Opening up a restaurant in New York City is a hard thing to do. There are so many facets to make something work, from the food, ambiance, decor, and of course the professionalism of the staff. If there is one place that all of this works and then some, it is Washington Market Tavern located in the heart of Tribeca. The new establishment opened only about a month ago and has received quite the positive reviews on its Yelp page (minus one very silly review that talks about the amount of toilets in a bathroom. Bye Felicia). I took myself and a good friend there last week and overall we had quite an amazing experience.
On top of the great decor, which boasts a warm, homey type feel to it with its wood furnishings and beautiful table layouts, the food and professionalism were top notch. They had a variety of wait staff there that came prepared with its knowledge and expertise of each dimension of the menu, from how to navigate each portion of the menu (the current one is broken down into four parts- raw, garden, ocean and farm) to what drink pairs off with what mean (not much of a drinker myself however the margaritas and the Sparkling Old Fashion were quite delicious and not overpowering in my opinion).
Then of course, there was the food. The food was phenomenal and if they plan on what the fantastic manager LeRoy told me which is changing the menu by season then they are off to a great start. Each part of the menu was intricately planned, delicious and had great flavor to each of them. The standouts from each part of the menu reads as following-
Raw- The Lamb Tartare (Harissa Emulsion, Black Garlic Yogurt, Spicy Crouton) and Cold Smoked Scallops (Lemon Pickled Artichokes, Hawaiian Hearts Of Palm, Smoked Trout Roe, Borage Cress).
Garden- Asparagus (Roasted Puree, Butter Glazed Tips, Summer Truffle Vinaigrette, Red Vein Sorrel) and Blooming Hill Farm Baby Beets (Raw & Roasted, Charred’Onion “Dirt”, Spiced Walnut Crumble, Chevre Whip Purslane).
Ocean- Baby Octopus (Green Garbanzos, Salty Fingers Black Olive Oil, Expellete, Frisee, Lemon) and East Coast Halibut (Artichokes, Lemon Broth, Tender Carrots, Spring Onions, Snap Peas, Chive).
Farm- Bourbon Braised Bacon (Hudson Valley Farm Egg, English Pea Puree, Gem Lettuce), Colorado Lamb Loin (Marinated Summer Beans, Heirloom Pepper Puree, Rosemary Lamb Ju)
Overall the best of the best from above was the Asparagus (best I’ve ever had), the Bourbon Braised Bacon and the Butter Cake that was on the dessert menu. Simply heaven. Washington Square Tavern is definitely a place that I would recommend going to for future visits.
Check out the official site for more information!
41 Murray Street
646-964-4860