Torrisi Italian Specialties - Great for those early birds!

So this is a quick posting about Torrisi Italian Specialties - which has been written up pretty much everywhere as one of the best new restaurants in 2010.   I finally got a chance to go to Torrisi over the holiday break, braving the elements the day after the blizzard of 2010 to get a chance to try the famous char grilled pork chop that everyone has been raving about.

Thanks to my friends Emily and Dave who braved the cold weather and slushy ground to get to Torrisi by 5:15pm, we were able to snag a table for the first seating of the night at 6pm.  5 minutes too late and we probably would have been stuck waiting another 2 hours for the next seating happening around 7:30pm.

And while one would think it would be easier on the day after the biggest snowstorm of the year, nope!  I guess nothing can stop hardcore foodies!

Anyhow, onto the meal - in one short word it was fabulous!  I am not going to write in too much detail, because you will just have to go see for yourself.  The restaurant is a tiny place, maybe seating around 30 people is my guess?  $50 prix fixe with a $25 wine pairing.  $50 for a prix fixe is quite the deal in NYC these days - especially for this.  First up - fresh mozzarella - and I mean fresh!  Silky smooth with just the right consistency.  That was followed by a sweet beet salad and lambs tongue, topped off with a fresh homemade pasta course.  For our mains, we had the char grilled pork (my pick for the winning dish) as well as a perfectly cooked skate.  Everything pretty much melted in your mouth.  The pork especially had that charred taste, perfectly crispy yet soft and moist beneath.  Delicious!

For dessert, a plate of traditional Italian pastries and cakes!!

For $50, I'd say this is definitely one of the best deals in town.  Perfect for those early bird diners!

Menu changes daily...

Torrisi
250 Mulberry Street @ Prince
212-965-0955

Paprika - $13.50 Prix Fixe Brunch

I stumbled upon this little restaurant a couple weeks ago for brunch and found it to be an awesome deal!  $13.50 gets you a coffee/tea, orange juice/mimosa/bellini, and an entree!

And the entree selections - what to choose?  Always a big decision....

• The eggs benedict on Tuscan bread with paper thin proscuitto?
• Green eggs on corn polenta with fresh salsa?
• Pancakes covered with fresh fruit?
• Potato rosti with grilled sausage?

I guess the only solution is to keep coming back to try them all!!

Paprika
110 St. Marks Place (between 1st Ave and Ave. A)
212-677-6563

The Meatball Shop! Get it to go and eat at the park

Skip the 2 hour wait at The Meatball Shop and get yours to go and enjoy a nice night at the park (or the benches on Allen St...heheh)

Last Friday my boyfriend and I went to The Meatball Shop after hearing raves about it from everyone.  Everyone I know was so surprised I hadn't been yet, so I had to change that status quickly.

Upon hearing that the wait was at least 1 hour and 45 minutes - we proceeded to head straight to the take out counter and get our sandwiches to go.  Note - no sliders to go, you an only do the hero sandwiches.

No problem as I had already heard the spicy pork really was the must have meatball of choice.  We went with one spicy pork and tomato sauce and one with parmesan cream sauce.  I was partial to the parm cream sauce, but the tomato sauce is a pretty good classic choice as well.  The meatballs were made to order - perfectly juicy and seasoned nicely.  Not really spicy, just packed more of a punch than your usual ground meat.

Surprisingly the sandwiches weren't even that messy!  Paired with the salad garnished with crisp sliced apples - for 9 bucks, this was a pretty good deal.

And definitely don't forget dessert - the ice cream sandwiches are amazing.  Mix and match your favorite freshly baked cookie with your ice cream of choice.  I went with espresso and chocolate chip cookies, while my boyfriend did the blackberry/raspberry with brownie cookie!  Yum!!!  And since the cookies are soft and fresh - the sandwich is pretty manageable to eat without it totally falling apart.

The worst thing about most ice cream sandwiches is a stale cookie.  No chance of that here!

The Meatball Shop
84 Stanton St.
NY, NY 10002

Veloce Pizzeria -Trendy Delicious Sicillian Pizza

Veloce Pizzeria is a part of a growing restaurant group that includes such favorites as Porchetta and Bar Veloce.

No wonder our server recommended the porchetta pizza to us!

