Brunch at Trestle on Tenth: Worth the Trek

By Elizabeth S. Bennett

No doubt it's a schlep to Trestle on Tenth. The nearest subway stop is two long avenues away and on a very cold or very warm day the journey could easily feel like twice that. But if you fix your sights on the sustenance to come, you will be duly rewarded.

Trestle's offerings do not deviate radically from other ambitious brunch spots, but they diverge enough and tip the flavor scales with enough frequency to make this far-flung establishment a worthy brunch destination.

For starters, Trestle has the basics down: Hot strong coffee flows without having to beg and meals commence with crusty slices of Sullivan Street Bakery bread. The staff is friendly and generally efficient. And the food, when at all possible, is organic and locally grown, according to general manager Luciana Autilio.  Swiss-born chef and owner Ralf Kuettel makes bi-weekly trips to the Union Square greenmarket for fresh and seasonal produce.

Now, for the meal. When duck confit is on offer I can't seem to pass it up, especially when it is paired with little roasted potato cubes, poached eggs and a light and lemony béarnaise sauce, as it is with Trestle's duck confit hash ($11.50). Rich but not heavy, Kuettel manages to turn a few simple ingredients into a memorable repast where the shredded duck is an ensemble player, not the main attraction.

If you're famished, you won't be able to do without the bacon-onion rösti with house-made pork sausage, Gruyere and eggs ($13.50). It's hard to imagine a more delicious way to eat through a hangover-or any old afternoon-than with this buttery, eggy, crispy concoction. The rösti, one of Switzerland's finest inventions, is a grated potato pancakes akin to a big round hash brown. It is so vastly superior to the ubiquitous home-fried potatoes that New Yorkers inexplicably order all over town that, indeed, one can scarcely believe these two dishes are born of the same tuber.

If a sweet brunch is your thing, consider the banana-stuffed brioche French toast. The bread is from Balthazar and coated with toasted slivered almonds. The titular stuffing is made from banana, sugar and butter and the chef pre-syrups the whole business with appropriate restraint.

"Eye openers" are a fun departure from the typical brunch booze. I know few who could resist the cranberry sour-mash with old crow whiskey, cranberry, lemon, pernod and Peychaud's bitters, or the snortin' hot Mary with aquavit, black radish, fennel and hot cherry peppers. Gooood morning!

Trestle is delightful for brunch but it is not a perfectly polished machine. Will you occasionally be served an overcooked poached egg or have to wait a few minutes for coffee? Yes. Will you find it in your heart to forgive and forget? Yes and yes.

Atmosphere: Cheerful and relaxing. The rustic-yet-chic dining room provides ample space for a private conversation.

Notes: Brunch reservations only accepted for parties of six or more. Management says customers rarely have to wait longer than 15 minutes.

Trestle on Tenth
242 Tenth Ave.
New York, NY 10001
212-645-5659

Elizabeth S. Bennett is a freelance writer living in New York City.