08.30.09
Posted in Alphabet City, East Village, Italian, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 8 to 8.5 at 00:04 by Dominique
234 E.4th St. & Ave. B, 212-253-2038
Great for: frittura di mare, fish, fine dining in Alphabet City
My dear friend S and I did a shoot with her friend L one day at China 1 and afterward he took us out to dinner. How lucky that this place was right around the corner. It’s pretty new, and impressive already.
We shared the terrific frittura di mare to start. It’s a big dish of lightly breaded and fried calamari, prawn, shrimp and scallops with lemon and oregano aïoli. The sauce is creamy and a great contrast to the deliciously light seafood.
S’s seared veal and tuna steak with tomato sauce, mousse, anchovies, capers and olive oil looked like confusing, albeit lovely, art, and tasted very good. I really enjoyed my red mullet filet in a tomato confit over grilled potatoes and roasted garlic with shrimp soup. All the little parts of the dish were great. I didn’t find any shrimp in the soup, which was more like tomato bisque, and yummy anyway. The mullet came in small filet pairs tied to each other with long scallions. There was too much garlic – not in the flavoring, actual cloves – but the whole thing was fun to eat. L thought his seared cod fish over prosciutto broth with a spinach and potato croquette was great too.
We rounded out the meal with a fantastic lemon gelato. This place has it all; terrific food, nice waiters, and a surprisingly spacious room for the location. There’s also lots of exposed brick and I like the louvered front windows. They’re open early for dinner – go now!
Rating: 8 / 10
Our cost: $155 for 3
Noise level: I imagine it acquires a convivial hum when there are other people dining.
Chance of walking in: probably the only thing not great about it.
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Posted in Financial District, Italian, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 6 to 6.5 at 00:00 by Dominique
225 Front St. & Beekman/Peck Slip, 212-227-8890
Great for: hiding in a secret garden, post-shopping food, Italian groceries
Software Guy was finally back in town and we decided to meet up around South Street Seaport and wander around. New York is such a great town to do that. You’re certain to stumble upon some hidden gem if you look hard enough. Or walk long enough. The restaurant is concealed by an Italian grocery store; once you get through that you find an enclosed courtyard that’s actually the restaurant. You can sit outside, if you like, but that’s nowhere near as cool.
We mainly got the specials. The speck was great and there was a lot of it. There’s just something about cured salty meat I really like. Probably the fact that it’s meat. My app of medium-size shrimp with fava beans had lots of beans and the shrimp could have been cooked a tad less, but it was quite nice.
We liked SG’s cavatelli with rabbit ragú. The pasta was very al dente. My veal scaloppine in green pepper sauce with capers, carrots, zucchini, onions and potatoes was a little disappointing in comparison. Though they were generous with the meat – four wide slices – one slice was unpleasantly stringy and the others were only halfway better. I enjoyed the sauce and vegetables though.
I think perhaps meat is not their specialty here, so if I’m in the area again I’ll probably stick with a pasta and/or seafood. The service is slow, but that’s nice if you’re having a pleasant conversation. And the location is uniquely lovely.
Rating: 6.5 / 10
Our cost: $70 (2 glasses of wine)
Noise level: quiet in the secret garden
Chance of walking in: good.
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08.29.09
Posted in Italian, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5, SoHo at 23:23 by Dominique
11 Bleecker & Elizabeth Sts., 212-529-5133
Great for: pizza, vegetarians, organic food
My friend F suggested lunch here, and I thought I recognized the address. As I walked up I was shocked to find that it was the same restaurant I’d disliked five years ago. It didn’t help that my date was frightfully boring and made me pay my half (on a first date!), but F told me not to worry, the pizza was really good. Though I don’t usually eat that, I was game for some carbs.
We shared the special fettuccine with shrimp, cherry tomatoes, asparagus and crushed red pepper. It needed more pepper and the shrimp were slightly overcooked, but it was generally nice. The pizza was as good as promised; eight slices of thin crust covered with tomatoes and cheese. I actually could have done with a little more cheese. All of this was just the right amount for the two of us to share.
I came away with a favorably revised opinion. It’s decent, especially for its somewhat out-of-the-way location, with pretty décor, an extensive wine list and a back garden. Our waitress was a little slow but I think maybe that’s because she was setting up for dinner at the same time. I think I might actually come back next time I want a simple pizza.
Rating: 7 / 10
Our cost: $40
Noise level: music at a good level
Chance of walking in: pretty good.
