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Posts Tagged ‘Italian’

Mia Dona

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 by virginia

For our latest Sunday night dinner with the family, we were looking up restaurants that offered Restaurant Week menus on Sundays and wound up at Mia Dona, an Italian restaurant in Midtown East that is owned by Donatella Arpaia. She is a famed restaurateur who has several restaurants in the city and has made appearances as a judge on Iron Chef America. She was actually at the restaurant that night, which was good to see, as it appears she’s taking an active interest in how things are running. The restaurant has gone through several changes in the last few months, including the exit of chef/partner Michael Psilakis (though they are still partners at Kefi and Anthos), so we weren’t really sure what to expect but the new menu definitely looked appealing.

We ended up ordering from the regular a la carte menu instead of the Restaurant Week menu, since all of the prices were very reasonable and we wanted to have more options. After making our selections, we turned our focus to the bread basket offerings.

Focaccia, breadsticks, Italian bread

I was actually disappointed with the bread selection, as I had read in several reviews about a delicious-sounding tomato-topped focaccia bread served with a head of roasted garlic. While there was focaccia bread in the basket, it was a plain one seasoned with a little bit of salt, and no roasted garlic in sight. Instead, we were served tiny bowls of ricotta cheese, which were cool and creamy but a bit lacking in flavor. It needed just a bit more oil and salt on top I think. Other breads in the basket included a standard rustic Italian bread, and an interesting pretzel-like breadstick that was nice and crunchy. Normally I’d be pretty pleased with a basket like this, but we all know how much I love tomato focaccia (aka pizza bread) so I kind of felt like I was missing out. I don’t know if they just don’t serve it anymore as a result of the recent changes to the chef/menu, or if they just happened to be out of it on this particular evening. I’m interested to find out though!

Ricotta for spreading

There were so many appetizers on the menu we wanted to try so almost everyone got something different. I went with the zuppa di cavolfiori con pesto, which was cauliflower soup topped with arugula pesto. The soup was thick and rich, and surprisingly silky smooth. Even though pureed soups are usually creamy, they still tend to have a bit of a granular texture on your tongue, but this one was so smooth that it almost had the mouth feel of a thick yogurt. I stirred the pesto into the soup, which gave it nice green swirls throughout. The taste of the cauliflower was very pronounced, and the pesto swirls added another layer of flavor.

Cauliflower soup with arugula pesto

Josh had the grilled octopus with a citrus fennel salad. I had originally shied away from this dish because I’m not the biggest fan of fennel (I hate licorice), but wow, this salad was bursting with flavor. The greens and shaved fennel were dressed with a zippy, citrusy vinaigrette, and complemented the tender pieces of octopus perfectly. There were also pieces of supremed oranges mixed throughout. It was just a fresh, vibrant combination, and I couldn’t stop stealing bites from Josh’s plate (though I did give him spoonfuls of soup in exchange).

Citrus fennel salad with grilled octopus

Josh’s dad, who is famous in the family for his amazing meatballs, couldn’t pass up the opportunity to test Mamma Maria’s meatballs braised in tomato sauce. He took one bite and admitted that he had strong competition, as Mamma’s meatballs really were quite fantastic. They were delicate and tender, and the tomato sauce had a nice tanginess to it. The meat was coarsely ground, nicely seasoned, and very flavorful.

Mamma Maria's tomato braised meatballs

Josh’s mom chose the fried mini-calzones with mozzarella, tomato, and basil. The little pockets of fried dough were light and crispy, and the inside was oozing salty mozzarella cheese. I think these mini-calzones were really just fun and tasty, and would make the perfect snack for munching on while watching TV.

Fried mini-calzones with mozzarella, tomato, and basil

Lastly, Jess and Lisa had the mixed green salad with artichoke, cured olive and parmesan cheese, tossed with a house vinaigrette. It was a pretty large portion and they both seemed to enjoy it immensely.

Mixed green salad with artichoke, cured olive, and parmigiano

After a bit of a service snafu, where they delivered the wrong order to our table, we had to wait a while to receive our main courses. Our bellies were partially satiated at this point but after having those delicious appetizers, we were really eager to try our entrees so it probably made the wait seem a lot longer. At long last they arrived, and we quickly dug in. Jess had the eggplant parmesan while Alice, Lisa, and I all ordered the cavatelli with slow cooked Sunday ragu, brasciole, and ricotta salata. The pasta had a pleasingly chewy texture to it, and the ragu was rich and flavorful. The ricotta salata grated on top added a nice saltiness to the dish, but I found the brasciole to be tough and stringy; that was the only disappointment to my whole meal.

Cavatelli with slow cooked Sunday ragu with brasciole and ricotta salata

Lloyd ordered the dish that I was debating between, a special pasta of the night that included duck confit and chicory. The dish was amazing, with fresh pappardelle pasta and tender, flavorful pieces of duck mixed throughout. I hope that it’s the special the next time we go to the restaurant, as I wanted a bowl all to myself.

Pappardelle with duck confit and chicory

Josh’s main course was equally delectable. He chose the ricotta gnocchi with caciocavallo cheese sauce, sausage, and bread crumbs. The gnocchi were light and tender, pretty much just melting in my mouth. I liked that the sausage was crumbled into tiny pieces, so that it mixed throughout the cheese sauce evenly rather than being big clumps of sausage that would overpower the delicate gnocchi. The sauce itself was mild tasting, and not too heavy or rich.

Ricotta gnocchi with caciocavallo cheese sauce and sausage

We were all too full for dessert, but we couldn’t pass up sharing an order of zeppole di nonna, which was fried dough with lemon cream. The zeppoles were freshly fried, rolled in cinnamon sugar, and just simply incredible.

