Trigo's Tempting Mediterranean Fare

January 23, 2009 10:26 pm

$Behind the Burner: Trigo\'s Tempting Mediterranean Fare$

Walking through the brick building-strewn, wind tunnel of Tribeca it seemed eerily quiet, perhaps from the financial turmoil racking Wall Street. I was on my way to meet a friend at Tribeca's week old Mediterranean inspired brasserie, Trigo, for its inaugural lunch. Not being an avid coffee or tea drinker, I ordered a cup of hot water to thaw myself and soaked in the atmosphere of this Mediterranean hideaway.

Trigo's interior is the first aspect to marvel at. The restaurant is huge with a 200-guest capacity. Apart from its sheer size, the décor is a well thought out mixture of stone, steel, brass and mirrors, which accesses the historical, industrial nature of Tribeca. The handmade steel bar is a lustrous resting place for patrons to enjoy a taste of over 30 boutique Mediterranean wines by the glass. The center of the dining room (and the cozy feeling Trigo offers) is the stone hearth used to make Trigo's savory flatbread concoctions. Floor to ceiling windows allow light to cover the space resulting in an airy, warm ambiance.

I had the pleasure of meeting Trigo's Exectuive Chef, Michael Garrett. A former chef at Aquavit, Morrell's, and Merkato 55, Garrett has extensive experience with using diverse ingredients in his dishes. If his culinary creations were as warm as his demeanor, I was in for a treat. One thing missing was the execution of the written menu. Ordering the Porcini and Hamon, I was expecting whole porcinis, but sat perplexed as they were in the form of a paste. However, the flatbread was still delicious. Further description on the menu will insure that one knows what exactly what is going to be delivered at the table, as well as save the very attentive and knowledgeable wait staff from answering rudimentary menu questions.

From the Farmstand, as Trigo calls their starters, I decided on house-made mozzarella and I wasn't disappointed! This past weekend I made fresh mozzarella with Todd English at Winefest, so my expectations were high...and met. Trigo's mozzarella was soft, buttery and beautiful, a well-rounded winner in the art of making cheese. The White Bean Smoked Hocks soup was just what my soul and temperature gauge needed after making the trek through Tribeca from Franklin to West Broadway. The ham flavored the soup gently to give it the perfect burst of hearty flavor. Unfortunately, the Baby Dandelion Salad was a let down. Looking forward to some juicy California mission figs, I was disappointed when the salad was topped with dried figs. When eating at a class dining establishment I expect farm-fresh quality produce- not dried figs- a regular snack at my desk at work. While they're still wonderful for your digestion, fresh figs would bump the appearance of a dish up to a 10. Sea scallops with preserved lemon was my last course, but best choice. Seared to perfection, the scallops were marked with an appetizing grilled glaze and a taste that matched the golden color.

Although my intention was a light lunch after a big weekend at Winefest, the fare was too great to pass up. Twist my arm. I'll have some dessert. Revital Melech, Trigo's pastry chef, is an Israel native who grew up on a kibbutz (a community based on agriculture). Her exposure to such fresh food has colored her art in pastry as well. While I was looking forward to the warm chestnut pudding, unfortunately Trigo's sources were tapped, no doubt on account of the wind gusting, wintry weather. Instead I indulged in the Bamboloni, chocolate donuts with vanilla mascarpone and chocolate crunch, which were a wonderful end to a warming meal.

Overall, Trigo is an inviting space with some dishes that are total winners! It's easy to picture the suits from Citigroup packing this place for a flatbread and glass of wine. Trigo has transformed this old warehouse into a booming brasserie with room to grow, despite its already large size and big food. Inevitably, I returned to the wind tunnel outside, but the warmth of being comfortably full stayed with me for the rest of the day.

Divya Gugnani

Trigo
268 West Broadway
New York, NY 10012
212.925.1600