Col Legno

[Pan]

I went to this place on E. 9th St. just west of 2nd Av. last night for the first time in a couple of years or so. I had the carcioffi alla giudia and the tagliatelle col cinghiale. Both dishes were excellent. The artichokes were fresh, with some of the inner leaves fried to a crisp in olive oil, such that they somewhat resembled French fries. The dish was perhaps slightly salty, and certainly oily, but very pleasant. The sauce for the tagliatelle was a knockout - very hot-peppery, with bits of chopped wild boar and rosemary - though the pasta could have been a bit more al dente. Never mind, though: The food was excellent, and this pleasant restaurant is well worth my going to more often. The total cost of the meal was ล.60 including tax but before tip, IIRC, with no drinks or dessert (I was full!).

(Edited by Pan at 12:26 am on Dec. 26, 2001)

[yvonne johnson]

Sounds like a place I must try. I'm a sucker for wild boar. Very reasonably priced too.

[yvonne johnson]

Col Legno 231 E 9th St, (b/w 2 & 3 Aves), 212/777-4650) is very good. Thanks for the tip, Pan.

My husband and I, wanting something unfussy after the rich goose etc ,  headed out there tonight in the coldest night this year.

They'd run out of the smoked fish salad, and our waiter suggested I try the artichoke starter that you had. My husband went for the mixed mushroom appetizer. Both were simple and satisfying.

Next I had the Tony Pizza. I love anchovy and capers, but this was a bit top heavy in the caper dept. 100+ capers on my pizza? is this authentic? Anyway I liked it, but it was a bit much. My husband had the mixed grill most of which I tasted. Quail, chicken, sausage, pots. All were infused with a bit of rosemary, and moist. This place is so much better than Jarnac (I posted recently). J aspires to similar or more but is less successful in my opinion)

We'll be going back.

[Pan]

I'm glad you generally liked your food, Yvonne, and best wishes for 2002!

I don't know what you mean by asking whether putting a lot of capers on a pizza is "authentic." I don't remember that as an option in Napoli, if that's what you mean. Traditional Neapolitan pizzas are either Margarita (mozzarella, tomato sauce, fresh basil), that plus prosciutto, or that plus mushrooms, from what I remember. It wouldn't amaze me if adding capers was a possibility in some Neapolitan pizzerie, but I tend to think that all of this is beside the point, which is not whether all the capers were "authentic," but whether you liked them. Evidently, you found the number excessive, whether authentic or not.

Sorry if my comments above amounted to nitpicking. :-)

[Fat Guy]

Sometimes, when something is authentic, we try harder to like it. Authenticity isn't an end in itself, but it can let you know whether to give something further thought.

[yvonne johnson]

Interesting points.  It was pure interest on my part.  I've been to Tuscany and I don't remember the heavy-handedness with capers.  I had a short conversation with the busy waiter who suggested that pizza that salty was "authentic". A funny aside: he said they'd named the salty pizza for Tony who works at the restaurant and who is a "real sourpuss"!

On topics like authenticity, ethnicity, I'm reminded of the circular arguments on another board. If it's delicious, then that's that.  Maybe I would try and appreciate the food more on learning that this is the way it’s prepared where it originated from. But maybe not; it might be information that did not influence my final judgement.  Maybe I'll start a new thread.

[Pan]

Yvonne, it's my understanding that pizza is a recent arrival in Tuscany, having come from Campania and been modified (some would say bastardized, and I would certainly say the change was not for the better) as it went further north. However, the Tuscans do make focaccia. I remember getting some great focaccia at a bakery on the Piazza Sta. Felicita in the Oltrarno. Focaccia with tomatoes; tomatoes and potatoes; etc. But that would be a topic for another thread, I guess. :-)

By the way, I do agree that Tuscans are not heavy on the capers. I love Tuscan food, which is characterized by excellent, fresh ingredients and delicate, "simply" balanced food. But I also love Campanian food, and probably ate better in Napoli than in any other Italian city I've spent time in. (Caveat: I have yet to visit Bologna or other cities in Emilia-Romagna.)

[Fat Guy]

Yvonne, the issue of whether we should let factors outside of taste inform our judgments about food is simply a restatement of the issue that has confronted every branch of academia (particularly literary criticism) during the past few decades. It touches on many points of philosophy and politics and will not easily be resolved here. I tend to favor a moderate position here: A sincere interest in authenticity is respectful and makes the experience of cuisine more interesting; a dogmatic insistence on and obsession with authenticity for its own sake is limiting, unfortunate, and absurd. Beyond that, let's have a new thread.

Based on the historical sources I've seen, mostly secondary ones (but ones I trust), I think it's safe to say that pizza has been a major food product in the Northeastern United States for significantly longer than it has been anywhere in Italy outside of Naples and the surrounding areas.