Zeppoles with lemon cream

The outer crust was slightly crispy while the inside was light and fluffy. They were wonderful on their own but dipping them into the thick lemon cream just brought them up to a whole new level. Even when the zeppoles were gone, we were still scooping out the cream with our forks. We regretted not getting at least two orders, but we all knew that we would be back at some point, and probably soon.

Zeppole autopsy shot

We walked into Mia Dona that evening not knowing what to expect, and we left happy and completely satisfied. Since we were never there prior to the split and the menu changes, I can’t say if it’s now better or worse than before, but I can say that the meal we had was really amazing. The food was simple and straightforward but perfectly executed. The flavors of each dish really popped and left us wanting more. Service was fine, if a bit slow, especially on a slow Sunday night, but the food really was the star of the show. I would order any one of these dishes again, on top of all the dishes that we didn’t get to try but wanted to. As we walked out, we all wholeheartedly concurred that this restaurant warranted a repeat visit, and will probably become a permanent fixture in our Sunday night dinner rotation.

Mia Dona
206 East 58th St. between 2nd and 3rd Ave.
New York, NY

Tags: Italian, Midtown East
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Winter Restaurant Week 2010 – A Voce Columbus

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 by virginia

Restaurant Week is upon us, a twice-a-year ritual that has foodies and food lovers logging into OpenTable en masse in search of the best reservations. Well-known and high-end restaurants tend to book up fastest so if you haven’t made your Restaurant Week selections yet, you better hurry up!

Josh and I are usually laggers when it comes to making Restaurant Week reservations, which means we often end up with very few choices that really appeal to us. This year I didn’t want to get left behind in the mad scramble for reservations so I made sure that we booked early. We ended up getting a lunchtime reservation at A Voce Columbus, a restaurant that we’ve tried to book several times for Sunday night dinners (Josh’s mom has really been wanting to try it as well) but could never get a reservation at a decent hour. We snagged a 12:45 spot on the first day of Restaurant Week – an auspicious way to start off the two-week gluttony fest.

We were coming separately from our respective workplaces so we met up in the lobby of the Time Warner Center and headed up the escalators to the third floor, where the restaurant is located. After we checked our coats we were seated at a two-top in the back room near the tall and wide windows that look onto Columbus Circle and the entrance of Central Park. Unfortunately it was pouring rain so our view was slightly marred by the raindrops running down the window, but it was lovely nonetheless.

Rainy view but still lovely

The décor of A Voce Columbus is very sleek and modern, with tall ceilings and lots of natural light flooding in through the large windows that line one wall. The focal point of the room we were in was the large glass case that enclosed a huge wine rack full of bottles. There were also racks lining part of another wall, set behind glass windows. Despite the nice view and the interesting wine racks, however, I kind of felt like we were in a corporate cafeteria. The atmosphere was very sterile, the tables are a dark wood that aren’t covered in a tablecloth or placemats, and we were seated on white leather chairs with metal frames that contributed to the casual feel.

Even so, the room still has an elegant appeal to it, and besides, we were there to sample the food. After they brought us both the regular lunch menu and the Restaurant Week menu to peruse, they set down a wooden platter with slices of focaccia bread and a bowl of ricotta covered in olive oil and herbs. The bread was delicious – crusty on the outside and fluffy on the inside, slightly salted, and not too oily. The ricotta was creamy and flavorful, a perfect match for the focaccia.

Fluffy focaccia bread with creamy ricotta and olive oil

I generally don’t like to book restaurants that don’t post their Restaurant Week menus anywhere, but because we were eager to try A Voce Columbus, we took the chance that it would offer a decent menu. Fortunately, we weren’t disappointed. For anyone who is looking, the Restaurant Week menu was as follows:

Antipasti
Minestre di cipolle (caramelized onion soup, bitto cheese fonduta, rye)
Mozzarella di bufula (mozzarella di bufula, calabrian chilies, dried grape tomatoes, arugula)
Tortelli di zucca (squash filled pasta, amaretti, parmigiano reggiano)

Secondi
Brasato di manzo (braised shortribs, creamy polenta, grappa roasted cippoline onions)
Boreta (orata, mussels, clams, shrimp, san marzano broth)
Ravioli (ricotta and dried pear filled pasta, cinnamon, cocoa)

Dolci
Panna cotta (chocolate panna cotta, toasted hazelnut)
Granita (espresso-amaretto granita, whipped cream, cocoa)

Since each diner gets to pick one dish from each course, Josh and I decided to get different things and exchange plates halfway so that we could try as many dishes as possible. We started out with the mozzarella di bufula and the tortelli di zucca. We both thought the mozzarella was super salty, as they sprinkled a lot of sea salt on top so that every mouthful had a crunch of salt. Texture-wise, it was a nice contrast to the creamy mozzarella and the accompanying chewy dried grape tomatoes, but after a few bites both of our mouths started puckering a bit from the salt. It was too bad, really, because it was actually a nice dish. The mozzarella was soft and flavorful, not too milky, and the dried grape tomatoes were very sweet. There was also arugula, which added a slight bitterness, and the whole thing was topped with a drizzle of olive oil and some chili flakes that weren’t spicy at all. When I got all the components on the fork together I could still taste each item individually but they worked really well together as well. The dish just didn’t need all that extra salt on top.

Mozzarella di bufula

The tortelli (squash raviolis), however, were perfect. The delicate little pouches were filled with a creamy squash puree that savory, not cloying or over spiced. I’ve had too many squash dishes that tasted like pumpkin pie or dessert, but this dish highlighted the natural sweetness of the squash without overdressing it.

Tortelli di zucca

The raviolis were enrobed in a very light, buttery sauce that was really delicate and a dusting of parmesan cheese. The tiny amaretti crumbs scattered on top added a nice little crunch.