Located on the corner of 6th St. and 1st Ave., Veloce Pizzeria serves up traditional Sicillian style pizza in a trendy, casual yet somewhat "dateish" place.

We popped in around 8:30 on a Saturday night and it was maybe half full.

By 9:30 though the place was rockin with lots of trendy young singles hanging out at the bar.

This place definitely has the "cool" effect.  Possibly from the exposed brick walls, to the vespa located at the back, to the very hip, good looking servers.  All I saw were young men decked out in the requisite Diesel jeans and vests - looking quite dapper I might say.

We went with our server's suggestion of the calamari to start and the porchetta sausage pie for the main.

The calamari was delicious!

Served over  bed of arugula and lightly fried with some lemon, it had none of the heavy fried batter that I commonly associate with fried calamari.

It was cooked just right as the calamari bounced, but was not chewey - the worst!  It was a great start.

Onto the pizza.

The pizzas are square shaped and come with four slices.  One is enough for a party of two as the slices are quite generous.

The bonus of a square pie with 4 slices is that every slice is a corner slice!  Whoo hoo!  Now I usually don't eat the crust, but here the dough was so fluffy, buttery and delicious, I didn't leave one scrap.

The sausage was wonderful as you would expect given Porchetta is in their blood.  My only complaint would be it might have been a bit too salty - but that seems to be the norm when you order porchetta.

The highlight is truly the pizza dough.  Sublime.  I can't quite put my finger on it except that it was just right.  Not chewey, not too soft, just perfect.

You'll have to try it to see what I mean...

Veloce Pizzeria
103 1st Ave. (At 6th st)
212-777-6677

Restaurant Week @ Locanda Verde - Wow I get to choose my own menu!

So one of my major pet peeves about NYC Restaurant Week is that most restaurants give you a very standardized "special menu" with limited selections that frankly the restaurant doesn't even usually make.

You get your standard steak, fish or chicken offering and it kind of tastes like the type of food you would get at a conference dinner or what I commonly have referred to as "wedding fare."

Today I went to Locanda Verde with a friend for restaurant week lunch.  Upon receiving the lunch menu, I wondered if I was mistaken and they were not in fact doing restaurant week.

To my great surprise and delight - Locanda Verde's restaurant week meant getting to choose any of the antipastis, either a pasta or a "secondi" and a dessert.  Wow!  I get to choose from anything off the regular menu?!?!?  Cause for celebration.  This NEVER happens!

Off to a great start.  The only trouble was, now I had too many options to choose from.  Frankly everything looked appealing.

I ended up going with the Wood Fired King Prawns with garlic, lemon and sweet pepper and my friend went with a simple yet interesting salad with figs and speck.

Good choices - the prawns were presented beautifully and the aroma definitely whetted my appetite.

Cooked and seasoned perfectly with a slightly sweet after taste it was a great start to the meal.

My only complaint would be that the dish looks so big and mighty, but you can only really eat half of the shrimp.  Well I am not adventurous enough to eat the heads, but I applaud those who do!

Onto the main courses. 

I had a really tough time deciding between the diver scallops and one of the pasta dishes.

I ended up going with "My Grandmother's Ravioli," mainly because, well it was "My Grandmother's Ravioli!"

Made with veal, beef and pork, this one is for meatlovers only.

Not too heavy at all, the ravioli were small delicate pieces - again only complaint being that I was left wanting more.

My friend ordered the roasted chicken - and here the portion seemed to be no problem at all. 

The chicken was served with roasted vegetables including squash and zucchini.

In fact it was very generous, requiring a doggy bag for later.

Finally for dessert the only choices were gelati and sorbet.

I went with the lemon mint, but really tasted more lemon than mint.

For me, the dessert was just average - I mean sorbet is sorbet, right?  And to me, nothing beats Ciao Bella.

Paired with a waiter that, as my friend said "reminds me a lot of Smith from Sex and the City," my lunch at Locanda Verde was fantastic - definitely a teaser leaving me wanting more.

I will be sure to be back for dinner soon.

Locanda Verde
379 Greenwich St. (at North Moore)
212-925-3797

Il Cantinori for Restaurant Week - Another disappointment

So every year for restaurant week I decide to try a restaurant that I ordinarily wouldn't want to spend the $$ for.  And every year I end up somewhat disappointed with the results.

