Review: FIVES

The Ambiance
Sadly lacking. We arrived at 1pm, the peak lunch hour, and the restaurant was perhaps 1/3 full and far too cold.

The Food
I was immediately disappointed because the restaurant had not included a vegetarian option in the RW menu, although they had chosen sustainable cod and chicken for two of their entrees. We were given a bread basket full of barely re-heated bread rolls that although varied, were far too hard to eat. After giggling our way through a few difficult and tooth-damaging bites, we gave up and left the basket full.

For the entree we ordered the mozzarella and tomato ravioli and the white bean and truffle soup. Although the ravioli was tasty, they were a little too soft, as were all the vegetables and beans in the soup. The flavor of the truffle did not come through, likely because the mushroom pieces had been thrown in along with the rest of the vegetables and overcooked.

The entrees were the highlights of the meal. The chicken was supported by a ginger risotto and light salad, both of which were delicious and excellently prepared. The ginger flavor in the risotto came through, and the salad was accompanied by a light lemon dressing that didn't overpower the other flavors on the plate. The chicken, although plain, was tender and well-cooked.

Dessert was labelled as "Lithe Asian Passion Fruit Cheesecake", by which they apparently just meant "Cheesecake with Passion Fruit on Top". It was boring, and instead of a cheesecake crust they had thrown two tiny crust croutons on top of the cheesecake square. Neither the passion fruit nor the cheesecake flavors came through, and the sorbet tasted like they had used artificial flavoring. The espresso was possibly the worst espresso I've ever had.

Rating: 3/10
Ultimately, for a restaurant that charges $9 for an espresso, the meal was profoundly disappointing and the empty dining room was confirmation that their lackluster performance was not just a RW fluke, but rather an ongoing issue. If you unwittingly find yourself dining at FIVES, stick to the entrees and find a nice cafe or bakery nearby to enjoy an after-meal dessert and coffee.

Information
http://www.peninsula.com/New_York/en/Dining/default.aspx#/New_York/en/Dining/Fives/