The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Romance in the air at Utica restaurant
Central New York food lovers do not have to travel far for an exceptional romantic dining experience.
The Tailor and the Cook restaurant in Utica is among only five New York state restaurants to be nationally recognized by OpenTable’s Top 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America for the second year in a row.
Owner and executive chef Tim Hardiman believes this designation is a testiment to The Tailor and the Cook’s seven years of dedication to creating top-notch dining experiences with locally-sourced products and exceptional service.
“Since the day we opened our doors, our team has been devoted to offering guests a uniquely memorable culinary experience right here in Utica,” Hardiman said. “It is an honor to be named on this list, and to know the award is thanks to reviews from our very own valued customers.”
Hardiman considers the romantic atmosphere a result of consistently providing their diners with the total package.
“The Tailor and the Cook boasts comfortable ambiance, the finest locally- sourced foods, unparalleled service and a remarkable beverage program,” he said.
Hardiman prides himself on his attention to detail in serving local cuisine. Their menu features 100 percent locally sourced meats, and approximately 85 percent of the perishable inventory is procured locally. The Tailor and the Cook also offers one of the most extensive New York state wine selections in the country and an impressive array of local craft beer and spirits.
From the luxurious Majorelle in New York City, to the supper club experience at Nocturne in Denver, to St Martin’s Wine Bistro in Dallas, The Tailor and The Cook’s name is featured alongside a wide variety of highly rated national restaurants on this list.
OpenTable, an online restaurant review and reservation service, compiles its yearly list based on more than 12 million verified diner reviews of over 28,000 restaurant in 50 states collected from December 2017 to December 2018. The overall score is determined by unique data points, such as overall diner rating, user clout, total number of reviews and regional overall rating. Qualifying restaurants were then scored and sorted according to the percentage of reviews for which “romantic” was selected as a special feature.
“Since the daywe opened our doors, our teamhas been devoted to offering guests a uniquely memorable culinary experience right here inUtica. It is anhonor to be named on this list, and to know the award is thanks to reviews from our very own valued customers.”
— Tim Hardiman, owner and executive chef