Del Posto

[Sneakeater]

The pasta I had in the dining room of Del Posto was DEFINITELY worth it.

[rich]

The pasta I had in the dining room of Del Posto was DEFINITELY worth it.

←

Why?

[Sneakeater]

The pasta was ravioli stuffed with braised beef and topped with ramps (at least SOMETHING I like was in season).  This was beyond great -- probably the best pasta I've ever had in a Batali restaurant, and that's saying a lot.  Not much to say about it -- it tasted like the very best possible version of what you'd expect it to taste like.

←

Of course, I'm much less ambitious at home than you. (In fact, don't tell anyone, but I hardly cook at all.)

[Sneakeater]

It's good that they are offering pastas in the lounge. Early on they were not.

←

It looks to me like they've completely revised the lounge menu. And based on my visit there Friday night, it's well worth everybody's checking it out. (In fact, as is obvious, I now think it's pretty much the only way to approach this restaurant.)

Don't forget to make a reservation.

[rich]

The pasta was ravioli stuffed with braised beef and topped with ramps (at least SOMETHING I like was in season).  This was beyond great -- probably the best pasta I've ever had in a Batali restaurant, and that's saying a lot.  Not much to say about it -- it tasted like the very best possible version of what you'd expect it to taste like.

←

Of course, I'm much less ambitious at home than you. (In fact, don't tell anyone, but I hardly cook at all.)

←

Well ramps are out of season now, so I can't duplicate that.

However, I made a ravioli last week stuffed with sauteed soft shell crabs - chopped fine - with a pesto sauce, lightened with a bit of creme fraiche and shrimp stock.

My guests truly enjoyed it - one said it was the best pasta dish she ever tasted.

My prior offer to you still stands.

[Nathan]

It appears that Del Posto drops their prices on Sunday nights.

http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/food/o...teve_cuozzo.htm

[oakapple]

It appears that Del Posto drops their prices on Sunday nights.

←

Only some of them. My friend and I were there on Sunday night, and the risottos were still $50-60 each (same price as on weekdays). However, they had a Sunday-only four-course tasting menu for $49, which looked like an excellent way to sample the cuisine. However, we opted for the ten-course tasting ($120), which was very good, albeit with a few less-than-stellar courses. Sorry I don't have time for a full write-up at the moment!

[oakapple]

Although it was the lure of Sunday bargains that brought us there, decided to have the tasting menu. We were most impressed to find that a wine pairing was available for just $30. Many restaurants in Del Posto’s class would charge double that. To be sure, we got five small pours of relatively recent vintage, but the wines all worked well with the food, and at the price it was a bargain.

After an amuse-bouche of fried zucchini, our menu was as follows:

SALUMI MISTI with Erbazzone and Figs

Grilled SUMMER VEGETABLES with Ricotta di Buffala

Tocai Friulano, Bastianich 2004 Friuli

The house-cured salumi were one of the highlights of the meal, extremely fresh and tangy.

INSALATA di MARE with Prosciutto

PERCH with Truffled Green Bean Salad

Falanghina, Feudi di San Gregorio 2004 Campania

I found the seafood salad dull and rubbery, but the Perch was perfectly prepared.

GARGANELLI VERDI al Ragu Bolognese

RISOTTO with Funghi Misti

Morellino di Scansano “I Perazzi,” La Mozza 2004 Toscana

The pasta was just fine, although as my friend remarked, it was nothing she couldn’t have prepared at home. While eating the mushroom risotto, I couldn’t help but think, “This is what they charge $50 for.” It was a competent risotto, but fifty dollars? Give me a break.

Grilled RIB-EYE “Tagliata”

6-year PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO

Vespa Rosso, Bastianich 2002 Friuli

I’ve had bad luck with beef on tasting menus, which often seems a pale imitation of what the better steakhouses serve. But Del Posto’s rib-eye was first-class: wonderfully tender, and with a crisp char on the outside. The cheese course was again a bit of a dud. It’s wonderful to know that the parmigiano has been aged six years, but I found it overly sharp to the taste, and the accompaniments weren’t much help.

MELON SORBETTO

CROSTATA di Cioccolato

Moscato d’Asti “Sourgal,” Elio Perrone 2005 Piemonte

I enjoyed the melon sorbet. I must admit I’ve forgotten what the final course was like, but at this point I was so full that I felt they’d have to wheel me out of there. A generous plate of petits-fours went untouched.