Last night I went to Il Cantinori located on 10th st between University and Broadway.  Having been opened for over 20 years, I really expected truly fantastic Tuscan cuisine.  I mean we all know how cutthroat the restaurant business is in New York, so surviving over 25 years is quite a testament to high quality fare.

Now I think of restaurant week as a chance to sample some goodies at restaurants, essentially as a teaser that will help me decide whether I want to come back for a real meal.  So in fact it truly is a sales model and advertisement for the restaurant for the rest of the year.

Unfortunately most of the time it falls short and I rarely want to go back.  The best restaurants let the diners choose amongst the regular menu, the worst give you what I like to call standard wedding fare.

Il Cantinori fell into the latter category.  At our server's suggestion both my friend and I ordered the Carpaccio of Salmon -(Mache salad w/ smoked salmon, capers & red onions) to start.  While it was nice, it was certainly nothing special - salmon, red onions and capers are pretty much a classic at many places around the city.  To be honest, nothing more than Le Pain Quotidien...

For our entree we went with the Trofie al pesto con scampi - (Trofie pasta w/shrimp & pesto sauce).  The pasta, while nicely cooked al dente, was really lacking on flavor, requiring me to keep going back for more salt.  Ultimate sin in my opinion.

Dessert however was fantastic.  Truly the one high point of the meal.

I went with the hazelnut ice cream sandwich which was more like an ice cream cake. Albeit a very tiny slice.

Really nice crispy texture with the crust, filled with hazelnut gelato - not too rich, not too sweet.  Simply perfect.

Except for the fact that our server almost didn't serve us it!

For restaurant week, it's clear it is a three course menu, so when after our entree a server asks "would you like dessert tonight?" What do they mean?  Of course we would.  We are paying for it, right?

All in all, I would not likely go back to Il Cantinori - the advertisement wasn't promising enough.

Il Cantinori
32 East 10th (Between University and Broadway)
212-673-6044

Brunch at Morandi = Great people watching + rustic Italian

My friend Jillian and I went to Morandi for brunch today.  I have been meaning to go to Morandi's for about two years now and somehow never got around to it.

You know how it is - going to the "it" restaurant often is quite an ordeal.

But now, since Minetta Tavern has taken that spot easily in the Keith McNally empire - it's much easier to go to Morandi!

And since I love Pastis and Balthazar - it was pretty much a sure thing I would love Morandi. 

We went for brunch today and it was wonderful.

Better than I expected actually - prices were very reasonable ranging from $10-$15 per entree with a wonderful selection of rustic Italian entrees.

On a nice day such as today (well earlier today) nothing beats an outdoor table at Morandi - great for people watching in the always fashionable West Village.

I ordered the "uova in camicia" which was 2 poached eggs with speck (prosciutto), spring onions and new potatoes.  Mine also came with fava beans - a delightful treat!

Jillian had the frittata which sported a soft middle - as all good omelets should have! Plus country bread to soak up the leftover goodness...

Other notables include the basket of sweet breads and ricotta fritters.

Brunch was delicious - I'm thinking of going back for dinner next week!  I guess given my track record it might be a while before I make it into Minetta Tavern...

Morandi
211 Waverly Place (at 7th Ave South)
212-627-7575
http://www.morandiny.com/index.php

50% off Wine Bottles at Beppe on Mondays

Summer Mondays will help you start off the week right - Beppe in Gramercy is having a 50% off all bottles of wines every Monday night during the summer.

The 100% Tuscan wine list offers a wide variety of Tuscan wines,  with options such as a Vernaccia De San Gimignano, originally $31, for $15.50, or a 2002 Solengo Argiano, originally $292, available for a steal at $146.

Located in the heart of Gramercy on on 22nd between Broadway and Park, Beppe offers traditional Tuscan cuisine with a seasonal menu incorporating only the freshest ingredients from the local green market. 

One way to make your Mondays a little better.

Beppe
45 East 22nd (Between Broadway and Park)
http://www.beppenyc.com/index.html

al di la - Park Slope's Haven for Home Cooked Italian

al di la - So I have been hearing rave reviews about this little restaurant on 5th Ave. in Park Slope for a couple years now.

I finally had a chance to visit it on a recent Friday evening. Boy was I glad I did...

al di la serves up some of the finest Northern Italian cooking in the city - but prepared to wait for it.