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06.20.09
Posted in Flatiron, Gramercy, Italian, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 8 to 8.5 at 18:05 by Dominique
46 W.22nd St. & 5th/6th Aves., 212-206-0555
Great for: taking the parents, a grown-up and quiet night out
I met some guys at a snowboarders’ meetup and this one asked me out for a proper date. Not really my type, but I figured I’ve got to try people out or I’ll never like anyone. He was kind of boring, but dinner was quite good.
I actually ate some of the starter bread. It was like an olive brioche; salty with lots of olives, and very enjoyable. I loved my terrific special app of tagliolini with king crab, crab jus, snow peas, scallions and pea shoots. It had nice thin noodles steeped in crab flavor and peas that were a crunchy contrast to the just-chewy-enough noodles. It looked small in the plate but was actually a nice amount. The sweetbreads app is great too. The snow pea sauce is delicious, while the nuttiness of the sweetbreads was amplified by the pine nuts sprinkled on top. All that went very well with yummy vegetables scattered around the plate. I was glad I had some bread left over to mop up more of the sauce.
I liked my rascasse with shrimp, fish and a little calamari in gravy with vegetables. It was a nice big dish, kind of like crab cake in the way it’s held together except in a pretty star design. I didn’t even mind the calamari, as it was only barely rubbery. His sea bass with a triangle of latke and artichokes was also good. The potato was my favorite part, since the fish was not as tender as mine.
The baba dessert was good, the cake a tad dry but the fruit a gooey, scrumptious mess. Even though I was totally full, I kept pecking at the rhubarb and strawberries. The service is lovely, almost as much as the décor. There’s a small fireplace that looks as though it may have been a pizza oven once, nice big bathrooms and a very friendly waitstaff. The place itself is also quite large, with a bar area that would be great for a rainy day or a heart-to-heart.
Rating: 8 / 10
Our cost: $145
Noise level: loud conversations
Chance of walking in: it’s quite new, you should call ahead.
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05.14.09
Posted in Chelsea, Italian, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 8 to 8.5, West Village at 05:14 by Dominique
202 W.14th St. & 7th Ave., 212-255-2060
Great for: large parties and dates, carbonara, hearty good food for very little money
It used to be Osteria Primitivo, but the pressure of the recession inspired the owners (who also run several other Italian restaurants in New York) to replace it with an incredibly wallet-friendly place. Every dish is less than $15! Plus, each one is good! It’s so rare to find both characteristics in the same place. How lucky that we settled on it for girls’ night out.
We managed to get a table for six on Friday at 8:30 when I called the day before, which was a little surprising to me but less so when I saw how effectively they’d utilized the mid-sized space. Our table was right in the middle of the room, great for people-watching. We didn’t have much time for that after the food came, though. The traditional oven-baked eggplant appetizer with tomato, mozzarella and basil was “sloppy but yummy,” R said. L and D found the steamed black mussels in a white wine and black pepper broth garlicky and delicious. K loved her tomato carpaccio special with mozzarella and chili oil. The spaghetti alla carbonara with very fatty pancetta, eggs and pecorino romano cheese was definitely worth naming the restaurant after. Shredded basil leaves scattered on top helped counteract the heavy deliciousness and I was kind of happy I hadn’t eaten all day so that I had room for it and a main course.
K was observing Lent so they made her a gnocchi special with just asparagus and no speck. The tagliatelle with shrimp, arugula and cherry tomatoes was also delightful, as was the pan-seared salmon in an herbed crust with lentil salad and lemon dill sauce. (These girlfriends are great, they always make sure to let me try a little bit of everything.) My own main course of baccalà codfish with Gaeta olives, oregano and parsley in a spicy tomato broth was great; spicy and garlicky with nice crisp fish. I loved the long strings of onions and the giant soft onion on top. It is a very salty dish though, and the fish was a tad dry.
The portions are quite generous. It was just the right amount of food for me, but then I hadn’t had anything all day. Everyone cleaned their plates or tried to. The wine is priced as reasonably as the food. We got two bottles of the shiraz Mandra Rossa from Sicily for $23 each. It was all right – I found it a bit watery. Our servers got confused and brought out two main courses with apps but were quick about straightening that out. Though a little abrupt sometimes, they were nice overall.
I liked the inviting and well-lit room with a good mix of candles and recessed ceiling lighting. The music was a little odd sometimes, but not too loud, thankfully. The dining room is pretty large and there’s a small private alcove too. Rustic wooden furniture completed the homey look. I’ll definitely be back soon to try more of the menu.
