Located in midtown Manhattan near the Broadway theater district, 21 Club is a NY staple of dining society that includes Bar Room or Upstairs at '21'. The first is a more humble eating space, if not for the collection of Martha Stewart and Donald Trumps hunkering down at their favorite banquettes in one of three adjoining room that surround a central wood-paneled bar with ceiling suspended in collectible bric-a-brac. An adjacent cocktail lounge has more of a stately vibe with its wing-back chairs and crackling fireplace conducive to 5pm cognacs and Cabernet. Upstairs at 21 has a much more feminine vibe with hand-painted NY streets scenes above pale green leather banquettes and tabletops set in cheery bone china with a yellow rim.
The Food
Varying little from luch and dinner, aside from portion size, menus options include prix fixe and ala carte beginning with appetizers like a seasonal homemade terrine of soup, mesclun with herbed goat’s cheese, grilled calamari with black garlic coulis and juniper-cured mahi mahi with blood orange reduction. Main courses include coffee-chili pork chop horseradish-crusted salmon and sautéed chicken breast with yellow polenta. Upstairs, a more diverse menu selection includes a delicious crab cake, grilled octopus or foie gras appetizer as well as a vegetarian tasting of butter poached lobster as main course
Last Word
Don’t forget the dress code, “jeans and sneakers are not permitted. Jackets are necessary for gentlemen with ties preferred at dinner.”