Parisian Tartines

After seeing a terrible movie at the Angelika, we strolled in the light evening rain to Tartinery on Mulberry St. to for a late night snack.

In the city of widespread reviews, there aren't enough re-reviews.
Once a place has been opened a year or two, no critic ever revisits to offer another review on maintenance of the restaurant and to reaffirm what was originally reviewed. Has the quality of the food improved since it first opened? Has it kept the decor in tip-top condition? Or has it lost the aura it originally had us all raving about due to a number of things such as lack of upkeep, change in ingredients and downgraded service?
When Tartinery first opened, it had a pretty positive four star rating via New York Magazine (Just a quick FYI, I do have respect for published ratings, unlike Yelp ratings written by anyone who has fingers to type and knows, sometimes, absolutely nothing about food and restaurant). A few years later, it would be difficult to agree with that opening four star review...

Ambiance

Today, I was in the mood to mix up the categories and start off with the ambiance and decor primarily because, in all honesty, I was more taken by the decor than the food. There was something unique and versatile about the small upstairs seating with blackboard menu's linning the walls and a downstairs that looks to the upper part of the restaurant. 

View from above onto the downstairs seating

Skateboard wall art and tree with Christmas lights at the downstairs seating

The basement walls are made of dark brick that hide cabinets of wine inside. 

Mini wine cellar inside the brick wall situated on the staircase

The decor was quite unlike many of New York's typical restaurant decor. The lighting is dim and there is a large tree bark wrapped with white Christmas lights in the center of the basement seating area. 

Another view of the downstairs seating area

The crowd is young, international and trendy. One table was seated with two young French guys adorning beards, flannel T's and lots of rings. Another was a large group of Norwegians and Americans. All young, all trendy, all the women in oversized tops, long straight white-blonde hair, lots of chunky jewelry and combat boots. The eye candy at this joint was more the reason to return. Although, many other spots in NoLita would afford you the same types of people to watch.

Tartinery feels a bit washed up. As if it's just going through the motions and isn't interested in up keeping it's vibe. It's been around less than five years, but it lacks the energy that keeps a place vibrant and young. 

This isn't the kind of establishment that would be going for the beat-up look.
The table legitimately needed some retouching.

I read on FourSquare that they ship fresh bread from St. Germain which had me so unbelievably excited and bringing me back to my time in Paris. That lasted until ten seconds later when the menu revealed the furthest Tartinery's bread would be coming from was Eli's Bakery on the other end of Manhattan. 

Food

Ratatouille, Smoked Salmon & Tuna Sashimi Tartines

Tartinery offers its diners with a number of tartines, flat breads topped with just about anything, along with a choice of three types of breads to act as the tartine base.

The smoked salmon tartine was, of course, my favorite after I picked off all the fresh dill pieces. The salmon quality wasn't the best but was not fishy, old or bland either. The tuna sashimi lacked any flavor whatsoever other than the heaping amounts of wasabi sauce. and the roasted veggies in the ratatouille tartine were rich in flavor and were paired quite nicely with the multi-grain Eli's bakery bread.

Ratatouille Tartine with Multi-Grain Bread

The food wasn't exceptional but was appropriate for a light meal or snack. I wouldn't bring a bunch of people back here for a rowdy and drunken night but would recommend it for a low-key and casual, but still looking to impress, third date. Or, if you're looking for a chilled night with friends.
It isn't really four star worthy, more like three and a half. But for people who aren't too picky and just want a good atmosphere, this works perfectly.
Because, like Paris, the vibe was just charming.

Wait Time & Resos

On a Sunday night in Soho the restaurant was half full and we were seated immediately. 

For the most part, I've swung by a couple of times and it never seemed like it would be too difficult to be seated. 

Good For: Light Meal, Light Dinner, Lunch, Friends, Low-Key Date. 

Location:

Tartinery 

209 Mulberry St.

(between Spring & Kenmare)

http://www.tartinery.com/