Average wait times are at least 45 minutes to an hour - but the host very conveniently takes down your cell phone number and calls you when your table is ready.

This is a great tactic for you and fellow diners alike. You can spend the time with an aperitif at the delightful adjoining wine bar next door while fellow diners can enjoy their dinner without people eyeing them angrily for ordering dessert and that extra glass of wine...

The restaurant has a small dining room that is always likely to be filled to the brim with locals eager for some fresh made pasta and entrees ranging from braised rabbit to charcoal grilled chicken to specials that include a perennial favorite of mine - short ribs with creamy polenta.

Everything is seasonal and fresh - there is special note towards emphasis on sourcing local ingredients whenever possible. In this day and age where everyone has read or should read "Omnivore's Dilemma" using local ingredients is a "must-do" in co-op obsessed Park Slope.

Knowing this - al di la is a great place to get your veggies too. Anything from roasted brussel sprouts with horseradish to crushed yukon gold potatoes...vegetables never tasted so good.

Don't forget dessert - the gelato and sorbet is homemade and comes in exotic flavors including black pepper and macadamia coconut.
(picture from NY Magazine)

al di la
248 Fifth Ave., Park Slope, Brooklyn NYC
718-783-4565
http://www.aldilatrattoria.com/

Otto - How To Stay Trendy During A Recession

Otto - While Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich standby Otto has always been great...In tough economic times like these, I tend to appreciate its true value proposition even more.

And given the crowds on a recent Saturday night, I'm not the only one trying to save a little more these days. My boyfriend and I arrived at 5:45pm thinking we were early and sure to beat the crowds...

Little did we know that "beating" the crowds is not possible at Otto on a Saturday night.

We were given our ticket and told the wait would be 45 minutes! Resigned, we joined fellow diners in the packed bar area to settle in for the wait.

As we looked around I was continually surprised by the mixed crowd at Otto - on one hand you have the young, trendy 20-30 something former investment bankers and their girlfriends who have been forced to trade down from Babbo to Otto...

While at the same time you are just as likely see 3 generations of families bouncing babies on the tables at the bar...(and changing diapers in the already tiny 2 stall bathroom).

Looking around, we decided it would be more fun to just have our dinner at the bar - I usually love eating at the bar as I find it to be a more social experience. After spending 10 minutes hovering and stalking a twosome at the end of the bar we realized there was a separate wait for the bar.

Big Tip: If you are a deuce and want a shorter wait than the dining room (which I think seems more appropriate for a family affair) - dine at the bar...BUT make sure you tell the bartender you would like a seat.

Otherwise you could be like the older couple stalking our table and wait forever...only to be scolded by the bartender for not telling him you wanted a seat...not fun.

As for the grub - A large variety of antipasti for $4 bucks a pop - a variety of veggies from "Cauliflower alla Siciliana" to "Brussel Sprouts con Vin Cotto" whets your appetite.

Be sure to try the Bruschetta of the day - large pieces of bread smothered with the vegetable of the day - ours was delicious "lillies" sauteed with a spicy peppery finish that gave it just the right amount of heat.

Pizzas and Pastas range from $9 to $14, and just one pizza and one pasta was enough to fill the two of us.

For pasta I am always a fan of Spaghetti alla Carbonara, creamy with pancetta, pepper, egg - thick, served al dente.

Another good choice is the Rigatoni Con Stracotto - pork shoulder (mmmmm) + tomato and basil.

As for pizza I am always partial to the classics like Margherita D.O.P - tomato, bufala mozzarella and basil or the Pepperoni - tomato, spicy salami, cacio and mozzarella. The pizzas are thin and crispy - perfect as an entree or to share as an appetizer depending on how hungry you are.

Finish the meal off with one of the unique desserts. A must try for the adventurous - Olive Oil Copetta - olive oil gelato, concord grape sorbet, candied clementines, lime curd and fennel brittle. I know it sounds weird and frankly unappealing - but the mixture of sweet, tart and tangy is certainly unique. It is worth a try - you may love it or you may hate it...but either way aren't you curious?

Another favorite is the Tangerine Parfait - this flavor combination of coconut creme, tangerine sorbet, candied pineapples, passion fruit granita and a flicker of pomegranate is a sure thing. Sweet and refreshingly crisp.