The room at Del Posto is gorgeous. The tables are amply spaced. Service was friendly, but there were some glitches. After I used my fork to eat the amuse bouche, a server replaced it at my side, instead of bringing a clean one. It’s a minor point, but no four-star restaurant would do that. Later on, there was a speck of dust floating in my wine (they replaced it without complaint). Another table ordered the grilled whole fish. We watched the staff struggle to fillet it for what looked like 20 minutes. By now, Del Posto ought to have the staff who know how to fillet in their sleep.

For a couple of courses, the server’s description was mumbled to the point of being incomprehensible. Luckily we had a postcard-sized cheat sheet to look at (and which I brought home with me). Still, I had no idea that what looked like apricot slices that came with the parmigiano was in fact horseradish.

We enjoyed our meal at Del Posto — make no mistake about that. But both service and consistency have a ways to go if the restaurant aspires to four stars.

[Leonard Kim]

But it is three star worthy?

[docsconz]

But it is three star worthy?

←

My interpretation of Marc's report:

Food 2*

Service 1*

Room/Decor/Ambiance 4*

Final 2-3*

At this point it has been so long since I stepped foot in Del Posto that the only element I can personally comment on is the room/decor. It is opulent even if it isn't to my personal aesthetic preference.

It does seem as if the restaurant has evolved in a good way since my horrifying visit during its soft opening last December, although from what I have been reading it appears that it still has significant room for further "evolution", especially given its admitted aspirations.

[oakapple]

My interpretation of Marc's report:

Food 2*

Service 1*

Room/Decor/Ambiance 4*

Final 2-3*

←

On my website, I gave it 2½ overall, with 2½* for food and service, and 3½ for ambiance.

I went a little higher on food and service because, although there were glitches, the problem is mainly one of consistency. When they're on their game, they clearly know how to get it right. But maybe I'm just a softie. If I paid 3-4 visits (as a pro reviewer would), and these kinds of things happened every time, my final rating would be 2 stars.

[docsconz]

My interpretation of Marc's report:

Food 2*

Service 1*

Room/Decor/Ambiance 4*

Final 2-3*

←

On my website, I gave it 2½ overall, with 2½* for food and service, and 3½ for ambiance.

I went a little higher on food and service because, although there were glitches, the problem is mainly one of consistency. When they're on their game, they clearly know how to get it right. But maybe I'm just a softie. If I paid 3-4 visits (as a pro reviewer would), and these kinds of things happened every time, my final rating would be 2 stars.

←

It seems the only thing I was off on in my interpretation was the service, maybe because in your report you accentuated the negative aspects, while the rest was perfectly acceptable. that I was able to interpret as accurately as I was reflects well on your ability to accurately convey your assessment. If only all reviewers could do that!

[Daniel]

Funny review from Gawker..

http://gawker.com/news/meatpacking-distric...akan-203861.php

"Design a space so garish that it would make a Gotti feel gauche. Bump up prices to beyond what the market would bear, so that the suckers who celebrate the Meatpacking District would feel privileged to pay outrageous sums for Molto Mario's scraps and innards. "

Edited September 29, 2006 by Daniel (log)

[BryanZ]

Dining at Del Posto on a Sunday evening is a great way to experience the restaurant, despite the cheesy Sunday-only, all-Sinatra soundtrack.

As others have mentioned, they appear to drop their prices on Sunday--the a la carte menu prices were lower than those on the website--and offer a basic tasting menu for $49.

The g/f and I decided to partake in said economical tasting menu with an additional taste of two pastas for each of us. In the end, it was a very substantial and enjoyable meal for just under $100 p/p. We only ordered one glass of wine total, but had I read this thread more recently perhaps it would've been wise to ask for an on-the-fly wine pairing. A table next did something like that, splitting glasses throughout the course of their meal with the help of their captain and the wine steward.

While much of the food on the Sunday tasting menu was good and sometimes very good, the two best dishes of the night were the extra pasta dishes ordered. Perhaps we chose well, but the spicy crab spaghetti and zuchinni blossom raviolini with rabbit ragu were standout dishes that reminded me how good Batali pasta can be. The garganelli bolognese lacked lasting impact and the cress and bean pesto with the potato gnocchi lacked depth of flavor. Both were good but perhaps inferior to similar pastas at Babbo in "soulfulness."

While service was friendly and competent, it was not nearly at four or even three star levels. Runners had no idea what they were serving, and the assistant captains and captains only made rare and seemingly random visits to describe the dishes. This was true across all tables I observed. All direct questions about the dishes met with acceptable responses, however.

