Report from the homefront: Axel's Tavern

For Christmas this year V and I took her grandparents (Mapa and Papa) to dinner at Axel's Tavern, a nice, comfortable place just outside of the Minneapolis suburbs, in Loretto. There is a bar area when you come in on the main floor, and upstairs is a quieter dining room with paintings on the walls and warm wood tones. We were hoping that there was a fireplace to sit by, but even without it we enjoyed the atmosphere. It was a perfect place for a nice dinner together—not too stuffy or formal, and not too casual or cheesy either.

I was surprised by the menu—it was much larger than I anticipated, including the wine list. The restaurant is known for its ribs and steaks. We held off on ordering appetizers, because each entree came with soup or salad, plus a vegetable and potato. Being that we were in Minnesota I also figured it would be wise to get some walleye too so I ordered the "land and lake," a portion of fish and a sirloin steak. V had the "steak Oscar" which included two steak medallions and two crab cakes, and a side of mushrooms. Mapa ordered the walleye, and papa had a steak, Ray's sirloin.

Comparing the steaks, I'd say that the sirloin was a bit more flavorful than V's medallions, but hers were more tender. The walleye was pan fried and served with slivered almonds. It was flaky and buttery and the crust and almonds gave it a nice crunch as well.

On the side we had great green beans and three of the different varieties of potatoes. Mapa had the loaded baked potato, which seemed pretty standard, for a baked potato. I had the "Mo Taters" which were mashed potatoes with cheese and caramelized onions. I enjoyed them but thought they could have been a little more flavorful—I couldn't taste any onion flavor. V had the alfredo potatoes, a kind of cheesy scalloped potato that was very good.

Overall it was a great dinner. The dining room was the perfect place for conversation and we were not overwhelmed with too much music or televisions in every corner. The service was friendly and attentive. I'm not sure exactly how to compare Axel's to a New York City restaurant other than to say it was more down to earth on all levels, from the decor to the menu and the service. I think if this restaurant were in New York they would have to really specialize on a few key items on the menu, and get rid of a lot of the other good options. Plus, they'd probably double the price of everything! When we're back in town next, if I can go back, I want to go back on Tuesday night for all you can eat prime rib and all you can eat walleye. And I think we've found a great new Christmas tradition, too.

Macelleria

Once a meat warehouse in the now hip Meatpacking District, Macelleria offers rustic Italian fare and a wide selection of choice steaks and chops in the most popular neighborhood in NYC. The extended wine list offers hand-selected wines from all regions of Italy.

We went to Macelleria to celebrate a friend's birthday and we definitely went all out. As we walked into the restaurant, whose name means butcher shop in Italian, I got the sense of a formal but trendy restaurant. The dining room seemed warm with dark wood and brick. As we were taken to our table though, we headed downstairs to another dining room that reminded me of a wine cellar with stone walls and a few large tables. It was a little loud with the other tables full, but I really liked the space.

As for the food, it was even better than the space. We started with a "fresh bufala mozzarella." The cheese was delicious and soft and it was served with some of the best tomatoes I've ever had (and I generally don't like tomatoes). For my main dish I went with the pappardelle al cinghiale, a wide noodle pasta with wild boar sauce. The sauce was flavorful, but i couldn't tell it was boar versus another mainstream meat like ground beef. The dish was good, though maybe I should have gone with a steak, as the restaurant was voted the best steakhouse in New York by Citysearch last year.

Our friend Mark had the filet mignon with green peppercorn sauce. It was the largest filet I have ever seen, and it looked amazing. He described the sauce as spicy yet not overbearing.

V and Lauren ordered a special pasta, tagliatelli with porcini mushrooms. The one little taste I had was rich and delicious and V said the mushrooms were very fresh. Other dishes we ordered included eggplant baked with mozzarella and tomatoes. The bitter rind of the eggplant was a nice flavor in the dish and the meat of the eggplant wasn't mushy. The crispy roasted duck with orange sauce was kind of an Italian take on sweet-and-sour.

On top of all these dishes, we ordered a few sides: fried zucchini, shoestring fires, and grilled mushrooms. The mushrooms were very flavorful and almost steak-like. The zucchini was amazing, though I suppose just about anything fried is delicious.