Rating: 8 / 10
Our cost: $215 for 6 ppl (2 bottles of $23 shiraz)
Noise level: pretty noisy but less than you’d expect; conversation isn’t too difficult
Chance of walking in: it’s new so you should call ahead.
Oh fun! La Carbonara liked this review enough to link to it. I’m happy to support a deserving restaurant.
Went back in November 2010 and they are still terrific. What a great addition to Chelsea.
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03.04.09
Posted in Italian, Lower East Side, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 9 to 10 at 03:56 by Dominique
100 Forsyth & Broome/Grand, 212-625-3444
Great for: dates, specials, upscale Italian, live jazz, ambience
Every day when I walked home from the train I passed this place. I’d say to myself, I really ought to try that hideaway, but somehow I never remembered to put it on my list. Finally one night, the Boyfriend and I walked past it and I thought to go in. I am so glad. That week we went twice more, it was so good. It’s nowhere near as cheap as the dumpling places surrounding it but if you’ve got the money, it’s totally worth it. And you can always stick to the cheap pastas, appetizers and burger if money’s tight.
It’s always a good idea to try the specials, although everything I had from the menu was fantastic too. Of the apps, the carpaccio may have been my favorite, because it didn’t have anything I hate, but the other apps made me willing and happy to try tomatoes and and octopus. The lovely scamorza was a slick of melted smoked mozzarella with a strip of prosciutto next to garlic bruschetta and very fresh large tomatoes, to be assembled as you see fit. There was a generous amount of everything, too. The crostini are three bruschetta; one with mushrooms and red pepper, one with prosciutto and scallions, and the best with smoked mozzarella and marinara. They were fantastic texture and taste combinations. The prosciutto one could have used some sauce to help with the bread, though. I was brave one night and got the special grilled octopus with arugula, fingerling potatoes and sundried tomato aïoli in lemon vinaigrette. I wish it didn’t look so scary because the tender yet firm octopus was amazing. But the tentacles were longer than my (admittedly tiny) pinky! I loved the sauce and potato slices too. I just couldn’t forget that I was eating intelligent octopi – I almost tried blindfolding myself, it was that yummy. The caprese di bufala is not quite as stellar as the scamorza though the cheese is light and fluffy and the tomato wedges are smaller. The paper-thin slices of carpaccio are accompanied by arugula, capers, fried shallors, lemon-olive oil and love, or something equally magical, because I just can’t have enough of them.
The shrimp risotto had creamy, firm, chopped-up shrimp over al dente rice with just a hint of sourness for balance. The dainty quail risotto with asparagus is also great. I’ve twice had the tonnarelli alla carbonara with crumbles of pancetta, egg, cream and Parmesan and not been able to finish it either time, but it is a lot of fun trying. It’s quite heavy with creamy, cheesy sauce everywhere and a moat of grated Parm.
The burger, a steal at $15, comes with terrific fries and amazing chipotle mayo. It’s one of the few burgers I’ve had whose meat is tasty all on its own – they clearly do the marinating part well. And the mayo is addictive. You don’t need ketchup for the fries, you’ll be scraping the bottom of the little sauce bowl. The marinated NY strip steak topped with herb-tomato insalata was deliciously soft and it even made me like the very large accompanying tomato chunks. There were veins of fat on the sides but they were easily cut away. The lovely oven-roasted herb-infused halibut with fingerling potatoes, asparagus, and tomato in a lemon aïoli was a nice balance of flavors. The Berkshire black pork cutlet over roasted apples and mashed sweet potatoes in a red wine reduction was very sweet, which I normally hate, except it was so good. The onions alone are worth the price of admission.
The only dessert we ever had room for was the apple beignet with vanilla gelato. They were basically good apple pancakes with fantastic gelato. The cocktails are all very speakeasy and tasty. The Boyfriend, who barely drinks, ordered two hot toddys every time we came in: they pack quite a punch in the mouth, what with the Calvados, bourbon, allspice liqueur, and honey garnished with lemon (though the menu says orange) and cinnamon sticks. They’re perfect for the current weather or just for getting hammered without realizing it. I also enjoyed the Canton ginger smash, New York sour, lampone basilico and St. Gemainita. They were all interesting and not too sweet.
The first three times I sat at the same table served by the same pretty, friendly waitress. (Hi, Slavica!) Everyone else is very sociable as well, and though the drinks sometimes take a while, when you get them you’ll see they were worth the wait. It’s a really cool little grotto with lots of flowers and simple, tasteful décor. You can sit in what I call the date section or the noisier side with the live band on weekends. I’m shocked that this place has been open for four years and I never knew about it. But I’m making amends – I was just there yesterday again.
