Edible enlightenment from our eatery experts and colleagues Monie Begley, Richard Nalley and Randall Lane, as well as brothers Bob, Kip and Tim.
A perfect, genuine family-run restaurant preparing delicious southern Italian fare. Patriarch Emilio bought the spot in 1992 and spent years perfecting his cuisine. Now he sits at the first table keeping an eye over all; his tall, handsome son Mario bestrides the two cozy rooms making sure all are com- fortable and that the service is impeccable, and his son Anthony has taken over as chef. Though celebrities dine here often, be forewarned: Their privacy is well-guarded. Dishes are familiar but knocked up a notch or two. Begin with a platter of glistening clams on the half-shell or the baked littlenecks. Then move to the Caesar salad or the mozzarella with roasted peppers. There are pastas galore—pomodoro, Bolognese, vongole, ricotta, Amatriciana—each oozing with flavor. The veal Parmigiana, the Emilio chicken and the baked shrimp in garlic are each exquisite. The desserts are divine. The wine list is extensive and includes various Montepulcianos and Gavi.
A popular seafood shanty in the West Village. We began with a delicious celery root slaw and a romaine salad with cucumbers and radishes in an authentic green goddess dressing. Next were an order of fried green tomatoes with a creamy white sauce and an order of sweet pea pancakes. The main courses were a thick, juicy lobster roll and a rich, fulsome bouillabaisse of lobster, shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels and clams in a light broth. Both delicious. Accompanying the lobster roll was a large mound of stone-cold skinny fries. We asked the waitress if we could have an order of hot fries without bothering the chef. She returned to tell us that the chef wanted the plate (something to avoid) and that she was told to tell us that if we didn’t return it we’d be charged for a new order of hot fries. Needless to say, the chef ruined the meal with his petulant confrontation—and at $344 for two!
Iranian immigrant Nasrin Rejali collected a devoted following with her traditional Persian cooking at her catering and pop-up venues around the city before she opened her namesake restaurant off Fifth Avenue in June. Rejali’s high-ceilinged, second-floor domain with its white linen cloths and white marble walls gives off a comfortable vibe of faded grandeur that still manages to feel kind of grand. Dishes such as mirza ghasemi, a mellow, rich-textured eggplant-and-tomato dip, and chelo khoresht-e-aloo, a beef shank in a broodingly dark sweet-and-savory stew, bring to light a complex Middle Eastern cuisine that has been too long underrepresented in the Big Apple.
A tiny West Village restaurant with a great vibe and cozy atmosphere. A great place to enjoy a great meal. The Bibb lettuce and yel- low beet salad has a perfect vinaigrette, and the dressing for the Caesar isn’t heavy. The lamb shank is tender enough to cut with a fork, and the Bell & Evans chicken is as good as it gets. Go for the carrot cake for dessert.
This tunnel-like space, which terminates in a large, cartoonish mural, has good acoustics that make conversations almost as pleasurable as the food is delicious. The watermelon gazpacho is a total delight on a warm evening. Beef carpaccio is finely sliced and melts in the mouth. The assortment of risottos and pastas is beyond mouthwatering, with the seafood risotto and the homemade potato gnocchi with mozzarella, tomato sauce, fresh basil, onion and oregano garnering raves. The veal scaloppini can’t be beat, and the soft shell crabs are delicately battered perfection. Either the tiramisu or the baba rum top off a perfect meal, which can be further enhanced only by a delectable peach cosmo.
It’s nice to see that this iteration of The Pierre hotel’s restaurant has hit its stride. The setting is comfortable with attractive contemporary art enlivening the walls. The chilled sweet pea soup is refreshing; the lobster salad is beautifully presented and lus- cious; the French roasted chicken is delicious. For dessert you can’t go wrong with either the warm chocolate cake or the Perrine Pavlova.
A neighborhood place with unpretentious décor and consistently good food. If you’re waiting, a plate of olives and almonds ap- pears to keep you happy until your guests arrive. Fun appetizers include tomato and Stilton and whitefish salad with lots of capers and rye crisps. Sandwiches are generous. The chicken wings with a Stilton dip hit the spot, and the grilled zucchini salad is a tasty vegetarian alternative. For dessert order peach Melba with homemade ice cream or the six cookies so you can take half of them home to enjoy later.