Molly T.
Yelp
3.5 stars. Sometimes I am thrilled to have tried a spot in its opening week. Other times, I may regret taking a gamble on a place that's yet to work out the kinks and make tweaks based on initial feedback. Though I was very excited about Tradicionale and still believe it can improve as it gets its sea legs, our dinner there falls in the latter category. The experience was generally inconsistent: some things were not very good, others were okay to decent. Service was also touch and go: everything we ordered arrived quickly and was served all at once (as opposed to coursed out) yet water was hard to come by. Though I'm happy to have tried Tradicionale, I think they'll need some refining if they hope to become a mainstay in the area.
Came here as a part of two on a Saturday night around 8pm. The space was probably about half-full, with some parties opting to sit in the back dining room (which we didn't see) and others sitting toward the front, near the bar. The space is similar to a lot of Chelsea/9th Avenue restaurants, long and thin with an emphasis on presenting a fun, welcoming, and lively vibe to folks passing by.
I had read that the cocktails here were pretty impressive, so I was eager to see what the offerings were. As it turned out (and I'm not sure if things have changed since our evening there), Tradicionale was still working on filling out its bar when we dined there, offering one red wine and one white wine by the glass --off menu -- that you could order if cocktails weren't your thing. Our server told us that they did plan to expand their beverage menu at some point, but did not provide a timeline. At first glance, the cocktails looked super interesting and unique. I give Tradicionale points for that alone, as it's hard to come up with drink options that are as exciting as they are approachable. That said, the execution left much to be desired. I can't find the drink menu online but I had a savory martini-esque drink that kind of reminded me of two different Tom Yum soup cocktails I've had (two, you say?! yes, it's true) but way less good. My partner's drink was a bit better but there was a ton of heavy whipped cream on top which threw off the flavor/texture balance and also made the drink hard to sip.
Food-wise, dishes are meant to be shared here which is always our go-to dinner approach anyway. The menu has a lot of potential and is very exciting on paper, but the execution was not there in quite a few cases. The concepts are there, though, so I'm optimistic that with time, the balance can be improved upon. Eats, below:
Pomelo Salad w/ pomelo, crisp cabbage, corn nuts, peanuts, cucumbers, spiced coconut vinaigrette: A-
The presentation left some to be desired but the flavors were all there. Unique and creative, making use of seasonal produce, this is salad is definitely unlike anything I've tried before. And that's impressive, because your girl eats salads more than just about anything else. My only note is that either the dressing or the moisture from the citrus -- or a combination of the two -- weighed the salad down considerable and made things a bit soggy by the end. A little less heavy-handed and it would be golden.
Prawns Alavar w/ crab fat, coconut milk, curry, lemongrass, aromatics, chili: B
Textures were there but the flavors were muted. I was excited because absolutely love coconut curry and lemongrass, but this dish ended up being the least memorable of the night.
Dinuguan Tacos w/ dark pork stew, crispy chicharron, corn tortillas, cilantro, chili oil: A+
The clear standout of the meal, absolutely mouthwateringly delicious. Super flavorful, the chicharron punctuating the flavor of the pork stew while adding great texture.
Baby Octopus Adobo: B-
I was really really excited and the presentation was beautiful but the execution sadly was not there for me. I'd expect a dish like this to be packed with flavor but this was pretty one note and kind of under-seasoned. It has the potential to be a knockout but perhaps some tweaking needs to be done with the recipe.
Kinilaw (Filipino Style Ceviche) w/ steelhead trout, coconut milk, coconut vinegar, coconut water, tropical fruit, cilantro, chili, crispy shallots: B
I really wanted to like this but the balance was off, which I guess was a bit of a theme here. Very spicy, which is not an issue in it of itself because I love me some spice, but it was at the expense of any other flavors coming through. The dish looked yummy but was generally under-seasoned such that the heat didn't work to the dish's advantage.
Service was also inconsistent. Everything we ordered came out all at once which was a bit overwhelming and we weren't allowed to use the vacant table next to us to create more space which made the table precariously crowded. We were also often in need of water which is a pet peeve of mine. That said, everyone who worked there was very nice and personable -- as I keep saying, I think they'll refine their rhythm in time.