfoot?), and condiments (garlic aioli or marinated olives for you today, sir?). Most are served on shared platters, so beware of hoarders.

As for the purity schtick, we’ll buy that for a hot second. Another Maker’s Mark (neat, please), and would someone pass the butter?

  Celebrity Chef, Foodies