The Craftbar winter 2010 Restaurant Week menu is huge! Most restaurants have three to four choices in each of the appetizer, entrée, and dessert categories, but Craftbar has at least ten. If that isn’t reason enough to go, check out some of the offerings we sampled at lunch yesterday:

Smoked pig head terrine, citrus mostarda

I ate head cheese. There. I said it. I ate headcheese. I’ve been interested in it but never interested enough to actually order it, but I thought, “Hey, it’s Restaurant Week. This meal is going to be incredibly cheap, so even if I end up vomiting it up all over my shoes, I don’t have to feel bad about it. Plus, if anyone can do pig head meats right, it’s Tom Colicchio.”

It tasted like a lightly-smoked bacon and had the consistency of week-old ham. I know that sounds kind of gross, but it was delicious. The fat wasn’t chewy like I thought it’d be, and the slight gelatinous feel of it was about a hundred times less jellyish than any other head cheese I’ve seen. It was firm enough to sit on top of the bread but also soft enough to be spread, and the sweetness of the mostarda of lemon and orange peels went so well with the spices on top of the terrine and the sweet mustard seeds on the side.

I would order this again and again from Tom, but I’d still be a little scared to try it anywhere where it looked like this.

Salt cod croquettes, piquillo peppers, capers

Just before he met me for lunch, my boyfriend came out of the subway and saw Bobby Bacala (aka Steve R. Schirripa) of “The Sopranos” fame walk by wearing a track suit. (A track suit! So perfect.) Call him nerdy, but he couldn’t resist ordering the salt cod croquettes, because he knew that the Italian word for salt cod is bacala. (Isn’t he so smart?)

The croquettes themselves mostly just reminded us of fish sticks, but the piquillos were especially sweet and marinated. He liked them, but in the end, he wished he’d ordered something more adventurous.

White anchovy bruschetta, soft-cooked egg, braised leek

Our friend ordered the bruschetta, not realizing it came with anchovies. Luckily, she’s a fish person and didn’t mind them, but she did seem especially willing to share.

Fried chicken breast, potato puree, pipérade

I was especially excited to try the pipérade after just learning what it is recently, and as deliciously tomato-sauce-y as it was, the fried chicken definitely didn’t require it. We had a to-die-for pan-fried chicken during a previous visit, and this one might have been even better. The batter was thick enough that I got to really enjoy all of the rosemary flavor in it but thin enough that it didn’t overpower the succulent chicken. The potatoes were creamy, salty, and thick, making this a true comfort dish.

Braised pork belly, grits, cippolini onions

We’d also had craftbar’s pork belly once before, and just seeing it on the menu made my mouth water. You’d think something that fatty would be tough to eat, but it all just falls apart as you cut it and disintegrates when it hits your tongue. The grits were fine, but I prefer the dark and earthy richness of the black currant puree that accompanied the pork last time. Still, um, this is the best pork belly ever.

Salmon, root vegetables

Our friend ordered the salmon, which looks totally lame next to all the lard in the last two dishes, but I guess you can’t hate a girl for trying to play it cool. I didn’t try this, but she said she liked it aside from the abundance of onions.

Apple and cranberry crumble, maple whipped cream

I got this solely for the maple whipped cream, and it did not disappoint. It was only lightly maple-y, but that was enough to satisfy me. The sugar topping was so thick and chunky, and the apples, cranberries, and golden raisins all had different levels of sweetness that really complimented each other.

Warm brownie, caramel ice cream, whipped cream

The best thing about this brownie is that it has a really thin, really crunchy top layer and then a thick fudgey layer below. The caramel ice cream was much better than the banana ice cream that used to come with this dessert, but I’m a bit biased against bananas, so think what you will.

Selection of cheeses

Who ever actually orders the dessert cheeses? My boyfriend, that’s who. I sort of talked him into it, actually, and while he genuinely liked them, he was obviously in pain when he sampled my apple crumble and then had to go back to his coagulated milk. Sorry, Kamran.

Craftbar remains one of my favourite NYC restaurants because of the way the chef uses such basic ingredients but makes them taste better than they ever should. At $25 for lunch, it’s a total steal, and if you can’t get there in the next few days for winter Restaurant Week, you’d better be prepared for the next one.

I really love when a restaurant inspires huge reactions from my friends, especially when they rely on me to choose the restaurant for us. To my delight, they kept talking about our Friday night trip to Mama’s Food Shop in the East Village for days. Unfortunately, no one was saying anything good.

