gotham bar and grill: review

Forget trying to get a lunch reservation here. Luckily, it's easy to sit at the bar. Plenty of room if you get there around noon. This is restaurant week, the bartender warned us, so the bargain hunters would be out in force. They were. We ordered from the regular menu. Restaurant week is like an outlet mall: cheaper stuff for cheaper prices. Or, as I like to say, "It tastes like chicken."

We split the soft-shelled crabs as appetizer. Perfection. With a nice accompaniment of chopped vegetables. I had the seafood risotto which was also perfect: shrimp, calamari, in soupy but delicious risotto. The seafood salad was beautiful and was also delectable.

They had bargain bottles of wine for restaurant week, so we got a Verdicchio for $30. It was decent and very cold.

For dessert, just get the chocolate cake. It's been on the menu for 30 years according to the bartender. It's warm, bitter, powdery and the almond ice cream that goes with it is heavenly.

Service was friendly and efficient. Our bartender is a veteran of Minetta Tavern. We traded stories.

Grade: A+

Gotham Bar and Grill

12 East 12th Street

212-620-4020