Tribeca Gastro Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Westfield

First impression? Pretentious. When I walked in I was not overly impressed with the overall vibe and ambiance. It was very busy and very loud. The host was nice enough and he was able to seat us right away which surprised me given how crowded the place was. The seating is cramped. It's not a very big place. Once seated we were approached right away by our server. She asked what we wanted to drink and then right into the whole spiel about how tapas works. It was so loud inside that I heard about 30% of what she said. I politely smiled and nodded. Looking over the menu I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of items. We ordered the Mini Pulley Pork Tacos, Mini Meatloaves, and the Arugula Salad. Just based on the vibe and the volume, I wanted to hate the food. Unfortunately the food was excellent. The tacos were juicy and tender with a great contrast of textures with the red cabbage and pickled jalapenos. The one critique I would have is that they needed some kind of a crema. I feel that a nice lime crema would have added some acidity and richness. But the tacos were delicious nonetheless. Next we ate the salad. Loved it! The peppery arugula mixed with the sweetness of the maple vinaigrette and the salty bite of the gorgonzola was really great. Not to mention the spiced, poached pear that complimented all of the other flavors perfectly. I know it's only a salad, but it is a salad I would order again and again. Finally we got to the meatloaves. I was immediately disappointed by the portion size. I understand what tapas are, don't get me wrong, but it was more like a couple of meatballs as opposed to meatloaves. That being said, they were incredible. Moist and flavorful. The bacon jam sauce was my favorite part. It was quite literally a masterful bite of texture and flavor. Aside from the food, the drinks were okay. We ordered old Fashioneds which were average at best. Nothing special whatsoever. So what was my overall experience? I still say the place is pretentious. They're trying way too hard to be that boutique, urban experience and with that they fall short. The pricing is outrageous. Being a chef and caterer myself, I know how pricing works in the industry, especially in fine dining. There is no excuse for the prices they charge other than trying to match their douchey, pretentious vibe. So if you're looking for delicious food, tiny portions, and you have a bunch of money to burn, this place is perfect for you. If not, then you're better off moving on to another spot where the prices match the portions. Also, Tribeca, please turn the lights up. There's a difference between dim and dark, and you're...

The expectations were high for this restaurant. In conversations with the owner and leadership prior to opening, they said their goal was to be better than b. Napoli and the Federal (RIP) from day 1. As these are two of my favorite and highest rated restaurants in the area, I considered this a very lofty goal indeed. Like every new restaurant, they are experiencing growing pains as they adapt to the needs and wants of the clientel, get their staff trained to a standard, and offer the right dishes to set them apart. Despite critiques I have, I would like to stress that Chef Mercier and his team are doing a lot right. First and foremost, concept & menu design. A high end, tapas menu with truly unique plates is exactly what Westfield needed. Well done. As far as execution, the chard scallop dish is a master-stroke. octopus ceviche-exceptional, tuxedo tuna, beet salad, all the charcuterie offerings, Porto steak all lovely dishes created and presented at a high level. However, the creme brulee I had the torch held too close to the sugar for too long where I could taste the butane, shame. the poached pair, which if served with a spoon should be able to be eaten with a spoon, was undercooked to where you needed a steak knife. lovely profile, nice presentation, but it should be softer, easier to pass your spoon through. Although I have not had it myself, because I have been warned, the duck 3 ways is not looked on favorably by my friends and family, that's all I can say about that. street corn chowder should be garnished with fried corn tortilla not flour, it cheapens the dish although it was quite tasty. The first time we had the tuxedo tuna it was missing the lemon oil that should come with it. the second time, with it clearly present, it was lovely. there was a beef soup we were made to feel lucky we "got the last two portions of" should not have been served. The hours it spent in the bane-marie that was set too high turned the beef to saw dust and reduced the broth to oversalty. The tuna tartar was nice, but I found the gauffrette chips to be an awkward pairing with it. I know this may sound like a harsh review but it's really not. I'm merely holding them to the standards of those restaurants they hope to exceed. I would like to stress again, I've had multiple fine experiences at tribecca, even if they did steal their name and concept from Robert Deniro's revered Manhattan eatery. As I said they are experiencing the growing pains of any new restaurant and I maintain their ceiling of potential...

Phenomenal experience every time we come here. It felt like we were transported out of Westfield and into another place. So far, everything we tried has been delicious, and the presentation was super cute. There are cute little orchid flowers decorating the dishes. I love orchids! The first time I tried the beet and burrata salad, I was blown away. The complexity of the flavors somehow just works. After trying the salad, I could not wait to come back again to order it. Such an incredible salad. Most of the tapas portions are small. The specials tend to be larger dishes. Fair warning: The smashed potatoes side dish is very large, shareable, and yummy. If you love wings, the Asian style wings are spicy, sweet, and yummy. We also enjoyed the sweet chili brussels sprouts. It's a lovely side dish.

The desserts we tried have been so so so good. Crème brûlée is excellent here, and it's a popular favorite. I'm pleasantly surprised with the bread pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. It was very delicious too. We burned ourselves on the hot skillet accidentally as we were not expecting it to be super hot and fresh from the oven. Happened both times we came here to two different people, which is unfortunate. Service can be slower on very busy days, especially weekends. But it is worth the wait. Indulge, relax, and enjoy the experience without rushing through it. It makes me think of Europe.

This place goes above and beyond when it comes to little details. The aesthetic lighting, design, decor, dim lights in the evening, super clean restrooms with nice soap, lotion, and it was even equipped with a complimentary mouthwash station!! That was pretty awesome. Just had to press the blue button, and it popped out a little cup to fill up with mouthwash. Excellent idea! Perfect for date nights and to freshen up in general.

The entree specials always change, but they are very good if you are hungry and want something hearty. I don't recommend coming here if you are super hungry unless you plan on getting 3+ dishes or if you are sharing with others. We find it's best enjoyed with a good group since the dishes are meant to be shared. I look forward to coming here again. Interested in trying out their...