CLOSED: Amuse   

108 W 18th St
New York, NY 10011
212-929-9755
www.www.thetonic.com

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Closed as of March 2006. Star chef Gerry Hayden has a new philosophy on the future of New York dining: "the small plate-plan." So sure is the lauded chef that he put his money where his mouth is (or rather, your money for his food where his mouth is.) Hayden -- who opened Tribeca Grill and is a former protege of Charlie Palmer at fine French Aureole -- has re-imagined the New American fare at Tonic into Amuse, an all-out all-appetizer menu. Borrowing from the tapas tradition, Hayden has eased up on the traditional fine dining process by stripping away high-end entree items. Instead, Chelsea diners can taste as many of his apps as they want -- which include braised short ribs, marinated calamari and soft-shell crabs -- at a much more reasonable price, without the stress of commitment. Don't like the scallops? Have some wine and cod cakes. But save room for dessert: Hayden's pastry-star wife Claudia Fleming might drop by to experiment with bite-size sweets. -- Yon Motskin