Tortelli up close

For the main course, we selected the boreta and the brasato di manzo. The boreta was a fish stew made from san marzano broth and filled with shrimp, mussels, and clams, and a large piece of orata (sea bream) on top. The orata was perfectly cooked with still-crispy skin. It was a white, firm, slightly oily, and flavorful fish, and it really stood out as the star of the stew. The broth was light, not super tomato-y, and had taken on the flavors of the shellfish. They thoughtfully provided a long toasted breadstick with the bowl to sop up some of the broth. Unfortunately, I thought the shrimp and the mussels were slightly overcooked, rendering them chewier than I prefer, but not super tough.

Boreta

The brasato di manzo, or braised short rib, sat on top of a large serving of creamy polenta and a few sweet roasted cippoline onions. The short rib was tender and fell apart with a poke of my fork, but it lacked seasoning. It definitely needed salt but flavor-wise it was also very one note. I did like the polenta though, which was buttery and had nice texture to it.

Brasato di manzo

Because there were only two choices for dessert, we got one of each. Josh stuck mostly with the granita, which was espresso-amaretto flavored, appropriately icy, and refreshing. The espresso flavor was surprisingly strong, and the whipped cream in the middle and on top mellowed it out a bit, adding a nice creaminess and richness to the dessert. I could also taste a hint of cocoa in the background.

Espresso-amaretto granita

I favored the chocolate panna cotta with chopped hazelnuts. The panna cotta was not too firm, with the texture of a stiff pudding. It’s more dense than a mousse but also much creamier. I liked that the chocolate wasn’t too sweet or rich, and the whipped cream on top was also unsweetened. I could eat every last bite of the dessert and not feel too full or heavy afterward.

Chocolate panna cotta

Overall Josh and I both really enjoyed our meal at A Voce Columbus and thought it was one of the better Restaurant Week lunches that we’ve had. I was a bit disappointed that the dishes they offered aren’t on the regular menu posted on their website, but I don’t think the restaurant cut back on quality or variety. Though some of the dishes had a few flaws, they were in execution and were easily correctable mistakes. More importantly, I thought the composition of the dishes were harmonious and flavorful. Getting a taste of this restaurant during Restaurant Week has made me more eager to try its regular a la carte menu. And isn’t that the point of Restaurant Week? To give diners an opportunity to try out a restaurant at a reasonable price (three courses for $24.07 at lunchtime, $35 at dinner) in the hope that they’ll want to come back even when it’s not Restaurant Week? In that sense, A Voce Columbus has certainly achieved its goal by participating in this wonderful semiannual tradition.

A Voce (multiple locations)
10 Columbus Circle at 60th St.
New York, NY

Tags: Columbus Circle, Italian, Prix Fixe, Restaurant Week
Posted in Restaurants | 4 Comments »

Roman Pizza & Restaurant

Monday, January 25th, 2010 by virginia

From the outside and in the front, Roman Pizza & Restaurant looks like a regular takeout pizzeria joint located in a strip mall. In the back, however, there is a dining room with lots of seating and waiter service. While the dining room itself isn’t really much to look at, the restaurant serves up tasty, classic Italian food in a casual setting.

We went for a Sunday night dinner with the family and our meal started off with a basket of light wheat bread. The loaves were soft and spongy without the crispy crust that I like, but they were good to nibble on while we waited for our food.

Soft loaves of wheat bread

Since there were eight of us altogether, we decided to share a large cheese pizza (so everyone got a slice) and a few salads as our appetizer. The advantage of eating at a pizzeria instead of getting delivery or taking out is that the pizza is served piping hot right out of the oven.

Large cheese pizza fresh from the oven

The pizza had a good sauce to cheese ratio, though it was a bit oily on top. Flavor-wise, the sauce was pretty tasty, a little tangy and not too sweet.

Good cheese and sauce, slightly oily

The crust was very nicely browned on the bottom and had good flavor but it was a bit soggy. Even though it was on the thinner side, it didn’t have any crispiness to it.

Underside shot

For the salads, we decided to share two large house salads, which the kitchen very nicely split into eight generous individual portions for us. The salad was a nice mix of iceberg lettuce, slices of tomato and cucumber, red onion, spicy pepperoncini, and olives. The house dressing was a light red wine vinaigrette. It wasn’t a fancy salad but hearty and refreshing.

House salad with a red wine vinaigrette

For his entree, Josh got the chicken parmesan. It was a huge portion, covering a large dinner plate, and covered in lots of sauce and cheese. The chicken was pounded thin but was cooked perfectly so that it was tender and the breading was still a little bit crispy. It’s one of the better versions of chicken parm that I’ve had in recent memory.

Chicken parmesan topped with lots of sauce and cheese

The chicken parm came with a side of pasta (Josh opted for spaghetti with marinara sauce) that was also an enormous portion, enough for a separate meal altogether.

Spaghetti with marinara sauce

Josh’s pasta side was as big as my pasta entree, which was also spaghetti and marinara sauce. The pasta was nicely al dente but could have been drained a bit more carefully, as there was a lot of liquid on the plate. I added a side of meatballs, which came two to the order. The meatballs were tender but had a strange, dense texture, similar to Chinese fish balls (if you’ve ever had those before). It was basically like the meat was ground finely into almost a puree and then formed into balls, so that it had no real discerning texture in the grind. Flavor-wise it was pretty standard, not very meaty but had a good amount of seasoning. While the marinara sauce wasn’t as garlicky as I would have liked, it was also well seasoned, not too sweet, with a nice tanginess.

Spaghetti with meatballs and marinara sauce

Overall I think the food at Roman Pizza & Restaurant is actually really good and far surpasses expectations. The fare is simple and straightforward red sauce Italian food. Portions are huge and prices are very reasonable. To top it off, the service is attentive and very thoughtful; not only did they split our salads very generously, they also comped all of the sodas that we had during our meal. It was really nice of them, and not something that we were expecting. Even though it’s not fancy restaurant and the décor is modest, it’s a great place for families or large groups. The food is tasty, well prepared, and very homey and comforting. It’s also a BYO, which makes it an even better bargain. You’ll definitely walk out happy and full, and with lots of doggy bags.

