Tolo

This place would be a decent start to a night spent eating in Chinatown. Especially if they served cocktails. We glanced at the eye-wateringly priced $42 beef and broccoli and the $37 fried fish, and decided to just order a few apps and small bites. They were all very good and not horribly priced. In fact, they were good enough that I’d come back here and try their fried chicken. My favorite dish was the rolled rice noodles. They were tasty and unique. Next time we’ll come back here, grab the noodles and the fried chicken, and then head down the street and properly feast at a Chinatown restaurant. Just hope Tolo can get their liquor license before then.

This restaurant is a true diamond in the rough. The food and wine are superb. They also have an amazing beer selection. The vibe is really relaxed. It’s a wonderful experience and a special treat.

Michelin Bib Gourmand- warranted Cliff notes -Solid food, service, and ambience -I'll be back when in NYC. Detailed We usually have a list of restaurants we plan to check out wherever we go and I make sure to get reservations in advance. Tolo was one of them. This place is well worth a visit and deserves the Michelin bib gourmand award/being in the list. New York is expensive but the value and quality is 🤌🏻 Food I'll preface by saying that I like beef and seafood mainly, but our favorite dish was the duck breast, endive, and black garlic. The duck skin/fat cap was crisp and the duck breast perfectly cooked. There was a black garlic sauce which was savory and also a white sauce/perhaps egg based sauce on the side (aioli like) which added further richness. The endive was bitter which balanced all the flavor components of the dish. I like the plating as well- contrast of the black garlic sauce versus the white. Service Attentive waiter and hostess. They made sure we were comfortable and answered any questions we had about the menu along with dietary requests. They honored my very specific requests (usually I am not this picky). Ambiance Lighting is dark and each table has candles so it makes it intimate but also there is plenty of conversation going on at the same time. It gets quieter later on through the night. But we came during prime dinner time and we felt like we were in our own little bubble in a good way..

We had the salt and pepper tofu, the sweet and sour fish, the cucumber and wood ear, and the little rice noodle. I LOVE the salt and pepper tofu, executed to perfection. The sweet and sour fish was also delicious. I’ve never had the cucumber woodear before but they made it really well and appetizing. The rice noodle was good and we ended the night with the dessert (something w black tea and ice cream)

Thought Tolo was pretty good. Small dishes that are served family style. They were all very well seasoned and tasted very homey. Menu has a lot of options despite the place being pretty small. Lots of vegetarian options and decent wine menu too! I think for the quantity, it’s a bit expensive but the ambiance is great, area is buzzing, and food is delicious.