Then to cap off the whole great meal, we ordered desserts and coffee. (Miraculously, V tried the cappuccino--and liked it!) The desserts were all a great cap to the meal - a fluffy and light New York cheesecake, a small but rich chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and a surprisingly delicious (my favorite) apple strudel with cinnamon ice cream.

All in all, this was just a great meal.The service was good, with a friendly waitstaff who were attentive to refilling drinks and keeping our table satisfied. The menu has a range of prices for dishes from a $16 pasta to their $86 porterhouse for two. The wine list has a lot of nice selections from Italy and a few other regions. I think I'll have to go back again for the steak! I definitely had a bite or two too much to eat, but it was worth it--and I'm very grateful to Mark for having a birthday and to Lauren for hosting the party!

Momofuku Noodle Bar

Momofuku means lucky peach. This restaurant is one of three by Chef David Chang who was named chef of the year by GQ and Bon Appétit, among other accolades. The other restaurants, Momofuku Ssam and Momofuku Ko, are increasingly harder to get into. I've walked by Ssam a few times and it looks like a very trendy bar and is always crowded. Ko has just 12 seats and offers a tasting menu by reservation only—I'm still struggling to get reservations. So the noodle bar is the most casual of the three and it is relatively easy to get into. We dropped in not knowing what to expect and were very pleased with the experience.

Our server suggested a few things from the menu for us to try and not knowing any different, we followed his guidance. We started with the most popular item on the menu, steamed buns with pork belly and cucumber. There was some kind of sauce spread on the bun that gave the dish a chocolatey or sweet taste that worked really well with the more salty pork.

The next dish was the biggest risk: sliced fluke sashimi with pickled pearl onion and charred jalapeno. We're OK with raw fish in sushi, but I've never had fluke in this way before. It was really a very good dish, though it didn't look that good on the plate (kind of plain as the fish was white as was the plate). The fish was tender and not at all fishy. The onion and jalapeno were a nice texture and flavor addition. There was also some kind of oil or other lite sauce that helped to bring everything together.

Finally we shared a bowl of ramen. After our experience at Ippudo, we're getting used to gourmet noodles. The momofuku ramen came with shredded pork and two pieces of pork belly, a poached egg, scallions, and watercress (or something). The broth wasn't too salty and the noodles of course were very good. We really liked the dish.

I think the main focus of our dinner conversation was who we could bring to this restaurant. It's a unique atmosphere, casual and loud, with communal tables. The wait staff was friendly and helpful. The food is definitely good but I'd say some people might be a little afraid to try it. I think the restaurant fits in quite well though in the neighborhood and with the general crowd around here. We'll have to see who we take to momofuku next - and when we can try the other two restaurants!

Grey Dog Coffee

In search of a lighter, healthier, dinner one night, we wound up at Grey Dog Coffee, known in the neighborhood for its friendly service and relaxed atmosphere. Upon entering, we were slightly confused, wondering if we should wait to be seated, seat ourselves, or order at the counter. We eventually ordered at the counter, chose our seat, and then the food was served to us. The people watching was great as the crowd was very diverse. Even the servers had their own eccentricities that made the experience unique.

The food is standard fare, including sandwiches, salads, burgers, and breakfasts. We each tried a salad: the Cobb salad, and the seared tuna steak salad. All of the ingredients were very fresh and combined to make a great dinner salad. The portion was big enough to be a satisfying meal. Each was served with a piece of onion focaccia bread. I liked that they automatically served my dressing on the side, and that they would probably have allowed us to sit there all night if we wanted to.

All in all, a great spot for a light meal or a cup of coffee (except I don't like coffee).

Written by V.

Haru - Wall Street

My brother, John, recently started work at the Wall Street location of Haru. We decided to pay him a visit one night to check out his serving skills and knowledge of Japanese food and culture. It was quite a treat to be greeted by him at the door in Japanese, and to receive stellar service all night long. Really. The best service we've had in New York City. Ever.

We went on a Saturday night, and noted that the restaurant was pretty quiet and had few patrons, although this seems typical of the financial district on weekend evenings. The decor was modern and spacious, and could accommodate large groups of people. The sushi counter was exposed and it was fun to watch the chefs at work.

At John's suggestion, we began with the standard edamame, then went on to crab cakes that were well-seasoned, included big chunks of crab, and were topped with a tasty mango sauce.