Roman Pizza & Restaurant
858 River Rd.
New Milford, NJ

Tags: BYO, Italian, NJ
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Lasagna Restaurant Redux

Friday, January 15th, 2010 by virginia

It’s been a while since we were last at Lasagna Restaurant, with my college friend Phil. Josh and I enjoyed our meal there so we suggested it for Sunday night dinner. Unfortunately, on the evening we went, I was recovering from a cold and had trouble tasting some of the food. There were windows of opportunity though, when my sinuses would clear briefly, and I would scarf down as much as I could during those periods.

Our meal started off with the same delicious and addictive garlic bread. The bread was warm and crunchy on the outside, and it packed enough buttery garlic flavor that I could taste it despite my stuffy nose. We polished off several baskets and they continued to replenish our supply throughout our meal.

Addictive garlic bread

Josh and I decided to go halfsies on two different salads for our appetizer. First was the arugula salad with goat cheese, crostini, roasted pepper, and balsamic vinaigrette. The salad wasn’t quite what I was expecting, as it was mostly just a pile of somewhat tough arugula (it was not the baby kind) topped with a few strips of roasted pepper, a few rings of red onion, and two pieces of untoasted baguette spread with a thin layer of goat cheese. It wasn’t bad, per se, it was just kind of uninteresting. They could improve it by switching to baby arugula, so that the leaves aren’t quite so bitter, adding more of the other ingredients, and mixing it all together. The goat cheese crostinis were a bit out of place though, and the bread should have been toasted.

Arugula salad with roasted peppers and goat cheese crostini

The other salad was the Caesar, which Josh had the last time we were here. The dressing was fine, flavorful and thick, but there was way too much of it. The lettuce leaves were weighed down by all the dressing and were starting to wilt because of it, which was too bad because that ruined what would have otherwise been a perfectly fine version of Caesar salad.

Overdressed caesar salad

Fortunately things improved with our entrees. I had penne alla vodka with chicken, which was described on the menu as being hot and spicy. I figured the spiciness would help clear up my sinuses but the dish really didn’t pack too much heat. I liked the flavor of the vodka sauce though, and was glad that it wasn’t overwhelmingly creamy. The penne was al dente and the chicken, white breast meat cut up into bite size chunks, was still tender.

Penne alla vodka with chicken

Josh went with the chicken parmesan, which I had the last time. It was just as good this time around, with a large tender chicken cutlet topped with well seasoned red sauce and lots of cheese. The penne pasta underneath was also al dente, and he enjoyed the dish very much.

Chicken parmesan over penne pasta

For dessert, there was a seasonal special of pumpkin gelato (to give you an idea of how long ago this meal was!) that we couldn’t pass up. The pumpkin gelato was rich and creamy, and actually tasted like pumpkin, not overly spiced. It was served with graham crackers and whipped cream, kind of like pumpkin pie, which was a nice touch. We shared two orders between seven of us, and I wished that we each got our own!

Pumpkin gelato with whipped cream and graham crackers

Despite the somewhat so-so salad appetizers, I still thought that our meal at Lasagna was pretty good. Our issues with the Caesar salad are easily fixable, and while I liked the concept of the arugula salad, I think it just failed in execution. But more importantly, Josh and I enjoyed both of our entrees and thought that the pastas and red sauces were really well prepared. Service was attentive and we had a good experience overall. Is it the best Italian restaurant in the neighborhood? Probably not, but it does serve pretty solid food at reasonable prices, and it’s a nice place to have nearby.

Lasagna Restaurant (multiple locations)
785 9th Ave. between 52nd and 53rd St.
New York, NY

Tags: Italian, Midtown West
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Firenze Ristorante

Monday, December 28th, 2009 by virginia

We decided to have family dinner on the Upper East Side one Sunday night, and since all of us were craving Italian food we ended up at Firenze Restaurant, a cozy little place near Jess and Rodney’s apartment. The restaurant is ultra romantic, with dim lighting and lots of candles. The décor is a bit frilly but I guess it sets the mood. The place is kind of on the small side and is definitely more suited to hold tables for two instead of a table for eight.

Romantic setting

Nevertheless, they pieced together some smaller tables for us in the back and we all managed to squeeze in without feeling too claustrophobic. It did get really hot though so we asked them to open the door to the outside to let some air in, which they did intermittently to make sure that the people in the front wouldn’t get too cold.

They started us off with some focaccia topped with tomatoes and onions, and a big pile of delicious olives. The focaccia was soft and oily, and I really liked the flavor of the soft tomatoes and onions.

Tasty focaccia bread and olives

We also received a plate of parmesan crumbles, which were good if you like parmesan. It was nice to nibble on the nutty, salty chunks of cheese and the olives while we went through the menu.

Parmesan crumbles

There was a bread basket as well, with simple loaves of Italian bread. Standard and perfectly fine, but I would have liked more focaccia!

Italian bread

I started off with the special salad of the night, which had frisee, buffalo mozzarella, roasted peppers, roasted portbellos, cucumbers, avocado, and hearts of palm. Sounds like a lot of stuff going on but the ingredients worked really well together. The salad was lightly dressed and a good mix of textures.

Special salad with frisee, buffalo mozzarella, roasted peppers, roasted portbellos, cucumbers, avocado, and hearts of palm

Josh had Caesar salad, which was covered in a thick creamy dressing. There was a tad too much of the dressing but otherwise it was a perfectly fine standard version of the salad.

Caesar salad

The restaurant isn’t a red sauce joint so I couldn’t get my usual chicken parmesan tester. I still wanted a red sauce of sorts, so I went with the penne alla vodka, which was ok but not creamy enough. I don’t like the super thick and creamy vodka sauces, but this didn’t have quite enough cream in it so the tomato sauce was still a tad too acidic, and the dish didn’t have the richness that I was looking for.

