Is The Arrival of More Restaurant Choice on Roosevelt Island Improving the Trelis Diner?

Image of Trellis Portabello and Cheese Challah from NYC Nosh

Image of Trellis Diner from nrvlowdown

Blogger CinDelicious and a friend made a long desired trip on the Roosevelt Island Tram and had dinner at what they incorrectly thought was the Island's only sit down restaurant, The Trellis Diner. (I guess they had not heard of the famous Nonno's Focacceria). They liked it and gave it a very good review. Here is an excerpt:

We landed in RI, hopped on the bus (25 cents to ride) for Trellis, the ONLY sit-down restaurant on Roosevelt Island. It’s modest, more like a diner, but most importantly, no wait at all for us. Dan and I were both craving the California Monte Cristo (served with avocado), but the waiter crushed our dreams when he told us there was no avocado to be had. Instead we settled on pastas (a little skeptically because we were at a diner), and an $18 bottle of Tempranillo (why the heck not)? My capellini in garlic & olive oil with artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, shrimp, and parmesan was a generous portion. The challah bread served with the meal was also unexpected and raised the bar on our RI dining excursion. We were too full to have dessert, I took half my dinner home, all in all it was a decent night of food, friends, and spontaneous (as M would call it) fun, and as we walked back toward the tram the rain had cleared out and the city shone on the other shore.

Maybe the good meal at Trellis had nothing to do with Nonnos and it's soon to open neighboring Japanese restaurant Fuji East. Before Nonnos opened, The Black and White Cookie blogger also had a "wonderful dinner" at the Trellis Diner though they did not care much for the Black and White cookie and NYC Nosh says of Trellis, "solid, hearty diner fare".

There is also a new restaurant that just opened in Long Island City at the foot of the Roosevelt Island/36th Avenue Bridge. A Roosevelt Island couple visited recently and had this to say about it on the Chowhound food blog:

I live on Roosevelt Island. There isn't 5 restaurants within a 10 block area. No, Astoria is MORE than 10 blocks!
A Romanian Restuarant opened on 36th Avenue and Vernon Blvd., within the 10 block criteria. We dined there last night. My meal was OK, my wife's was so-so. Not a place I'd highly recommend. The only saving grace was it's BYOB for now. Caveat: They do not accept CCs

Another new restaurant that opened in the vicinity of Roosevelt Island is the conveniently l0cated Smokin Q Barbecue on 63rd Street between 2nd and 3rd avenues. I had their take out Texas Brisket sandwich. It was OK. I would certainly go back and try it or something else from them again. I usually go to Blue Smoke, Rub BBQ or the Smoke Joint in Fort Greene for BBQ but I would be thrilled if the nearby Smokin Q succeeds

Let's give these newly opened restaurants, as well as Trellis and Nonnos a break and try them for ourselves. The more restaurants that open open on Roosevelt Island and in the vicinity, the better for residents of Roosevelt Island.