Some people are adventurous sushi eaters. Being fairly new to the world of sushi, we are pretty tame, but were very pleased with the rolls we ordered. We shared the Philadelphia, spicy tuna, spicy titanic special roll (which included salmon, avocado and salmon caviar wrapped around spicy tuna and tempura flakes). For dessert, we shared red bean mochi ice cream and tempura cheesecake. Both were fantastic and we left very satisfied.

Did I mention the service was fantastic?

Another post written by V!

La Palapa

La Palapa, an authentic Mexican restaurant specializing in "Mexico City style" tacos and quesadillas and regional home cooking is on St. Marks Place in the East Village. The restaurant focuses on authentic Mexican cuisine featuring many specialties from different regions of Mexico. Salsas and sauces are rich and spicy and fresh ingredients are used.

We came to La Palapa while wandering around the East Village, looking for someplace new to try out. The restaurant was busy but there was only a few minutes wait for a table. We also figured it was appropriate cuisine being a few days past Cinco de Mayo.

The restaurant has a definite Mexican atmosphere with stucco and a thatched awning at the entrance. It gave a feel of being near the ocean, though of course it was on a busy Manhattan street. According to their website, this is exactly what La Palapa means:

A palapa is a palm-thatched shelter on a Mexican beach where you can relax with your feet in the sand looking at the ocean while you sip an ice cold cerveza flavored with lime and salt, and eat a spicy shrimp taco with salsa guajillo.

We were seated in a back semi-enclosed courtyard-type space that was less exciting than the main dining room, but the quieter atmosphere was nice. We ordered a few small things from the menu rather than entrees, starting with QUESO FUNDIDO con CHORIZO CASERO a homemade chorizo baked with cotija anejo and monterey jack cheeses served with warm tortillas. It wasn't that large of a portion, but it was pretty good, with a rather mild flavor. I ordered ELOTE del MERCADO PLAZA SAN ANGEL. This is Mexico city plaza style corn on the cob with lime, mayo, chile piquín and queso cotija. I like typical Minnesota corn on the cob with butter and salt better, but this was good too - my first corn of the season! Finally we tried tacos and quesadillas. Sadly, though the restaurant may be known for these, they weren't that good and they were very small. The "shells" were 3 to 4 inches around and the meat (char-grilled marinated skirt steak and chile chipotle barbecued chicken) was fairly dry. This made the quesadillas better, with their melted cheese to keep things a little more moist.

I appreciate the effort at authenticity at La Palapa, but the prices were a bit high and the food didn't quite satisfy my hopes. There are several other good looking dishes on the menu, so maybe we'll check those out if we're in the area, and in the mood.

Sharaku

Sharaku is a sushi place directly across the street from our apartment. We tried it out and weren't blown away but it was good. (Definitely not Haru!) The restaurant was busy but the service was slow. We ordered most of the normal rolls we get, like tuna with avocado, spicy tuna, Philadelphia, and then tried one special roll, called the spider roll. It had fried soft shell crab, cucumber, avocado, sprouts, roe, and spicy mayonnaise. V ordered it, but didn't realize why it is called the spider roll: the crab legs are sticking out the end like a giant spider climbing out of the roll. Needless to say, I got to eat the whole roll. It was good, but I don't know if I'd order it again. I guess we just like to stick with the simple sushi.

Stand

"That rare well-done burger restaurant," Stand is a great casual burger place. It has a full bar and somehow manages to combine carry-out convenience and contemporary sit-down table service very well. The place is simply decorated with tall ceilings, white walls, black wooden tables and huge windows open to the street. The space is very large, probably seating 50 tables.

We each ordered a burger, of course. I had a cheese burger which came with onion marmalade, lettuce, and a delicious blue cheese sauce. The burger was juicy and a good size. The (fried) sides, which were ordered separately, included Onion Rings, regular Fries and Shoestring Fries. Each of them was good but I'd probably rate them onion, shoestring, regular. We capped off the meal with a pitcher of local beer.

It was a great meal, and I'd definitely go back. The prices were reasonable for the food and the service. And even with a whole restaurant focused on the simple burger, there is more I'd like to try. I'm sure I'll be back.

