Oct. 21 (Bloomberg) -- When the economy falters, serve dinner at your most expensive restaurant just once every 14 days.

That's recession lesson No. 1 from Tom: Tuesday Dinner, the latest offering from Tom Colicchio, the head judge on Bravo TV's ``Top Chef'' and the founder of the Craft empire of eateries.

Tuesday Dinner, in Manhattan's Flatiron district, is open every other Tuesday and serves a set menu of nine or so courses for $150. A repast for two easily costs $500 after wine, tax and tip. The price tag hasn't deterred fans. Yet. The 32-seat venue is booked six weeks out. And you thought Momofuku Ko was a tough reservation.

Colicchio promises to be in the kitchen each time. Can the man still cook? The grub is pretty darn good. A stew of duck hearts (funky), cooked with bacon and paired with a bone marrow panini (oozy) spiked with aromatic white truffles could be the best-ever reinvention of the soup-and-sandwich.

Recession lesson No. 2: Don't waste money on a brand-new space. Colicchio uses the Craft private dining room for the fortnightly feast. Restaurants stand to take a hit as the financial industry scales back from lavish holiday parties, so expect to see other major chefs use their private dining spaces as ad hoc eateries.

Standing in the middle of the open kitchen, Colicchio looked stressed. Our meal lasted 3 1/2 hours, but that's okay when the food is this good. Squid stuffed with pork jowl sat atop squid- ink risotto, doubling its brininess.

Pork With Pork

This is what Craft is famous for -- straightforward flavors, intensified. A slab of salty lamb bacon topped heady lamb loin. Warm, crispy cubes of pork belly crowned a cool terrine of pork.

Too rich? A Riesling cut the fat. Wine pairings ($85) are modest enough to prevent excess inebriation (just a few ounces per course). And if that vino tastes familiar, it's because it's the same one poured in the Craft dining room next door.

Our desserts came from Craft pastry chef Stephen Collucci. A tasting of cannolis, ice cream, sorbets and fondue offered a thoughtful study in milk and chocolate. Concord grape soda cleansed the palate.

One gripe: For $150, I'd like some more luxury items like foie gras or caviar.

Lesson No. 3: Increase demand with a limited-time offer. Colicchio has cleared a year of every-other Tuesdays to cook in Manhattan. He says it's possible the restaurant will stay open. But for now, assume there are only 25 services left.

A sign on Craft's door read ``Tom: Tuesday Dinner.'' Afterwards, that sign was gone, temporarily erasing any indication the restaurant ever existed.

Tom: Tuesday Dinner is at 47 East 19th St. between Broadway and Park Avenue South. Information: +1-212-400-6495.

Bloomingdale Mush

``What kind of prison cook works here?''

That's what my friend exclaimed halfway through our meal at Bloomingdale Road on Manhattan's Upper West Side. He was wondering why our pastas were so criminally bad.

Witt's Mac & Cheese (named after tattooed chef Ed Witt) was a watery mush, with little taste of cheese. Ravioli were filled with cheddar and slathered in a heavy beurre blanc. The slimy richness almost triggered a gag reflex. I stopped eating.

The two-tiered space holds 191 seats, a flat-screen television and a frightening picture of clowns in distress. They probably ate the beef tartare (too sour), the lamb ribs (too fatty) or the steak (a tad livery). A Pisco Sour Brulee involved torching the egg-white froth on top of a cocktail. Result? It tasted sulfurous. Buffalo chicken lollipops were tasty, not crispy. Meatballs? Overcooked. My friend grimaced after swallowing a chunky clam-chowder ``shot.''

My Coca-Cola roasted ham got cold as a bartender took about 20 minutes to bring a side of bread. I sent the dish back to the kitchen. It returned about 10 minutes later, still cold.

Bloomingdale Road is at 2398 Broadway at 88th Street. Information: +1-212-874-7400.

(Ryan Sutton writes about New York City bars and restaurants for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

To contact the writer of this column: Ryan Sutton in New York at rsutton1@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: October 21, 2008 00:01 EDT