Penne alla vodka

Josh had the pappardelle boscaiola, which was homemade pasta in a beef ragu with porcini mushrooms, olive oil, and a bit of cream. There was no tomato sauce in this dish, which might be surprising to some people. Instead, it was a very earthy dish with deep flavor coming from the beef and porcinis.

Pappardelle boscaiola

For dessert, we all split a slice of cannoli cake and tiramisu. The tiramisu was pretty good, not too mushy and the lady fingers still had some texture to them.

Tiramisu

The cannoli cake was also a good texture, with not too sweet but rich cannoli filling layered between pieces of cake.

Cannoli cake

They also brought us a plate of miniature biscotti, which I thought was a nice touch.

Biscotti

And finally, to finish off our evening, our waiter gave us all an after dinner drink on the house. I went with limoncello, which was definitely powerful, though the harshness was tempered a bit by the sweet lemon background. Josh chose grappa, since we’ve never had it before, and all comparisons to jet fuel definitely made sense. It was super harsh and none of us could take a second sip. Other people in our group had sambuca and amaretto, which were both easier to drink.

In general, I was a bit disappointed by the food at Firenze, although I think I was really in the mood for red sauce that night so it didn’t satisfy my craving. However, both of our entrees needed a lot more seasoning to boost up the flavor. The service was good, if a bit overbearing at times. Our waiter kept emphasizing that even though it was our first visit, we were already considered regulars, which I thought was kind of them but a weird thing to say over and over. The freebies at the beginning and end of the meal were a nice touch though, and definitely helped boost my impression of the restaurant. I do get a bit claustrophobic, however, and the tight quarters didn’t help. I also thought it was a bit musty inside, which may have been due to the heat. Overall I had mixed feelings about the place. The food wasn’t dreadful but it wasn’t wonderful either. But it’s definitely a good spot if you’re looking for somewhere super romantic and want to get cozy with your date.

Firenze Ristorante
1594 2nd Ave. between 82nd and 83rd St.
New York, NY

Tags: Italian, Upper East Side
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Arturo’s

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 by virginia

We’ve heard a lot of good things about Arturo’s in the Village so we decided to check it out one Saturday night for a late dinner with Josh’s parents. Even though it was around 10 pm, the restaurant was completely packed. There was a jazz combo playing, which bumped the noise level up a bit but they were quite talented and pleasant to listen to. There wasn’t much room though by the bar to wait, but luckily we only had to wait a few minutes for a table and were soon seated.

All of us wanted to try the pizza we’ve heard so much about so we ordered a pie to share, and also decided to split a few other dishes. First we had the arugula salad with shaved parmesan. It was lightly dressed and simple, just as we expected.

Arugula salad topped with lots of parmesan cheese

The famed pizza, which we asked for well done, came nicely blistered and not too charred, but the crust was very disappointing. It was much thicker than we thought it would be, and very dense as well. As a result, it was crunchy rather than crispy, without the nice chew on the inside.

Well done large cheese pizza

The pizza also didn’t have enough cheese on it and way too much sauce, rendering it a bit too sweet.

A bit too much sauce, not enough cheese

We had to sprinkle on tons of parmesan cheese and garlic powder just to get any saltiness and extra flavor. While I like garlic powder on my standard delivery pizzeria style pizza, I would never sprinkle it on a pizza like Lombardi’s or John’s, which I considered Arturo’s pizza style to be similar to. Doing so just made me feel a bit blasphemous, but the pizza really had no flavor to it.

Underside shot

Even worse was the chicken parmesan, which Josh and I found to be inedible. The pieces that we sliced off were strangely bouncy in texture, like chewing on rubber. At first we thought the chicken was raw, but an impromptu surgical maneuver on our plates revealed the chicken to be fully cooked. So why was the texture so off? We don’t know, and quite frankly, we didn’t want to know. Josh’s dad tried a piece and while his bite wasn’t strangely textured, he didn’t care for the flavor. We left the chicken untouched after that, and the waitress never made a comment or questioned us about it when she cleared away the plate.

Really bad chicken parmesan

The spaghetti Bolognese was better, though the pasta and sauce were a bit watery. There was a definite pool of liquid on the plate, which is just sloppy preparation. Nevertheless, the Bolognese sauce was decently tasty, and it was my favorite thing on the table.

Soupy but tasty spaghetti bolognese

Since we were ordering pasta separately, we opted to get a side dish of broccoli rabe with our chicken parm (you get a choice of pasta, vegetable, or salad). The broccoli rabe was really limp and overcooked. It was hard to tell if they boiled it or sautéed it, and it didn’t have any seasoning at all.

Mushy broccoli rabe

Overall the whole meal was one disappointment after another. Which was surprising because Arturo’s gets such great reviews, and the fact that it was still packed and hopping when we left. Maybe people go for the ambience, as the décor gives it that old time NYC pizzeria feel, with old movie posters and pictures hanging on the walls. The jazz ensemble was also a nice touch, but we were there for the food, not the atmosphere. With so many other better pizza places around the city, I don’t think we’ll be coming back here anytime soon.

Arturo’s
106 West Houston St. at Thompson St.
New York, NY

Tags: Italian, Pizza, West Village
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Nizza

Sunday, December 20th, 2009 by virginia

Nizza is an upbeat restaurant on a busy stretch of 9th Ave. that features simple yet hearty Italian food. The restaurant is usually packed during prime hours and seating is tight, but the atmosphere is both romantic and festive, with dim candlelight and a packed, hopping bar area. There are plenty of loud boisterous groups dining there as well as couples on dates. But more importantly, the food is well prepared and tasty.