99 Miles to Philly

99 Miles to Philly is a cheese steak place a few blocks from our new apartment. Occasionally I get a deep urge for a good cheese steak, which is exactly what happened today. So I walked over and ordered a steak with provolone and onions. The special includes waffle fries and a can of soda for $10, which wasn't a bad deal. My sandwich wasn't as gooey as I would have liked: I guess I should have gone with the more "authentic" Philly steak, that comes with cheese whiz. It took at least 5 minutes to get my order, which I suppose means it was fresh made, but the wait was definitely a complaint, when I've been to places like Pat's and Gino's in Philadelphia where you can get your sandwich in as much time as it takes to order a "whiz with." I took V back a few hours later, because she was jealous I went without her. Her steak had American cheese, which was definitely more the style I was hoping for. 99 miles to Philly is good, but I think I've had better.

Cafe Deville

Cafe Deville is a great looking French bistro on 3rd Avenue. I've walked by it a number of times coming home from work. The street-side tables and the bar seemed rather enticing. Unfortunately it didn't meet our expectations.

V and I dropped in to try it out on a cool Saturday afternoon. Maybe it was the wrong time of day or something because the service was spotty and slow, but the place was fairly crowded, at least around the front windows. Our server honestly could have been high on something; he was twitching and skittery, and only came to our table twice; once to take the drink order and once to take the food order. At the end of the meal we had to flag him down after waiting for quite a while to get our check. We spent that time debating how low to tip.

The food was good, but not great. I ordered the hangar steak, which came with onions (they seemed like they came straight out of a pot of French onion soup) and mashed potatoes. The steak was fairly tender but its flavor was a little off. V had a cheeseburger which was very thick though a little over cooked, it also came with fries. Sadly, perhaps, the best deal of the meal was the $1 oysters we started with. That's one thing I'd go back for. Otherwise, it wasn't that good, and as I mentioned, the service was poor. I think the only other thing I'd attempt if we went back is brunch, which I've read pretty good reviews of.

Cafe Mogador

A good friend introduced us to Cafe Mogador, "Considered a pioneer of Moroccan restaurants in NYC." It's location on St. Mark's adds it to a growing list of restaurants on this street that we have really enjoyed.

The atmosphere was friendly and cozy, and wasn't overdone in Moroccan themes. We began with a bottle of wine recommended by the server, as well as roasted eggplant and tahini with pita bread. The flavor of the eggplant stood out and reminded us of our time spent in China, where eggplant was served more frequently than in the U.S. I also tried the tomato ginger soup, which was creamy and flavorful.

For dinner, I couldn't resist the whole wheat goat cheese ravioli, with butternut squash and sage cream sauce. I had never thought of pasta as Moroccan, but they do it very well! Clark had the bastilla, best described as a dinner pastry. It included filo dough, chicken, almonds, and herbs and spices. It was a unique dish, but could have benefited from some kind of a sauce. Maybe that's the worst thing to be said about a prominent Moroccan dish - what does he know?!

We probably should have followed suit when our friend, who had been there numerous times, ordered the chicken grill, which included skewered chicken with grilled vegetables and basmati rice. It looked and smelled delicious.

We truly enjoyed our entire meal here and will be sure to go back when we are looking for a Moroccan flare!

Written by V!

Goodburger

At goodburger freshness is everything. That’s why in a world where food is often chemically processed, prepackaged and frozen, each and every goodburger is made the old fashioned way.

There are so many different hamburger places in the city, each trying to come at this simple food from a different angle. goodburger's attempt is, in my opinion, high class McDonald's. And I really don't think that even with the hand-made burgers and all-natural ingredients, that it is quite worth the price.

V and I paid about $30 for two burgers with fries and milkshakes. The burgers were good, but I've definitely had better. Same goes for the rest of the food. They also offer beer and wine, which we passed on. The atmosphere is rather fast-food like and there are a few flat-panel TVs showing sports, with music blaring through the restaurant a notch too loud. I'm not sure what else I missed, but it just didn't seem worth it to me. I don't think we'll go back.

Ippudo

My dining experience at Ippudo was definitely one of the most unique in recent memory. Perhaps too, it was one of the most ridiculously priced meals as it was ramen, which I gained great expertise in during college. Instead of a 25¢ pack of noodles, it was a $12 bowl. It was definitely better than the old block of noodles and little packet of seasoning. And Ippudo is definitely authentic. Our server barely spoke English, and I'm pretty sure ours was the only table without at least one Japanese diner. After the hour-plus wait, as we were walking in to the restaurant, at least a dozen servers and other staff members stopped to greet us in Japanese.

