My trip to Europe: Gelato in Florence, Italy
Gelateria in Florence, Italy
You cannot go in Italy and not eat Gelato! We had gelato probably every day, but not at Eataly that was there, Via dei Martelli.
Eataly in Florence, Italy
And not in the multiple gelateria we saw while walking in the street, some of them with a spectacular presentation...
Gelato in Florence, Italy
One of the gelateria we found was in the opposite side of Eataly. It was called Caffè Del Battistero.
Caffè Del Battistero in Florence, Italy
There, we simply ordered our flavors and the guy serving us (I wonder if he ever smiled in his life), gave us a huge gelato that ended up on our hands, the ice cream melting fairly quickly because of the outside temperature. Jodi got the coconut gelato:
coconut gelato at Caffè Del Battistero in Florence, Italy
And I got the hazelnut one:
hazelnut gelato at Caffè Del Battistero in Florence, Italy
The gelato was good, but I wish they asked us for the size we wanted, 10 euros being a bit expensive for what it was anyway.
Caffè Del Battistero
Via Martelli 13 Florence, Florence, Italy
But then, we went to Vivoli, a gelateria recommended by Jodi's friend Sabrina.
Vivoli in Florence, Italy
When we arrived, there was a group of tourists there, making me think that it is probably in lots of guide books. The way it works there is that first you pay and then you go to the gelato counter and order your flavor. Jodi ordered her coconut gelato that was deliciously creamy.
coconut gelato at Vivoli in Florence, Italy
On my side, I did not order my usual hazelnut flavor, but a pear and caramel scoop that was amazing. Ok, I did not really taste the caramel, but the pear taste was incredible: I bet they make their ice cream with real pears there.
pear and caramel gelato at Vivoli in Florence, Italy
This was the best gelato we had in Florence and I truly recommend Vivoli. Know that they have a location at Macy's in New York. We went there, but I admit that it did not look that appealing and we did not see any tempting flavors. I guess I will stick with Grom...
Vivoli
Via Dell'Isola delle Stinche, 7r, 50122 Florence, Italy
The last gelateria I would mention is Carabé that I found surfing on the internet (it was recommended by Condé Nast Traveller).
Carabé in Florence, Italy
There, Jodi ordered two scoops: coconut and chocolate.
coconut and chocolate gelato at Carabé in Florence, Italy
Although not as creamy as Vivoli, I thought it was pretty good.
On my side, I ordered the pear gelato:
pear gelato at Carabé in Florence, Italy
I liked it, but, again, Vivoli was better.
Carabé
Via Ricasoli, 60, Florence, Italy
So, do not miss out on gelato in Florence and if you can, go to Vivoli: it is definitely worth it!
Enjoy (I did)!
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My trip to Europe:Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy
Florence, Italy
After few days in Florence, it was time to go back home. Florence is such a beautiful city, that even people who don't like art would appreciate it.
Florence, Italy
So for our last dinner, we went to Trattoria Sostanza that was, after Trattoria Mario, our second experience with a restaurant that serves food on communal table. We heard about this restaurant after doing some research on the good places to eat in Florence. One of the recommended dishes was the buttered chicken. I was for sure going to try it!
Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy
For dinner, they have two sittings: 7:30pm and 9pm. We decided to go to the earlier one and showed up 10 minutes before, just in case they opened the door in advance to hungry customers. As we arrived, there was already a small group of people waiting.
dining room at Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy
7:30pm, they opened their doors. We did not have a reservation and I was scared they would not have any availability. But, luckily, after just a couple if minutes, they brought us to a table where there was seated an American Family, as well as a Belgian couple.
7:50pm: all tables are taken (they sit approximately 35 guests).
dining room at Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy
Few minutes after, they brought us some bread; no bread basket: they simply put it in front of you with their bare hands, making the family next to us talk...
bread at Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy
As the menu was in Italian and Jodi and I do not speak the language, I asked for an English version: they did not have any, forcing them to describe dishes to tourists. But hey, this is part of the experience!
menu at Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy
To start, I decided to try one of their Italian beers.
beer at Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy
And we ordered some delicious salami:
salami at Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy
For her entree, Jodi ordered the tortellini al burro or tortellini with butter:
tortellini al burro at Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy
It was very good, the amount of butter not being stranger to that. But for sure, these pasta seemed store bought.
