To kick off NYC Restaurant Week, I dined at Tribeca Grill for dinner. Quoting their website:
Located in the heart of downtown Manhattan, Tribeca Grill is a true New York City landmark. Co-owned by renowned restaurateur Drew Nieporent and legendary actor Robert De Niro, the Grill continues to receive many prestigious awards including, the coveted Grand Award from Wine Spectator Magazine every year since 2002. As a must-visit wine destination, the Grill features an extensive list featuring the world’s largest selection of Châteauneuf du Pape (over 250) as well as many rare California Cabernet verticals. The 2,000 selection, 20,000 bottle list is one of only seven restaurants in New York to receive the Grand Award. Executive Chef Stephen Lewandowski’s market-driven menu features robust dishes such as Red Wine Braised Short Rib with Porcinis, Brussels Sprouts & Parsnip Purée and Seared Sea Scallops with Caramelized Cauliflower, Chanterelles, Haricots Verts & Golden Raisins.
I wasn’t impressed with Tribeca Grill the moment I stepped in. I was about 5 minutes early for my reservation, yet the hostess forgot to have someone escort us to our table. What’s disappointing is 4 other groups who came in after me were taken to their tables before me. (A couple points lost right at the beginning).
Should I keep going through the negatives that happened all before my meal? Nah, let’s keep on.
Below is the Restaurant Week 2011 Menu for dinner:
FIRST COURSE
Butternut Squash & Honeycrisp Apple Soup
Molasses Crème Fraiche
Venison & Juniper Berry Sausage
Braised Red Cabbage
Maytag Blue Cheese & Endive Salad
Spiced Pecans, Apples & Cider Vinaigrette
* * *
SECOND COURSE
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Fricassée of Wild Mushrooms, Acorn Squash & Black Truffles
Pan Roasted Trout
Saffron Couscous, Eggplant Purée & Picholine Olive Tapenade
Braised Pork Shank
Black-eyed peas, Andoiulle Sausage & Mustard Greens
* * *
THIRD COURSE
Warm Chocolate Bread Pudding
Salted Caramel Ice Cream
Vanilla Panna Cotta
Black Mission Fig Coulis
Roasted Apple Tart
Brown Butter Ice Cream & Walnut Streusel
What we ate:
- Butternut squash soup – very flavorful and delicious.
- Venison sausage – excellent. The red cabbage was a nice touch – not bitter, but slightly sour.
- Braised pork shank – I was a bit disappointed. The meat was not tender, and the accompaniments were confusing my taste buds. I still finished the whole dish.
- Chocolate bread pudding – tasted more like a chocolate brownie. Nothing fabulous. The caramel ice cream was odd and the salt added a weird texture to the ice cream.
- Vanilla Panna Cotta – another disappointment. Not silky smooth, but curdy. Although it was vanilla-flavored, it was lacking the vanilla flavor – and even the sight of vanilla seeds were present.
Tribeca Grill
375 Greenwich St
New York, NY 10013
