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By David Landis, The Gay Gourmet\u2014<\/p>\n
The Gay Gourmet is back! It\u2019s been a couple of months, and I\u2019ve got a repaired left shoulder (plus a new one on the right), but I am on the mend. That means good food is coming your way once again!<\/p>\n
I know that a lot of my loyal readers love making the trek to the Big Apple. My husband and I do it at least once or twice a year to catch the latest and greatest theatre (just saw Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York; don\u2019t miss it!). We journeyed there prior to my surgery. One thing I\u2019m always on the lookout for is a good pre or post theatre restaurant in mid-town. Well, darlings, I found one! (Actually, my pal Sandy found this one for me.) It\u2019s called 44 & X, because it\u2019s on the corner of 44th Street and 10th Avenue in Hell\u2019s Kitchen. Besides being delicious, it\u2019s affordable, and, most importantly, LGBTQ+ friendly. As the kids say, it\u2019s a \u201cwinner, winner, chicken dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n
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44 & X Owner and Proprietor Dan Taylor
PHOTO BY PHIL O\u2019BRIEN<\/p>\n
So, I sat down with the new Owner\/Proprietor Dan Taylor via Zoom to ask him to give us the scoop. Herewith is our conversation:<\/p>\n
David Landis: Tell me a little bit about your background. Running a restaurant is a somewhat new career for you, yes? And when did you take over 44 & X?<\/p>\n
Dan Taylor: This is somewhat new, although I have plenty of restaurant experience from managing and waiting tables in the past. I\u2019ve also owned my own companies for the last decade, so putting business and real-life experience together wasn\u2019t hard.<\/p>\n
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Exterior of 44 & X<\/p>\n
David Landis: Are you from New York? Where did you grow up?<\/p>\n
Dan Taylor: I\u2019m originally from Arizona. I lived in the Midwest with my family for a few years, but, after visiting New York a few times, I fell in love with this city and decided to make the move 4 years ago.<\/p>\n
David Landis: Your approach to dining makes the experience casual, yet whimsical. Tell me about that.<\/p>\n
Dan Taylor: We want people to have a great experience. The dining experience is upscale, yet casual and friendly at the same time. People should feel comfortable having a conversation with family and friends, plus enjoy great service and food at the same time. The ambiance, friendly staff, and curated menus make the entire experience lovely.<\/p>\n
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An inviting table at 44 & X
PHOTO BY VIVIENNE O\u2019DONNELL AT HONEYED SOCIALS<\/p>\n
David Landis: And the d\u00e9cor: it\u2019s clean, white, modern\u2014and the bathrooms are a bold pink with chandeliers! Who did the d\u00e9cor?<\/p>\n
Dan Taylor: The previous owners had this in mind when they designed the d\u00e9cor to keep everything crisp, clean, and neutral\u2014so that it can be livened up by eye-catching things such as the pink lights in the bathroom and chandeliers!<\/p>\n
David Landis: I love that the waitstaff have T-shirts that on one side say, \u201cHeaven\u201d and the other side they say \u201cHell.\u201d I get the Hell (Hell\u2019s Kitchen), but why \u201cHeaven\u201d?<\/p>\n
Dan Taylor: The idea behind that is that the food is Heaven and we are in Hell\u2019s Kitchen! Best of both worlds.<\/p>\n
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Glowing lights during an evening at 44 & X
PHOTO BY VIVIENNE O\u2019DONNELL AT HONEYED SOCIALS<\/p>\n
David Landis: Your cocktail menu caught my eye, since you\u2019re in the theatre district and each beverage pays homage to a Broadway star, like \u201cEthel Mermosa,\u201d \u201cIdina Mezcal,\u201d and \u201cBette Mitzer.\u201d Who came up with this idea? Tell me more about these cocktails\u2014and do you have a favorite?<\/p>\n