Presentation of the food itself at Del Posto is perhaps where the restaurant is most lacking. I understand this is supposed to be cucina rustica or something like that, but if a cook can't hit the center of the plate when plating pasta something is wrong. I know this doesn't fundamentally change the flavor of the dish, but it does affect one's initial impression and overall enjoyment. Quintessentially Italian touches like the lardo served with the bread are great, stray drops of sauce or oil on plate rims are not. Besides dramatic roasted pieces of meat and fish, the presentations were often haphazard and sloppy. The amuse, two not-quite-the-same-size sticks of fried eggplant and a randomly placed spoonful of tomato coulis, was evocative of the visual impact much of the plated food had.

Detractors who say this restaurant is overpriced are largely misguided. At least on Sunday, Del Posto a la carte is no more expensive than Babbo and offers a much more elegantly sedate experience. While I might prefer the atmosphere and overall experience at Babbo, getting a reservation is such a hassle that Del Posto is highly substitutable alternative.

The Sunday menu isn't listed on the website so I'll transcribe it briefly here for those interested.

Salumi misti, Erbazzone, cantaloupe (house-cured meats, spinach tart)

or

Rucola, barbabietola, triple cream goat cheese (arugula, beets, goat cheese salad)

Garganelli, ragu bolognese

or

Potato gnocchi, string beans, wax beans, cress

Pork loin, cipolla riplena, roasted black figs (roasted pork loin with onion and fig)

or

Artic char, grilled vegetables, summer truffles (I didn't see any truffles)

Apricot Cassato (bake meringue, gelato, and an apricot broth)

[Robert A. Moran, M.D.]

Dining at Del Posto on a Sunday evening is a great way to experience the restaurant, despite the cheesy Sunday-only, all-Sinatra soundtrack.

As others have mentioned, they appear to drop their prices on Sunday--the a la carte menu prices were lower than those on the website--and offer a basic tasting menu for $49.

The g/f and I decided to partake in said economical tasting menu with an additional taste of two pastas for each of us.  In the end, it was a very substantial and enjoyable meal for just under $100 p/p.  We only ordered one glass of wine total, but had I read this thread more recently perhaps it would've been wise to ask for an on-the-fly wine pairing.  A table next did something like that, splitting glasses throughout the course of their meal with the help of their captain and the wine steward.

While much of the food on the Sunday tasting menu was good and sometimes very good, the two best dishes of the night were the extra pasta dishes ordered.  Perhaps we chose well, but the spicy crab spaghetti and zuchinni blossom raviolini with rabbit ragu were standout dishes that reminded me how good Batali pasta can be.  The garganelli bolognese lacked lasting impact and the cress and bean pesto with the potato gnocchi lacked depth of flavor.  Both were good but perhaps inferior to similar pastas at Babbo in "soulfulness."

While service was friendly and competent, it was not nearly at four or even three star levels.  Runners had no idea what they were serving, and the assistant captains and captains only made rare and seemingly random visits to describe the dishes.  This was true across all tables I observed.  All direct questions about the dishes met with acceptable responses, however.

Presentation of the food itself at Del Posto is perhaps where the restaurant is most lacking.  I understand this is supposed to be cucina rustica or something like that, but if a cook can't hit the center of the plate when plating pasta something is wrong.  I know this doesn't fundamentally change the flavor of the dish, but it does affect one's initial impression and overall enjoyment.  Quintessentially Italian touches like the lardo served with the bread are great, stray drops of sauce or oil on plate rims are not.  Besides dramatic roasted pieces of meat and fish, the presentations were often haphazard and sloppy.  The amuse, two not-quite-the-same-size sticks of fried eggplant and a randomly placed spoonful of tomato coulis, was evocative of the visual impact much of the plated food had.

Detractors who say this restaurant is overpriced are largely misguided.  At least on Sunday, Del Posto a la carte is no more expensive than Babbo and offers a much more elegantly sedate experience.  While I might prefer the atmosphere and overall experience at Babbo, getting a reservation is such a hassle that Del Posto is highly substitutable alternative.

The Sunday menu isn't listed on the website so I'll transcribe it briefly here for those interested.

Salumi misti, Erbazzone, cantaloupe (house-cured meats, spinach tart)

or

Rucola, barbabietola, triple cream goat cheese (arugula, beets, goat cheese salad)

Garganelli, ragu bolognese

or

Potato gnocchi, string beans, wax beans, cress

Pork loin, cipolla riplena, roasted black figs (roasted pork loin with onion and fig)

or

Artic char, grilled vegetables, summer truffles (I didn't see any truffles)

Apricot Cassato (bake meringue, gelato, and an apricot broth)

←

I haven't yet taken the plunge at Del Posto, but I sure am glad to have read these recent reviews. I think paying $50. for risotto is a bit absurd. How is that justified? And the service problems? I am glad to know I haven't been missing a wonderful restaurant. I'm going to Felidia tonight.