Eating at one of Mama’s tables feels like eating at the apartment of one of your most eclectic hipster friends if you have the sort of friends who keep nude pictures of their mothers on bookshelves at the heads of their tables. And if your friend serves you lukewarm comfort food cafeteria-style from metal pans.

I was there for the bacon-wrapped meatloaf, and it didn’t disappoint. It had a homey, small-batch taste and pulled apart easily with my fork. The macaroni was plenty cheesy but underseasoned, and I probably would’ve rather had a box of Kraft at home. The kind with the orange cheesefood that squeezes out of the pouch.

My friends had the fried chicken and thought it was bland, but that didn’t stop Chantee from making this face when I asked her to pose:

As a lover of big, soft French fries, I thought my friends’ sweet potato fries were delicious, but most of the plate sat uneaten by everyone else:

However, my pile of banana cream pie (sans crust) was so attractive to everyone

that when I turned to get a photo of something else, two friends dove for a bite at the same time and ended up losing it on the table

so it spent the remainder of the meal beside me on the bookshelf, next to one of the naked ladies.

I didn’t think anyone was horrified by it at the time, but when I asked my friends individually later if they’d return, every one of them said no due to the temperature of the food. I, ever the optimist, chalk that up to our arriving mere minutes before they were closing (although when you’re dishing up pre-cooked food on a serving line, probably the least you can do is serve it hot).

Aside from that, I thought everything tasted just like someone’s mama would make it, and I definitely loved the idea of it:

• You get to see exactly what the food looks like before you order it (great for your picky friends)
• No tipping a waiter (great for your cheap friends)
• A whole lot of food (great for your gluttonous friends)

Our first visit to craftbar was so outstanding that my boyfriend and I decided a couple of weeks later to visit for his birthday to try more of the menu. We had opted for the large charcuterie plate to start the first time around and regretted not getting to taste more appetizers, so this time, we went for three starters:

Pecorino fondue with acacia honey and hazelnuts

The “fondue” wasn’t liquid by the time it got to our table, but the sweetness of the honey was a treat, and the hazelnuts were hugely complimentary.

Pecorino-stuffed risotto balls

The risotto balls seemed like they’d be easy on the palate, but once we got past the super-crunchy skin, the risotto and cheese mixture had an almost sour taste that verged on unpleasant, which actually made them more pleasant. Foods that challenge our palates excite us, so this was a favourite of the night.

Polenta fritters with jalapeños

The polenta fritters had the same consistency as the risotto balls and seemed like maybe too similar a dish at first, but the jalapeño and tartar-sauce-like topping made it wildly different and delicious.

Veal ricotta meatballs

I heard our waitress tell the table next to us that the meatballs are what they’re known for, so I was especially excited about my dish and therefore especially disappointed when it didn’t blow my mind. The sauce was freshly homemade but tasted bland; I’m a spice freak and therefore biased, but still. The meatballs were juicy but overpowered by the herbs on top. Luckily, the pasta was goooooood. It was a $5 supplement, but my boyfriend had encouraged me to go for it, and I’m glad he did. The orecchiette was textured in a way that gave them a density and authenticity that store-bought pasta could never compete with. By the time I was finished with the dish, I had grown to like it much more, but I don’t think meatballs should be an acquired taste.

Black Angus hanger steak, baby shiitake mushrooms, spring onions, and potato purée

My boyfriend loves a hanger steak, but this dish didn’t wow either of us. The highlight was the potatoes, which were creamy and benefited from the jus surrounding them, but we’ll probably stick to ordering steak at steakhouses.

Olive Oil Cake with black mission figs, rosemary ice cream, and pine nuts

The only reason I ordered the olive oil cake is that people who Google search it often end up here. I have no idea why, and I honestly would’ve never, ever ordered the cake if I didn’t want to have something to offer readers who are interested in it. And I guess the reader knows best, because it turned out to be probably the most surprisingly delicious dessert I’ve ever had. I was surprised at how much I liked the concord grape granita last time, but grape is an inherently lovable flavor for me, while I actually dislike olives and don’t think olive oil is that much better. Olive oil cake is an entirely different story, though. It’s basically a yellow cake muffin with olive oil soaked through the skin, enough to make the inside moist but not enough to push the dessert into savory territory.

The real star, though, is that rosemary ice cream. It was such a perfect compliment to the cake that I actually can’t form words to describe how good the two were together. Even the pine nuts, which I don’t generally think are anything special, were entirely necessary to the dish. I would order this again and again and again.