[Pan]

Col Legno, a neighborhood restaurant I have appreciated for a long time, was given a mixed but respectful review by Eric Asimov in today's New York Times (link to the review here; you may have to scroll down to the appropriate spot).

Your thoughts, everyone?

[slkinsey]

Michael, you are so ahead of the curve. You beat the Times in bringing attention back to Col Legno (that's "with wood" for the non-Italophiles) by two years!

I was glad to read the review in the Times, but I'm even more glad to read that you liked it. Anyone want to share favorite dishes to try?

[Pan]

I agree with Asimov on the Tagliatelle col Cinghiale, which I noticed I mentioned in the post that started this thread. I also believe I remember a Tortellini con Ragu' d'Agnello that was excellent (it was something with Ragu' d'Agnello, anyway), but I can't confirm that immediately because I can't find a menu. [Edited to add that I've always liked their whole fish secondi.] As an appetizer (or contorno, if you like), the Carcioffi alla Giudia is a bit oily but I always find it pleasant to eat.

Sam, I've been going to Col Legno for many years. I really am not sure how long ago I first went there. Il Bagatto and Lavagna are more exciting, but they're also more expensive, and at Il Bagatto in particular, it can be impossible to get a table in a timely fashion, even with reservations. What I love about Col Legno is that I never have had any trouble getting a table, it's a sedate and civilized place, and it's honest cooking that's always dependable and pleasant. As long as Col Legno continues to be essentially what it is today, I will continue to appreciate its presence in my neighborhood.

Edited January 15, 2004 by Pan (log)

[Pan]

I went back to Col Legno tonight with my a friend. There were very few people there on a Tuesday night, and I guess we arrived around 7:30 or so. I would sum up our experience as "Same as it ever was." And that's definitely a good thing.

We shared an appetizer of Grilled Wild Mushrooms. I've always liked this. There are a few different types of mushrooms, the largest of which is one portobello. Flavorful mushrooms grilled in extra virgin olive oil with little shreds of fresh basil and a bit of salt.

We then shared a Pizza with Sweet Sausage and Mushrooms. It was a very nice pizza, cooked up in the wood oven we were sitting close to (it was warm and toasty for us). My only criticism of it is that I thought the crust was too thick on the outside. It had been divided into four pieces and, thus, was easy to share.

Following that, we shared a portion of Papardella con Ragu' di Cinghiale, which was again as good as I remember, which is to say excellent, in this case. The dish is made with good tomatoes, a good deal of rosemary, chopped wild boar meat (cinghiale), and a fair amount of cayenne pepper. I liked the sauce very much and added a relatively small amount of fresh Parmigiano to it, so as not to obscure the taste of the sauce. The staff was kind enough to divide the portion in two and bring out two bowls of half-portions for us, since we had told them we were sharing everything.

We also shared a portion of Tiramisu, which had a strong and appealing coffee flavor, was nicely layered, and was not excessively liquid.

Service was gracious as usual, and we ate and talked at a leisurely pace and added a couple of extra dollars and change to our tip.

With the meal, I drank a very good Chianti (I don't remember the specific name), which had a pleasant woody aftertaste. It would have been a good vino da tavola in the Chianti Country, and at $6/glass, was well priced. I have some sentimental reasons for enjoying a good Chianti because I love Siena and often drank Chianti when I was there.

I asked some of the staff whether the restaurant had seen an increase in traffic since Asimov's review appeared, and they laughed and said no. I expressed a little concern about the small number of customers, but they said the restaurant makes money on weekends. This place is worth patronizing, regardless, and I hope some of you choose to go there sometimes instead of waiting for a table at some of the more popular Italian eateries in the East Village.

Final point: There was no dish with Ragu' d'Agnello, so either that was a special at some point or I ate it elsewhere.

[SobaAddict70]

Are the artichokes still on the menu?

I love artichokes like there's no tomorrow.

Soba

[Pan]

Yes, the artichokes are still on the menu. The menu really looks the same as it's been for a long time. There was one special today: a soup that featured canellini beans and I forget what else (pasta, I suppose). I thought of getting it, but my dining partner didn't want it, and I preferred to share everything with her.

Edited February 5, 2004 by Pan (log)

[hathor]

My husband and I have been going to Col Legno for a long time as well. Thought it was 'our secret'.

The artichokes are fabulous, we order them before we take off our coats, we order them for friends that are late, and we eat their share. Then again I would eat artichokes at every meal if it was possible, make that practical.

Also highly recommend the roast quail, its almost as good as a favorite restaurant in Italy.

