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The venerable 85 Tenth Avenue building, once the birthplace of America's favorite cookies, has been given a dramatic second life.
Introducing Crane Club, the brainchild of chef Melissa Rodriguez –– the Michelin-starred maestro behind Al Coro –– and her longtime co-conspirator, Jeff Katz. This latest venture is not merely a restaurant — it's an extravagant overture, a daring leap from the confines of French and Italian fine dining into a world brimming with bold possibilities.
Rodriguez and Katz have summoned their culinary dream team — veterans of Del Posto and Al Coro — to reprise their roles in this thrilling production. Pastry Chef Georgia Wodder and Executive Chef Katherine Rock take the stage alongside cocktail savant Chris Lemperle and wine whisperer Cat Fanelli. Together, they deliver a symphony of flavors and textures that feel both refreshingly modern and deeply rooted in culinary tradition.
The venue's opening was a star-studded grand affair. Among the glitterati who made the cut: Bethenny Frankel, Aaron Paul, Justin Theroux, Bill Maher, Pharrell Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, Winnie Harlow, Sofia Vergara, J Balvin and Chelsea Clinton.
At the heart of this gastronomic wonderland is a custom-built 12-foot Mibrasa wood-fired grill, a Spanish import that serves as the restaurant's smoky soul. It's the secret behind such dishes as the exquisite Sfogliatelle — a flakey pastry filled with potato and fontina, crowned with Osetra caviar — and the indulgent Baked Shells, swimming in a luxurious black truffle jus. Meanwhile, a roving raw bar cart, sparkling under its own theatrical lighting, tempts diners with icy treasures like razor clams and shrimp cocktail.
Dessert, under Wodder's capable hand, is no afterthought. Her Banana Layer Cake with Guava Sorbet manages to feel both playful and refined, while a reimagined Chocolate Viennetta winks knowingly at diners of a certain age. And let's not forget the cocktails — Lemperle's creations are as stylish as the space itself. The Beet Gibson and the mezcal-kissed Two Birds One Stone are highlights, though nearly every concoction is available in a non-alcoholic version, ensuring everyone feels included in the revelry.
Crane Club's design is a triumph of understated grandeur. Susan Nugraha of Tao Group Hospitality and Laseu Studio have turned the space into a Gatsby-esque jewel box, with soaring ceilings and gold-leafed walls nodding to the building's 1913 origins while anchoring it firmly in the present. Archways divide the main dining room into intimate pockets of elegance, while the adjoining bar, with its gleaming red marble counter, invites lingering late into the night.
More than a restaurant, Crane Club is a declaration. Rodriguez, along with TAO Group's Jason Strauss and Noah Tepperberg with their unmistakable flair and mastery, have once again set the standard for dining in New York. In West Chelsea, where the old and new collide, they have built a sanctuary to the art of indulgence — and the city is now all the richer for it.
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