Warm brownie with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and banana ice cream

I’m nothing if not a chocolate person, but next to my olive oil cake, my boyfriend’s brownie just didn’t compare. We had decided to switch desserts in the event I didn’t like mine, but I didn’t even want to once I tasted it. The brownie was soft and chewy and all that, but it hurt too much to watch someone else eating my cake.

I’m glad we tried new dishes this time, but clearly we picked the main course that suited us best last time. Next time, I’ll know that my perfect meal is the risotto balls, the pork belly, and the olive oil cake. I’m making my boyfriend order the grape granita, though, and I’m going to hog the whole thing.

You know you’re living a charmed life when you and your boyfriend read Serious Eats’ Top Five Fancy-Pants Doughnuts in New York City article, decide on a whim that you’re in the mood for some of those fancy-pants donuts, and head out to Tom Colicchio’s craftbar to get your fix.

You may remember that Kamran took me to craft for Valentine’s Day this year and that it remains to this day the best meal I’ve ever eaten without question. craftbar being the less formal sister to that restaurant, I was prepared for a difference in quality or service along with the difference in price. But no!

We were seated in a corner booth in the very dimly-lit dining room

and given our “breadbasket”, which was comprised of four long, crusty sticks.

I was in the mood for soft, warm rolls, so I reluctantly chewed on the rods with disdain, thought I’ll admit I appreciated the creativity. Luckily, our assortment of charcuterie arrived posthaste accompanied by slices of fluffy bread, and I was sated.

From near to far: Bresaola (beef that has been air-dried for 45 days), Finochietta (pork sausage flavored with fennel), Proscuitto di Parma (the famous dry-cured ham), Cacciatorini (sausage traditionally made with wild boar)

Our waiter told us that the Bresaola is something people either love or hate and that even though it would seem dry to us, we could rest assured that it’s supposed to be that way. It was, naturally, our least-favourite, but maybe only because the others were so good. The sausage with fennel was easily my favourite, but we both really enjoyed how especially silky the Proscuitto was.

I had come prepared to order the pork loin with sweet corn and chanterelle that’s listed on the website, but it turns out that the menu had changed two days prior to our visit. What replaced it was a slab of pork belly over lentils, endive, and a smear of pureed black currants. The waiter acted very excited when I ordered it, and though I kind of just assumed that’s part of his shtick at that moment, I fully believed him once I tasted it.

It. Was. Great. I mean great. My first bite was of the endive, which was cooked down until it became as sweet as fruit. It was so delicious that Kamran and I didn’t even recognize the taste and had to ask the waiter what it was. I said I could pick out some anise in it, and he told me I have a good palate, as that’s part of what it’s cooked in. (You can imagine how happy that made me.) I tasted the black currant next and think I made dreamy gurgling noises without meaning to. Next, I dove into the belly and closed my eyes as the layers of fat melted in my mouth and left behind juicy pulled pork that could have been cooking for hours. I’m wiping away a tear just thinking about it.

The funny thing is that the pork belly was so much like the pork dumpling at Sakagura, which I reviewed here. Both paired the pork with sweet flavors, though Sakagura surrounded theirs in a broth so intense it could’ve been maple syrup. I liked the craftbar version more in the end, but you can’t beat only paying $4.50 for it at Sakagura.

Kamran ordered a really divine “fried” chicken (“fried” because it’s pan fried) with collard greens and pickled watermelon. I’m aware that pan frying is supposed to dry out the meat, but we couldn’t stop talking about how juicy the chicken was. The crust on it was dense with savory flavors, and Kamran thought the collard greens were the perfect accompaniment. The only complaint he had was that he wanted more pickled watermelon; the sprinkling of rind cubes and scallions was just a tease.

The reason we had come, of course, was the ricotta fritters with peaches and buttermilk sorbet. Kamran ordered those and let me choose another dessert, which was like trying to choose a favourite child for me. Do you go with the more challenging olive oil cake with black mission figs, rosemary ice cream, and pine nuts? Or do you go with a deconstructed childhood favourite, the new concord grape granita with peanut butter cookies and whipped cream?

