10/31/09

best pasta on th l.e.s.

by lesmogile

i own a place in brooklyn i have been to Tre several times and have brought my folks as well and random friends and every time the food has been excellent, the service excellent. the music - the air temp of the place to every concern for us feeling welcome and satisfied has always been looked after. not catered to or ass kissed but as it should be - open, honest and very relaxed. i really like the price fix 3 course option during the week. for 19 dollars you are well satisfied and in these economic times it is a welcomed comfort for the patron looking to get out and not spend a fortune on a tiny plate of decoration that other places offer.

dont read too many reviews. just go and try it for yourself. opinion are just that.

• Pros: great food. relaxed atmoshpere. reasonable prices
• Cons: no grey goose. man i was craving a vodka tonic ..

07/10/09

Just Like My Grandmother's Cooking

by Lexyprin

Loved this place. Since moving here a week ago, I've eaten here at least four times. It is my "go to" place now - whenever I want to impress friends with fabulous Italian food, without pretention, I take them here. The meatballs are just like my grandmother's and the appetizers are to die for - every one of them is worthy of a write up. I've had sevceral dishes here and end up just raving throughout the meal about the food. Gino, one of the owners, is always on hand to make his customers feel right at home. Love this place.

• Pros: Incredible meatballs, arancini, eggplant, pasta
• Cons: None

06/25/09

chrome jungle

by weiver

Enjoyed a great dinner here. Nice hummus and oil to go with the bread. Liked the servers, everyone was unusually welcoming and fun. Food above average Italian. Appetizers and specials stood out. Nice spot.

• Pros: warm staff
• Cons: none

12/06/08

Great Italian on L.E.S.

by acb723

The decor here is pretty plain, yet it definitely has a very romantic atmosphere-I think it's the lighting. The menu is a departure from your usual Italian restaurant, and all the choices were intriguing. I had the pantacce, which was delicious and stood out from any other Italian I've had in the city. And if you like cheesecake, you MUST try it here- it's fantastic! The service wasn't as outstanding as the food, but certainly pleasant and obliging. Prices are pretty reasonable too. It's a great place for a date or if you feel like Italian but want to try something new. I'd definitely go back!

• Pros: Very romantic, distinctive menu, CHEESECAKE!
• Cons: none really- it was a great experience

11/24/08

authentic italian

by NicoleNewYork

This place is the real deal. I just came back from visiting my Mom's family in Naples, and when a friend recommended Tre to me, I never expected to find such authentic cooking. The homemade pappardelle with lamb tasted like something my grandma would have cooked. My waitress said that the chef (from Naples, i should have known!) cooks the sauce overnight to bring out the flavor. I also had the arancini (with peas and smoked mozzarella), melanzane (braised eggplant), and the tiramisu to finish it off. I was completely impressed by the food, and the service was friendly and quick too. Only downside was that the restaurant got pretty crowded, but it was definitely worth it.

04/24/08

Undiscovered EXCELLENCE in LES... right across from Max Fish

by bostonburnsy

We were looking for a quick bite on our way home and ran into this cute little place in the lower east side right across from Max Fish. We liked the menu - seemed ambitious for a small place and wasn't too crowded when we arrived, so our expectation wasn't super high. Come to find out - they've only been open 3 months... We haven't had a meal this delicious in a long time - we eat out very frequently and are in the restaurant business. We were told by one of the owners, Gino (from Naples), that they make every effort to recreate food from his home town (the chef is from there, too) including imported ingredients and authentic recipes. The food was excellent. The service was excellent. And the ambiance was relaxed and romantic. I highly recommend this spot before you can't get a reservation!

• Pros: Excellent food, very friendly service, clean comfortable atmosphere
• Cons: none

03/02/08

Different strokes!

by ibeacco

Dining out a lot i experienced the different flavors of the distinctive cuisine of several countries and, being Italian, i think i can also discern from different regions and culinary inflections, but Tre is totally another thing. It's cuisine's Italian roots are clear from the beginning from recognizable names (carpacci, ravioli, etc...) but calling it classic is totally out of discussion. First of all the presentation is more artistic than most of the painting you could find in any other Italian spot, you can just tell from the carefully crafted dish that who is behind the stove is not your regular scruffy Italian cook. Then you taste it and instantly forget what Italian food meant to you. It is simply so good and the different flavors make so much sense together that you want to get up from your table and go thank the chef in the kitchen. Which you could, because unlike a lot of "my name is on the menu but i'm off today" chefs, this gastronome is actually in the kitchen preparing your food! And nowadays is like having Armani himself sewing your clothes!!

The decor is very classy but modern enough to make you feel at ease any way you dress and the service is attentive yet not intrusive. The prices are just right and whoever find them high should just stop at the deli around the corner, where with a couple of bucks they could fill their guts, but if you love fine food you know that what you find at Tre is like the mastercard commercials say: priceless!

• Pros: amazing food, friendly service, good value
• Cons: maybe too small, but who cares?

03/01/08

MY NEW FAVE RESTAURANT!

by JCP2008

2 of my friends and I tried out this new spot- it was an amazing experience- we had reservations for 9pm, and when we had to wait only 5-10min for the table, they offered a glass of perseco on the house- it was a very nice start to the evening- I highly recommend sharing the appetizers- esp the fried ravioli- we each ordered our own entree which i recommend- entrees were just the right size- perseco drinks also amazing!

great new place!

• Pros: service, food
• Cons: tight space

02/25/08

Rude Host & Hostess

by bilingal

I've never written a review for a restaurant before but I was compelled to write one for Tre due to the horrible attitude my friends and I received from the host & hostess. The restaurant was completely empty at 7pm on a Friday night, except for a group at the front of the restaurant. However, even though we had made a reservation and the four out of five of us were there (and again, the place was empty), they refused to seat us due to "space issues." We had to crowd around the tiny bar and order drinks, for which we had to close the tab when our table was "ready." Don't get me wrong--the servers were great--our glasses of water were always refilled promptly and they were very polite when removing the dishes. That was about the only good thing. Food was mediocre and over-priced for what they were. The wine list--do not order the "sustainable" wines--affordable but barely drinkable. I'm a foodie and have eaten at lots of other fantastic places in the city (including LES) and have never UN-recommended a place...but for Tre, I will make an exception.

• Pros: Glass of water always filled; polite bus boys
• Cons: Attitude of Host/Hostess

02/20/08

It's not the same old story at this forward-thinking Italian kitchen, which gives a new spin to old-world cuisine.

by Kathleen Squires

The Scene
Everyone knows that adage about judging a book by its cover, but the same could be said about judging an Italian restaurant by its dining room. Though this restaurant's decor--white-washed brick, Edison bulbs and aluminum chairs--reads like a retreaded Lower East Side plot, don't be fooled into thinking that the menu has nothing new to offer.

The Food
The kitchen stands out from a tired genre by marrying old-world flavors with forward-thinking twists. A buxom ball of buffalo mozzarella is draped with a slim sardine and speared with an eye-dropper of nutty olive oil. Crispy, light rice balls harbor a touch of mint among their pecorino-graced grains, and succulent lamb meatballs trendily embellish crostini. Even fusion-leaning dishes, like a blue corn tortilla topped with grilled octopus, feel right at home. Bound for the bestseller list: Terrific pantacce, shreds of pasta tossed with sausage, grape tomato and caciotta cheese, and a lovely ricotta and creme fraiche cheesecake.

Hits: A menu that appeals to both traditional and unconventional eaters, kicked off with a bread basket accompanied by creamy ricotta puree.

Misses: The bland decor may scare off diners with an aversion to circa-1990 design trends.

(Photo by Gregor Halenda)