In the Dining Room, we ordered the seasonal tasting menu, which was five courses made from all the freshest, in season produce from the local area. The food served were elegant dishes with some rustic influences. The first course was Marinated Scallops with Radish, Lime and Basil Seeds. The scallops were in a vinegary broth dotted with a chili oil. The scallops were raw and so fresh that it had none of that overpowering fishy flavor and they were so tender. This course did not stand out because it was overly acidic and was not particularly interesting. However, the next course, Spinach Cappeletti with Celery Root and Kale, was my favorite. It was lusciously creamy and every time you bit into a Cappelletti it would explode with the delicious combination of cream and the pungent greens.
This seasonal tasting menu showcases the restaurant’s relationships with local farms and purveyors giving them the ability to cook with such great ingredients. It was also so perfectly crafted that it effortlessly transitioned from one course to another, from starter to entrees to dessert. The menu was perfect for the spring because it was so light and a perfect amount of food to keep you interested all the way through. It was a gastronomic adventure, where I could experience the flavors of the season and where I'm from. I think that it is something special that in a city I am able to taste the ingredients that are grown a few miles away and that were picked hours before they were on my plate. In a culture where produce is constantly eaten out of season and imported from countries thousands of miles a way, it is important that we learn from a menu like this where it is made solely of ingredients that are local and grown when they are supposed to be. Something as simple as these five dishes gave me foods made of produce from where I live, that are deliciously in season, and prepared beautifully in The Gramercy Tavern.
Last month I had a meal at the The Tavern of Gramercy Tavern and I loved it so much that I went back again with my family to the The Dining Room. The Tavern has a more casual and young feeling. It is more popular than the Main Dining Room, so without a reservation you might have to wait for an hour. In the Dining Room the food is also more complex with aspects of molecular gastronomy and the food in the Tavern is more bistro styled. The Tavern includes the bar and has lots of natural light that makes the atmosphere lively with some help from the vibrant floral arrangements created by Roberta Bendavid daily. On the other hand, The Dining Room is dimly lit with dark-stained wood beams, giving it a more formal feeling and adds a dramatic, formalness to the room.
The Smoked Arctic Char with Rhubarb, Bacon and Lettuce had the smokey flavor of smoked salmon, which was not remarkable within itself, but with the bacon foam and the sauce of reduced lettuce puree, it gave it such a intense and complex flavor that kept you interested every bite. The lettuce, with its fresh, clean flavor, juxtaposed by the smoke that was prevalent flavor in that dish, made it a harmonious composition.
Duck Breast and Smoked Thigh with Asparagus, Leeks and Mushrooms continued the theme of smoke. The succulently red duck was astoundingly perfect, with just a little chew and a hit of smoke. The meaty mushrooms were balanced with the bite of the sweet asparagus and leeks.
The Smoked Arctic Char with Rhubarb, Bacon and Lettuce had the smokey flavor of smoked salmon, which was not remarkable within itself, but with the bacon foam and the sauce of reduced lettuce puree, it gave it such a intense and complex flavor that kept you interested every bite. The lettuce, with its fresh, clean flavor, juxtaposed by the smoke that was prevalent flavor in that dish, made it a harmonious composition.
Between the fourth and last course was a rhubarb ice. It was the perfect transition between the warm, savory duck and the creamy dessert to come. The ice was with a rhubarb syrup that is beautifully tart and slightly sweet. This combination cleanses your palate perfectly, getting you ready for dessert. Now finally, we had the heavenly Orange Vanilla Rice Pudding, White Chocolate Krispies and Basil. It was AMAZING! The rice pudding was decadently rich with specks of vanilla. That was balanced by the bright and slightly bitter grapefruit sorbet and the soothing sweetness of the fresh grapefruit segments. The caramel was so well balanced with the chewy top and the crunchy bottom and the sweetness of the caramel with the slow melting of the grains of salt.