The restaurant was opened 1879 in the Brooklyn on Fulton Street. It reopened in its present location on Fulton Street in 1892 with a Neo-Greco front and ornate interior characteristic of the late Victorian Era. fast-forward to 1973 John Simmons joins Ed Dewry in the ownership and management of the restaurant. John Simmons is a very close friend who now lives in Oregon. I also know the last owned Joe Chirico who closed the restaurant in 1995.
I first went to Gage & Tollner in the early 1970’s when I lived in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn and later when I lived in Park Slope, Brooklyn when Edna Louis, a groundbreaking chef, was there. Michele and I have fond memories of it and felt we had a connection to the restaurant. The restaurant had existed for many years, but closed in the early 2000’s. The interior has landmark status, a rarity in this city, and recently reopened with a whole new owner and management team. We made a date to meet friends there for dinner. We were happy to see that the restaurant allows you to bring your own wines with a reasonable corkage fee.
We started with Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve NV Made from 40% Pinot Meunier, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay. It has tiny bubbles, a fruity delicate freshness with hints of citrus fruit, ginger and a touch of brioche.
Chicken Pate — a delicate mousse-like pate with raisins and walnuts, served with warm toast. This was one of several appetizers that we shared.
Cornmeal Fritters
Corn pudding
Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 1998. Fabiano made from 40% Corvina, 30% Corvinone, 25% Rondinella and 5% Croatian. The vineyards are at 190/370 meters and the soil is red compact with clay, rich in skeleton deposits and marly clay. The training system is Pergola Veronese in terraces contained by stone walls (marogne). Harvest is manual. The grapes are soft pressed and partially destemmed, then dried for about 4 months according to the traditional drying method. In the second half of January the grapes are gently pressed and destemmed. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature for about 50 days after 30 days maceration on the skins. The wine is aged in 40HL oak barrels for 30 months and 3 months in bottle before release. This is a complex full bodied wine but also soft and balanced with deep dark fruit, prunes, plums a touch of chocolate, a note of spiced and a hint of cherry. Very traditional and a good food wine. Residual sugar g/4.6.
The French Fries were excellent, light, crisp and not greasy
Pork Shoulder Rib Roast for two was juicy and perfectly roasted, topped with cherry mostarda.
Welcome back, Gage & Tollner! We loved being back, our meal was terrific, and we will be back again soon.
Charles Scicolone on Wine 