Gabriel Kreuther: New York City’s Michelin Stars on 42nd Street

Gabriel Kreuther has been a perennial favorite in the Times Square area for before theater dinner and other special occasions since it opened in 2016. The place is classy, elegant, and deserving of its two Michelin Stars and membership of the esteemed Relais & Chateaux.

Location:  41 West 42^nd Street, New York

Across the street from Bryant Park and just a few minutes from the bright lights of the theater district, Gabriel Kreuther is conveniently located in Midtown Manhattan.

Menu:  Diners can choose from a fixed menu or can order off the extensive menu for lunch and dinner. Since many diners are leaving for the theater after dinner, the Pre-Theater Menu is very popular with diners in a hurry.

Some of the mouthwatering main dishes include the Roasted Local Striped Bass with local red grits, red pepper-olive relish, and shellfish broth and the Long Island Duck Leg Confit with housemade bacon, mustard aioli, and coco bean ragout. Other mains include the delicious Grilled Black Angus Beef Tenderloin with aji pepper glaze, cauliflower, and marinated endive. 

Gabriel Kreuther is known for its outstanding caviar. Choices include the Royal Golden Kaluga Caviar and the popular Golden Osetra, both served with nori rice crackers with buttermilk mousseline. The Royal Golden Kaluga Caviar is farm-raised from the closest relative of the Beluga Sturgeon. Organic and hand-selected from each harvest, this exquisitely rich grain offers a mild, nutty flavor.

Gabriel Kreuther offers a wide range of cocktails, mixed drinks, and wines. In fact, Wine Enthusiast Magazine named the restaurant one of America’s 100 Best Wine Restaurants and Wine Spectator gave the restaurant its 2019 Best of Award Excellence.

Thoughts:  There is a reason Gabriel Kreuther is the recipient of so many accolades and awards. Just of few of these noted on their website include: 

“Best New Restaurant of the Year” by New York’s Village Voice, the highly selective AAA 5 Diamond Award, 3 Stars from the NY Times, Two Michelin Stars & selection as a member of the esteemed Relais & Chateaux.  The Tasting Table includes Gabriel Kreuther in their list for “The World’s Most Beautiful Restaurants” with special recognition from Architectural Digest & Zagat also for its design & The Robb Report named Gabriel Kreuther as one of “The 9 Best New Restaurants in the World, 2016”.

Having developed a fondness for Aperol spritzes on my frequent visits to Italy, my waiter, Artem, recommended the Ovation, a flavorful cocktail similar to the Aperol spritz. Consisting of Campari, Apricot, Cocchi Americano, and Hennessy VSOP Champagne, the Ovation is described as “fun, succulent, and effervescent.” And it was all of the above.

Choosing from the outstanding Pre-Theater Menu, I started with a flavorful Foie Gras & Country Pate Terrine. Served with apricot preserves on flavorful sweet potato bread with gewürztraminer and husk cherries, it was an excellent choice. To be honest, I had never tried Foie Gras before – it always scared me for some reason. I’m glad I got over my fear because it ended up being truly delightful.

For my entrée, I ordered the Grilled Black Angus Beef Tenderloin served with aji pepper glaze, a pureed cauliflower, and marinated endive. Again following the advice of Artem, a personable young man originally from Ukraine, he paired the tender beef with an outstanding seven-year-old Château Boston Cabernet Sauvignon.

For my first dessert (more on my second dessert later), my waiter brought the Harvest Apple Huckleberry. Layered between thin wafers of light and crunchy phyllo dough with caramelized apple, caramel cremeux, and huckleberry and fromage blanc sorbet, it was a perfect finish to a wonderful meal.

I could have easily stopped there after downing the last sip of my after-dinner coffee. However, with one of the premier chocolate makers next door in the Kreuther Handcrafted Chocolate shop, I forced myself to sample two small chocolates before returning to my hotel. With over a dozen flavors to choose from, I chose the Seaweed Sesame and the Pumpkin Sesame Mole. Both were delicious with just enough of a twist to make them uniquely Gabriel Kreuther.

Price Range:  The price for the Pre-Theater Dinner is $98. The Heritage Tasting Menu is $195  and the Chef’s Carte Blanche Menu is $245. Individual mains range from $37 to $55. 

From the moment I walked in their front door on 42nd Street until I left with the taste of chocolate still blissfully playing on my taste buds, my experience at Gabriel Kreuther was first class all the way.

Disclosure: The author was hosted by Gabriel Kreuther for a complimentary dinner.