We liked the food so much that we were there twice in one week. The first time was with a group of Josh’s coworkers, and the second time was a big Sunday night dinner with the extended family. There were some dishes that we had both times, and some that were different, but I figured it was easier to combine the meals into one big post.

Both meals started off with fluffy pieces of focaccia bread, served with a soft ricotta cheese and olive oil spread. Simple, but very tasty.

Focaccia bread with a soft ricotta and olive oil spread

On both nights, we shared a bunch of different appetizers with everyone at the table so that we could all try a wider variety of dishes. We enjoyed the prosciutto crostini so much the first night that we had to order it the second night as well. The soft prosciutto was served on top of a piece of crunchy crostini that was covered in creamy sheeps milk ricotta and a sweet balsamic syrup. The different flavors and textures were just a great combination.

Prosciutto crostini with sheeps milk ricotta and balsamic syrup

We also had the socca on both nights. The socca is a crispy chickpea pancake topped with sage and pecorino cheese. It’s both sweet and salty at the same time and has a nice crispy/crumbly texture. Think of a huge flattened falafel ball, with an Italian twist.

Socca (crispy chickpea pancake)

On the first night, we shared a selection of three salumi. We got some more of the delicious prosciutto, as well as some fatty slices of speck (smoked prosciutto), and bresaola (air dried beef). The meats were all of pretty high quality and the portions were pretty generous. They were served together on a big platter with some pickled vegetables and olives.

Prosciutto, bresaola, and speck platter

On the second night, we all shared a margherita pizza with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil. It was simple and classic, though the crust was bit too puffy and not browned enough so that it was still soft and pale. I think it would have worked better with a thinner, crispier crust.

Margherita pizza

Josh and I also shared a caesar salad on the second night, which had a tasty dressing heavy on pecorino cheese. But the salad itself was really hard to eat because they kept the leaves long and whole, so that we had to cut it ourselves with a knife and fork. That was tough to do because the plate was so small and the leaves were piled high, and it ended up being quite messy.

Caesar salad

For his entree on both nights, Josh went with the chicken milanese, which is quite possibly the best version that either of us have ever had. The chicken is pounded down but not too thin, coated with seasoned breadcrumbs, and fried to a golden brown perfection. The chicken is topped with baby arugula, a variety of red, orange, and yellow tomatoes, and cubes of fresh mozzarella. The toppings are lightly dressed with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and all it needs is a squeeze of lemon over the top. The dish is light, fresh, and really tasty.

The best chicken milanese

On the first night, I had the lamb rack, which was three chops coated in mustard and herbed breadcrumbs. The lamb was cooked rare, as requested, and very well seasoned. It was served with creamy polenta, roasted asparagus, and a small onion cooked in balsamic vinegar. All of the different components on the plate worked really well together, and I thoroughly enjoyed this dish.

Rack of lamb crusted with herbed breadcrumbs

On the second night, I went with the bistecca grigliata, which was a huge grilled NY strip steak covered in roasted red and green peppers. The steak was more medium rare than my requested rare, but it was still tender and well seasoned. It came with a side of roasted potatoes, which were crispy on the outside and potato-y on the inside. The dish was well prepared and tasty, but it’s pretty standard. Unless you’re really craving steak and potatoes, the flavor combinations of some of the other dishes people had were much more interesting.

Grilled strip steak with roasted peppers

Overall Josh and I really like the food at Nizza. It’s not the standard red sauce Italian joint, although they do have a few pastas and red sauce dishes available. The food is a bit more upscale, clean, and always well seasoned and well prepared. It’s a great place to get a drink and nibble on some salumi or appetizers, and it’s great for full meals as well. It does tend to get crowded, especially during pre-theater hours, so reservations are recommended if you have a large group. We’ll definitely be back here.

Nizza
630 9th Ave. between 44th and 55th St.
New York, NY

Tags: Italian, Midtown West, Pizza, Steak
Posted in Restaurants | No Comments »

Po Restaurant

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009 by virginia

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I’ve read a lot of good things about Po Restaurant in the West Village and have been eager to try it for some time now. Mario Batali used to be the chef/owner there, before he opened up Babbo. Although he is no longer affiliated with Po, the restaurant is still turning out fabulous Italian food with interesting flavor combinations and beautiful presentations.

It was just four of us for this particular Sunday night dinner – me, Josh, and his parents – so we were able to snag a last minute 6:30 reservation at Po. The restaurant really is tiny; it’s basically just a narrow room with limited seating. Tables are small and space is a bit cramped, but the room has a quaint townhouse feel to it. The restaurant did get a little bit too hot though, even though it was cold outside.

We started off with a bottle of bubbly prosecco and munched on the amuse bouche while we looked over the menu. The amuse was a garlicky white bean bruschetta doused in olive oil on top of toasted slices of Italian bread. And boy, was it garlicky! There were whole cloves mixed in with the white beans, camouflaged by their similar appearance, so each mouthful was a bit of a surprise. Fortunately the garlic was cooked through (poached maybe?) so that it was soft, sweet, and creamy, without any harshness. This was a great starter for any garlic lover.

Garlicky white bean bruschetta

They also brought us a loaf of rustic Italian bread with olive oil for dipping. The bread had a hard crust that crackled when we tore into it, which I liked. It had a bit of a sourdough flavor to it that complemented the sweet and fruity olive oil well.

Good bread and olive oil

For my appetizer, I had the roasted beet salad with endive, sliced baby artichokes, watercress, and a taleggio crostino. The beets were sweet and tender and were a nice contrast to the bitter endive and watercress. The sliced baby artichokes kind of got lost in the mix but the taleggio crostino added a nice richness and butteriness. The taleggio was almost like a brie, and I broke up the cheese and crostino and mixed it in with the rest of the salad to give it some crunch.

