…. Tom Colicchio!
Whose restaurant Craftbar was hands down my favorite dining experience – no contest!
Some of you may also know Mr. Colicchio as the head judge
of the tasty Bravo series, Top Chef.
A little backstory here…
Every 6 months I am a patron of New York’s Restaurant Week. It’s twice a year, usually around July and January. I use it as an opportunity to try restaurants I have never been to, and or establishments I have heard about and am curious about the “buzz.” It’s a fun way to experience pricey restaurants and see if I like them without spending a fortune. I try to go to 3 or 4 different places each time. It’s also a great way to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, or simply get together with my pals.
For those of you not familiar with Restaurant Week, it’s essentially a three course prix-fixe lunch for $24.07, (not including tip or alcohol,) at some of the finest restaurants in the city. Some restaurants do supper as well which is also three courses for $35.00. It’s very popular event and many New Yorkers take advantage of it.
Many restauranteurs bitch about it. They lose money while being “asked” to create their usual quality. I think those folks are missing the point. More on that in the next post…
I made a reservation to eat at Craftbar last Thursday. I’m a fairly new viewer of Top Chef and a big fan of Mr. Colicchio. I like the way he thinks! I definitely wanted to try one of his restaurants. Craftbar was an attractive place, with lots of wood and open space yet somehow intimate at the same time. We were seated right away and the staff was polite and well spoken. We received our menu and were immediately bowled over. Most places that participate in Restaurant Week have a very limited prix-fixe menu, usually 3 choices at most in each category, (appetizer, entree, and dessert.) Craftbar had at least 8 choices in the first two categories, and 5 choices in the dessert. And when I looked at their “regular” menu later online, many of those same items were on the Restaurant Week menu. The staff was knowledgeable and offered helpful suggestions. The appetizer arrived, (Pecorino-Stuffed Risotto Balls,) and was absolutely delicious! As were our respective entrees, (Scottish Salmon with Shitake Mushrooms for me and Hanger Steak with Potato Puree and Carmelized Onions for my friend.) And the desserts? I just had a bite, (Brown Sugar Cake with Roasted Pear and Cinnamon Ice Cream, and Crispy Chocolate Cake with Pistachio Ice Cream,) but they were outstanding. I can’t remember the last time I had such a delicious meal! The food was perfectly prepared and extremely satisfying, while not too heavy for summer. And when we left, they gave us typed letters offering us a 10% discount the next time we dined there. Very nice.
The whole experience was absolutely spot on! I have to say it was one of the best experiences I have ever had during Restaurant Week. It was both a treat and a pleasure. And the most important part of all? I told everyone I know what a wonderful meal I had, and highly recommended Craftbar as a fabulous place to eat. I know at least 5 people who are on their way there soon!
I’m going back in a few weeks myself. And I will be paying full price.
THAT my friends, is how you do Restaurant Week.
Well done Mr. Colicchio. And thank you.
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Be sure and check back for my next post, which will discuss a well known restaurant where I had one of the worst dining experiences of my life. In fact, I even gave them a second chance the following year and they pulled the exact same crap again! That restaurant was a textbook example on how NOT to treat a customer. And I can guarantee I will never go back to their overpriced, pretentious, limited restaurant again.
Stay tuned.
I have watched “Top Chef” from the very first episode. One of these days I’ll give Colicchio’s restaurant in SF, ‘wichcraft, a try. Glad to hear that you had a great meal but where’s the food porn?
Oh, and apparently Puerto Vallarta also has a Restaurant Week according to my mom.
I had coffee and half a Rice Krispies Treat for lunch. In case you were wondering where all that drool was coming from.
ooooh I can’t wait to read the BAD review!! That Restaurant week sounds like a fabulous idea, and Craftbar sounds like a great restaurant… I wonder when they’ll be opening one in Ottawa….
