Ah, Shake Shack, one of Danny Meyer's operations. The latest delivery from Jessica's Biscuit included his tome Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business, now in paperback and easier on the budget. I've a couple of other books in my stack that I want to get through first, but StT will probably be third.
(Other Danny Meyer establishments:
Union Square Cafe
Grammercy Tavern
Tabla
Blue Smoke
Jazz Standard
The Modern
Cafe 2
and Terrace 5.
A report on the quality of these establishments would be appreciated, of course.)
Well... Here's my quick assessment...
(on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the best)
Union Square Cafe - 9 - The bar area - which does not require reservations is actually sort of a bargain, especially considering the quality of the food. But the main room is a worthy and justifiable splurge.
Gramercy Tavern (not Grammercy
) - 9 - Yes, the prixe fixe menu is worth the splurge(!), but like Union Square Cafe, the "tavern" is a great way to try some of the greenmarket-driven creations at a much lower tab without a months wait for a reservation.
Tabla - 8 - I've found the cooking here to be sort of inconsistent. I actually prefer to eat in the less formal and less expensive Bread Bar downstairs. I also have an issue paying high prices for Indian food, in general.
Blue Smoke - 8 - Very good BBQ in Gramercy -Although, after trying the nearby Hill Country recently, well...
-However, unlike most of the other Danny Meyer establishments, it's informal and relatively inexpensive throughout. -However, "relatively inexpensively" doesn't mean cheap.
Jazz Standard - This is the jazz club in the basement of Blue Smoke, and features the same menu. However, what's great about Jazz Standard is that there is no food and drink minimum to enjoy the pretty amazing line-up of jazzers, and the cover charges are quite reasonable too for the talent they bring in ($15-30).
The Modern - N.D.T.Y. (Not Dined There Yet)
However, I have dined at Cafe 2 and Terrace 5 which are the less formal dining establishments in the Museum of Modern Art.
Cafe 2 - 6 - The food is very good, but I wish the prices were a dollar or two cheaper - I've seen families run up quite the tab trying to feed everyone. It's all served cafeteria style, but not at your typical cafeteria speed of service. A lot of items are ordered at the main counter and then brought to your table. I also just find the Italian/Mediterranean menu sort of at odds with MoMA's aesthetic.
Terrace 5 - 7 - There's nothing like securing one of the outdoor tables overlooking the sculpture garden while enjoying a beautifully composed salad of roasted vegetables and greens, a perfectly prepared chicken paillard, the house-made chocolates served in a MoMA-inspired box, a perfectly frothed hot chocolate served with a trio of homemade marshmallows, and/or a nice glass of wine.
