Mecca of virtuous repasts and the best Restaurant Week Lunch Deal- Review of Rouge Tomate
Mecca of virtuous repasts and the best Restaurant Week Lunch Deal – Review of Rouge Tomate
BY ELENA MANCINI
Rouge Tomate
10 East 60th. St.
Midtown East
646-237-8977 / rougetomatenyc.com
Whole roasted brook trout
Set foot into the bright, airy foyer of Rouge Tomate and it’s a few short steps until you realize that you’re in for an experience that’s a world apart from the average upscale Midtown East restaurant mold. The harmony of pale oak and natural light flooding in from sumptuously sized exposures that opened up to a lush, generously-sized dining room gorgeously characterized by more exposures, pale oak , majestic ceiling heights and lush drapery and furnishing accents in sensuous–yet, organically-true– hues of cherry red.
Despite it being a popular lunch destination for its unabashed health and locavore appeal and its convenient proximity to Barney’s, a friend and I managed to snag a lunch table here during Restaurant Week. A courteous and refreshingly relaxed hostess escorted us to a well-appointed area (though after having toured the 15,000 square feet that Rouge Tomate boasts) of the main dining room and seated us at a luxuriously sized table with plush chairs and an L-shaped bench–the area could have easily seated six. The excess of space allowed my friend and I to sit comfortably, easily accommodate our Manhattan-sized satchels and messenger bags on the bench and added to the feeling that we were there to be pampered, not being rushed, crammed or pressured to convert the technical portable necessities and the bulky accouterments of New York winter into compact, unobtrusive objects that will not get in the way of others. For an hour–actually two, as we decided that the pampering called for an extended lunch, they, like us were free to just be. The soft and unintrusive background music and the attentive but unforceful staff added to the experience.
Along with the cheerful decor, calming vibe and scrumptious eats, which I will get to shortly, I enjoyed the feng-shui design and architectural beauty of Rouge Tomate. Designed by the architectural firm of Bentel & Bentel, Rouge Tomate champions natural elegance and showcases rich and sensuous interpretations of ecological treasures. There are four separate areas, each with it’s own distinct character. To the far end of the main dining room is an alcove dining decked out in decadent ruby shades of red with regal booth-style seating to create the illusion of a private, cozy dining area. Downstairs there is an open-space dining area with a pool of cranberries and candles as its center of gravity and further in a dining space furnished with dark walnut woods.s to accentuate the depth of the room. “Virtue in a sexy dress,” as Frank Bruni put it not too long ago, truly seemed to fit Rouge Tomate’s menu, design and culinary and ethical concepts.
To the food: there were moments in which like Bruni, I felt that the fastidiousness was a bit over the top. But in the overwhelming majority of the three courses that my friend and I enjoyed, the meticulous attention seemed well worth the effort for most of what was consumed exhibited nuance in flavor, texture and color and pleasing complexity.
A serving of tasty and vibrant broccoli puree and a generous basket of whole wheat and multi-grain Tuscan crusty bread preceded our orders.
Baby Beet and Mache Salad
For appetizer, I ordered the seasonal baby beet and mache salad. Underneath a light coat of white vinaigrette dressing with halved pistachio nuts and orange slivers for texture, the simple, yet distinct sweet earthy flavors of the beets prevailed in this hearty and deliciously refreshing salad. A small scoop of house made ricotta was a nice, grounding accompaniment to the tender mache leaves.
House Cured Gravlax with Daikon and Fresh Leeks
My friend ordered the a cured gravlax with daikon and fresh leeks. Beyond the aesthetic gratification of the playful, pastel-hued presentation, it was also fresh and in my friend’s opinion, enjoyable, beyond reproach.
House-made fettucine with wild mushrooms
For the main course I ordered the house-made fettucine with wild mushrooms. The condiment included sunchokes, celery root and white onion. While the shitake mushrooms delivered a rich, pleasing aroma and the ribbons of fettucine were cooked just right, the sunchokes and celery root added a sweetness to the pasta that detracted from the mushrooms and the tender texture of the fettucine. Quite simply, this pasta dish simply had a little “too much going on.”
Whole roasted brook trout
My friend opted for the show-stopping whole roasted brook trout richly festooned with with fingerlings, spinach, mushrooms and leek vinaigrette. The trout has a crisp light crust and was tender and moist on the inside. The juices were tasty and nuanced. It was a lavish portion and a feast for the eyes and the palate. All in all a triumph in flavors and execution.
The dessert course reserved unadulterated pleasures for us both.
Hudson Valley Apple
I ordered the Hudson Valley Apple. This warm apple cobbler, featuring meaty locally-grown apples, sweet and nutty quince and chestnut sauces, championed the simple, epicurean rewards of the colder seasons. The scoop of buttermilk-lemon ice cream was a delicious contrast to the rich and warming qualities of the apple cobbler.
Golden Pineapple
Taking a taste flight from winter, my friend ordered the Golden Pineapple, a glorious medley of sweet and tart exotic summer fruits atop a passion fruit curd and coconut tapioca. It was also a winner.
Our humming palates and feelings of hearty satisfaction did not make it any easier to leave that spa-like setting to brave the cold and get back to work.
Is Rouge Tomate a wallet splurge on an ordinary day of the week without an expense account?Of course it is. But it will be a decidedly enjoyable one. Would I recommend putting Rouge Tomate at the top of your Restaurant Week destination list? You bet I would!
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