PX This.

PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW

Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of lucks[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !

i Tre Merli (SoHo) – The Remix

What was your first impression?
My very first impression? It looks great!
My very next impression? It looks… OK.

Please rate the Bar:
Much smaller than before, about half the size actually. Also, I’ve never quite been a fan of bars you have to traverse the dining room to reach, but that could just be a personal preference.
The bartender is friendly enough, if not particularly attentive— warm and enthusiastic, though.
Overall, I’d say it could use a little tightening here and there, especially for a bar that’s very newly built.

Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
The wine list is brief and mediocre. To put it bluntly, it’s a lot like SoHo— so maybe it’s fine. Ditto the cocktails list— mostly classics, not exactly inventive. And kind of pricey…

Please rate the Dining Room:
Cozier than previously; the restaurant is now flanked by large banquettes running up the entire length of the dining room. Still has that late-80’s/early-90’s vibe in a way— well, maybe it’s retro. Still somewhat austere and not exactly inviting.

Please rate the BOH:
Much has changed on the menu; it’s now "italian version of tapas" oriented. And slightly expensive. In a nutshell, I’d say the food needs work— whether the food is their primary focus remains to be seen.

How was the staff?
Fine. At ease, comfortable— likely veterans of i Tre Merli’s former incarnation. Adept and proficient if not remarkably amiable.

What did you eat?/ How was the food?
Tuna Crudo : Odd. Overcooked (yes, it’s supposed to be crudo) and covered in cream sauce (that’s not even flavorful).
Langoustine Crudo : Very overcooked. And then re-refrigerated to almost the point of frozenness. Plus, call me crazy, but I’d swear this is shrimp. Not good.
Sauteed Mushrooms : Tasty, but extremely oily. And a very small portion for $10.
"Special" Piccante Sausage Pizza : OK. Again, very oily. But not very piccante. The crust doesn’t exhibit any benefits of the wood-burning oven. Can’t quite hold its own against the enormous competition out there.

What did you like?
Reminiscing about the golden years of i Tre Merli, SoHo.

What did you dislike?
That it still isn’t living up to my memory of it.

What was your last impression?
Ah, the good ol’ days…

Would you come back?
That would depend on a lot of things… I’m keeping my eye on it for now.

Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thank you, and best of luck.

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