2010 update: it’s still terrific. They’ve changed the cocktail menu to equally tasty new concoctions.
Rating: 9 / 10
Our cost: the entrées are quite expensive, but you’ll want so many of the other things that it might end up being pricey even if you just get pasta and apps, which average around $15 each. Cocktails are $10-11, secondi $15 (burger) – $32.
Noise level: sometimes live jazz, usually quietly romantic
Chance of walking in: not bad especially on weekdays.
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02.27.09
Posted in Italian, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5, Upper East Side at 03:43 by Dominique
1748 1st Ave. & 90th/91st St., 212-828-5810
Great for: specials, opera with your dinner
The Boyfriend’s father Mr. G took us out to dinner again, this time on the upper east side. It’s an adorable little place, and the specials are definitely the way to go if you find yourself in the “wilds” above 80th Street.
B and I got the pasta specials to start, his in entrée size and mine in appetizer. His risotto with saffron, shrimp and calamari was great and creamy. The squid was a little rubbery but otherwise it was a lovely dish. My spaghetti with sea scallops fra diavolo had yummy sauce and soft likeable tomatoes but I thought the scallops might have been a bit off. Mr. G was unmoved by his good, not excellent, artichoke soup. He said it didn’t taste much of artichoke and wasn’t cream-based.
All our entrées came with broccoli and creamy fine-ground mashed potatoes that I liked a lot. B’s salmon special with mustard was the best of the three main dishes. The large, flaky, tender filet came with lots of sauce, which was not too sharp and had just enough mustard flavor. My saltimbocca veal with crisp prosciutto, breading and spinach was pretty good. The prosciutto was a little too salty but the dish as a whole was quite decent. On the other hand, Mr. G said his homemade scarpariella (chicken) on the bone was better than their just-all-right version.
We liked the strawberry shortcake with lots of whipped cream and powdered sugar, as well as the bottle of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo CaDonini for $23. B rated it a 6.8 and I agreed. It was kind of the waiter to steer us to that instead of the $38 bottle we were initially considering. We were a bit puzzled by the regular coffee that they poured from a carafe as people do at home – it tasted fine, in any case. The nice waiter managed not to hover though he didn’t have much to do. Overall, it’s a quaint, cute little resto. And if you pay cash they’ll give you ten percent off.
Rating: 7 / 10
Our cost: $195 (3 people, $23 bottle of wine, 1 dessert, 2 coffees)
Noise level: loud opera but it’s nice
Chance of walking in: good. Although it was a horrid, cold, rainy Wednesday night.
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01.03.09
Posted in brunch, Chelsea, Italian, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5 at 11:47 by Dominique
191 7th Ave. & 21st/22nd Sts., 212-675-5980
Great for: minimuffins, alcoholic brunch, reliable food
My dear friend C was visiting from London and planned brunch with me and our other friend K. I was bored of not drinking – I went three months and lost about 1.5 inches in circumference! Although my mother has been force-feeding me over the holidays and I think I will need to stay on the wagon a while longer – and wanted to celebrate her brief return, so I got the $15 unlimited champagne too. It turned into a very not-sober, fun day.
First off they have cute little minimuffins with what looked like strawberry jam. They seem very popular with everyone (no bready things for me). My eggs Benedict with one crab cake was quite good. The eggs could have been a shade less cooked, though. And both could have been larger. C’s rigatoni with eggplant was tasty but also small. She ordered it expecting it to be enormous since she was really hungry; it was funny to find the one Italian restaurant in the city without huge pasta portions. K’s burger with bacon, on the other hand, was very large. She enjoyed it a lot.
I liked the pretty plating. We had mainly leisurely service except when our waiter was making sure we had enough champagne in our giant glasses. He even refilled me after we paid the check (it never hurts to smile sweetly). C, who used to live in the neighborhood, said she has always seen it totally packed and was surprised she could even get a reservation for brunch. I definitely want to try their dinner.
Rating: 7 / 10 (just brunch, pending dinner visit)
Our cost: $110 (3 brunches with $15 unlimited drinks)
Noise level: boisterous
Chance of walking in: not good, definitely reserve.
