The Greatest Hits at Gramercy Tavern

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Gramercy Tavern is one of those restaurants you have heard about but have never visited. Highly decorated along with its flagship sibling, Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern is known for its New American cuisine and as one of the pioneers of farm-to-table philosophies. Famed restaurateur, Danny Meyer, opened the restaurant in 1994, but you may know him more for his flourishing Shake Shack empire.

Danny Meyer’s establishments are known for their excellent customer service, and I had the fortune of experiencing it firsthand. Greeted by the scent of fragrant, golden-yellow bouquets, I was led to the packed bar by the hostess with a smile.

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NYE 2012 at SakaMai

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“What are you doing for New Year’s?” asked Doug.

It was New Year’s Eve and I didn’t have any plans yet. After being in NYC for 6 years, the whole counting down in a club with overpriced bottle service in a throng of sweaty strangers had lost its appeal. Back in 2008, Carson Daly had been a no-show to the official "Carson Daly and Friends NYE party" at $125/ticket (while I was still a temp making minimum wage) -- but I’m not bitter about that any more.

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Thank you, dear readers.

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A little background on my journey. Growing up in Tampa, there was a lack of culinary culture. Chain restaurants such as Applebee's, Olive Garden, and Red Lobster dotted the suburban landscape of my hometown. Not that my family ate out a lot - when we did, it was always a special occasion. Most of our meals were prepared by my parents - my dad would come home usually around 5:30pm and begin prep: dicing tomatoes, washing the green snow peas, slicing tomatoes and jalapenos, and marinating the steak in soy sauce, sugar, rice wine.

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