[BryanZ]

The service problems aren't all that bad when you consider that, outside of the expensive tasting menu, this restaurant is no more expensive than Babbo and much cheaper than "comprable" French/New American restaurants. The captains and assistant captains are good at what they do and everything flows well, it's just not remotely close to four-star levels on the aggregate of the service front.

One thing I forgot to mention in my report was that the space is not nearly as cavernous and sterile as people have suggested and lamented over. The ceilings are high but I thought the room was still welcoming if not cozy. When you consider that a restaurant like Urena charges the same or more, you can appreciate the the space Del Posto provides. Granted, it really is in the middle of nowhere, like seriously.

[Sneakeater]

Not to be argumentative, Bryan, but it's hard for me to accept that a restaurant that's right next door to another major restaurant (Craftsteak) and right across the street from yet another major restaurant (Morimoto) and also from (the back entrance to) a major food market (Chelsea) is "in the middle of nowhere, seriously".

(While I'm not being argumentative, I also have to say that when Del Posto opened, people here sometimes complained about how far it is from the subway. In fact, it's only four blocks or so from the nearest subway stop. You never hear complaints about how remote L'Impero is, but that place is at least as far from the nearest subway stop as Del Posto is. It may be that lower Tenth Ave. is unfamiliar to some people, but it's no more remote than anywhere else in Manhattan.)

[Daniel]

Detractors who say this restaurant is overpriced are largely misguided.  At least on Sunday, Del Posto a la carte is no more expensive than Babbo and offers a much more elegantly sedate experience.  While I might prefer the atmosphere and overall experience at Babbo, getting a reservation is such a hassle that Del Posto is highly substitutable alternative.

←

I might have to disagree with this statement.. You are saying the experience at Del Posto is elegantly sedate.. More so then Babbo.. I will have to disagree with that.. Babbo is in a charming townhouse, while Del Posto is raucus and busy.. It does seem the 49 dollar tasting menu might be the way to go,(considering its cheaper then one of the risotto's we had) but it then still works out to a 100 dollars a person with extra food and wine.. Were you stuffed after ordering more pasta, or does the 49 dollar tasting menu leave you hungry..

Edited October 9, 2006 by Daniel (log)

[Sneakeater]

I had a similar (but not identical) tasting menu at Del Posto and it didn't leave me hungry. A few more pasta dishes would have left me stuffed. And I'm a pig.

[BryanZ]

We were stuffed. But, Daniel, you should know that the g/f and I eat far more than what is advisable, healthy, or even considered normal. When I was at Del Posto, the vibe was much more calm than my meals at Babbo. When I dine at Babbo I always request to eat upstairs since the main floor is just too dark and crowded. Del Posto was a lot more sedate, but this was perhaps due to the fact it was a Sunday night.

Sneakeater, you're right, it's not in the middle of nowhere, but it's far from the area I usually hang out around. I love how Babbo is right off Washington Square Park, so walking from the 14th St Path station to Del Posto was not as enjoyable a walk. And yeah, L 'Impero is really in the middle of nowhere; the area is more pleasant, however. Finding that place was a bitch, having to walk up those stairs from like 42nd St or whatever.

[oakapple]

The service problems aren't all that bad when you consider that, outside of the expensive tasting menu, this restaurant is no more expensive than Babbo and much cheaper than "comprable" French/New American restaurants.

At either restaurant, prices are at a level where one should expect polished service. I think Babbo gets away with some slips, because of its reputation. Mind you, I like Babbo, but I don't hesitate to call a spade a spade. These are both fairly expensive restaurants, and service should be judged accordingly.

By the way, the $49 menu that Bryan described is not a tasting menu; it's a four-course prix fixe, and available Sundays only.

One thing I forgot to mention in my report was that the space is not nearly as cavernous and sterile as people have suggested and lamented over.

←

I agree. I didn't have any issue with the room.

While I'm not being argumentative, I also have to say that when Del Posto opened, people here sometimes complained about how far it is from the subway.  In fact, it's only four blocks or so from the nearest subway stop.  You never hear complaints about how remote L'Impero is, but that place is at least as far from the nearest subway stop as Del Posto is.  It may be that lower Tenth Ave. is unfamiliar to some people, but it's no more remote than anywhere else in Manhattan.

←

This is true of any neighborhood that is not yet established as a dining destination. People used to say that the Lower East Side was out-of-the-way. I suspect they said that about TriBeCa when places like Montrachet and Chanterelle first arrived. Edited October 9, 2006 by oakapple (log)

[Sneakeater]

By the way, the $49 menu that Bryan described is not a tasting menu; it's a four-course prix fixe.