I couldn’t pass up the peanut butter and jelly in the end and went with the granita, though I was concerned about it. I was basically expecting a Sno-Cone with some grape syrup poured over it, but our waiter assured me it was a good choice. And sweet Jesus, it was. The grape flavor was so intense, the icy syrup so thick and rich, and the whipped cream on top was a mile high. I had to dig through it for five minutes before I actually got to the granita. The peanut butter cookies were a little bit too crunchy for my liking, but they were certainly delicious. It was definitely one of the more thoughtful and flavorful desserts I’ve had in the city.

And next to it, sadly, the donuts just didn’t compare. They were light and had a great interior texture thanks to the ricotta, and the summer peaches were lovely, but it didn’t feel like the decadent dessert I expect fritters to. However, the buttermilk ice cream was yummy. It tasted heavily of lemon rind in a way that I wouldn’t expect myself to like, but I kept diving into Kamran’s plate long after he stopped taking my granita. Next time, I could have just a scoop (or three or five) of that for dessert.

I thought I couldn’t exclaim enough about Tom Colicchio before, but this experience only made me respect what he’s doing a hundred times more. Our waiter, Mark (I think), only added to the meal by providing welcoming conversation and tons of information. And the prices really blew us away. Not that it was a cheap meal, but both of our entrees were in the low $20 range, and our desserts were only $10. I hope no one figures out how much these dishes were actually worth before I have a chance to go back and try everything on the menu.

For our final Restaurant Week meal, my boyfriend and I were torn between:

A) Tocqueville, which had a decent menu but looked especially formal, and

B) City Crab, which we’ve been meaning to go to anyway but which only listed their entree as any of the chef’s daily specials. And that’s scary to a non-seafood-lover.

So we chose Tocqueville in the end and think it may be the best Restaurant Week dinner we’ve had. It’s hidden down 15th Street near Union Square, and although I’m sure it cuts down on their business, the restaurant’s quiet location only adds to the feeling of being special–maybe even elite–that you experience upon entering. The hostess leads you back a short hallway to the dining room, which is the size of your studio apartment but with much higher ceilings and much posher furniture. Soft French music complements your intimate conversation as you recline on a pillow at a plush corner table.

And the service! Our waiter was not only attentive but well-dressed and equipped with a brilliant accent. The manager came to talk to us twice, first to ask us how we found out about the restaurant and to explain the greenmarket menu, which is decided upon daily based on what’s available at the Union Square farmer’s market. The second time he came around, it was to ask us if we’d visited a nearby restaurant; it seemed like a friendly conversation about Portuguese food, but we figured the two restaurants must be related somehow. (Later, we found that the former Tocqueville chef is now there.)

The best part, though, was that we were brought not one but two dishes on the house. The first was a cool watermelon soup with giant lumps of crab, meant to be sipped directly from the tiny bowl as an amuse bouche,

and the second was an array of amazingly flavorful sorbets that arrived when our ordered desserts were taking too long.

From left: dark chocolate, kiwi (the best!), melon, lime-coconut, and pineapple.

Here’s the Restaurant Week menu:

I don’t like tomatoes, and Kamran warned me that I probably wouldn’t care for chicken livers (WRONG!), so I went with the asparagus vichyssoise, and it was both lovely and refreshing. I’d heard the word vichyssoise before but had no idea what it was, so when the waiter plopped a bowl of asparagus parts down in front of me, I thought that was the deal. But then he poured a super-creamy soup around the parts, and it only got better.

Kamran’s chickweed salad was even better, though, because the salad wasn’t the focus at all. The toasted bread and chicken livers were crunchy and sweet, and even as a tomato-hater, I loved the garnish and vinaigrette.

I was slow to give up the steak, but gnocchi is one of my favorite foods, and I knew I’d regret not ordering it. I know it’s supposed to be light and fluffy, but I have no idea why anyone would want a non-dense dinner. It was the perfect density for me, so do with that what you will. I could take or leave the arugula, but the cheese and the butter sauce were mouth-watering.

Kamran thought his steak was perfectly cooked and loved the tomato hyssop marmalade around it. I thought it was horribly rare, of course, but even I’ll admit to not hating the marmalade.

After the assorted sorbets, we were already so in love with Tocqueville’s desserts that what we actually ordered didn’t much matter, but we happened to enjoy them, too. My torte was the darkest, richest chocolate

and Kamran’s souffle was creamy and light with berries at the peak of their ripeness.

Even if the food had been terrible, the service and atmosphere were so nice that I would go back in a second for another quiet, romantic meal. Their Restaurant Week menu is available until August 28th, and they have a year-round lunch prix fixe, so there’s plenty of opportunity for you to try it out, too.