He makes his food easy to appreciate, but it is just as good as any elegant restaurant in the city. Another great thing about Gramercy Tavern is their extensive wine list. It's organized by flavor rather than by region. When you think about this, it really makes sense because the purpose of wine is to enhance food. They also have one of the best cheese trays in America.
Beginners can learn a lot about cheese here as they really try to de-mystify it.
Steven Shaw - It's not a restaurant, it's a neighborhood. A good place in particular is the Yaffa Cafe , which personifies the east village attitude and social scene. It's open 24 hours a day. It's dark, hip and funky with an extremely eclectic crowd. There are a lot of healthy and vegetarian entrees as well.