Rouge Tomate must be doing pretty well in Brussels to open a branch in New York - and right at the south-east corner of Central Park, no less. Yet I can't tell you a thing about the food. I can tell you about the design (pale wood, ivory leather, sun-like lighting) and the mission (creating nutritional dishes from sustainable elements and business practicies) and even the nutritional charter (S.P.E.: sourcing, preparation, enhancement = sourcing local, seasonal ingredients; preparing in such a way as to optimize nutrients, ie, not boil the heck out of your broccoli; enhancing nutrition by choosing products that compliment each other nutritionally.) But, dang it, I have no idea what kind of food Rouge Tomate is into.

Ok, ok: I know what kind of food is served: the resturant seems to be pulling from many culinary traditions, with a handful of comfort-like foods (a warm carrot broth; 'market squash gnocchi' with pine nuts, mushrooms, braised leek, consommé; a lettuce and root vegetable cassoulet) and richer, more unusual dishes (a rabbit fleischnacke; a squab and slow roasted faro salad; and the item that made this writer hungry again just after breakfast: lobster with a green fennel risotto.) There's also a 'Moroccan spiced Long Island duck,' and a panna cotta that looks very interesting, with celery root and almond, crab, grapefruit, tarragon, and citron vinegar. Best of all, if you can't decide, the three-course prix fixe dinner is yours for $72.

Sounds great, right? Well, here is the thing: I am all for experimental fiction, just like I am all for environmental protection. But, if there is nothing to ground the experiment, no relatable characters, the experiment gets boring... it's an experiment for experiment's sake, not experiment for let's-figure-out-how-we-can-better-express-the-human-condition's sake. Similarly, if the food at a sustainable restaurant isn't good to eat… why am I going there? (I can get local, organic produce at the greenmarket and make my own pretty decent food at home.) If you're more passionate about social issues than food, why aren't you working for a non-profit?

So, Rouge Tomate: good on you for all the sustainability work. Seriously, I think we need more people like you, committed to the social and environmental responsibilities, in the restaurant world. (I especially appreciate your use of the word 'rational' in relation to 'energy use'.) However, I'm not sure that this is the best way to market yourself. Even the most die-hard environmentalists (think Lisa Simpson) would balk at paying high-end prices for sustainable but not so delicious food. At least throw a few lines in your press release about, I don't know, how organic tomatoes are better than genetically modified tomatoes.