Beet salad with endive, sliced baby artichokes, watercress, and a taleggio crostino

My beet salad paired perfectly with Alice’s goat cheese and black olive tartufo with pickled vegetable slaw. I love the combination of beets and goat cheese, and I wish the restaurant had done the pairing itself. But her tartufo had a nice tanginess to it from the olives and pickled vegetable slaw, which worked nicely with the creamy and savory goat cheese.

Goat cheese and black olive tartufo with pickled vegetables

Josh’s dad had the polpette di carne, which is meatballs with tomato sauce and cheese. The meatballs were soft and nicely seasoned, though not as good as the ones he makes himself. Lloyd’s meatballs are legendary in the family, and our golden standard that we measure all other meatballs against. That said, Po’s meatballs were actually pretty good, one of the best that we’ve had at any restaurant.

Polpette di carne - meatballs in tomato sauce

Josh had the winning appetizer of the night though, in my opinion (and his). He ordered the cured tuna with white beans, artichokes, and chili mint vinaigrette. He first made sure that the cured tuna was made from fresh tuna that was still rare, not canned or cooked tuna. It was, fortunately, and it was spectacular. The tuna was very lightly cooked on the outside and still bright red in the middle. The curing gave it a nice saltiness and tanginess, and the meat was so tender it almost melted in my mouth. The beans, artichokes, and vinaigrette gave the dish a nice texture and a freshness, so that all the flavors just popped. I couldn’t stop stealing bites from his plate and secretly wished that I had ordered this dish for myself.

Fabulous cured tuna with white beans, artichokes, and chili mint vinaigrette

We decided to share a pasta for a mid course, as well as a cucumber salad. We selected the spaghetti carbonara, which was the lightest version of carbonara that I have ever tasted. Although I kind of missed the silkiness of the egg finish that you get in other versions, the pasta packed in a lot of flavor from the crunchy salted and smoked pork bits (I think maybe it was guanciale, as it didn’t taste like regular bacon). The portion was surprisingly huge and fed all four of us easily.

Spaghetti carbonara

The cucumber salad was thin shreds of cucumber mixed with capers, red onion, and a chili and mint vinaigrette, topped with thin slices of salty ricotta salata cheese. It was a nice mix of salty and tangy flavors. We all thought that it was very refreshing and a great palate cleanser.

Refreshing cucumber salad topped with ricotta salata

For my entrée, I had a really hard time deciding what I wanted to eat, as all of the menu offerings sounded really delicious. After hawing and hemming for a bit, waiting for everyone else to order, and asking the waitress for her opinion, I finally settled on the grilled guinea hen with roasted pumpkin and scallion fregula. I typically don’t order poultry in restaurants, except for the occasional duck, but I was glad that I went with the guinea hen. The hen was deboned and cooked under a brick so that the meat was flat but still juicy and tender. Though the skin wasn’t crispy, it was covered in a delicious balsamic glaze. The fregula is a tiny ball-shaped pasta, similar to Israeli couscous. It had a nice chew to it and worked well with the roasted pumpkin and scallions.

Grilled guinea hen with roasted pumpkin and scallion fregula

Josh had the porcini crusted cod with borlotti beans, sautéed kale, and sweet red pepper vinaigrette. He liked that the earthiness of the mushrooms translated to the fish, making it seem a lot meatier in flavor. I only took one bite but I thought it tasted a bit weird. Josh enjoyed it though and liked the unusual combination.

Porcini crusted cod

Alice had the grilled pork chop with mashed pumpkin and apple mostarda. When I took a bite of her dish, the first thing I said was, “this tastes like fall!” The ingredients were obviously very seasonal, and the pumpkin and apples were spiced in just the right way to make you think of pumpkin pie and hot apple cider, but in a good savory way. The pork chop itself was huge, and cooked perfectly so that it was tender and juicy. It was one of my favorite dishes of the night.

Grilled pork chop with mashed pumpkin and apple mostarda

Lloyd had the linguine vongole with clams, pancetta, chilies, and white wine. Again, the pasta portion was pretty huge and there were plenty of clams mixed throughout. The sauce was a tad heavy on the white wine flavor but the pasta was cooked perfect and it was a pretty good dish.

Linguini with clam sauce

Overall I would have to say that Po Restaurant is one of my new favorites for upscale Italian food. This isn’t a red sauce, chicken parmesan kind of joint. Although some of the pasta dishes are familiar, the food is definitely more upscale and creative. Each course we had was well thought out with interesting flavor combinations, and beautifully plated. While the restaurant isn’t cheap, I wouldn’t consider it expensive either. Prices are pretty reasonable for the quality of food that you receive. Service was attentive and helpful. It was really a lovely meal and I can’t wait to come back again.

Po Restaurant
31 Cornelia St. between Bleecker and West 4th St.
New York, NY

Tags: Italian, West Village
Posted in Restaurants | No Comments »

Banh Mi Saigon Bakery and Di Palo’s Fine Foods

Monday, December 14th, 2009 by virginia

Since we were finally back in Chinatown there was no way we were going to leave without picking up some banh mi sandwiches from Banh Mi Saigon Bakery and some fresh mozzarella from Di Palo’s.

Banh Mi Saigon Bakery

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Out of all the banh mi sandwiches that we’ve tried so far, Banh Mi Saigon Bakery is by far my favorite. It’s located in the back of a jewelry shop so it’s basically just a counter and there isn’t much room inside the shop. The last time we were in Chinatown we had to go to Paris Sandwich for banh mis instead of Banh Mi Saigon Bakery due to the extremely long line and no real sitting area to eat. This time we were there at an off peak hour so there was no line whatsoever. Phew! I was worried that due to all the positive press the place has received in the last few months, we wouldn’t be able to get in. Too stuffed from our dumpling and noodle feast, we picked up some sandwiches to go.

I ended up reheating the sandwiches a few days later briefly in the oven to crisp up the bread. I preheated the oven to 400 degrees then stuck the sandwiches in for about 5 minutes so that the bread was warm through but the fillings remained relatively cool.

