New Kid on the Block: Ristorante Aglio

Ristorante Aglio, the reinvention of TriBeCafe, opens tonight. The space is barely different: The big round table in the rear is gone, and if much more has changed I couldn’t tell. That’s not a bad thing, because it was always an attractive room, with exposed brick, bookshelves, and great lighting. Ristorante Aglio (Italian for “garlic”) is a collaboration between B Flat (the bar downstairs) and Greenwich Grill, the “Tokyo Italian” restaurant on Greenwich; the latter is consulting on the menu and front-of-house operation. The food at Ristorante Aglio is described as “Italian without borders,” although it looks like straight-up Italian to me, and about as far as you can get from the quirky Japanese bar food at TriBeCafe. Prices are higher—pastas are $16 to $26, while entrées are $23 to $45—and the service is still relatively formal, as one would expect from an establishment affiliated with B Flat. They will fold your napkin if you get up to use the restroom, and crumb scrapers are in full effect. Disclosure: I was invited to a soft-opening dinner last night, where I received 50% off the bill.

UPDATE: I’m told that “Italian without borders” referred to borders within Italy.

Ristorante Aglio is at 277 Church (between White and Franklin), 212-343-0277; ristoranteaglio.com.

P.S. When you go to Ristorante Aglio—and you should!—share your thoughts on its page in the Tribeca Citizen Restaurant Guide.

Recent New Kid on the Block articles:
Kutsher’s Tribeca
Artsee
Tribeca Tap House
Cheryl McGinnis Gallery
François Payard Bakery
Laughing Man Marketplace
JEM Café
Lolë

 

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