Centro Vinoteca - go for the Italian tapas!

I live a block away from this place, have been dying to go, but it wasn't until I was running around one night STARVING looking for Italian food that I decided to finally try it. Have to say, was a little disappointed with the spotty service, but the stand outs were the interesting, diverse menu, the comfy, cushiony booths and the hip yet unpretentious vibe. And, I saw Leah from Top Chef working the kitchen! I have been back again since my first visit, and my general view on the place is that it's a fun place to go if you want an upbeat ambiance and salty, interesting food. A bons: unlike most italian restaurants, with small plates and a ton of light appetizers, Centro allows you to eat lightly if you're in that sort of mood. 

Most dishes I tried were pretty salty, to be honest, but I would still go back again. I love the fact that it has small plates - I love italian food, but I am reluctant to go to Italian restaurants because I find you can't leave without feeling bloated or stuffed. The small plates allow you to taste a variety of things and are on the lighter side. I ordered the special "piccolini" - fried trumpet mushroom croquettes that oozed when broken with a fork. They were perfect for topping on bread. The eggplant piccolini was not memorable - don't order it. On both of my visits I also enjoyed the chanterelle, romanesco cauliflower & asparagus salad - it's rare at an italian restaurant that you find salads composed with more than 1 or 2 ingredients. The chanterelles were a bit dry and salty, but it was a good hearty but healthy appetizer. The grilled spicy sausage and stracchino pizzetta, on the otherhand, was a disappointment. How do you screw up pizza?? The crust was too thick, and the whole thing was in need of some moisture or tomato sauce to balance out the dryness and saltiness. I'm not complaining about the size of it, but it's far too large to eat as an appetizer without sharing. The seared scallops with lentils & bacon, on the otherhand, saved the night - the bed of lentils was rich, creamy, and flavorful and the perfect side for the simple yet well seasoned scallops.  The pastas were also a standout compared to the other dishes - the squid ink tagliatelle with cockles, rock shrimp and chilies (5) was delicious and light - don't fear the squid ink, it just makes the pasta black. 

Ambiance is sometimes everything for me, and I really like the feel of this place. The windows, soft booths, good music, and attractive people put a twist on typical New York, homestyle italian restaurants. I wouldn't go looking for the best food here, but if you lower your expectations appropriately, you'll have a good time. Overall, I give Centro Vinoteca a 3+ in terms of food, but a 4 overall. 

Address: 74 Seventh Avenue South @ Bleecker

Website: www.centrovinoteca.com