Restaurant Week: Craftbar

One of my favorite events happens twice a year: NYC Restaurant Week. For 2 sets of weekdays in the winter and summer, many of New York's finest eateries feature a $24.07 prix fixe lunch and $35 dinner. Considering how easy it is for an entree alone to cost $35, this certainly is a great way to try some famed restaurants without taking out a second mortgage. Recently, I tried Craftbar, an off-shoot of create-a-meal Craft.

I tried making a reservation for Craftbar for 1:30 PM on Monday January 28th. Opentable.com informed me that 2 PM was the only available time for that day and I grabbed it, thinking that Craftbar must really be booked.

My dining companion and I arrived 15 minutes early to a mostly empty restaurant. I began to wonder why I was unable to get the time I wanted. We were escorted to a corner table, my favorite table configuration. They don't believe in table cloths at Craftbar; instead, the tables are covered with brown paper. I suppose this makes turning tables easier and can be fun for impromptu games of tic tack toe as you wait for your server to take your order.

We were handed menus, perhaps the longest menus I'd seen for any Restaurant Week menu. Our server was laid back and casual, no stuffy service here! Our order was taken promptly and drinks appeared within a reasonable amount of time. My ginger martini was poured right in front of me from a small cocktail shaker. When our server realized that there was not enough liquid in the shaker, he quickly left the table and returned a split second later with more martini mix in another shaker. I began to wonder if the signature cocktails are premixed and left to chill.

I started to glance around the dining room while we waited for our starters. All of the servers wear the depressing uniform of a muted gray long sleeve t-shirt and their own jeans. No aprons, nothing identifying them as staff other than their proximity to the POS system.


My chickpea fries with black olive aioli were more of a discovery of texture rather than of flavor. The smooth chickpea puree was encased in some sort of batter; my dining companion described it like eating flan. Her coppa fritters were more fritter than coppa; crunchy balls of firm polenta with the barest mince of coppa. The golden raisins served with them added a nice touch.

As soon as our appetizers were cleared, new silverware hit the table, and our entrees arrived. My buccatini with clams, merguez and mustard greens was well cooked, if not light on the lamb sausage, greens, and overtly enthusiastic on the chives. It also could have used a touch more salt, which was not provided on the table. Sorry, Craftbar, but your food is not perfect enough for there to be no chance for a diner to alter it to her preference.
My companion enjoyed her braised short ribs with beets and onions. The short rib was fork tender and the beets were nicely cooked in cranberry juice. This dish, like mine, was also heavy on the chives.

Dessert and coffee followed. Surprisingly, the milk for my coffee was served piping hot, a nice change from ice cold milk that cools coffee on contact.
My almond parfait with citrus soup was creamy and loaded with almond flavor. The "soup" was bitter, reminiscent of pith, and served with inedible kumquat and lemon slices. My companion's chocolate cake was served with lovely malted milk ice cream. The cake itself was dense, almost to the point of being dry, and rich.
Craftbar is worth the $24.07 Restaurant Week price of admission, but I’m not sure I would run back for a full price sit down dinner. I would, however, enjoy stopping in for a snack of those chickpea fries and another ginger martini.