Tree
190 1st Ave., East Village, NY
Chronic Brunch • Date Night • Dinner with the Parents • First/Early in the Game Dates • Outdoor/Patio Situation • Vegetarians
Tree has an unassuming exterior that may cause someone to walk by hundreds of times without realizing that there’s anything worthwhile inside. I, for instance, live right around the corner and never paid much attention to the joint. Luckily, my pops insisted we go one night thanks to a very high Zagat rating. After that fateful night, Tree was promptly added to my local rotation. During the winter, it’s warm and cozy interior is the perfect place to take your girl or guy on a cold Friday night. The large backyard garden is excellent for dining alfresco on those balmy spring or summer evenings. There’s something a little more mature about Tree than the majority of the restaurants in the area. It’s not filled with young hipsters; the crowd tends to skew a little older. I counted five tables containing guests with gray hair the last time I was there. Basic rule of thumb when it comes to the menu; stick with the heavy sauce dishes and you’ll be a happy camper. Tree kills it with their sauces. Resist the temptation to order the steak frites and stick with the good stuff served in bowls. For the food rundown, I’m sticking with my go-to dishes and nothing else…all served in bowls.
Food Rundown:
Mussels
Mussels are generally a hit or miss order, but at Tree they’re consistently solid. These are big, a ripe light orange, and have a nice flavor. Plus, the white wine and shallots broth is perfect for bread dunking.
French Onion Soup
Need to warm up? Here you go. This is some damn good French onion soup.
Braised Short Rib
If you’ve read my reviews, you know how I feel about short ribs. I’m obsessed with Tree’s short rib. I’ve eaten a lot of them in my day, and this ranks right at the top of the list. It’s served in a thick sauce with an assortment of veggies atop mashed potatoes. The end result is a serious short rib stew, and it’s easily the best thing on the menu.
Roasted Wild Sea Bass
What’s not to love with this genius combination of buttery fish with apple cider sauce, bacon, fingerling potatoes, and brussels sprouts? Again, the sauce is thick and so good you’ll be licking it directly from the bowl until it’s gone.