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12.28.08
Posted in Italian, Meatpacking District, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 8 to 8.5 at 18:58 by Dominique
355 W.14th St. & 9th Ave., 212-691-0555
Great for: spaghetti with tomato basil, romantic rendezvous
I met my friend B at Soho House (which I’m dying to try again since Neil Ferguson moved over there – their food has been a bit shit for a while so hopefully it can only improve) and was very glad when he suggested dinner in the area. Commodities Broker had been to some NY Food & Wine Festival tomato event at Scarpetta a few days before and it reminded me of how much I wanted to experience the spaghetti. Speaking of the Festival, I went to the Daily Candy Midnight Munchies event on 10/10. Definitely not worth the $100 entry. They had basically about ten tiny, albeit mostly good, hors d’oeuvres from different chefs and the lines were insane. I ended up drinking because a) how often will I get to try that many different mixologists’ cocktails at once and b) I had to get my money’s worth somehow. Yes, Tom Colicchio playing with a band was pretty cool and he was impressive, but I should have saved the money to have an actual meal at one of the restaurants. At least the cocktails were great and the cute bartenders hit on my friend and me.
Back to B and me at Scarpetta, which took over the Gin Lane space. They kept a lot of the décor, I think, while bringing up the lighting a bit. It’s still dim enough to have a romantic tryst, but now you can actually see what you’re ordering. We were lucky to snag a deuce in the front by the bar – the place was packed in the spacious back. If we had minded the squeeze, we would quickly have been mollified by the bread, which has pepperoni and cheese embedded in it. What a great idea! I actually ate and loved it. It didn’t just come with butter, there was also some kind of eggplant spread, which I liked although I just ate the bits that didn’t have eggplant.
The spaghetti w tomato basil is, I am not exaggerating, OMFG totally worth the fuss. (Chef Conant brings out the silly Valley fangirl in me, I guess.) It was so fresh and perfect it made me like the tomatoes. They were mashed, crowned with flawlessly al dente thin square noodles and just a touch of cheese. I was a little shocked at the $26 price until I tasted the dish, since transport of the tomatoes from heaven must be quite difficult and expensive. B’s tuna “susci” with marinated vegetables and preserved truffles was good in a different way. The tuna was wrapped around the veg like spring roll skin, summery and very subtle in bite size pieces.
For a main I had the moist-roasted capretto (baby goat) with artichokes, fingerling potatoes and tiny sausages. I misunderstood the Russian waitress telling me it was their signature dish and thought it would be cod. And I’m glad, because it was very good, and I probably wouldn’t have tried it on my own. I liked the nice rich dark sauce. It got a tiny bit salty towards the end but I was happy with my first taste of goat. B found his seared scallops with cauliflower, bottarga and capers a bit raw in the middle but soft and still good overall. I enjoyed them too.
We rounded out our lovely meal with a chocolate and vanilla parfait with hazelnut milkshake and biscotti. Delicious. The waiters are very polite and although I get the sense the food can be a bit uneven, all is forgiven for the spaghetti. I need to start my own Ponzi scheme à la Madoff so I can afford it every day.
Rating: 8 / 10
Our cost: $155 (no alcohol)
Noise level: happy noisy
Chance of walking in: don’t be silly, it’s really popular.
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12.22.08
Posted in Italian, Lower East Side, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5 at 21:49 by Dominique
173 Ludlow St. Front #2 & Houston/Stanton Sts., 212-353-3353
Great for: nice simple Italian, quiet dates, large parties
My good friend J and I wanted to catch up over a quiet dinner on the LES. I was running late, of course, so J used that time to make friends with the very amiable owner. He told us what to order and I was happy we listened to him.
We started with the three stuzzichini (Italian tapas) for $16. The salsiccia (sausage) and broccoli rabe was good and spicy, though I tend not to enjoy rabe because of its bitterness. I liked the small sweet rice balls filled with sweet peas and mozzarella, possibly potatoes as well. The lamb meatballs are yummy and a bit on the heavy side. I also loved the abundance of salty tomato sauce that came with them.
J’s pappardelle with lamb ragù and smoked baked sheep ricotta was unfussy, simple and delicious. My skate (raza) in tarragon-lemongrass sauce with carrot ginger purée and lemon spinach was too large to finish, to my regret. The skate was a little salty; the rest perfect.
We had a glass of wine each, mine a white Vermentino and his a red Montepulciano. Our waiter was super friendly and the owner came by to check on us a few times. Apparently this is a great place for large parties, as we saw three of them. I thought it a bit odd that two of them were big tables of banker boys; this isn’t that kind of flashy place. The room itself is pretty, with minimal décor to clutter the long narrow space. I’m definitely coming back as soon as I cross a few more restaurants off my list.
Rating: 7.5 / 10
Our cost: $100 (2 glasses of wine)
Noise level: happy noisy
Chance of walking in: not too bad
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