Gramercy Tavern is the American culinary landmark from Danny Meyer and has been a top NYC restaurant since it opened in 1994.

It’s the place to celebrate life’s biggest moments – from a big job promotion to an anniversary to birthdays.

Poached and braised comfort-style foods take center stage amongst the twiggy flower arrangements and farmhouse murals. The restaurant offers a great tavern menu for a quick and lighter experience.

Gramercy’s world famous wine list is perfect for wine lovers.

For a consistently premier experience, I highly recommend Gramercy Tavern.  It never disappoints!

Please feel free to browse throught our complete list of hot NYC restaurants HERE!

If you’re looking for a beautiful meal in a beautiful setting then Eleven Madison Park is your spot.  Located in a former bank in the MetLife building,  Daniel Humm’s restaurant serves up delicious French cuisine.

The dining room offers soaring ceilings and modern art deco flair.  You can look out onto Madison Square Park as you dine or sip cocktails on the black leather furniture.

You may even spot Chef Humm, who occasionally rounds the room to greet diners. The amuse bouches are delicious and his seafood is divine.  Try the Arctic Char, which has been Sautéed with Bouillabaisse Sauce and comes with Cannelini Beans and Chorizo or dig into the Wild Atlantic Skate seared with Cauliflower, Lemon and Capers.

There’s no a la carte ordering so you must choose from the regular seasonal prix-fixe menu ($76-$88) or the more expensive cuisine-based tasting menus.

There are 36 wines available to accompany your meal as well as carefully crafted cocktails like the Campari and orange, Mandarina. Top it all off with Bing Cherry & Pistachio Mille-Feuille
with Amarena Cherry and Mascarpone Ice Cream for dessert.

11 Madison Avenue,
212-889-0905

Bon Appetite,

Tom Taraci

For more restaurants, try:

JEAN-GEORGE: WORLD RENOWNED CUISINE & LEGENDARY STATUS 

A NEW YORK ICON: LE CIRQUE 

THE ULTIMATE STEAKHOUSE: PETER LUGER 

BALTHAZAR: AUTHENTIC FRENCH CUISINE IN NEW YORK CITY 

This charming French restaurant gets both name and inspiration from the legendary actress Josephine Baker whose most well known song was, “J’ai Deux Amors: Two Loves Have I, My Country and Paris.” 

Located in Hell’s Kitchen on 42nd street, Chez Josephine was established in 1986 and has become a mainstay.  Owner Jean Claude Baker keeps the kitchen open till 1am, so it’s a wonderful choice for dinner before seeing a nearby Broadway show or catching a bite after the performance.

Stepping through the doors you’ll think you have traveled back to 1930′s France.  Recently renovated, the interior features a blue tin ceiling, rich red velvet walls hung with vintage posters of Josephine Baker.  There are also plenty of chandeliers to provide romantic ambiance.  There is live music during dinner and brunch.

The menu is true French bistro.  Start off with Duck Confit, followed by a rich and delectable Lobster Bisque.  As for main meals, there is really no poor choices.  The Black Tiger Shrimp with English pea and mint risotto will satisfy those with a taste for seafood, while meat lovers mouths will water over the Rosemary Hanger Steak, which comes with house made yellow pepper ketchup.

The Sunday brunch is also a treat.  Their French Toast is made from thick cut brioche and is topped with berries. Needless to say, the Maine lobster stuffed eggs are divine.  For dessert le Delice Josephine is chocolate heaven.

414 W. 42nd St. (Near 9th)
212-594-1925

Bon Appetite,

Tom Taraci

For more restaurants, try:

JEAN-GEORGE: WORLD RENOWNED CUISINE & LEGENDARY STATUS 

A NEW YORK ICON: LE CIRQUE 

THE ULTIMATE STEAKHOUSE: PETER LUGER 

BALTHAZAR: AUTHENTIC FRENCH CUISINE IN NEW YORK CITY 
 

Jean George’s has been credited with revolutionizing New York cuisine and his cookbooks have become a bible for young chefs. This restaurant is a must for anyone with a discerning palette and a taste for the best things in life.

Jean Georges Vongerichten is well-known as one of the world’s best chefs and is himself a living legend. He has been profiled in almost every major magazine, was awarded Best Chef by Esquire and was included on Forbes Celebrity 100 list. He has also won several James Beard awards and has appeared on countless radio and television shows from Food Network favorites to Good Morning America.

His fame has been duly earned and the cuisine at Jean George proves his mastery.  I recommend the tasting menu ($148) which includes his signature dishes. You can also choose three items ($98) from a list of unique delights such as Egg Caviar, Santa Barbara Sea Urchin with Black Bread Jalepeno and Yuzu, and slowly cooked Niman Ranch Beef Tenderloin with Miso butter and roasted brussel sprouts.

While the food itself is purely enough reason to go, the crowd watching is also excellent. Keep your eyes peeled for celebrities in this consistently posh hot spot.

Call early for a reservation. Those of you trying to get in last minute-check out the Mistral Terrace, which is part of the restaurant and does not take reservations. 

1 Central Park West, New York at 60th St. 
212-299-3900

Best,

Tom Taraci

P.S. For information on my new Taraci Collection, featuring my quintessential list of NYC restaurants and a variety of the worlds’ most recognized luxury brands, please click here and have a great day.

