NYCReview
photo credit: Noah Fecks
Tuome
Included In
Tuome, which sits on the quiet end of 5th Street near Avenue B, feels like the kind of low-key spot you might randomly walk into while looking around for a place to grab a glass of wine and a bite. It’s not as casual as it seems—with a high-aiming food menu that incorporates various Asian influences, and a fairly extensive wine list—but the relaxed, bar-like atmosphere makes it a decent choice for a date without too much pressure.
When it opened in 2014, Tuome was among a crop of restaurants bringing fine-dining techniques to laid-back neighborhood locations, and we were so excited about it, we gave it an 8.4 rating. A decade later, the prices have adjusted for inflation, while the flavors haven’t changed much. There are still some good bites here, but the food doesn’t quite have our hearts racing anymore.
The bread course is still great, and includes four lighter-than-air puffs served with something that reminds us of cream cheese with everything seasoning. The crab noodles are luxurious, and roughly 30% butter by weight. The seasonal kabocha squash tom yum takes the bold flavors of the Thai soup and makes them subtler, but no less complex. Served with shrimp, a beautifully seared piece of flaky white fish, and a few very carefully placed mussels, it’s a good dish to split. So is the Pig Out For Two—Tuome’s signature pork belly platter.
Other dishes feel like seeing the people who peaked in high school on the night before Thanksgiving. We like the octopus, which has 360 degrees of crunch, but the pork XO/brown butter sauce it comes with is served table-side out of a cream whipper, which feels a bit dated. The same goes for two palm-sized lamb chops, served on the rib, with soubise and a shishito pepper. If you come here expecting something new and experimental, chances are you’ll find Tuome a little snoozy.
photo credit: Britt Lam
photo credit: Noah Fecks
You can still have a nice time though, and weekend tables are plentiful if you reserve a few days ahead. If you do find yourself in the area on a weeknight, you could pop in for a glass of volcanic orange wine from Hungary, and an order of their crispy-fried deviled eggs. They've been on the menu since Day One, and no longer feel particularly novel. But like most things at Tuome, they're perfectly fine.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Britt Lam
Bread Course
photo credit: Britt Lam
Deviled Egg
photo credit: Noah Fecks
Octopus
Pig Out
photo credit: Noah Fecks
Snow Crab
photo credit: Britt Lam
Lamb
photo credit: Britt Lam