New York visit

[Jeff T]

I came to town late Friday night to help my son look for an apartment and eat as much as my wife would allow me. After a plane delay and midnight arrival, we checked into our hotel and since I hadn't eaten since noon, went to the Carnegie Deli at 1 am, which was close by. Nothing special about it except the size of the sandwiches, which never ceases to amaze me. Next day was spent apartment hunting and dinner was at La Cote Basque. At least 20 years ago, I had the cassoulet there and have had to have it again every few years. It was perfect Saturday - great garlic sausage, duck confit and white beans with as much flavor as I've ever had. My wife thought it was saffron in the beans that I liked so much, but I'm not really sure. Had pates for my appetizer which I enjoyed. ("Pates and cassoulet - a hearty combination" the captain said when I placed the order, althought I think my wife called it something more direct, I think she said I was being a pig.) Wife and son both had rack of lamb with a great reduction. Funny thing was one rack was delicious and tender and the other was very tough with an off taste. We had a 1982 Giscours at a reasonable price which went well with the meal and it was fun to be able to order an '82 Margaux and still be able to afford to eat the next couple of nights. Everyone had souffles for desert and I think theirs are consistently excellent.

Sunday we went to a show in the afternoon and had an early dinner at DB Bistro. I had the pig trotters which I liked. My wife had chicken breast with a morel sauce (she thought it was a tremendous piece of meat, extremely tender. My son had the morrocan spiced tuna, which tasted like plain seared tuna to all of us - no morrocan spiced flavor or any other flavor for that matter other than tuna. Had a Santa Barbara Rousanne with the meal which was very good and only $45 or $50. Nice deserts, but can't remember what they were right now.

Monday my son found an apartment in the East Village and fortunately for me it is a couple of blocks from Katz's. Had never been there before and thought the pastrami was the best I've ever had. Also enjoyed the chopped liver. Walked by Bryant Park and was tempted to go to the concert, but couldn't pass up dinner at Grammercy Tavern. Our son met up with some friends from college so it was just the two of us and we had the vegetable tasting menu which was five savory courses and two dessert: started with a romaine salad with yukon gold potatos, chopped egg and something else that I've forgotten, but it was quite good. Second course was Eggplant Napoleon with Lemon-Rosemary Vinaigrette and Arugula. Eggplant purree layered between thin grease-free fried eggplant slices. Vinaigrette was fantastic. Great. Third course was Potato Risotto with Morels, Ramps and Parmesan. Very good, but very rich and my wife felt it was a little salty but it was just right for me. Fourth was Roasted Spring Vegetables and Truffle Vinaigrette. All the vegetables were cut very small so they grilled up very tender but were also very crisp without being burnt - some kind of foam formed a base for the dish. Another great one. The last savory course was the Mushroom Tart Tartin which came with a mushroom cappuccino, I thought it was veal or beef stock with lots of mushrooms in it. Had a 2000 Sangiovese - Rosso Di Montalcino with dinner, which was delicious. Didn't have much room for the two dessert courses, but we really like the orange soup with orange sorbet and a candied piece of ginger which had a real kick to it. While the food overall was really good, what made it a really great experience was the staff. Their attention to detail without hovering over you was at a level I have only seen at a couple of other restaurants - ADPA and Trio at their kitchen table a few months ago.

Now heres my question - my wife says she wants to go to Little Italy for a home cooked, (southern Italian, I think) meal Tuesday night - does any one have any suggestions? Thanks.

Edited June 17, 2003 by Jeff T (log)

[Pan]

Jeff:

It sounds like you've been having a good time in New York.

First of all, to state the obvious, one has home-cooked food in homes, not in restaurants and probably least of all in Little Italy. Particularly given the quality of the places you've already been to, I believe that it would be a mistake for you to go to Little Italy for Italian food. Among the New York eGulleteers' Italian favorites are Lupa and Babbo (neither of which I've been to), but there's probably very slim chance you'd be able to get a reservation to Babbo on short notice. The best Italian meal I've had in New York was at I Coppi on E. 9 St. between A and 1st in the East Village, but not every eGulleteer has been fully satisfied with every meal there. Then again, I don't think any of those are southern Italian-style; certainly, I Coppi is Tuscan.

In any case, if your wife is dead-set on going to Little Italy, have a look at this thread:

Il Cortile, et al.

