Tribeca: The Foodie Paradise

Ok, so all of NYC is the foodie paradise, but I have had some of the best meals I've ever had in Tribeca. And my Valentine's dinner was no exception.

Thanks to a Twitter contest run by Continental Airlines, I won a $150 gift certificate to Tribeca Grill, a part of Robert DeNiro's Myriad Restaurant Group that also includes Locanda Verde (where I was taken for my birthday dinner), Nobu (still on my list) and Corton. With Valentine's falling on a Monday, Mike and I decided to change things around a bit and made a reservation for Sunday night, allowing us to take our time and get more bang out of our gift certificate buck (the actual Valentine's Night prix-fixe was almost double what we ended up paying for our meal).

Since this was an evening for Mike and I to just enjoy, I didn't take any pictures, but I did want to write a little something to express how happy I was with this meal. The first thing I'll say is that the prices are VERY reasonable starting with the wine list through appetizers, entrees and desserts. The decor is laid back but warm and inviting. The restaurant operates on more of a casual and not-stuffy environment, which is refreshing when you compare it to similar Manhattan restaurants. We saw people in jeans and children coloring, but still felt right at home dressed up for a nicer meal. The service was impeccable. Our coats were checked as soon as we entered and out waiter (who fit right in with the seemingly average height-ed 6' waitstaff), was wonderful and friendly without being overbearing. 

Tribeca Grill courtesy of uppereastsidebaby.squarespace.com.

After flipping through a novel of a wine list (Tribeca Grill is known for their amazing wine list featuring the largest selection of Zinfandels in NYC and the largest Châteauneuf du Pape selection in the world), I decided we were celebrating and should order Champagne. Of course I could have picked a $1200 bottle, but I thought that would be a bit much. We settled on a bottle of Crémant de Limoux, Domaine Laurens, Brut n.v. ($40) and it was delicious! I love the way Champagne bubbles settle and pop on my tongue.

For appetizers, I ordered the Duck Confit Salad with Lola Rosa, Sundried Cherries & Honey Yogurt Vinaigrette ($12). This could have been a meal in itself. The duck was still on the bone, but was so juicy and tender. The salad contained the perfect amount of greens for a starter, and while the cranberries lent an excellent amount of tartness, the light dressing really finished it all off well. Mike had the Sautéed Jumbo Lump Crabcake with Cauliflower, Raisin & Tomato Chutney ($19), and it was the most amazing crab cake I've tried in a long time. I kept sneaking bites. The chutney underneath was tasty as well, and while Mike didn't care too much for the cauliflower, I had no problems finishing up the last bits, which tasted lightly of curry.

Onto entrees, I had a very hard time deciding. Finally trying to get in my Omega-3s, I settled on the Roasted Red Snapper with Chanterelle, Bacon & Swiss Chard Risotto ($29). To be honest though, it was probably the word "risotto" that sold me, and maybe the word "bacon." This turned out to be a brilliant dish. One would think that fish and rice would just be mush and mush, but between the super crispy skin of the fish and the crackle-in-your-mouth bits of bacon, it contained a great textural mix. The giant mushrooms were a lot of fun and I still got some fiber out of the swiss chard. It was also a huge dish, and I ended up taking about half of it home for lunch the next day. Mike ordered the Grilled Filet of Beef with Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach & Crispy Onion Rings ($35), and I think it was the perfect dish for him. The meat was super tender and was complemented nicely with the crispy onion rings. When they say garlic whipped potatoes, they really mean garlic, and some of that rubs off into the spinach, but we are both huge garlic lovers, so this was great. 

Just about everything on the dessert menu looked delicious, but since it was Valentine's Day and we're (well at least I am) corny, we had to pick something with some chocolate, so we picked the Banana Tart with Malted Milk Chocolate Pecan Ice Cream ($9). Also, throw in the fact that we're dorks and wanted the bill to come out to exactly $150, we ordered up a hot chocolate ($5) as well. The hot chocolate was creamy and came with two biscotti cookies for us to dip and share. The banana tart was different from most desserts I've had as they weren't afraid to go for it with the bananas. I love bananas so I was totally great with this, but if you're not a banana fan, this isn't the dessert for you. It was decadent without being overly sweet and the ice cream with the malted flavor was a nice touch.

I would highly recommend Tribeca Grill for both special occasion dinners and for a regular night out. I hear they also serve an excellent brunch that is meant just as much for locals as it is for the guests staying in the Greenwich Hotel above.