Paul coaxed me outdoors on a rainy night with the promise of a delicious dinner (and his company). I met up with him on 5th Avenue and he led me over to Craft. And yes, I was pleasantly surprised by his choice!
According to their site, Tom Colicchio created Craft to mimic a dining experience at home. As soon as we walked in, I felt a mixture of elegance and warmth from the decor; we were greeted with dim lighting, high ceilings, and wooden furniture with woven accents which all felt very homey. The hosts seated us in a cozy corner table by the window.
Since it was our first time at the restaurant, we asked our server for recommendations. I always expect the staff to know what dishes would be delicious enough to entice us to come back for more. From their menu we decided on:
First Course:
Octopus – Braised – harissa, potato & six-minute egg
Main Courses:
Scallops
Beef Short Rib – Braised
Side Dishes:
Gnocchi
Brussel Sprouts – Roasted
Dessert:
Frozen Vanilla Mouse – honeycrisp apple, oats & pomegranate sorbet
Verdict
I was really impressed by our dinner at Craft. Before the dishes came out, they brought out a selection of warm bread with soft butter and a crudo apiece. Paul never tried octopus at a restaurant before and I hoped their appetizer would do it justice. It far surpassed my expectations – the octopus was flavorful and soft and came with a delicious sauce. The scallops were tender in a light butter. The braised beef fell off the bone and the sides were able to stand out on their own. We enjoyed the brussel sprouts but the gnocchi was amazing (listen to your waiter when he says to try it before it cools).
To end the night, we chose the vanilla mousse with the pomegranate sorbet and it provided such a satisfying contrast in taste and texture to our dinner. They even brought out small bites of a pumpkin muffin. And after dinner’s impeccable service, they were still spoiling us on the way out; we got chocolate chip muffins which I did not expect at all.
Although the dishes were not very exciting, they were tasty and prepared well. Craft delivers on its vision of simply prepared dishes made of fine, seasonal ingredients. I recommend trying them out at least once!
As for me, I’m a bit sad that I won’t get to try Colicchio and Sons but I have Fowler and Wells, a new Colicchio venture, on my list.