Cafe Gray
The Time Warner Center, Columbus Circle

All of the restaurants in the Time Warner Center have reputations that few can live up to, and sadly, I think Cafe Gray is the furthest from its target amongst them all. I had a Sunday night meal with a friend there and I was rather disappointed.

The space is big and the open kitchen is a nice touch, but when the chefs look like they are goofing off and running into each other, it's really like a bad episode of some bloody Gordon Ramsay show. It just didn't look very professional; although the service staff was excellent for the most part.

For starters we both had the risotto with mushrooms. It was nice, but nothing very special. The presentation was nice, but there was not much substance to it. The main course we both had the special trout, which was tremendously disappointing. The fish was bland, and it was done like something from cooking school. The whole place looked more like a training area for chefs than one with a serious eye for foodies.

After a dessert of sorbets, which wasn't bad, we left disappointed. If it wasn't for the plentiful wine, it would have been a total disappointment.

Food: C+
Atmosphere: B-
For Lone Diners: B- (*)