Isn’t that the point of a promotion like that? Hook them on the restaurant and they keep coming back and paying full price. Cheaper than advertising on the networks or billboards, I bet. Word of mouth is the best advertising there is.
That’s a totally cool concept. If I lived in NYC, I’d probably take advantage of it.
My mouth is watering! That food you described sounds scrumptious, and the desserts…. I think I gained all my weight back just picturing them
They are getting good recommendations out of the deal, so it’s worth it to let you eat there for a reduced price. All of the following customers will be full price, and will visit again and again, so it’s well worth it for them. Word of mouth advertising is the most effective.
I wish we had a Restaurant Week here. It sounds like a fabulous way to try new restaurants for a reasonable price. Your meal sounded delicious so I checked out the menu… actually I didn’t find it too pricey but the menu items sound wonderful.
Love “Top Chef”… I think only a couple more shows this season. I’ll be watching it tonight as a matter of fact!
I love Top Chef, only second to Hell’s Kitchen, having been in the biz and had a Chef once just like Gordon Ramsey!
It’s nice to hear that the judge on Top Chef actually has a Top Notch restaurant.
Now if he would just kick Padma to the curb. I dunno, she annoys me and believe it or not, she annoys my husband! So I figure she’s GOT to be REALLY annoying, if a man can’t put up with a pretty face and hot bod.
Those Pecorino-Stuffed Risotto Balls sound amazing. Glad you had a fantastic time, and am curious to hear about this other well known place that you’ve had two bad experiences at. It always drives me crazy when I go out to a well known place and don’t have a top notch time. =+)
I just ate dinner a little while ago… and I’m hungry again! LOL
Gee, with a mug shot like that, does he also taste well?
You are so lucky to live in the Big (Carmelized) Apple.
Lisa: Reading this I kept thinking about how cool it would be if 5-8 of us could join you! Will be waiting for the report on the bad restaurant. Thanks again for your comment at my place. It made a hard couple of days easier.
I love the show. He always seems to know just what to say. Glad to know that it is more than just TV bs.
Sounds like a great time. I wonder if Vegas does anything like this? Some of the best restaurants on the planet are here these days.
we have something similar in Vancouver, though it is for dinner,
a great deal and a great way to try some of the higher end spots
looking forward to the next post …
But is their apple pie any good?
Okay, next restaurant week, you and I are going there. I adore Tom Colicchio on Top Chef.
You had me at salmon!
He reminds me of Mr. Clean LOL But the food sounds tasty! Hey, why didn’t we go there when I was in town????? Hmmmm!!
OMG!!! “Scottish Salmon with Shitake Mushrooms” … my kind of fare!
Bad review coming??? Can’t wait!
Cool! Restaurant week. Sad I’m missing it, but I never seem to be able to snag a reservation anyway. I wanna see the bad review. Get mean! So many of these NY snooty places deserve it!
Well, Tom Collichio’s one of my favorites on ‘Top Chef’ – and I wish any restaurant venture of his the absolute best.
But I have to agree with the *other* Annie about ‘Hell’s Kitchen” – and the deliciously cranky Chef Gordon Ramsey.
How I wish I could eat a meal prepared by THAT man’s hands
craftbar is great! a buddy of mine used to be a chef there. craftsteak is pretty damn good too!
Great recommendation, thanks, Lisa! I’ll definitely check out the craftbar.
for a minute, i thought it said hagrid steak, and it was, “whoa, so, that’s where literary figures go to die”
Sounds like quite the meal. And the Restaurant Week idea sounds like quite an opportunity to sample some new eateries.
While in Texas, I always attended the annual Taste of Abilene, which offered samplings from every restaurant in town. Marvelous!
Good to hear he’s a judge for good reason.
$24 for lunch, and they are losing money? No wonder folks consider NYC a different planet!
[...] I? Oh right, I was telling you about the best and the worst of Restaurant Week. I told you about the restaurant who did everything just right, then mentioned I would tell you about the one who did everything horribly [...]