Retailer Tommy Bahama opened a New York City offshoot of its nationwide “Island” restaurant chain over the weekend. We stopped in for lunch on Monday, the third day the restaurant was open to the public. Here’s our thoughts – what we liked and didn’t like.

Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue is a long way from the sun-soaked beaches of the Carribean. On this particularly cold and rainy December day, it was especially fitting to stop by Tommy Bahama’s Manhattan Island Restaurant to enjoy lunch in the newly-opened dining spot. Maybe it was the thought of relaxing on clean and beautiful shores that led us here. Maybe it was the retailer’s penchant for luxury.

We entered the lobby of Tommy Bahama Fifth Avenue and were immediately guided to a grand staircase leading to the restaurant. The decor was modern, yet relaxing. Palm trees and wooden decoration surrounded us, as if we had wandered into an elegant restaurant down in the Carribean Islands. Goodbye, New York.

Inside Tommy Bahama’s Island Restaurant, NYC

The friendly hostess greeted us and led us to our table. We looked around – about one-third of the restaurant’s many tables (it’s a sprawling space) were filled with seemingly-happy business people and families. Our waitress, Nancy, came over and led us through the restaurant’s cocktail selection. I opted for the Baja Margarita - a traditional margarita on the rocks. We were given plenty of time to look over the menu’s selection of appetizers and entrees.

The sea definitely dominates the menu here – apart from a selection of non-seafood items that were listed. Expect plenty of contemporary seafood classics with pacific influences (think: ahi tuna poke). I opted for the ahi poke to start, along with Tommy Bahama’s mahi-mahi entree. My guest ordered a caesar salad and the grilled baby back pork ribs.

Tommy Bahama’s Baja Margarita

The margarita was just okay. The selection of liquor was thrown off balance by mint tones that didn’t seem to fit in. Salt was distributed evenly around the rim of my glass, though the rest of the glass seemed to be covered in salt, too. (I see what you’re doing: trying to convince me it’s sand and we’re really on the beach somewhere? Almost worked…) But overall, it was a decent margarita.

The Ahi Tuna Poke Appetizer

After a few minutes, my ahi tuna poke appetizer had arrived. The tuna, paired with avocado in a stack, came with some flatbread crackers. Immediately, I was impressed at the freshness of the tuna. It was dark pink – almost red – a sign that the ahi tuna was freshly-delivered and not more than a day old. The avocado was fresh too, and not overly ripe. Along with both were capers and sesame oil, which provided for additional flavor. The crackers were fresh and delicious. Overall, this was a great dish – one I would order again.

Tommy Bahama’s Caesar Salad

Across the table, my guest was beginning to enjoy his caesar salad. Initially unsure how he’d feel about a salad made with “whole-leaf romaine” lettuce, he was pleasantly surprised. The salad was sprinkled with slices of grana padano (very similar to parmigiano reggiano) and coutons. The croutons were stale and tasted a bit old. The salad would have been better without them.

Tommy Bahama’s Mahi Mahi

After about ten minutes, right on schedule, our entrees arrived. My mahi-mahi was served on a bed of root vegetable quinoa – perfect for the season. It was topped with sauce verde and a meyer lemon buerre blanc. The mahi-mahi was flavorful and perfectly flaky, as that fish should be when cooked. It was lightly blackened on the outside. Overall, a great combination of flavors. And the quinoa was awesome.

My guest’s baby back pork ribs arrived. They were slattered in a blackberry brandy BBQ sauce, with jerk rub, and served with french fries and asian slaw. The sauce was an unexpected delight – the mildly sweet, fruity flavors balanced a traditional BBQ sauce, giving the dish some added appeal. The pork ribs were cooked perfectly and melted in your mouth. The fries – stylized fancily as “russet potato fries” – were what you’d expect. The asian slaw was not bad – but could have used a little more moisture (it was a bit dry). However, props to the kitchen for trying something different – there’s way too much traditional cole slaw in New York.

The signature Pineapple Creme Brulee Dessert

Finally, it was time: dessert. Though we had considered passing on it, our wait staff really wanted us to try something. We caved. I ordered the signature Pineapple Crème Brulee (served inside a large slice of a pineapple), and my guest ordered the triple chocolate cake. Both were delicious. One word of advice: avoid the whipped cream – it’s even worse than it looks.

Overall, Tommy Bahama’s Manhattan Island Restaurant is a good spot to sit back, relax, and enjoy cocktails and a meal. There’s plenty on the menu for everyone to enjoy, but picky eaters may find themselves stranded. The wait staff was courteous and on point at all times. Go, and you won’t be disappointed.

Gerard Boucher is the Editor of Livin’ Large NYC and a New York City native.