Pork banh mi with pate, pickled vegetables, and cilantro

Even left in the fridge for a few days and then reheated, the sandwiches were spectacular. The toasted bread shattered delightfully when I bit into it, and although the pork filling is a bit tough, it’s cut into tiny pieces, which makes it easier to eat. The pate adds a bit of moisture, and the pickled carrots and daikon are sweet and tangy. We requested the sandwiches to be hot so they put on both a squirt of hot sauce and some jalapeno slices. If it gets to be too spicy, I just pick out the jalapenos, plus the cucumber spears in the sandwich are a cool refreshing comfort for my mouth.

Banh mi innards - look at all the great layers of flavors!

Though the debate about the best banh mi sandwich in the city rages on, much like the debates about the best pizza or burger in the city, Banh Mi Saigon Bakery has my vote. True, I haven’t tried a lot of places, like Nicky’s on the Lower East Side, the famed joints in Brooklyn, or the new Ma Peche version in midtown, but of the ones that I have tried (Paris Sandwich, Vietnam Banh Mi So. 1), this one takes the cake. I’ll make my rounds through the other places sometime soon though, I hope.

Di Palo’s Fine Foods

We stopped into Di Palo’s to pick up a ball of fresh mozzarella and some proscuitto for our lunch the next day. The last time I was there, six months ago, the store had moved its wares into the space next door while they were making renovations. Now I see that it has expanded to both spaces, making it huge and spacious. The meat and cheese counters are more spread out, and the imported Italian goods are also spaced out so that you no longer have to be backed up against the shelves while you wait for your number to be called.

Spacious new interior

We got a pound of mozzarella and half a pound of San Daniele prosciutto, which was about $22/lb. It sounds expensive but it’s actually cheaper than the ones you can get at the supermarket, and a million times better. The prosciutto was soft and delicate in texture, not tough or stringy. It had a deep, almost gamey flavor to it, and wasn’t too salty. We put together our favorite spread and noshed to our hearts’ content while watching football the next day.

San Daniele prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, basil, tomatoes, and a baguette

Josh was traveling yet again for work so one night I made a quick and tasty caprese salad with the leftover mozzarella and prosciutto. I simply cut up a tomato and salted the slices, layered on slices of the mozzarella, sprinkled on freshly cracked pepper and thin ribbons of fresh basil, piled on the prosciutto, and drizzled olive oil over the top of everything. Fast, easy, and delicious!

Fresh caprese salad topped with prosciutto

Banh Mi Saigon Bakery
138 Mott St. between Grand and Hester St.
New York, NY

Di Palo’s Fine Foods
200 Grand St. between Mulberry and Mott St.
New York, NY

Tags: Banh Mi, Chinatown, Italian, Sandwiches
Posted in Bakeries, Specialty Stores | No Comments »

Puttanesca

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 by virginia

Puttanesca is one of the many Italian restaurants along 9^th Avenue in our neighborhood. It looks very nice and charming from the outside, with floor to ceiling windows, exposed brick walls, gleaming white tablecloths, and romantic candlelight, plus it always seems to be packed whenever we walk by on any evening. So on one Monday night we met up with Josh’s parents for a late dinner at the restaurant.

The restaurant was still crowded despite the hour and the day but fortunately we were able to get a table right away. They brought us a big basket of bread while we perused the menu. The bread was just ok, though not terribly flavorful, with soft pieces of focaccia and a crustier Italian bread.

Basket of so-so bread

Since it was our first time at this restaurant, Josh and I both ordered our Italian standbys to test the waters. I started with beef carpaccio. The thin slices of raw beef served with arugula and parmesan cheese. It was a pretty ample portion and perfectly fine, though the beef was a tad on the chilly side. There was nothing special or outstanding about the dish but it was a classic version that satisfied my beef carpaccio craving.

Beef carpaccio with arugula and parmesan

Josh had the Caesar salad with strips of anchovy on top but it was also pretty unremarkable. Aside from the saltiness of the anchovies, which I liked, the dressing was a bit bland. It was also a paltry portion I thought.

Standard caesar salad

For his main course, he selected the linguini with white clam sauce. The sauce was a bit too heavy on the white wine but had a nice garlicky background, and there were tons of little clams on top.

Linguini with white clam sauce (Josh got tired of me taking and re-taking pictures because they were too blurry so he broke his no-flash rule just for this shot!)

For my main course, I had to have the chicken parmesan, per usual. I was actually a bit thrown off when I received my dish though, as there didn’t seem to be any cheese on top of the chicken, and the sauce had a weird pinkish tinge to it. Turns out that there was cheese, but it was kind of translucent and slightly browned so that it blended in with the breading on the chicken. I’m not so sure what kind of cheese it was but I don’t think it was mozzarella. The sauce was super light, which I liked with the al dente side of spaghetti, but I don’t know if it really went with the breaded chicken. It was an unusual version of the dish and while it didn’t taste bad, I didn’t really think of it as chicken parm.

Unusual chicken parmesan with spaghetti

Overall I was a bit disappointed with the food we had at Puttanesca, especially because it’s always so crowded every time we pass by. I thought a place that popular would have really good food, and while none of the food was awful, it was pretty average. Service, however, was pretty bad. Although we didn’t have to wait for a table, we waited a long time just to get menus. After that, someone asked if we wanted any drinks so we ordered a bottle of sparkling water. Then someone else came by and asked if we wanted anything, and we said that we had already ordered a bottle of sparkling water. Then a THIRD person came by and asked if we wanted anything, and we were STILL waiting on the sparkling water. It was so ridiculous that it was comical, but not in a good way. Maybe my expectations were set too high but there are so many other better restaurants on 9^th Ave. that I don’t think we will be coming back here any time soon.

Puttanesca
859 9th Ave. at 56th St.
New York, NY