Oh- and I'm not a big drinker, but the wine list is amazingly long with plenty of choices by the glass - plus the glasses are served with mini carafes - more like 2 glasses per selection.

I along with most other ladies love the classic Blood Orange Bellini - While it's no Cipriani Bellini, at $8 bucks it's one of the most reasonable bellinis in town.

Until times get better, fat chance finding me at Babbo or Del Posto.

I'll be sitting right here at the bar at Otto.
(picture from NY Mag)

Otto Enoteca Pizzeria
1 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10011
212-995-9559
http://www.ottopizzeria.com

'Cesca- If it's good enough for Madonna it's good enough for me

For their first outing post the Alex Rodriguez scandal, Madonna and Guy Ritchie made a splashy appearance exiting 'cesca...

But don't let that be the only reason you rush there...the food is a draw all on its own.

I've been an avid fan of 'cesca for years. My boyfriend took me here for the first time two years ago, and we've been going back ever since. The food is classic rustic Italian, with a broad selection of antipasti featuring fresh seasonal vegetables and signature dishes like buffalo mozzarella and tuna carpaccio.

Favorite main dishes include the Whole Wheat Orecchiette with pork sausage and the Sea Scallops, with caramelized cauliflower and pancetta...in my opinion you can never go wrong with anything with bacon...

While the food is great, the decor is even better. The dark woods, warm overtones and open kitchen make 'cesca reminiscent of how I imagine a rustic ski chalet in Italy would be. Ahh...one day, one day...

till then 'cesca will be my substitute.

'cesca
164 W. 75th St., New York, NY
212-787-6300
http://www.cescanyc.com/

Peasant - The restaurant name belies its snobbery

Mediocre food - Not worth the rude service.

So I arrived on time for an 8pm reservation for 7 people, after being warned of a $25/person charge if we were late or did not show - this is a new phenomenon taking place to try to curb the rampant no-shows precipitated by the ease of Open Table.

While understand that it is frustrating for restaurants when faced with no-shows, I think a simple confirmation call is the most you can do.

Anyhow, onto the experience. When we arrived exactly at 8pm our table was not ready, which would be fine except there was no estimated time for availability.

After inquiring about downstairs, we were offered a tiny bench-like table. This too may have been fine, but we were entertaining out of town guests, some of who were a little older and the prospect of sitting without a simple chair back for a 2 hour dinner (and trust me, dinner at Peasant takes 2 hours) seemed a little daunting.

After seeing a nicer table, with at least chair backs, we were told that table was reserved for a party coming in at 9pm. Understandable...except how come our table hadn't been similarly protected?

We were told that our table was occupied by an earlier party who arrived very late for their reservation.

What is particularly disappointing is that our party was not treated the same way as other parties- and the manager rewarded us with a mere shrug and comment "what do you expect me to do?"

What I expect is that management be held to the same standards they require of their patrons - when the earlier party arrived late, why were they not told that the table was reserved for a party coming in at 8pm as we were told that we could not have a table reserved for 9pm?

I can only assume that my party was not "hip enough" in the contrived look the other patrons seemed to be sporting...

Make sure you have on your best hipster duds...girls put on those gladiators, and boys...don't shave for a couple days before you come. It gives you the grungy rocker look that seems to earn you more points with the hostess. (picture from nymag.com)

Peasant
194 Elizabeth St., New York, NY
212-965-9511
http://www.peasantnyc.com/

Po Restaurant- Guaranteed to Impress

Po is one of my all time favorite restaurants in NYC.

Great classic Italian food, great hospitality and lovely decor. I have been back many times over the years and it never disappoints. Po remains a "go to" place to take out of town guests when you want to guarantee to impress.

The ingredients change seasonally, and some favorites include the papardelle with corn and chorizo and the spaghetti carbonara. A standout entree is the porcini crusted cod which is prepared beautifully- crispy top, soft and flaky inside.

For dessert the affogato and the Po sundae (with mint gelato!) are always good standbyes.

Service is impeccable- David, there on Sundays is exceptional.

One last note - Po is a great place to for star sighting - stars like Keri Russell and Kirsten Dunst come in for a low-key dinner.

Po
31 Cornelia St., New York, NY
(212) 645-2189
http://porestaurant.com/