03/14/09

THE BEST

by lhny12

The best all around dinner in Manhattan. If you don't like it here, you won't like it anywhere. I can promise you - you will have an amazing dinner... that is (if) you can get a reservation!

• Pros: It's simply food perfection
• Cons: Nothing :)

02/11/08

Simply Amazing!

by Swavioli

My girlfriend and I were in the city for the weekend and, after looking over numerous restaurants and reading various reviews, we decided to go to Gilt. Living in Boston, as well as being from NY originally, and dining out on a fairly regular basis, I feel like I've eaten at some great establishments. However, my previous experiences and reviews of Gilt did not do my anticipation of the meal justice. Simply amazing is the only way I can describe the 2 hours of fine dinning at Gilt. From the pre-meal amuse bouche to the artistic and decadent desserts, everything was outstanding. The exquisite decor and architecture are only outdone by the beautiful presentation of food.

Every course my girlfriend and I had was perfect. Her tuna tartare was accompanied by the most delicious tiny scallion pancakes I've ever had, and my hamachi sashimi was accented by Chef Lee's creation of jalapeno caviar (it?s amazing how he makes that). My main course, venison, was cooked perfectly and topped with a spiced red cabbage brandy jus; the meat melted in my mouth after the explosion of flavors. My girlfriend had the crispy sea bass in a saffron mussel broth; I can only image how good it was from the expressions on her face after each bite. The desserts were equally amazing and to top it off, after the meal we were presented with some designer chocolates.

As other reviewers have said, for a fine dinning establishment, it was not stuffy at all. As you would expect in fine dining, the service was impeccable and timing was on point. However, the staff was extremely friendly and engaging, something you usually won?t experience at a high end restaurant.

If you haven't already guessed, I would highly recommend Gilt to anyone looking for not only a great meal, but also a remarkable all around experience.

• Pros: Ambience, Presentation, Taste, Service
• Cons: Dinner had to come to an end.

11/07/07

If I could eat in one restaurant for the rest of my life, this would be it!

by todie4d

This place is completely amazing! The most beautiful restaurant space I have ever been to. I really can't say enough about our enjoyable experience. We were celebrating a birthday with a party of 4. We started off meeting our friends at the bar, but couldn't stay cause we were a tad late for our reservation. The staff was super attentive and helped us make our wine and chamagne selections. Our waiter gave us suggestions for our dinner selections, but not in an intrusive way. Dinner started with a single scallop tasting dish which was served beautifully and made a nice start ot the meal. The appetisers were all lovely; a butternut squash soup with cinnamon cotton candy made the most spectacular presentation. A friend opted for a $75 dollar upcharge upon which a ton of white truffles were shaved over her risotto (yum!). Dinner was good as well, 2 of us had the steak which was good but not too remarkable. The other 2 had the saffron fish dish which they were so content with I didn't get a chance to try them. Afterwards we had dessert, the most notable being the french toast w/ berry compote and some teas. Lastly a few designer chocolates to round out the evening.

We dined, we saw, we conquered. We can't wait to visit again...

• Pros: Beautiful Decor, Seamless Service, Delicious Food, and Good Value for Fine Dining
• Cons: None

05/04/07

Updated European fare and grand decor bring the gilded age into a modern one.

by Contributor

Strangely futuristic elements have been grafted onto the majestic Villard mansion, in the form of a weirdly lit geodesic dome which floats underneath the gilded walls and carved ceilings. But no amount of decor, from any era, can detract from the achievement of the menu, which is opulent, baroque, and very expensive: It needs to dazzle the restaurant's tourist clientele, who don't mind paying sky-high prices for a very rarefied kind of food. Chef Chris Lee is gone, but his modernized classics, like Tuna Wellington, live on, as does his particular brand of seasonal haute cuisine.

04/09/07

Best of fine dining

by krockred

If you haven't dined here you are missing something great. The rooms are exquisite, the service is friendly and very knowledgeable and always treats us like they have been waiting for our return. My boyfriend and I have been there numerous times now and each time is such an experience. We have had both the 3 & 7 course meal. Chris Lee is amazing - the food is so amazing. The flavors burst in your mouth, the courses are plentiful and is so worth every penny. If you enjoy fine dining with a more hip, casual atmosphere - don't miss this one!

• Pros: ambience, romantic, hip

03/04/07

Class Act

by jsantag643

We ate here on a Fri night and loved it! Service was great ,dishes were excellent and the decor was inviting.Really a high class rest,with no stuffy feeling ...go now !!!

• Pros: great food
• Cons: price

11/13/06

chris lee does it agian

by spolie

i've been eating chris food for about 4 years oceana, striped bass and back in the city at gilt i've eatin here 1 time and love how he stays away from the norm this kid is a pure cook ya his a chef but he thinks like a cook he's not sacred to try new ideas most chefs cook what they know will sell or just what they known. i'm glad tosee a new era of chefs are coming back to the city. this is for the cooks i fell so bad for all the cook who have to put his menu out every day. the hard work shows. and we love it

• Pros: foood , service, foooood
• Cons: price, gold every where

07/26/06

NYC's most astounding new restaurants

by hugefoodie

Paul Liebrandt is one of New York's youngest chefs, but his cuisine is amazingly sophisticated beyond his years. I've dined at El Bulli and throughout Europe, and I must say that Gilt is pushing the bar in NY up to that level and beyond. I have a culinary background, and I was so enthralled throughout the evening. You must have the tasting menu. It is about 9 courses and it was mindblowing. The foie gras was the most beautiful and unique presentations I have ever seen. The loup de mer had beautiful summer truffles. The duck with cherries and morels was amazing. The cheese course came in three parts, combining flavors, textures and temperatures. I can go on, but you should just go there. So much of it is beyond words. The wine pairing is a great option, especially with such a multitude of dishes on the tasting menu. But, I saw so many wines that other restaurants only wish that they could have on their list. The dining room was full and it's pretty small, so make your reservation in advance. The service was great. They even brought me reading glasses discretely because they could tell I was having a difficult time with the menu. It was great European food and service, without the European snobbery.

05/27/06

Simply Fabulous

by igoeja

Although we ordered from the pre fixe menu ($95 per), as opposed to the tasting menu ($135 per) the meal was both extraordinary as well as equivalent to a tasting menu in ts breadth. Besides our orders, we were served numerous treats, before, during, and after our dinner servings, and it was all fabulous. The service was wonderful. The environment was a unique mixture of old and ornate - it's in The NY Palace - and modern, and all of it very intriguing.

03/09/06

Glamorous Dining

by nickijags

The dining room is breath-taking and ornate. The food is of equal caliber. Although the multi-plate course (5 plates come out each time!) is a bit overwhelming, and some of the preparation is questionable (what is the etiquette for eating a delicate slice of apple?), we had a great time sampling a variety of foods.

We went for the Modern tasting menu. I can't say I liked every course, but I liked enough to leave satisfied. The cheese plate was exquisite- simply perfect.

As expected, the service was second to none.

• Pros: Unique, Great Ambiance, Decadent