Ciao Chow: Mr. Chow Tribeca: New York

Our newest tantastic corespondent, Miss Dirty Martini, recently was sent to Mr. Chow's new outpost in Tribeca. Here is what came back:

"You know it's the kind of place a Toby Maguire would hang out at" said a friend of a friend - which I guess is true if you are into short, slightly overweight balding guys and their silicone enhanced mistresses supplemented by groups of cougars on the prowl and 'So You Wanna Be a Rap Star (or at least see one a dinner)' contestants. This is why friends of friends should never be fully trusted.

The new Mr. Chow's is situated in that desolate area called Tribeca where mid-thirty year old west coast transplant types dwell with their Hudson Street mothers and their Toyota Prius parked in front of their sparsely decorated lofts (they keep their gas guzzlers hidden deep in a overpriced parking garage for fear of offending the neighbors who are doing exactly the same thing). Interestingly though, the restaurant itself actually isn't all that bad. As with the other Mr. Chow's there is no menu and the pre fixe is remarkably reasonable at $50 and is actually quite good. Additionaly, the photos of the ever eery Christopher Walken on the wall add a nice touch and remind us that we all have a bit of the devil inside. However, any culinary pleasure you might encounter at Chows becomes a bit negated when you realize that you can also order a Red Bull vodka with your meal which makes you wonder - are we here to chow to chug? The answer is still unclear. Meanwhile, the bar area remained crowded with a group of thirty and single (for good reason) women and a group of guys wearing t-shirts that say things like "Sit On It" - no thank you. To escape this casting disaster you might be fortunate to sit outside at a table where you can have the vilified pleasure of a cigarette without having to get up. Ciao Chow - the food isn't worth the crowd that surrounds it. "

+Mr Chow Tribeca, 121 Hudson Street, New York +1 212 965 9500.
+Toyota Prisus. If you must: W4 Prefers: Lexus RX Hybrid.
+Photo: Rome Fiumicino, 2005.