Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - "Formal" dinner in NYC?

We're back from a wonderful weekend. Peter called in sick on Friday and we took the TransBridge bus. About a 10 to 15 minute walk to the Hyatt Place on 36th between 5th and 6th. We checked in before noon, and the plan was to go to the new Whitney Museum so took the subway that direction. But we stopped at Spice Market for lunch. Peter's never been and it's been years for me. What a pleasant surprise. We had wonderful spiced chicken samosas with cilantro yoghurt, then shared Pork Vindaloo and Roasted Chicken in a coconut curry broth. All was really delicious. In fact at the end of the weekend we asked each other our favorite dish of the entire weekend and that Pork Vindaloo was the response from both of us. The chicken was unusual -- slightly crispy slices of rotisserie chicken nestled in a wonderful coconut milk broth with some vegetables and great spices -- not chicken cooked to death in curry!

But leaving there we walked the couple blocks to the Whitney and saw a huge line (about 1 PM) to get in. Meanwhile it was about 70 degrees and very sunny and just beautiful. A quick vote if we really wanted to spend the afternoon in a museum and we opted for the High Line instead (which starts right at the Whitney). We walked the length of it, ending up the massive Hudson Yards construction site, then walking back to our hotel. A perfect warm fall day for the High Line.

Our reservation for dinner was Gramercy Tavern at 7 PM. I had called to question BYOB as we were considering this weekend our 5th anniversary (of when we met) and also Peter's 10th anniversary at his company which means he is now permanently vested in their retirement plan. On the phone we were told the corkage is $35 (fair enough) and the woman said "oh yes, for special occasions we encourage you to bring a favorite wine to make the evening special for you". I thought that was an original approach rather than the usual raised eyebrow or "but we have a perfect wine list, you don't need to bring a wine". Duh!

The entire meal was about as perfect as one could hope for. Service was friendly, professional, never obtrusive -- just great. The room had spaciously arranged tables, nice lighting, elegant decor, and was suitably "QUIET" despite being full. Apparently the woman I talked to about the wine had passed on the word because out of the blue the waiter said, "which anniversary is this?" And he also gave us two glasses of champagne.

Peter chose sweet potato soup with bacon, apple, and celery root as a first course while I chose Cauliflower Cappelletti, grapes, capers and American caviar. Both were wonderful, and were perfect with the special "pumpkin?" bread served. For our main courses Peter had sea bass with shitaki and black vinaigrette. I chose their "signature" pork loin with deckle (sort of like crispy pork belly) with sweet peppers, polenta, and plums. Again, both were simply perfect.

For dessert Peter went with the cookie plate with milk. I chose the alternative three cheese plate. Wonderful on both accounts, and along with them the waiter arrived with a miniature coconut cake on a cake stand on a plate with chocolate saying "Happy 5th Anniversary". How nice. It was perhaps the best coconut cake I ever tasted! When Peter had only eaten one of his 7 cookies, and nibbled at two others he told the waiter he'd had to waste them, could he wrap them, to which the waiter feigned horror and said "no way". But of course he took them away and then handed us a coat check number and said to pick them up at the coat check on the way out. Do they not like the idea of people being seen carrying out "doggie bags"? Odd, since they give you two muffins with your bill to take home for your breakfast the next day.

And our wine? Our last remaining bottle of the no longer made A. Rafanelli 2010 Merlot. Huge, rich, and very earthy and oaky -- loved it with all our food. When the sommelier took our wine to open and pour she returned to say there was some sediment in the neck and would we mind if she decanted it? Of course not. Again, that seemed surprising when it was our own wine.

We walked back to our hotel, a very warm evening -- I think about 68 by then. What a great evening.

Saturday was a quick oatmeal from the free Hyatt breakfast, and Starbuck's Americanos from nearby (Hyatt's coffee was not great). Then we walked to Lincoln Center --about a half hour. We had an 11 AM reservation at Bar Boulud, planning on the fixed price brunch, but we just weren't that hungy. So we both had tuna nicoise salads.

