NYC Restaurant Week – Day 4

Craft, as its name suggests, features artisanal and seasonal American food, elegantly prepared and presented. Craft is located about halfway between Union Square and Madison Square Park in Gramercy Park. The space is sleek and modern, with block tables and chairs, few decorations, and simple place settings. Yet, the restaurant still feels comfortable rather than sterile–perhaps it’s the large windows, the greenery, and the myriad hanging lights that add just a touch of whimsy.

Craft describes itself as presenting seasonal, family-style dishes so that patrons can choose what they would like to eat from the middle of the table. You can get a sense for the experience at Craft by looking at the menu–it is organized by different food groups so that guests are able to choose one or two of several different fish, meats, vegetables, mushrooms, and potatoes and grains. We, however, went to Craft during restaurant week, so we were able to have a somewhat different experience, getting to have a three-course meal. We began with different salads, one a tasty arugula salad with lemon, the other an heirloom tomato salad with blackberries and ricotta.

Our second course featured roasted poussin with spätzle and Craft’s burger with brioche, gouda, and caramelized onion. Both were delicious. We ended our meal with the lemon verbena chiffon cake with blueberries, which was perhaps the highlight of our meal.

Our experience at Craft was excellent. The service was superb, and the food delicious. We would certainly return and recommend it to anyone who enjoys fine dining. If the prices are a bit steep, check it out during restaurant week.