536 East 5th Street (between Avenues A and B) 646-833-7811 www.tuomenyc.com
American. Small. Big. Sides. Such are the deceptively simple categories into which the Tuome menu is divided. Yet do not be fooled, as the flavors your taste buds will soon experience are anything but. Each and every dish brought a twist I had never before encountered. The chicken liver, no plain pâté, is a mesmerizing mousse complete with NY maple to be spread upon milk bread. And octopus has found its destiny. It arrives in brown butter and pork xo (a spicy seafood sauce) only to be joined by a purée of fingerling potatoes. I could not have been more in awe and the entrees hadn’t even arrived. Of course, they don’t merely make skate, they mastermind it with bell pepper, long bean and wheat berry. Their lobster Newberg is generous, spicy and escorted by tripe and chow fun. It is also singular, mind blowing and incomparable. Even their sides are brilliant. Has corn ever before partnered with massaman curry, kaffir lime and crème fraîche? And was it ever this incredible? Both are equally impossible to imagine. Unable to wait to be asked, I had to know if there was dessert. The news could not have been better: Cookies and cream Rice Krispies beneath vanilla ice cream. Surprisingly, all this genius comes your way in the most casual of surroundings. The staff so caring, the mood so low key, the dinner beyond any and all expectation.