[Cpalms]

Jeff,

thanks for the post....I suspect you are staying in midtown so realtively unknown restraurant that I have really enjoyed is Ill Gattopardo on 54th btw 5th and 6th for a relaxed upscale distictly southern italian meal...but Batali is still defining italian food in this city, so if you wife has need for Italian you might not want to pass it up...you could walk into Lupa which has always been great in my book, just be prepared for a wait and (to put this delicately) rushed service...or you could sit at the bar or little tables in the front Room and babbo without a reservation... please avoid little italy, it caters to the unsavvy tourist crowd IMO....

[Sparkitus]

Regarding Little Italy,

I agree that it is a total tourist trap and there is very little in the way of real food there anymore. However, in SOHO there is a place called Peasant which comes very highly recommended (I have not been myself) by people I know in the restaurant business including Michael Romano of Union Square Cafe. Check it out. Hope this helps.

[elyse]

The point may be going to Little Italy rather than fabulous food.

[tommy]

i usually end up at pelligrino. they have wonderful outdoor dining (in the back).

edited for speeling.

Edited June 17, 2003 by tommy (log)

[scamhi]

The point may be going to Little Italy rather than fabulous food.

WHY?

IMHO- this guy is all about the food. Not a location eater.

For down home red sauce Italian I recommend the Queen in Brooklyn Heights.

Babbo is a MUST go to for someone who enjoys food as much as Jeff T. You don't need a reservation, if you are willing to wait a bit and either eat at the bar or at the few bar area tables.

[elyse]

But he is asking for a LITTLE ITALY recomendation.

[Sheri-FB]

CPalms: Funny you should mention Il Gattopardo, because I have never heard anyone mention it before and I actually gave it a try for lunch last week. Bottom line quick review is that the food was quite good - you are correct on the distinct southern Italian flavor and it has some menu items I do not see regularly in NY (I am thinking of the artichoke parmigania app). The service, on the other hand, was excruciatingly slow and, despite the fact that its a small place, after 15-20 minutes of sitting at an completely cleared table and trying to get someone's attention, we had to give up on even seeing a dessert menu (forget about ordering a dessert) so we could get back to work during business hours. Must confess that without dessert, it felt incomplete.

[Jeff T]

I appreciate all the suggestions from everybody. Elyse is really right, my wife wants to go to Little Italy for the experience and I think she may be on overload after the last few nights and just wants some pasta and red sauce, which I am sure will be at least as good and probably better than we are able to get at home. I took Tommy's suggestion and we will probably end up at Pellegrinos. There's no question, I'd like to try the other suggestions on another visit and fortunately I'm sure we'll be back soon. Hopefully I will be here when an egullet dinner is planned. I'd love to put faces with all the posters I've been reading the last couple of years. Thanks again everybody.

Edited June 17, 2003 by Jeff T (log)

[gracelee]

Dear Jeff:

The next time you go to Katz's, here's what you do when ordering sandwiches. Give the counterman a folded-up dollar bill with the ticket. It'll get you a taste and a larger portion.

[Pan]

I appreciate all the suggestions from everybody.  Elyse is really right, my wife wants to go to Little Italy for the experience

Since she's dead set on that, if you want to go to an Italian pastry place after dinner, I can recommend the one that's closest to Canal on the east side of Mulberry. I don't remember its name, but I've always found it good, though I'm wondering when the last time was that I went there (must be no more recently than last fall, if that).

If you like lychees, arrive early and look for a storefront on the east side of Mott St. between Grand and Hester that, as of a week or so ago, was selling high-quality ones for $2/lb (they're not beautifully red but most of them have that great sweet taste with a tart overtaste, which is the pinnacle for lychees). Get them before you have dinner because he closes up shop around 8 or 9.

[Fat Guy]

The real Little Italy is nowhere near Mulberry Street. It's on Arthur Avenue, in the Bronx. And the place to eat is Roberto's.

[Varmint]

The real Little Italy is nowhere near Mulberry Street. It's on Arthur Avenue, in the Bronx. And the place to eat is Roberto's.

How does one get to Arthur Ave from Manhattan, by the way?

[Fat Guy]

I drive you there.

[Varmint]

I drive you there.

And if I were to use public transportation, because your driving scares the bejezus out of me?