Chelsea’s 85 Tenth Avenue has long been a beacon for hospitality. First, in 2005, there was Del Posto – a refined Italian restaurant that rose through the ranks to become one of NYC’s most lauded reservations. After its unfortunate closure in 2021, executive chef Melissa Rodriguez took on joint ownership, and opened Al Coro, which quickly earned two Michelin stars.
But, in cold hard testimony to the fact that stars don’t always equal success, Al Coro ceased trading in 2023. But, Rodriguez clearly isn’t one to be downtrodden: the chef is back and alongside longtime collaborator and veteran restaurateur Jeff Katz, she has launched all-new restaurant Crane Club in the now-iconic 85 Tenth Avenue space.
Opened in the final weeks of November in partnership with Tao Hospitality Group (responsible for the flashy Hakkasan and Lavo collections, among others), Crane Club might have a new name, look and menu, but the flashy, special-occasion-worth style remains.
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Chef
Virtuoso of the NYC restaurant scene, chef Rodriguez’s resume is one dotted with big-name positions. Alongside her near-decade tenure in the hallowed halls of 85th Tenth Avenue, there was time under Daniel Boulud at the esteemed Daniel (where she began as line cook but climbed the ranks to become sous).
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However, while fine dining might be old hat for Rodriguez, Crane Club marks a step out of her comfort zone, with a move away from the strictly classic French and Italian cuisines that have come to define her career so far.
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Menu
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We might be heading in a new direction for Rodriguez, but the sense that this is fancy cannot be missed. There’s a serious full caviar service that just edges the 400-dollar mark, steaks at $200-plus and sides tipping over $20. This is no casual outlet.
And, although Crane Club’s menu is billed as not being strictly within the confines of Italian or French cooking, influences naturally creep in. (There’s a whole section dedicated to pasta, for example, including a tortellini with squash and spinach.) It looks like the point here was to scrap focusing on one culinary destination; guests can pick and choose where they want their dinner to be from.
For desserts, Rodriguez has enlisted pastry chef Georgia Wodde, who has added some feel-good classics to the menu: a posh take on a chocolate vienetta threatens to become a crowd favorite.
Drinks come courtesy of Chris Lemperle, who has designed a cocktail list that is designed to be drunk alongside the food, not just as a pre-cursor or post-meal. Highlights include a beetroot-infused Gibson and an oolong pisco sour.
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Interiors
The space has been entirely refitted courtesy of Tao’s in-house design lead Susan Nugraha and New York-based firm Laseu Studio. The main dining room is grand as ever, with huge arched ceilings softed by crimson drapes and warm lighting.
There’s an intimate 12-seat bar, decked entirely in red marble, as well as several private dining rooms. Crisp white tablecloths add to the undeniable sense of occasion.
Crane Club, 85 10th Avenue, New York, NY 10011, taogroup.com