On my side, I got the buttered chicken:
buttered chicken at Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy
I admit that, when I ordered it, I was a bit anxious, because everybody was ordering either the chicken or the bistecca a la Fiorentina that is simply a grilled T-bone steak you can find all over the city. I did not try it, preferring to try more traditional dishes.
When the buttered chicken arrived, it was still sizzling, a delightful smell of butter emanating from the very hot skillet. I did not try the chicken first, but rather dipped a piece of bread in the sauce that was simply butter; and I mean a lot if butter. This was divine. Of course, I could not not notice the envious looks from my neighbors. The American family ordered the chicken too, for three people and it came in a larger skillet, but they served the chicken in dishes, so they had much less butter than me, hence more envious looks on their part...
buttered chicken at Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy
The piece of bread dipped in the butter was delicious, but when I tried the chicken, I was in heaven: it was so good! Perfectly cooked, it was moist and I noticed a nice slight salty taste on the surface of the breast that was breaded with eggs, flour, salt and pepper. They probably sear it for several minutes before cooking it in the oven.
This is a fantastic dish, a bit pricey (18 euros) as there was no side, but so delicious that I would definitely reorder it, even if it is a heart attack on a plate.
I still had some room for dessert. We decided to go for their signature dessert:
It was made of very small strawberries (first time I saw them), meringue, chocolate and whipped cream. It was very good: not too sweet, not too heavy (although Jodi would say that my conception of heavy might be different from anybody else...). At 10 euros, this dessert was also pricey.
I really liked my meal at Sostanza and would definitely go back to try some other specialties, although I found the prices to be on the high side. The communal table is also a fun social experience that clearly depends on who you are sitting with. But anyway, you do not have to talk to people and can just enjoy the meal. And I enjoyed, I did!
Trattoria Sostanza
Via del Porcellana
25/R, 50123 Florence, Italy
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My trip to Europe: Osteria Santo Spirito in Florence, Italy
For our last day in Florence, we decided to walk around the city and check the Piazzale Michelangelo where one can admire the panorama of Florence, as well as a second replica of The David.
I admit that I was disappointed in a way, as I was expecting a square with a park and the statue in the middle, and not a parking lot and small shops for tourists...
It was a nice walk though and from there, we went back to Piazza Di Santo Spirito where we dined the second day in Florence. Our restaurant of choice was Osteria Santo Spirito that Jodi's friend, Missy, recommended.
Right after we sat, they brought us some bread and tapenade.
The bread being unsalted, it was perfect with the tapenade.
Then, we went for a tomato and mozzarella salad.
The mozzarella di buffala was deliciously soft; I am not sure if they make it there or buy it at the store. Anyway, as you can see on the photo, the plates used to serve the food were a bit...used, similar to Grandma's kitchen!
We then ordered the Polpete Al Sugo or meatballs with tomato sauce.
But the star of the dish were the meatballs: they were succulent, moist and tasty. This is definitely a dish I recommend.
We also tried the Minestra di Farro or spelt bean soup:
I ordered the small size and did not expect to get a large bowl.
It was also very good and very comforting. I also recommend that dish that I finished without any problem.
When we finished, they brought us some cherries.
We definitely had a wonderful meal at Osteria Santo Spirito, a place that I definitely recommend.
Osteria Santo Spirito
Piazza Santo Spirito, 19 r, Florence, Italy
http://www.osteriasantospirito.it
Enjoy (I did)!
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My trip to Europe: Caffè Scudieri in Florence, Italy
After our dinner at Trattoria ZàZà, we decided to stop at Caffè Scudieri, to check their pastries. It is a big place with a large terrace and plenty of pastries to try.
We chose to sit inside instead of at the terrace.
We decided to order couple of pastries, as well as a tea for Jodi
And a macchiato for me.
It was good, but not as good as the one at Caffè Gilli that was tastier.
Then, the pastries came, and I was ready...
We decided to order:
A chocolate eclair:
A baba:
And a cannoli:
The eclair and baba were delicious and fresh, but the cannoli was not good: as it was not filled to order, the shell was soggy. The ricotta filling however was good, but not as good as the one at Caffè Gilli.
It was nice anyway, but I definitely prefer Caffè Gilli over Caffè Scudieri.
