Morandi

[Nathan]

I liked it (a lot)...but I didn't like it anywhere near that much.

The food is not substantially dissimilar to what Williams had been doing at Gusto for years...

[rich]

I liked it (a lot)...but I didn't like it anywhere near that much. 

The food is not substantially dissimilar to what Williams had been doing at Gusto for years...

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I think she's brought her talent to a new level. I enjoyed Gusto, but not nearly as much as Morandi. It's interesting the majority of my favorite NYC restaurants have female chefs. For some reason they seem to be able to do more with less.

[larrylee]

Strange about that 7 PM reservation. I called Friday afternoon about reservations and was told they're only taking seatings a 5:30, 6:00, and 6:30. Sigh.

[rich]

Strange about that 7 PM reservation. I called Friday afternoon about reservations and was told they're only taking seatings a 5:30, 6:00, and 6:30. Sigh.

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I phoned somewhere between 11:30am - noon on Friday, possibly a little later. Don't recall specifically.

[robert brown]

Giorgio Morandi was Bolognese. I assume the name is a homage to him. I look forward to trying it, but it sounds like another hodge-podge Italian restaurant to me.

[rich]

Giorgio Morandi was Bolognese. I assume the name is a homage to him. I look forward to trying it, but it sounds like another hodge-podge Italian restaurant to me.

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You're correct Robert, I forgot to mention that in the review. My wife and I shared the hodge-podge for an appetizer. It was top-notch - creamy, piping hot and full-flavored.

[larrylee]

We went Saturday night as a walk-in.

Setting: Wood beams, exposed "sloppy" brick, romantic, generally well-lit without being too bright. There are a couple of dark spots. We sat in one of them... strangely enough, in the middle of the dining room, but whatever.

The negroni and bassano cocktails were very enjoyable and helped pass the ninety-minute wait for a table. There were many loafers. Regarding my earlier comments about reservations being taken only at 5:30, 6:00, and 6:30, the hostess informed us that others had complained about the same thing. There was apparently some sort of communications gaffe and reservations should have been taken for all times. McNally was there right near the entrance keeping an eye on everything, looking fairly calm as runners carried enormous trays piled with food past the fur-clad crowd waiting for their tables.

In terms of food, our overall impression was that the small plates were better than the mains. The two clear winners were the grilled octopus and the blood orange salad. The octopus was very tender. Both dishes had a very pronounced but pleasing acidity and fragrant olive oil. I strongly recommend trying these.

The fried artichokes were ... good, but based on this one tasting we like them better at Celeste (which is the only other place we've had them).

The salumi platter was accompanied by a small dish of pickled vegetables and was fine.

The mains:

Spaghetti alle vongole: The noodles are buttery and pleasant but the clam flavor was practically non-existent.

Polpettine alla siciliana: the meatballs were indeed nicely seared, almost burned as rich wrote. As I continue thinking about these meatballs, I'm thinking that they're pretty darned good.

Stinco di maiale: The Saturday special, pork shank. Tender, and big enough to feed a family of eight, but I'm just not a shank fan. There's just not enough flavor going on in that cut for me.

The bread: The crumb, where present, was pleasant and good for soaking up all that wonderful olive oil and vinegar. The parts where there were huge air bubbles and rock-hard, dried out crust... not so much.

Desserts:

Lemon mint granita: Way too sour for me, overpowering the mint. The dish could have used some more sugar. Maybe the espresso granita is better?

Roasted pear: Served skin-on. In retrospect I prefer my roasted pears without the skin. The sauce would have been nice with a vanilla gelato.

Cannolini: Pistachio ... fine.

Service:

Hostesses and bar staff were very friendly and professional. Our server was also friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. The order for one glass of wine we ordered seemed to gotten lost in the shuffle but he noticed, came over and asked us if it had arrived, and then took care of it promptly. No harm, no foul.

I asked one of the runners about the salt they served with the bread and he actually went so far as to bring out a package to show me. I think it's this package on this page.

Now, keeping in mind this place is still in soft-opening, I think it's off to a fine start and I'm sure there's ample opportunity for the kinks to get worked out. A coat check is now available.

Photos of some of the dishes we had are available on flickr.

Edited February 26, 2007 by larrylee (log)

[Pan]

"There were many loafers" -- you mean that kind of footwear, I presume, not lazy staff members?

[tupac17616]

"There were many loafers" -- you mean that kind of footwear, I presume, not lazy staff members?

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I think he means "loafers" as in people sitting at their table too long after their meal lingering over coffee/conversation/etc.

[larrylee]

I think he means "loafers" as in people sitting at their table too long after their meal lingering over coffee/conversation/etc.

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Yes, people staying at their table -way- too long. The staff were all quite busy.

[Luckylies]

I liked it (a lot)...but I didn't like it anywhere near that much. 

The food is not substantially dissimilar to what Williams had been doing at Gusto for years...

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Noooo!!!!!!

I gave that place a few trys and just couldn't get it up. Actually, when I really try to identify the problems of the other restaurant they were mainly F.O.H, but there were certainly some food issues as well.

I'm still going to give Morandi a chance. I liked Chef Williams "style" and her obvious ability to recognize a good concept...so hopefully the execution got a bit of the old McNally bump...

