Gage & Tollner

[Wilfrid]

Presented with the menu, no clam bellies of course. I asked my server if there were any specials. She told me about a scallop dish. I asked directly if they had any clam bellies. She paused and considered. "I think we might. Yes, I think we do." I asked if she wanted to check with the kitchen. "No," she said, "I'm sure we do."

And they did and they were very good.

I also ate some impeccable fried chicken, a huge portion, and several cheeses. When they arrived, the server said she'd tell me what they were. I pointed and said, "Well that's the Red Rock." "Now I'm intimidated," she said, and grabbed for her notes.

Food aside, the two big hits of the evening were the room and the service. It's one of the great dining rooms in the country of course, and much longer than I remembered. It was packed. I had a small table at the far end, but that meant I could see the whole length of the room.

The service was spectacularly good. I'll just highlight one thing. The two sommeliers actively bus drinks from the bar to the table as well as doing standard sommelier stuff. I usually order BTG these days and I can't tell you often my food has been served, I can see my drink, already poured, sitting on the bar waiting for my server to pick it up. And my server of course is taking orders from a table of six.

They've fixed that here. 

A good night out and not crazy expensive despite champagne. In the $150 region.

[Steve R.]

One of the Somms. (the guy with an accent) is pretty amazing.  A year ago, we went with Rich & Peg and Rich ordered one of two remaining bottles of some esoteric white wine that the somm. thought was a pretty good find on the list by Rich.  We went back 6 months later with them & Rich joked to him about that & he came back to the table with the other bottle, which he had tucked away with Rich's name for when he returned (unasked).  He's also been particularly helpful to me and Ginny at the bar, looking over our shoulders and steering us to by the glass choices he thinks we'd like.

We really like everything about the place, although the slaw that comes with the fried chicken is not my favorite.   And our experience at the Olde Pink House in Savannah a couple of weeks ago just re-confirms our opinion that the she-crab soup and the fried chicken are first rate at G&T.  The upstairs cocktail bar just doesn't work for us though.  Sitting at the main bar does.

[Sneakeater]

That's my bud Éitienne.  He's the greatest.

[Sneakeater]

He started out at M. Wells if you care (and even if you don't).

[Wilfrid]

Agreed on the slaw. Just use cabbage.

The chicken. Good quality; very meaty, the wings are like drumsticks. Moist all the way through but really crispy surface. Couldn’t fault it. And they save the breasts for a separate roast breast dish, which is wise.

I went to Livingston Manor for a cocktail first. Not a destination bar but friendly staff.

I realized after my previous post that the overall cost is explained by ordering chicken rather than steak or lobster. 

[Sneakeater]

3 hours ago, Steve R. said:

Sitting at the main bar does.

+1

[Sneakeater]

I'm not saying this to be argumentative, but I'm not sure I understand why you'd go to a fair bar when you're going to restaurant with a first-rate cocktail program overseen by one of the best bartenders in the City (and which features EXACTLY the kind of drinks you like!).

[Sneakeater]

It seems like skipping G&T's fabulous cheesecake and going over to the coffeeshop at the corner of Tillary & Brooklyn Bridge Boulevard for a slice of their shipped-in out-all-day cheesecake instead (yeah I know you don't eat dessert).

[Sneakeater]

So is it your impression that the clam bellies will usually be there, if you know to ask for them?

[Wilfrid]

I didn’t know if it would be easy to get a bar seat because they serve the full menu at the bar for walk ins. I did not want to be standing around the bar for an hour warning a martini with my hand.

I offer only my own experience with the clam bellies. I had to ask directly and I got them.

[Wilfrid]

I did look back at Wells’ review and some pictures of the clam bellies. He complained about too many large croutons and you can see them in those pictures.

My dish had some croutons just crumbled over the clams. Good that way. Is this how they always do it now? I have no idea.

[Sneakeater]

I'm pretty sure the last time I had them the croutons were crumbled on top.

It's funny, because I noticed SOMETHING was different, but I couldn't figure out what it was.

(This is closer to way they used to be.)

[Sneakeater]

I would say you could order a cocktail at your table (they bring them as promptly as the wine).  But I have a feeling you won't be having that.

[Sneakeater]

And it's funny you should mention the prompt wine service, because I've really noticed that with their cocktail table service (and watching your cocktail warm up as it waits at the end of the bar for a server to bus it is really painful).

[Wilfrid]

30 minutes ago, Sneakeater said:

I would say you could order a cocktail at your table (they bring them as promptly as the wine).  But I have a feeling you won't be having that.

Absolutely not, because the point of cocktail time is not to order it and guzzle it down before the appetizer arrives, and then when does the champagne happen? Quiet, relaxed cocktail time happens before being seated, whether in the restaurant or in a nearby bar.