Photo by Tony Valainis
WHAT EXACTLY does 24-karat gold add to a plate of risotto? That was the question in the back of my mind as I approached the imposing four-story facade of Tre, which is on the broad plaza of the 1st on Main building in downtown Carmel. A towering wire figure sculpted by artist Jason Myers stands almost as sentinel beside deep blue and windowless doors, behind which is Chris Evans’ high-ceilinged third and unquestionably most ambitious Italian effort, following his two-location pasta spot, Sangiovese. And from the hard-to-snag reservations to the crowds of smiling guests, it’s clear that this is the Italian restaurant many Carmel residents have been awaiting.
Indeed, a press release in early April made the bold claims that Evans’ 4,800-square-foot “passion project,” which he says is his final restaurant, would offer a “diverse menu” and “exquisite art” to make diners fall “in love with life all over again.” And risotto with edible gold, which most piqued my curiosity. I also wanted to see the polish three decades of running restaurants would bring to Evans’ latest.
Photo by Tony Valainis
Well after its first months of business, however, the menu (which the website warned was temporary) was riddled with typos, not just in obscure culinary terms but also in everyday words like “romaine” and even “gold.” A chef change that brought in former Prime 47 chef Oscar Perez meant the kitchen was still getting on its feet, as well. A promising fried squash blossom starter, while pretty on the plate, was so heavily battered it was limp, not crisp, with a tasty enough but runny red pepper filling.
A platter of fresh oysters came with no explanation of the types from our server. They were presented beautifully, with a brisk mignonette and horseradish-forward cocktail sauce, but the oysters’ adductor muscles weren’t detached, as is customary. That left us to wrestle the flesh out with our Lilliputian forks, not always successfully. A Cognac West from the ambitious cocktail menu was watery and lacked bite. We wondered if the interior design—which included a row of curved brass tubes behind the bar and chandeliers of offset blown glass discs—would be the tastiest part of the meal.
Photo by Tony Valainis
Thankfully, salads and entrees showed more promise. A tidy mound of roasted red and golden beets, though missing promised watermelon radishes, had a lavish amount of creamy burrata and the right hit of reduced balsamic. Leaning on Evans’ Sangiovese playbook, a generous bowl of pappardelle with “Sunday sauce” was as satisfying as it sounds, especially owing to the short rib in the ragu. The one dish that lived up to the setting was a simply styled yet arresting pan-seared halibut with risotto, which our server steered us toward instead of the one with gold. Here, the gilt was on the crust of the halibut, which broke away in lush flakes above a pool of buttery marsala sauce and truffle-scented risotto with the perfect tooth and creaminess, some of the best I’ve ever had.
Many of Tre’s early, somewhat puzzling missteps may have been emended by now, given the hard work of Evans’ general manager Francesco Settanni, a native of Puglia, Italy, who arrives early each day to advise the staff. Settanni came to Evans’ restaurants in 2021 after over two decades working at New York City standards, including one used by actor Stanley Tucci in his research for the classic dining film Big Night.
Photo by Tony Valainis
Settani recites regional Italian dishes by heart and waxes poetic about the staples of his home region. Given Settanni’s vast knowledge, as well as local diners’ growing awareness of regional dishes, Tre would be wise to reconsider its commitment to the trappings of luxury in favor of dishes that truly reflect their origins in Liguria, Campania, or Emilia-Romagna.
Instead, there’s a ubiquitous Caesar salad, which we tried on a return visit, perfectly serviceable but so lightly touched on the grill there was hardly any of the advertised char. There’s a delicious pork chop parmigiana, an eye-popping breaded, bone-in cut that’s swathed in house red sauce and bubbling with smoked mozzarella.
Photo by Tony Valainis
And, yes, there’s risotto with gold, which turned out to be a mashup of risotto Milanese and spaghetti carbonara. Visually, it’s stunning—more than answering my question. But with egg in the rice, as well as a raw yolk under the gold leaf, not to mention bits of pancetta and so much saffron the dish glowed, it was almost too rich to finish. I pined for what I’d had with the halibut.
Having tried the respectable tiramisu the first time, we asked what other desserts were made in-house. Our server brought us two scoops of lemon sorbetto the chef was testing, which proved to be bright, creamy, and lusciously true-tasting, a final bite showing a culinary artistry that one hopes, with time, will match the art on the walls.
Photo by Tony Valainis