Regarding authenticty: authenticy is in the eye of the beholder in my opinion. Each cook or chef has a particular take on a dish, even within the same region, so if you eat one's dish and do not sample or know of the nuances of the guy's next door, you may come away with entirely different perception of 'authencity'. ...hope that makes sense.

[Stone]

Are the artichokes still on the menu?

I love artichokes like there's no tomorrow.

Soba

Next time you get out to San Francisco, take a drive down the coast to the Pacifica/Pescadero area. It's artichoke country. Stop by Duartes (pronounced Doo'-arts, they're Portuguese) in Pescadero. Artichokes all over the menu, damn fine Bloody Marys, terrific cioppino and excellent homemade pies.

[Pan]

I went back to Col Legno for dinner tonight. I started with Spaghetti alla Fiaccheraia (described on menupages.com as Spaghetti served with a Fiery Sauce of Tomato, Onion, Pancetta, Peperoncini & Romano Cheese), which they gave me in a half-portion by request. I declined the offer of more cheese, as the amount of cheese was quite adequate. There was black pepper in the dish as well as the ingredients described above. I quite enjoyed it, though the pasta could have been a little more al dente. There was some sauce left over in the bowl after I finished my pasta, so people who prefer minimal amounts of sauce on their pasta may demur, but I happily scooped it up with bread. For a secondo, I tried their mixed grill for the first time. It's listed as Grigliata Misto (Mixed Grill of Chicken, Quail & Sausage, Dressed with Aromatic Herb-Infused Oils). I asked the waiter (who I've always felt doubled as the prioprietor, but I could be wrong) whether that wasn't a misspelling and whether it shouldn't be Grigliata Mista, but he seemed annoyed, so I was sorry I brought it up. Anyway, that's a lot of protein! It's a sausage, a whole quail, and a half a small chicken. Also on the plate were two slightly cooked broccoli spears and some fried roughly diced potatoes with skins on. I didn't love the potatoes, but they're not the point of the dish. The grilled things were delicious, and my only problem with them was that the quail was very hard to cut up. The chicken was grilled with rosemary and the quail with sage. I forget what herbs were in the sausage, but it was good. For those of you who like grilled poultry and sausage, do consider getting the mixed grill at Col Legno, regardless of how it's spelled on the menu.

I had an iced Orange Pekoe Tea (the waiter said they had no iced tea but did cooperate by bringing one and, when needed, two glasses of ice for me to pour the hot tea into) with the meal and my check was $29.40 exactly, I believe.

[slkinsey]

I asked the waiter (who I've always felt doubled as the prioprietor, but I could be wrong) whether that wasn't a misspelling and whether it shouldn't be Grigliata Mista. . .

FWIW, you are correct. Lo Zingarelli even uses "grigliata mista" as the example when giving the definition:

grigliata [da griglia; 1980] s. f. - Piatto di carne, pesce o verdure cotti sulla griglia: una g. mista (translation: plate of meat, fish of vegetables cooked on the grill: a mixed grill)

grigliato, the masculine "o ending" noun, means a grilled panel or hatch that allows air to pass through.

[David Lerner]

I've been enjoying Col Legno for about fifteen years now, it's our standard restaurant for pre-theatre (Pearl, Public Theatre, etc) in that area, and we chose it this year for Valentine's day as well. They tend to have simple dishes that are very well made and very tasty. My favorites include probably the finest "garlic bread" in New York, which they call Fettunta (excellent chewy grilled bread, imported from NJ, with a rubbing of garlic and a drizzle of olive oil - delicious!). The tomato bread soup (Pappa al Pomodoro) has a great flavor and isn't overly bready as it can be. They sometimes have a simple cold roasted red pepper soup (I've seen the roasted peppers emerging from the wood fired oven), what would probably be called a passato in Italy. Just pure simple pleasure.

The Benjamino pizza (tomato sauce, cheese, red onion) is simple and excellent. Not the finest crust in the world (Una Pizza wins in my book), but delicious toppings in perfect proportions make it very satisfying. I really enjoy some of the pastas, including the pesto and the leek & tomato. A simple fruit plate for dessert and you could easily be in Italy.

It's also refreshing to visit an Italian restaurant where the wines start below $20/bottle.

It's very rare to find a restaurant that is stable for fifteen years, especially in New York where so many places feel that they have to reinvent themselves every three years, and as long as their dishes remain as tasty and satisfying as they have been, I'd be happy to see Col Legno stay the same for another fifteen years. Consistency can be a wonderful thing. (Actually the walls do change - they are usually displaying art by a local artist and it seems to change every few months - not all of the art is to my taste.)

[Pan]

The art on display usually isn't to my taste, but the paintings that are currently hung are at least funny. My favorite joke is the painting with the black-with-white-spots man and the dalmation.