Tribeca
Supper clubs don’t get much classier than this one overlooking Shinagawa

Photos Courtesy of Cross Patio

I hate to admit it, but I’ve never been to New York. As an American raised in Japan, the city is all but foreign to me. But the Big Apple-themed Atré Shinagawa comes close to how I might envision the dining and nightlife scene of the city that never sleeps: eclectic and classy.

It would be easy to spend a week exploring just the fourth floor’s offerings. Depending on the mood, one might take in the nightscape from the outdoor terrace of The Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant or sip wine inside a subway car at the elegant Transfer Café.

If the occasion called for fancy food, stiff drinks and relaxing lounge music, jazz bar Tribeca would be hard to beat. Its lobby features pink and white marble floors and wood-paneled walls inlaid with a flat-screen TV. Normally we would call this garish, even airport bar-ish, but in this setting it somehow works. Continuing into the main dining space, we took note of the elegant beige-topped bar counter and, behind it, the attractive orange-backed display of top-shelf booze.

We were shown to a high-backed semi-circular booth facing the stage, where musicians perform twice nightly on weekdays, and handed several English menus. Our eyes wandered instinctively to the wine list, from which we selected the Bonterra chardonnay (¥5,000). This winery in California produces its organic bottles from a single estate, and the chardonnay, with its slight notes of coconut, perfectly fit the mood.

With lounge music and a nice bottle of wine, we elected to leave the rest to the able chef. One quick way to gauge a restaurant’s level of service, especially in Japan, is to throw a vegetarian into the mix—and Tribeca passed the test with flying colors. Literally. The vivid presentation of the food, especially the appetizer assortment, added much to the dining experience.

The platter included marinated beets with gorgonzola tartar sauce, as well as a fine insalata caprese, and peperonata dotted with ricotta. The pasta was a tasty but unremarkable mushroom and peperoncino spaghetti, but for the entrée, Tribeca really came into its own. The beef was a premium rib steak in a red wine sauce, and the vegetarian option was grilled seasonal vegetables with a delicious Parmesan risotto.

Passing up dessert, we instead asked for after-dinner drinks. To our delight, two cocktails—a Mandarin Martini (a concoction of gin, Mandarine Napoleon, Cointreau and a dash of OJ) and a Lemon Drop Martini (rum, lemon juice and lemon liqueur) came courtesy of the masterful hands of Regivaldo, the barman-slash-maitre d’. To Tribeca’s credit, these were two of the best—and strongest—iterations of the classic martini we’ve encountered. On our next visit, we’ll be sure to try a few more of the 26 variations on offer.

Tribeca’s New York theme belies its location in sleepy Shinagawa. But that just makes us all the more eager to check out the real thing.

4F Atré Shinagawa, 2-18-1 Konan, Minato-ku. Tel: 03-6717-0933. Open daily 11am-midnight. Music charge: Mon-Fri ¥1,000/ ¥5,000 (executive table). Nearest stn: Shinagawa. English menu available. Smoking permitted. Reservations recommended. www.tribeca.cc/shinagawa

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