I know it seems like every place I try I love, but Frankies Spuntino on Clinton Street has always been one of my favorites. I debated blogging this one because it's quite the hidden gem - I would hate to have issues finding a table on a Saturday night given their no-reservation policy. But, since it's too good to keep a secret, I decided to let you all in on this discovery.
I first went there on behalf of a recommendation and had low expectations - the place is undeniably cramped and from my standards, out of the way from most common locations in NYC. But the scrumptious ricotta and truffled mushroom crostini mezmorized me - I soon fell in love, and my second trip this weekend just confirmed that feeling.
Upon entering, friendly faces greeted us and instantly sat us to a table. Despite the small space, the low light and mystic surroundings give it a very quaint and intimate feeling that actually makes each table feel like a private space. The wine list is adequate, and offers a variety of carafes - the house merlot is definitely a winner.
An interesting aspect about this restaurant's menu is its blatant lack of what most italian restaurants call "secondi." Aside from a pork dish and an occasional special, no meat, fish, or main dishes are offered. This, I believe, is to give particular attention to the variety of antipasti, delicious cheese, crostini and pastas that Frankie's offers - and they are all wonderful! The restaurant of course starts you off with an airy Italian loaf of bread - nothing to write home about, but the crostini makes up for it. At $3 a piece, you MUST try as many as you can, but espcially the mushroom crostini - a thin piece of Italian bread perfectly toasted and piled high with finely chopped mushrooms, and doused in truffle oil (my FAVE). The other amazing crostini: toast with a heap of ricotta and rustic chunks of pecorino - so mild and flavorful. The next dish I tasted was a house special - the mushroom ravioli. Delicate, savory, and surprisingly light with just a touch of butter and parsley to round the dish out. YUM.
For my main, I split both the fennel salad (sans lettuce, be warned) and the orrechiette with sausage. The chunks of homemade pasta almost resemble gnocchi but the surprisingly chewey (in a good way) and dense texture make the dish unique and SO memorable. While the pastas come with some heavy items (sausage, for example) they all seem to be light and fresh - not too much oil, but they pack in a punch of flavor so you go home feeling satisfied.
If you go to Frankie's, go with no more than three others to fully enjoy the experience. The service is attentive (I must admit they serve you almost too fast), the feeling is calm, quiet, and romantic, and the food is simple yet bold. YUmmmm
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
Danny Meyer number 2: Blue Smoke
When I think of BBQ, my dad instantly comes to mind not only because he loves it so much, but because he is probably the pickiest BBQ eater I know. The ratio of his ordering ribs to his actually liking them is probably 20:1. So, since he came to visit me in NYC this past weekend, I thought I'd make a reservation to try Blue Smoke. Almost everyone in New York City has heard of Blue Smoke and its fabulous BBQ menu. If you like BBQ, a loud and happening ambiance, great service, and awesome drinks - it's definitely a must. Don't go if you want to eat healthily, though - there's about 1 salad option and it's impossible to resist the loads of BBQ items and fatty appetizers like corn bread, sausage, and chicken wings - all of which I had an thought were absolutely delicious. All the food is unpretentious, straight forward, and incredibly flavorful. The sausage platter, for example, consisted of thick slices of a variety of sausages piled on a white plate with a side of mustard. Simple, but exactly what we expected from the feel of the place and the description on the menu. Everything about Blue Smoke is subtly aligned - friendly, comical and efficient waiters, straight forward, no frills food, great drinks served fast - it makes the restaurant business look all to easy. Though it was loud and incredibly crowded, the booths provided the intimate yet exposed setting we wanted and we were still able to contact a waiter at any given time.
Though they could have used a bit more sauce, the St. Louis ribs fell off the bone. On the other hand, I appreciated the un-sauciness of the pulled pork - for once a BBQ pork dish where you can actually decipher the meat being consumed. And, not to be forgotten was the long list of unique cocktails. I tried a prosecco-lemon-gin drink served in a champagne glass - AWESOME!
All in all, the important thing about Blue Smoke is that my Dad liked it. Though he agreed that the ribs could have used a bit more sauce, it's nothing that a request for the waiter couldn't fix. Definitely give it a try.
Though they could have used a bit more sauce, the St. Louis ribs fell off the bone. On the other hand, I appreciated the un-sauciness of the pulled pork - for once a BBQ pork dish where you can actually decipher the meat being consumed. And, not to be forgotten was the long list of unique cocktails. I tried a prosecco-lemon-gin drink served in a champagne glass - AWESOME!
All in all, the important thing about Blue Smoke is that my Dad liked it. Though he agreed that the ribs could have used a bit more sauce, it's nothing that a request for the waiter couldn't fix. Definitely give it a try.
Malatesta on Christopher and Washington
Sooo I admit that I am terrible about keeping up with this....but when you sit at a computer all day the last thing you want to do when you get home is type. BUT I ate at two great restaurants recently, and I believe that my avid reader fans (2 people) deserve to hear it.
I have to give credit to Sonia Evers for encouraging me to try Malatesta. She talks about it all the time, but honestly, the name reminds me of some kind of illness of the testes. Still, Sonia is a great fan of food as well so I trust her judgment, and it's just down the street from my place so I couldn't pass it up.
This place was honestly amazing - in terms of ambiance, service, prices, and most importantly deliciousness. With a hand written menu on brown paper, a dark but airy setting, and native Italian waiters providing unobtrusive service, Malatesta truly brought me to the streets of Europe. Per Sonia's recommendation, I had the house made spinach gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce. The potato dumplings had a perfectly soft consistency and the cheese sauce was mild enough to taste their homemade goodness. The portion was huge (easily could feed two people) and it was under $10. I also tried a pasta listed on the hand-written specials board: homemade thick parpadelle noodles tossed with large chunks of tomatoes and crab. Although there were no significant portions of crab meat, the overall flavor was stellar and the big, rustic pieces of tomatoes added that depth of texture. Most notable about the pasta dishes was that they both came out piping hot. I ended with a fresh artichoke salad which was also simple, but consistently delicious. Along with a carafe of wine, the tab came out to only $50.
If you don't go for the food (but you should!), go for the ambiance. You'll be surrounded by Europeans (or people who look and act like them) and you will feel as if you are countries away from New York City. Love it! Thanks for the rec Sonia!
I have to give credit to Sonia Evers for encouraging me to try Malatesta. She talks about it all the time, but honestly, the name reminds me of some kind of illness of the testes. Still, Sonia is a great fan of food as well so I trust her judgment, and it's just down the street from my place so I couldn't pass it up.
This place was honestly amazing - in terms of ambiance, service, prices, and most importantly deliciousness. With a hand written menu on brown paper, a dark but airy setting, and native Italian waiters providing unobtrusive service, Malatesta truly brought me to the streets of Europe. Per Sonia's recommendation, I had the house made spinach gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce. The potato dumplings had a perfectly soft consistency and the cheese sauce was mild enough to taste their homemade goodness. The portion was huge (easily could feed two people) and it was under $10. I also tried a pasta listed on the hand-written specials board: homemade thick parpadelle noodles tossed with large chunks of tomatoes and crab. Although there were no significant portions of crab meat, the overall flavor was stellar and the big, rustic pieces of tomatoes added that depth of texture. Most notable about the pasta dishes was that they both came out piping hot. I ended with a fresh artichoke salad which was also simple, but consistently delicious. Along with a carafe of wine, the tab came out to only $50.
If you don't go for the food (but you should!), go for the ambiance. You'll be surrounded by Europeans (or people who look and act like them) and you will feel as if you are countries away from New York City. Love it! Thanks for the rec Sonia!
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