Kiran's Corner: Review of "I tre merli"

A few days back my friends and I were downtown and looking for a place nearby that would serve us great food to appease our starved appetites and would be casual enough for us to go dressed as we were. "I tre merli!" my friend suggested.. a suggestion that brought back so many memories! Years back we would frequent this restaurant when it's bar was more popular than its food- so much so, that in all those times I'd been, I'd never actually eaten there. The nicely lit up restaurant without the throngs of people proved to be unrecognizable to me, but my friend promised that he'd had dinner there a few weeks back, and that the food was great.
We were extremely hungry and went a little nutty while ordering appetizers. I absolutely adored the mushrooms cooked with garlic and the Kobe beef meatballs were probably the best meatballs I've ever had. Ever!

My friend ordered a pizza too, which tasted really good. However, the best pizza in New York still remains at Serafina (yet unreviewed!)

The buratta on the menu brought back flashes of the one I had at La Petite Maison in London, but this was more cube-like and stiff- but good nonetheless.
The service was good and the food was really yum, but they sort of goofed up right at the end. We ordered a chocolate souffle, which we expected to get all fluffy and well, souffle-like. They brought it out fairly quickly which in itself should have set off a few alarm bells (most places require 15 to 20 minutes to prepare it.) The souffle looked delish but on digging in, was more like a jar of nutella than anything else. On requesting them to take it back and let it set some more, they insisted, "no.. this is how a souffle is supposed to be." Really??? Either they thought we're from a village or someone needs to let them know their desert chef is making an ass out of them! I'd understand if they'd said that's the way THEY make it, but to tell us the goopy gunk is the way it's supposed to be everywhere? Now that's just dumb.
Anyhow, the food was great and apart from that little mess up right at the end, the service was quick and polite. If you happen to be in the neighborhood, do go in for a relaxed meal. Just remember- don't order desert!