Le Cirque is an icon in the NY culinary world known for its gourmet French food and upscale atmosphere. Established by Sirio Maccioni, he has described the restaurant as a “place where the worlds of food, fashion, art and culture converge.”

He is exactly right.

Currently in its third location, the 16,000 square feet of space is designed by Adam Tihany and the architect is Costas Kondylis. There is a main floor with high ceilings that seats 95 and features a “big top” light shade that carries forward the circus theme.

There is also a separate bar area, where you can always find an attractive upscale crowd milling around the glass structure which appears and “disappears,” like magic. Above this area is an event mezzanine to hold private parties.

The menu is full of wonderful options. The Lamb comes with a gremolata crust, percorino ravioli and mint jus. It is fantastic. I also recommend the Paupiette of Black Sea Bass, which comes served wrapped in crispy potatoes on a bed of braised leeks.

Another option is the degustation menu which costs $145 for the whole table ($195 with a wine pairing). Their deserts are so tantalizing, they can only be called heaven on a plate.

For those on a budget, you may want to try the $28 prix-fix meal. There is also the option of the cafe, which serves an abundance of wine and some lighter fare like Shrimp Tempura with spicy mayonnaise and Mini Cheeseburgers with pommes frites.

Le Cirque has another location at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

One Beacon Court
151 E 58th Street
212-644-0202
http://lecirque.com

Enjoy,

Tom Taraci

P.S. For information on my new Taraci Collection, featuring my quintessential list of NYC restaurants and a variety of the worlds’ most recognized luxury brands, please click here and have a great day.

Peter Luger Steak House is an institution. Established in 1887, it has over 120 years of excellence and is a family owned and operated business. When you searching for the perfect steak, there is no other option.

While the restaurant itself looks somewhat like a sports bar and is nothing spectacular, the food certainly makes up for lack of ambiance.

The menu offers up a number of standard favorites including lamb chops, salmon and burgers, but you’d be crazy not to have one of their perfectly aged marbleized porterhouse. Tender on the inside and dripping in butter, it’s pure, juicy heaven that melts in your mouth.

One of the keys to their success is the precise selection of meat. One of the members of the family visits one of the wholesale markets each day and picks out specific pieces of meat each day. They use the short loin and everything is from PRIME grade cattle.

As far as sides go, I recommend Luger’s Special German Fried Potatoes or their creamed spinach which feeds two. Kids will love their special “Holy Cow” Hot Fudge Sundae.

Also important-remember to bring cash-they don’t accept credit cards.

Enjoy,

Tom Taraci

P.S. For information on my new Taraci Collection, featuring my quintessential list of NYC restaurants and a variety of the worlds’ most recognized luxury brands, please click here and have a great day.

If there was ever a classic brasserie, on either side of the Atlantic, Balthazar is it. New York Magazine has called it a “masterpiece, an evocation of a Paris brasserie that out glows anything within brie-tossing distance of the Seine.”

Balthazar is part of a family of excellence. It was opened in 1997 by Keith McNally, who also owns Pastis, Moriandi, Schiller’s Liquor Bar and is working on transforming village landmark Minetta Tavern into a French bistro.

Located in Soho, Balthazar is a great place to go pre or post-shopping. It can get very busy, so if you are the type who doesn’t like a crowd, you may want to check out the late-afternoon lunch.

The inside of the restaurant is very large and packed with tables to accommodate the crowds. Vases containing flower arrangements brighten the room and add a bit of oohh la la, along with red leather banquettes and large mirrors.

The whole atmosphere is so authentic you may forget that you are in New York for a moment and not in an aged brasserie near Sacre Coeur.

The kitchen is run by co-chefs Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr who worked together at Daniel. The menu offers up all the bistro standards and the steak frites and chicken paillard are delicious.

The more adventurous may want to sample the escargots, grilled squid or the chicken liver and foie gras mousse. If you like what you get (you will) then check out their cookbook, which has some of their more popular recipes.

Weekend brunches also draw a big crowd (alcohol is only served after noon on Sundays), as does the bakery which offers everything from pain au raisin to turkey sandwiches.

Or if you’re hungry late night, the restaurant serves a condensed version of its menu from 12.00am-1:30am Fri-Sat and 11pm-12:30am Sun.

80 Spring St
New York, NY 10012
(212) 966-7402a

www.balthazarny.com

Enjoy,

Tom Taraci

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Located adjacent to its sister restaurant Shun Lee West and affiliated with Shun Lee Palace, the café is less formal and is a welcoming haven for Dim Sum lovers and large groups.

Carts offering up 50 varieties of Dim Sum circle the space and are fried, baked or steamed. At only $6.95 per order, several plates can be shared around the table.

Dim Sum, while the specialty, is only a part of their vast menu. There are plenty of rice and noodle options as well as traditional Chinese fare and more unusual item like ox knuckles and alligator.

There are also low carb options for those watching their diet and an offering of kosher meals.

The venue itself has a retro feel and is decorated in black and white checkers. Zodiac sign shaped lamps decorate the walls and ceilings. The booths are black and glossy and the wall is decorated in a wrap-around dragon.

Located near Lincoln Center, it’s a great place to go before or after a show.

Shun Lee Cafe
43 W 65th Street
New York, NY
212.595.8895

Enjoy!
Tom Taraci

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