←

This raises a point that, while off-point to this thread, picks up on a comment Bryan made in another thread that I found interesting. I'll just say this here, and if any discussion develops we can start a separate thread for it.

Bryan, you said in the Perry Street thread that you don't like to order a la carte but prefer tasting menus (the unavailability of one at Perry Street being a reason you'd defer returning).

Accepting oakapple's correct observation that the $49 menu at Del Posto is a prix fixe rather than a tasting menu,* does this fit into your preference? If so, what is it about a four-course prix fixe that makes it seem more attractive to you than ordering a traditional four-course Italian meal a la carte?

I can see that multi-course tasting menus have the advantage of letting you sample a large number of dishes that you expect the kitchen selected because they are believed to show the kitchen's cooking at its best (with the concommitant disadvantage that portion sizes can be too small to permit you to fully savor each dish). But in my experience, the only advantage of prix fixe menus over a la carte is price. The component items often seem to be chosen more for cost and universal palatability than for any esthetic reason. (Unlike tasting menus, prix fixe menus almost never seem to feature the most interesting dishes from the a la carte menu.)

From the totality of your posts, I can't believe it's a question of cost. Much less an inability to choose things to order. So what is it?

____________________________________________________________

* The distinction being that a prix fixe has no more than the usual number of courses, whereas a tasting menu has many more.

Edited October 9, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Sneakeater]

By the way, the $49 menu that Bryan described is not a tasting menu; it's a four-course prix fixe, and available Sundays only.

←

(emphasis added)

At least over the summer (and I haven't heard they've ended it), there was a similar four-course $49 prix fixe available in bar area (but, unlike this new Sunday menu, not the dining room) during the week.

Edited October 9, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[BryanZ]

By the way, the $49 menu that Bryan described is not a tasting menu; it's a four-course prix fixe, and available Sundays only.

This is a more accurate statement. The portions of antipasti and pasta were smaller, however, than the a la carte portions. There was some degree of literal monetary savings. I'll discuss this further below.

By the way, the $49 menu that Bryan described is not a tasting menu; it's a four-course prix fixe.

←

This raises a point that, while off-point to this thread, picks up on a comment Bryan made in another thread that I found interesting. I'll just say this here, and if any discussion develops we can start a separate thread for it.

Bryan, you said in the Perry Street thread that you don't like to order a la carte but prefer tasting menus (the unavailability of one at Perry Street being a reason you'd defer returning).

Accepting oakapple's correct observation that the $49 menu at Del Posto is a prix fixe rather than a tasting menu,* does this fit into your preference? If so, what is it about a four-course prix fixe that makes it seem more attractive to you than ordering a traditional four-course Italian meal a la carte?

I can see that multi-course tasting menus have the advantage of letting you sample a large number of dishes that you expect the kitchen selected because they are believed to show the kitchen's cooking at its best (with the concommitant disadvantage that portion sizes can be too small to permit you to fully savor each dish). But in my experience, the only advantage of prix fixe menus over a la carte is price. The component items often seem to be chosen more for cost and universal palatability than for any esthetic reason. (Unlike tasting menus, prix fixe menus almost never seem to feature the most interesting dishes from the a la carte menu.)

From the totality of your posts, I can't believe it's a question of cost. Much less an inability to choose things to order. So what is it?

So the main advantage is price in this case. This wasn't really a "special occasion" meal; we simply wanted to try Del Posto for ourselves and judge accordingly. You're right, I could just as easily have gone with the expensive tasting menu, but I am a student after all and like to spend my money on meals I KNOW will be good or interesting. This was more an exploration and trial, so to speak. Getting the prix fixe in this case featured smaller portions so that we were able to add more pasta courses, effectively turning our meal into a tasting menu that allowed us to sample more dishes. Based on the quality of the meal I would definitely return and order a bunch of pastas, but probably would not order the full tasting menu.

By the way, the $49 menu that Bryan described is not a tasting menu; it's a four-course prix fixe, and available Sundays only.

←

(emphasis added)

At least over the summer (and I haven't heard they've ended it), there was a similar four-course $49 prix fixe available in bar area (but, unlike this new Sunday menu, not the dining room) during the week.

←

The bar prix fixe menu is now $41, I believe. I don't think there are any choices, however.

[Sneakeater]

1. You're right, it was always $41.

2. You're right, it never had any choices.

3. I'm relieved. I was getting the impression that, although you're a college student, cost was somehow never an issue for you. Frankly, that scared me. (Well, maybe awed.)