Reviews of Restaurants in San Diego and everywhere I go…

I love going to New York  for many reasons, but reason #1 is undoubtably the never ending selection of incredible restaurants. No matter what part of NYC you are in, you will be surrounded by restaurants that alone can make your trip to New York something to remember.  The tough thing is actually finding those places so for me, online research (Yelp, Chowhound, etc.)  and talking to locals is absolutely crucial to finding the right spot. That’s exactly what led me to our visit to Tribeca Grill in Tribeca, which is actually co-owned by legendary actor Robert DeNiro (I call him Bobby).

This was my our (my wife and I) first trip to NY this year so we wanted to stay somewhere different then the last few times we’ve visited. We’ve stayed in Midtown a couple times, the Upper West side but never Downtown in the Tribeca or Soho area so we chose to stay at the Smyth Hotel, a shiek little hotel that reminds me of a W style hotel.  Modern, clean, great neighborhood and right next to the Chambers St. subway entrance which has 1,2 and 3 trains for easy access to anywhere. But enough about that….let’s get on to the food.

Everything on the menu looked good so we asked our waiter what he recommended for an appetizer to start. He suggested the Sautéed Jumbo Lump Crabcake ($19) served with Corn, Lardons & Chanterelles. It was the most expensive appetizer on the menu if you’re curious (most were around $13 or so) but I had noticed other tables ordering that as well so I figured why not try it. It did not dissapoint. The flavor of every bite was pretty incredible. Lardons if you’re curious are very small pieces of fat (normally pork fat) which are used extensively in French cooking, as well as in some cooking from other regions. Chanterelles are delicious, delicately flavored mushrooms. Those ingredients along with sweet corn kernals and a light creme sauce are what made the crab cakes unique and loaded with  the perfect combination of flavors in every single bite.  After the first taste I was filled with  evil thoughts of greed and no longer wanted to share but my wife is pregnant after all so for my safety I figured maybe sharing was a wise option. I think she enjoyed it even more than I did.

For entres, Stephanie ordered the Herbed Ricotta Raviolini ($19) which were served with Braised Artichokes, Fava Beans & Cherry Tomatoes over a flavorful broth and not a typical thicker sauce which was a nice change of pace to normal pasta dishes. The raviolinis were fresh, cooked to perfection and the ricotta filling was seasoned perfectly. I ordered the Grilled Filet of Beef ($33), served with garlic whipped potatoes, sauteed spinach & crispy onion rings. The filet was incredibly tender and flavorful and it was excellent. It didn’t compare to a Ruth Chris or LG’s Steakhouse Filet where it had tons of butter on it but then again I like the fact that I’m not wondering if my arteries are going to close on me right in the restaurant. I didn’t care for the spinach but the garlic mashed potatoes were perfect and loaded with garlic.

We didn’t order any wines, drinks or desert so I can’t tell you anything about that but the atmosphere was pretty cool . Good looking crowd, great ambiance and excellent service.  Try this place out if you are ever in Downtown NYC and youwon’t be dissapointed. I give this place 4 stars overall.