Dan Taylor: The bar and wait staff all have a hand in curating \u201cBroadway booze.\u201d It\u2019s a fun way to engage the customers with funny and catchy names for our cocktails based on new and timeless shows on Broadway. We have a lot of pre and post theatre diners that love to come in and enjoy cocktails, like our 9\u20135 honoring Dolly Parton or Liza with a Fiz honoring the great Liza Minnelli.<\/p>\n
David Landis: It seems like your place is a gathering spot for celebrities. My pal Sandy caught up with Will & Grace star Eric McCormack. Are there others who frequent your establishment?<\/p>\n
Dan Taylor: Yes! It\u2019s a celeb fave! We\u2019ve had Billy Porter, Jonathan Groff, Carson Kressley, and a few others come to dine. I recently had the privilege to sit down with Rosie O\u2019Donnell as well. We\u2019ll soon also be shooting an episode of Real Housewives of New York City in the restaurant.<\/p>\n
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The bar and table seating at 44 & X
PHOTO BY VIVIENNE O\u2019DONNELL AT HONEYED SOCIALS<\/p>\n
David Landis: What\u2019s your approach to curating the menu? I\u2019d call it new American with a healthy twist. Who\u2019s your current chef? What do you like on the menu? What\u2019s popular?<\/p>\n
Dan Taylor: Our current Chef is Mujib Rahman. He\u2019s been with 44 & X for about 20 years. I\u2019m a meat and potatoes guy, so the go-to is always the filet! We serve so many different dishes and everyone has their favorite, but if I had to pick one that people love it\u2019d be the short ribs. They are braised in a port wine reduction and have an amazing flavor. Our portions are sizeable and a good value as well.<\/p>\n
David Landis: Your establishment is very LGBTQ+ friendly and it looks like you employ a number of LGBTQ+ folks. It\u2019s nice to have a welcoming eatery like that when you\u2019re headed to or from the theatre. And you\u2019re also smack dab in the middle of Hell\u2019s Kitchen, the New York version of The Castro. Is all of that intentional?<\/p>\n
Dan Taylor: Absolutely. We employ a very diverse staff that are gay, lesbian, Hispanic, African-American, and Caucasian. People from all races, backgrounds, religions, etc. are employed with 44 & X. Through history and even in current times, we need a safe space to enjoy good people, be comfortable with ourselves, and have a great meal without the pressures or judgments of the outside world weighing on us.<\/p>\n
David Landis: You still have outdoor dining, yes?<\/p>\n
Dan Taylor: We will! The restaurant has been doing outdoor dining for quite some time. We have our permit application in and are hoping to put those tables out soon!<\/p>\n
David Landis: Tell us a bit about you personally. Do you have a spouse? Where do you live?<\/p>\n
Dan Taylor: Not married, no children, and single! I live just outside of Manhattan in downtown Jersey City. I love the area. I\u2019m 10 minutes away from the city but I get to enjoy a huge apartment, quiet neighborhood, great eats, and entertainment, but can always pop into the city easily for some fun as well!<\/p>\n
David Landis: Have you been to San Francisco? Do you have a favorite restaurant out here? Can we ever expect a 44 & X outpost here?<\/p>\n
Dan Taylor: SF is on my list! I\u2019ve been wanting to visit for years, but haven\u2019t made it quite yet. Maybe 2026 will be the year! And who knows what the future holds? 44 & X may make an appearance on the West Coast at some point!<\/p>\n
David Landis: How\u2019s the response since you took over the reins at 44 & X?<\/p>\n
Dan Taylor: Overwhelmingly positive! I took over not knowing how important this place was to the locals. I\u2019ve been thanked and congratulated over the last 2 months for \u201csaving\u201d people\u2019s favorite spot! It\u2019s a good feeling to know that people appreciate the things that you do. I take pride in knowing we have a solid foundation.<\/p>\n
David Landis: Anything else?<\/p>\n
Dan Taylor: Nothing other than come visit! It\u2019s a great spot, with amazing food and staff. Brunch is a very popular thing for us. It\u2019s out of this world from the complimentary fresh baked muffins to the savory menu items, plus we\u2019ve added bottomless mimosas and happy hour specials! 44 & X: https:\/\/44andx.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n