Turandot at The Met was at 12:30. What a splendid production -- the Zeffarelli production with spectaular costumes and sets. Super voices, particularly from the two women, although we found the tenor's voice a little "weak" -- more in volume than in quality. Still an amazingly beautiful production -- a must see when it is shown at movie theatres January 30th, by the way!

The opera was over just before 4 and our Four Seasons reservation was for 6:15. We did a nice slow walk between the two. We thought we'd have a nice cocktail at the King Cole Bar at the St. Regis, but when we stopped there, it was jammed and screamingly loud. No place to sit. I think I'm now crossing that old favorite of mine off the list. It used to be such a quiet and refined elegant place. Oh, well. We went across the street to what looks like a very pretty Polo Bar, at the back of the new Ralph Lauren store at 55th and 5th. But alas, it doesn't open until 5 and it was only a little after 4:30. So we headed to the roof bar of The Peninsula. Ooops. It too doesn't open till 5 -- how hard is it to get a nice cocktail before 5 on a Saturday? But we stayed at the downstairs Clement Bar at the Peninsula and had nice cocktails.

The Four Seasons. What can I say? Never having been there, I've always heard things like "the most beautiful room in NYC". Really? We both thought pretty much that it looked like a long outdated grand ballroom of a 60's modern hotel used for events. Those Austrian curtains made of beads? The stark high walls and ceilings? The four "dead" fake trees with fall leaves on them? Yes, the bubbling pool in the middle of the room was nice, and I'm not usually anti old-fashioned, but couldn't help thing there was nothing particularly elegant about the room. Oh well, at least our seats were comfortable -- indeed they were banquette style, but where we sat side by side on a banquette facing towards the pool, and the couple next to us were about 2 feet away, much better than when there is only 6 inches or so between tables.

We did the pre-theatre fixe price. For first course, I had grilled octopus. Just two pieces about an inch long each of octopus with a few slices of fresh cucumber on the plate, no sauce, not real presentation. Delicious but not very impressive. Peter had a Squash soup that he loved and had a nice little dungenous crab cannoli floating in it.

We both had the "crispy duck" for main course. It was delicious. They bring a full New York state crispy roasted duck to the table, cut us each a leg, and then debone the major part of the breast for each of us. It was plenty of duck, but we wondered what they do with all the duck on those carcasses that they return to the kitchen? Duck soup for lunch? But the "disappointing" part was that the duck is very rich, yet other than half a roasted fig on each place, there is NO accompaniment with it. No potatoes? No startch? Not a shred of vegetable? Seemed rather odd to me, and the waiter had never mentioned that or said "would you like to order a side of ____?" And while it was nicely priced on the $75 per person, if you were ordering this ala carte the duck alone (served exactly the same) is $ 130 for two. But again, the duck was wonderfully flavorful.

For dessert we both had Grand Marnier souffles. They were absolutely perfectly cooked (just a tiny crispy and firm on the outside but wonderfully light and creamy inside) with a nice Anglais sauce. But honestly. Was it Grand Marnier? Seemed like plain vanilla or just egg. Not a hint of orange or Grand Marnier that either of us could detect.

So overall, it was a good night. I'm glad we finally went. But again? Certainly not. I was expecting "old fashioned" and not cutting edge dining, and that's kind of what we got. And again, it was wonderful being in a place where you can have a conversation without screaming at each other! To us, that can be almost as important as the food itself. So when you get both at a Gramercy Tavern, it's a double treat!

We walked back to our hotel -- a much needed half hour walk after dinner. We did a lot of walking this weekend!

And on Sunday? We opted to take the 10:30 bus home as had a lot to do at home. So just a light breakfast at Hyatt, our Americano's, and then the trip home.

A wonderful weekend. We now both have goals of losing 5 pounds this week.

So to recap -- our best meal experience? Gramercy Tavern hands down! Just perfect. But our favorite dish? The exquisitely seasoned Pork Vindaloo at Spice Market.

And thanks for those who offered serious suggestions and comments which were considered and/or used.