Ordering was a bit of a struggle but we managed to each try a different ramen and a few appetizers. Each dish came in a unique bowl with noodles, of course, vegetables, and some slices of pork tenderloin (with a fatty rind). We also tried a few dishes of pickled vegetables. With some Japanese beer and sake cocktails, it proved to be a very authentic Japanese meal. I think that the restaurant is probably a popular chain in Japan so maybe we're thinking it's amazing when there it is like TGI Friday's or something. But regardless, it was a great experience.

Mercat

Mercat means market in Catalan, the language spoken in the Spanish region that inspired this restaurant and tapas lounge in Noho. The 90-seat space is equipped with an open kitchen, a ham-and-cheese station, and a basement tapas lounge, and the wine list is all-Spanish, with a selection of cavas, sherries, and seasonal sangrí­as. - New York Magazine

I was really impressed by this restaurant - it has a trendy-yet-undiscovered feel and a great atmosphere, with the open kitchen and racks of wine stored overhead. We were seated near the kitchen, with a good view of the restaurant and bar. I was a little jealous of the poeple sitting behind me at the kitchen's bar seating, but it was still a good table.

We ordered a few starters including Patates Bravas, potatoes with garlic and spicy sauce, and Carxofes artichokes, with fennel alioli. I had seen the potatoes on the bar and thouht they were like peanuts - free for any patron - I guess it is a good thing I didn't try to grab one then - as they were very good and lots of tables had ordered them, I'm sure they are a top seller. The artichokes were basically fried artichoke leaves and were crunchy and salty.

From there, the menu looks amazing. I wish I could remember what I ate, but I have waited too long to write this review. I would definitely go back though, as there are so many good looking dishes to try.

S'mac

S'mac is another restaurant that specializes in just one item: Macaroni & Cheese. Far from your standard homemade Kraft version, this restaurant offers gourmet flavors, and they even deliver! The space is small and you have to use good 'hovering' skills to grab a table when it opens up. The atmosphere is very casual, very easy going, and very yellow. Food comes in three sizes: nosh, major munch, and mongo, fast food style.

I couldn't resist the Parisienne, which includes creamy brie, roasted figs, roasted shiitake mushrooms, and rosemary. I could have personally done without the figs, but otherwise I enjoyed the rich and creamy flavors. Of course, I like anything with mushroom... Clark enjoyed the Alpine, which features Gruyere and slab bacon. We were pleased with our experience there, and plan to take any true Mac & Cheese lovers in the future.

Another post written by V!

Graffiti

After working in some of NYC's finest restaurants, including Jean Georges and Compass, chef Jehangir Mehta has recently opened a humble, 18-seat savory/sweet eatery of his own. Located in the East Village, Graffiti is a visual scrapbook of his life; the menu a culinary scrapbook of both his Mumbai upbringing and expansive training. His unique cuisine subtly marries contemporary Asian cuisine with Indian seasonings. - restaurantgirl

Graffiti is a tiny restaurant that to me epitomizes the East Village life: trendy, cool and tiny (jam packed with people, providing no personal space). I'd read about it online and was intrigued. It was a bit of a surprise when I walked in with V for dinner one evening: the restaurant has three tables.

Even more confusing is that though there were two open tables, we were seated at the one table with guests already dining and the server asked them to get up to put us back the the far corner of the table. We definitely weren't ready for that. But after a bit, it began to make sense: the other tables were reserved for larger parties, and the communal style is part of the experience. It was a little tight to fit together on one side of the table, but it wasn't too bad overall.

The food is served tapas style with simple pricing: each dish is either $7, $12 or $15. The wine is all $8 by the glass or $25 for bottle. The prices are reasonable but they definitely can add up. Our total for the meal was about $100 (including a bottle of wine)

We ordered a handful of different small plates including the cheese flat-bread, chili pork dumplings with grapefruit confit, pickled ginger scallops, and the braised pork bun which was probably our favorite dish. It had a puffy and soft little "shell" with the braised pork inside. For dessert we had the Hazelnut chocolate caviar cupcake after seeing our neighbors try it, and it definitely didn't disappoint.

By the time we were at dessert, the restaurant was packed. I needed to get up to go to the bathroom, so I had to have the people next to me get up, and then make my way through the kitchen (which is smaller than the kitchen in my apartment. Edging behind the two cooks, I got to the bathroom, which itself it about the size of a toilet (in fact the sink is mounted above the toilet to save space). It made me feel at last like I have a large apartment! Hooray.

