Downstairs Dining at Le Restaurant

Kyle Wittels opened All Good Things in Tribeca last year. Ryan Tate, the former chef de cuisine at Savoy, has been with the market since day one - keeping the place stocked with produce and protein - and now is also in charge of the kitchen at Le Restaurant, located in the market's basement. The restaurant was part of the original plan, but took a few extra months to open. We had been looking forward to it since our visit in September last year and were happy to see it open in March. Tate only offers a tasting menu at Le Restaurant. There are no substitutions or a la carte options, and the place is only open three nights a week. In his review today, Wells refers to these as 'the bad news,' but finds plenty to like at Le Restaurant and in Tate's cooking.

"Mr. Tate aims to revise at least half the menu every day," Wells informs, "He has a second job that helps him do this, as the food buyer of All Good Things, ordering sea creatures, meats and odd lettuces that often end up in his kitchen." That encourages Tate to incorporate things like woodcock, skate, water buffalo, and gooseneck barnacles into his menu. "[Finally] if you are an omnivore, if you dream about uncommon ingredients and pure, focused flavors," the critic writes, "then Ryan Tate’s tasting menus are absolutely worth it."

So too are the desserts - the effort of Amadou Ly, who has Mas and Tocqueville on his resume. Wells writes, "Mr. Ly’s desserts have a gentle, natural spirit that feels right after Mr. Tate’s savory courses." Wells has a few gripes with the welcome process, but finds the subterranean experience at Le Restaurant worthy of two stars. [NYTimes]