900 Broadway (at 20th Street)
New York, NY 10003
212.461.4300
www.craftrestaurant.com/craftbar.php
Dad’s birthday 2010.
Since my dad is hard to shop for, and since he likes all things celebrity chef, birthdays and Fathers’ Days have become opportunities for our family to treat him to New York’s culinary finest. We had taken him to Daniel and Perilla, among other places. Since we’ve all watched Top Chef together since day one, it was time to see what The Great Judge, Tom Colicchio, was all about. Dad was convinced that Colicchio, who is notoriously tough on the reality show chef-testants, simply had to have major A-game if he was going to be so credibly critical. We chose Craftbar, the least fussy and most casual of Colicchio’s restaurants.
Our first introduction to Craftbar was the extensive (and fabulous!) bar menu. There were at least five cocktails I would have tried and a wide selection of beers (lovingly delineated under subheadings: “crisper,” “fruitier/spicier,” “hoppier,” “darker,” and “sharing beers”). The bar menu listed 14 vodkas, 13 gins, 7 tequilas, 8 mezcals (not including a mezcal flight), 15 Kentucky straight bourbons, 12 scotches separated out into Speyside, Highland, Islay, Lowland, and blended varieties. The drinks were serious business, like meals unto themselves. My sister ordered a “rosemary lavender” (picture below) with rosemary Damrak gin, lavender, and lemon. My brother had the “winter warmer”: vanilla Maker’s Mark, root syrup, Averna, and Left Hand Milk stout.
The big hit of the day was the chorizo-stuffed sage leaves served with saffron aioli. Although this picture doesn’t do much to make it look appetizing, the flavors were bold and balanced.
We also tried the brioche cinnamon buns, which were fine but not served hot (and nothing to write home about).
My dad and sister, the formaggio-philes in the family, went crazy over the pecorino risotto balls in a spicy tomato sauce.
Another favorite “snack” was the polenta fritters topped with jalapeno and golden raisins. Great balance of textures as well as sweet and spicy flavors.
My husband Rich had the duck prosciutto bruschetta over duck egg with peppery-bitter Japanese mizuna greens and orange puree. We loved the duck-as-prosciutto and the incorporation of a less common green.
The Berkshire ham and cheddar scones scored another major hit.
We enjoyed Craftbar immensely. Tom Colicchio did, indeed, bring his A-game, and -in my mind- is certainly justified in any Top Chef butt-kicking he dishes out. In truth, I enjoyed Craftbar more than Colicchio & Sons. It’s the less formal of the two, but it packs a serious punch. I don’t say this often, but I would absolutely, positively go back.