I'm not sure who else I'd bring to Graffiti, it's a place that definitely caters to a certain type of customer - one that fits well here in the Village. In fact one group of older people came in on a reservation but decided it wasn't quite right for them and left. It worked for me, and I think by the time we finished the dinner V had been turned too.

Cafe Centosette

Following our big move into Manhattan, we felt we deserved a big meal after all of our hard work. Cafe Centosette, an Italian cafe was recommended by two friends, and was the closest in proximity to our apartment. It is a small, cozy place with tables very close together. Our server had issues with getting our meals ordered and served properly, but was nice enough about it. We each ordered pasta, and the dishes were all quite delicious. The side of spinach was perfectly cooked and seasoned well. The most bizarre part of the meal was getting a carafe of white wine with ice cubes in it. I've never seen that at a restaurant before... We have heard since that this restaurant is even better for brunch, so we'll have to head back there to try it.

Stamatis

Our last weekend living in Astoria, we tried out a Greek restaurant that we had heard great things about, but had never been to. Stamatis is one of many Greek restaurants located on 23rd Avenue but it has repeatedly gotten good reviews and was recommended through word of mouth many friends. We went on a Saturday night and were able to get a table pretty quickly. The atmosphere was relatively plain, and maybe reminiscent of a church fellowship hall, but the tables stayed full all night, and it seemed authentic because there were a large number of Greek groups and families there (I'm pretty sure some Greek Orthodox ministers came in at one point). The service became more friendly as the evening went on, largely due to our group's efforts and jokes and willingness to adapt.

We started with the spread sampler, that included three dips with pita bread. We liked the tabouli, tajzihki and eggplant spreads. These were a hit with our group, and we easily went through two servings of pita bread. We had some difficulty ordering our main course, as it seemed they were 'out' of many of the dishes we ordered. They were even out of the moussaka. Clark and I ended up ordering pastitsio, a baked pasta dish with a filling of ground meat and a bechamel sauce top. We both agreed that it was good, but pretty plain. It came with lemon potatoes, salad, and bread on the side. We were also given a complimentary dessert: custard wrapped in filo dough and topped with cinnamon for dessert. Delicious!

For the price, we got a lot of food, and it was a good culmination of Greek food in Astoria. -V

Bubby's

Bubby's is the top place to get home cooking and great pie in lower Manhattan. On a Saturday night, we had to wait about ten minutes for a table, and it was easily worth it. The atmosphere was fun and family oriented. It was decorated as an old farm house might be with lots of trinkets and old photographs. The service was friendly though it wasn't always prompt.

We really had no idea what we were getting ourselves into when we sat down. Clark just had to try the chicken and waffles, and his only complaint is that it wasn't greasy enough. I tried the macaroni and cheese, and a side of spinach, and my only complaint was that it was too much food. Everything we tried met our standards for great home cooking. Due to the huge portions, we didn't have any room left for dessert, but someday will try Bubby's out just for the pie.

Written by V

Café Gray

A world of elegance, gracious hospitality and superior food

— the world of Café Gray

After our dining experience at Café Gray, I'd say this description on their website is apt. V and I went to a fancy dinner here at the Time Warner Center to celebrate Valentine's Day. That saddest part of the experience is knowing now that the restaurant is closing.

Our meal was amazing, and the culinary highlight was the house specialty mushroom risotto. It was just so creamy and with a great mushroomy flavor. The second course that really amazed us was the short rib, which was served with grits and a mustard sauce.

Besides the food, the service was great, with a very formal dining style. The wine list was impressively pricey, I think we picked one of the cheapest bottles - at around $60! But it was a very good bottle of wine.

Finally, the other amazing thing about the restaurant was the view: windows looking out over Central Park and Columbus Circle. And before that is the kitchen - out in the open in the restaurant. So through the meal I was able to see the chefs preparing dishes, with a backdrop of the city at night. It was really a treat. At the end of our meal we also got a private tour of the chef's table, which is tucked in a corner of the kitchen. I think it too would be a bit pricey to reserve, but if I ever had a chance...

It was a great meal, and though the restaurant is closing, there are rumors that a new location will open soon near Times Square, which may be a good move, as I'd say Café Gray is a great pre-theatre choice.