[weinoo]

We had a reservation last night for 7:30 - arrived at 7:15 and after checking in (and being told that our table would be available whenever we were) headed to the bar for a round of cocktails. Mine was a Negroni Antico, which I felt was a bit sweet for my taste...(great selection of Italian bitters, btw) the tenders were free pouring, which I think can be a problem in a drink like a negroni...also, minor point, but my twist was thrown in the glass before the cocktail was poured in, not "twisted" on top as the final flourish...you see what hanging out at Death & company will do!

Place was certainly not full last night - Oscar night keeping the crowds home, I guess...we started off with the fried artichokes and octopus salad...I really liked the char and tenderness of the octopus. The carciofi didn't blow me away, but was an okay version which benefitted from a healthy sprinkling of salt...

Then we shared a pasta, - baked buckwheat noodles with speck, cabbage and cheese - really flavorful yet lacking a bit of texture - but delicious nonetheless.

Allright , I had to have the bollito misto, which was great. Short ribs, veal tongue, a very garlickly, rustic lamb sausage and chicken, in a wonderfully flavorful broth, accompanied by mostardo, pickled cipollini and a touch of salsa verde (ask for a side of the salsa, it goes so well with this dish!). This dish rocked, and at $27 was a steal.

My wife had the orata in guazetto, which was less successful - we both thought the fish to be overcooked, but the stewing liquid was good and tasty.

Dessert was chocolatey and delicious - however, I don't remember the name of it!

The wine list is great - lots of offerings by the glass, half and full carafes, and plenty of bottles to choose from. As a minor aside, we did have to ask for bread, and our table was sort of forgotten while the four-top next to us, which included a fairly well-known celeb, was fawned over, but...that's NYC I guess...(oh yeah, I think they were ordering really expensive wines, so I would have forgotten about me too!).

Total damage for the evening was on a par with a full-blown meal at Balthazar...with two cocktails, a half-carafe of red, and one dessert, we were in for $180 - not bad, but not necessarily a weekly splurge either.

We'll be back, to sit at the bar, have some wine, a few apps, maybe a pasta at what I'm sure will be another McNally success story.

[Nathan]

I actually just had the fried artichokes at Celeste on Friday night.

Prefer Williams'....the ones at Celeste were underseasoned (loved the fried parsley that came with them though).

[larrylee]

Interesting to see the different perspectives on the fried artichokes. :-)

I think we're going to angle for the bar on our next visit, too, and work our way through the small dishes.

[Nathan]

Arrived at 6:50pm and was immediately seated. The place was just about full and the bar area was already two deep. The menus came as well as a wine list and I was immediately impressed by both. One of the finest selections of Italian wines ever assembled.

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The wine by the glass list is indeed superb (though the now defunct della Rovere had something like a 100 Italian wines by the glass).

But the Italian wine lists at both Otto and Del Post are much more deep and broad.

[rich]

The fried artichokes are probably one dish I wouldn't order there or any other Italian because the version I make at home (from my family's recipe file dating back to the mid 1800's near Bari) are better than anything I've tasted in restaurants.

[weinoo]

the version I make at home (from my family's recipe file dating back to the mid 1800's near Bari) are better than anything I've tasted in restaurants.

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Well, c'mon Rich, give it up.

[rich]

But the Italian wine lists at both Otto and Del Post are much more deep and broad.

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Nathan, I respectfully will offer a different viewpoint on that. While the lists at both places and Babbo and Felidia may offer more high-end choices, the Morandi list is the more comprehensive "affordable" list. It's difficult to find something drinkable on those other lists below $60 - and if you do the choices are limited.

I never judge any list on how many vintages of Chateau Petrus are availbale, but more on how many Chateau Gloria-types there are. Please excuse the French example, but I thought people would understand that analogy best.

[Nathan]

really?

here's the Otto wine list. out of the 700+ bottles available...several hundred are under $60 a bottle.

http://www.ottopizzeria.com/winelist.html

edit: I'd like that fried artichoke recipe too.

Edited February 26, 2007 by Nathan (log)

[rich]

the version I make at home (from my family's recipe file dating back to the mid 1800's near Bari) are better than anything I've tasted in restaurants.

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Well, c'mon Rich, give it up.

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The secret is in the sauce, which is laced with fresh-anchovy paste and the emphasis is fresh - which are difficult to find at times.

I will look up the recipe and post it sometime this week.

[rich]

really?

here's the Otto wine list.  out of the 700+ bottles available...several hundred are under $60 a bottle.

http://www.ottopizzeria.com/winelist.html

edit: I'd like that fried artichoke recipe too. 

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Yes, the Otto list has a large number, but with a few exceptions the under $60 choices are either overpriced or of lesser vintage - in my opinion. And it's certainly just my perspective - nothing to really debate. I understand and respect your point.

I compare the Morandi program to the Landmarc program, though the latter offers wines from around the world.

[weinoo]

I thought the by the glass, 1/2 carafe and carafe at Morandi was as deep or deeper than Otto's.

[Nathan]

I thought the by the glass, 1/2 carafe and carafe at Morandi was as deep or deeper than Otto's.

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It is. completely agree on that.

[larrylee]

Update: We didn't finish the stinco di maiale so we took it home and had it as leftovers. Wow, what an improvement reheated! Nicely herbed and much better piping hot, as u.e. hinted at offline.

[rich]

Paid a second visit last evening and it was just as good if not better than the first time. The service was terrific the food outstanding.

Morandi will be on my short list of regular dining spots.