5 Madison Avenue (corner of 24th St., MetLife Building, 2nd floor) 212-413-4300 www.theclocktowernyc.com
American. Swanky. It’s a word that doesn’t get a lot of traffic these days, but it’s the first thing that came to mind when I stepped inside the Clocktower. Maybe it’s the rich wood walls or the black and white vintage photos that blanket them. It could be the seamless synchronicity of the staff. Or the pulse of the well heeled crowd. An undeniable feeling of luxuriousness pervades these surroundings, setting the tone for an evening equal parts memorable and delicious.
The menu spans intriguingly from mac and cheese to Dover sole. I, myself, indulged in different fare, each dish as wonderful as you could dream. Seafood is clearly a specialty as proven by both the dressed crab (crispy uni, apple batons, lemon purée) and big eye tuna tataki (English cucumber, radish, avocado, ponzu). Their entrées are breathtaking too. I experienced both the cannon of Colorado lamb (slow cooked neck, spiced eggplant, roasted salsify, chanterelle mushrooms, cavolo nero) and dry aged 1/2 lb. burger with bacon, cheddar, Churchill sauce, red onion and some of the best French fries to ever pass my lips.
I could not imagine being any happier – but then closed out the night with a pistachio soufflé. This place is the bees knees. I mean YOLO. So get here when you can.