Caffè Scudieri
Piazza di San Giovanni, 19, 50129 Florence, Italy
Enjoy (I did)!
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My trip to Europe: Trattoria ZàZà in Florence, Italy
We decided to go back to the Piazza del Mercato Centrale after our meal at Trattoria Mario, as we saw that there were plenty of restaurants, thinking that they probably source their ingredients from there. At that time, the market was closing down and the market crowd was gone, replaced by tourists looking for some amazing food.
We looked around and noticed a very crowded place called Trattoria ZàZà. That place, opened in 1977 by Stefano Bondi, is huge. They sat us in a small, quiet area, away from the noise.
We were ready for a feast and were not disappointed. Problem was: what do we order? The menu had so many mouth watering dishes that we were not sure...
So we started with the San Lorenzo "Tagliere", a plate of prosciutto, salami, stracchino (so good and creamy) and pecorino cheese, olives. This was a big plate for sure, but so good, especially the cheese.
We also tried a sampler of three traditional soups:
It was composed of:
- Ribolita (top left): a vegetable and bread soup.
- Pappa al pomodoro (bottom left): tomato, basil, leeks and bread soup.
- Bean soup with barley.
This was delicious and I am glad that they offered a sampler. My favorite was definitely the bean soup that we found in other restaurants, cooked in different ways.
Then, Jodi got the Insalata Campagnola, a salad made with pecorino cheese, prosciutto and pears:
On my side, I ordered the linguine alle Vongole, desperate to find one that topped the grainy one from Borgo Antico.
It was just ok, not having enough white wine sauce. At least, the clams were well cleaned.
We did not have dessert as we had other plans and, anyway, needed a little walk after that feast...I certainly recommend Trattoria ZàZà for a good dinner. Their bistecca alla fiorentina looked fantastic and I would have gone back, I would have probably tried it!
Enjoy (I did)!
Trattoria ZàZà
Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 26, 50123 Florence, Italy
http://www.trattoriazaza.it
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My trip to Europe: Il Salimbecco in Florence, Italy
As Pisa is close to Florence (approx. 1h20 minute bus drive), we decided to book a tour and go there an afternoon. For sure, we could not miss seeing the leaning tower.
This construction that was built over 199 years starting in 1173 is impressive with its tilt that makes you wonder how in the world it is still standing.
So, before the tour that left at 1:30pm, we had to find a restaurant. We ended up at Il Salimbecco, located across the Capelle Medicee.
We sat outside, at the terrace, as the weather was pretty nice.
We started off our lunch with bruschetta e fettunta con extra vergine Toscano or bruschetta with tomato, garlic and olive oil:
This is a very simple dish that was refreshing.
Then, Jodi got the pizza Tartufata that is with mozzarella, truffle, porcini mushrooms and fresh tomatoes:
This was a disappointing pizza, being very soggy and the mushrooms having a weird texture.
On my side, I had fettucine Alfredo that I only saw in this restaurant while in Florence.
This dish was just ok, the sauce being a bit grainy.
So, you can guess that we were not that thrilled about that lunch. I would definitely pass the next time...
Il Salimbecco
Via del Canto de'Nelli 38/r
Florence, Italy
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My trip to Europe: Mamma Gina in Florence, Italy
Finding a restaurant in Florence is not a problem. The question is where to find a good one. There are of course guide books or sites like Trip Advisor, but the best is to get it either from locals, or from people who lived there. That is what happened with Mamma Gina: it was recommended by Jodi's friend Sabrina, who used to live there.
Mamma Gina is located few steps from the Ponto Vecchio, the famous arch bridge re-built in 1345 across the Arno river, that was in fact the only bridge not destroyed in WWII.
It has interesting architecture, with its shops built along the arch; shops that use to be occupied by butchers, and now by expensive jewelers.
So, here we are at Mamma Gina. I originally thought that this place was small, but it is fairly big. I counted three different rooms: a small one at the entrance.
One in the back
That has a view of the kitchen.
And one on the side where we dined.
We decided to start with the Parmesan salad (nice amount of Parmesan on it):
As well as the chicken liver crostini.
Ok, I admit that the brown color of the chicken liver pâté was not very appetizing, but it was a good dish, different in texture from the chicken liver pâté you would find in France or the chicken liver in the US.
Then, Jodi got the eggplant Parmesan:
It was a good portion and did not need any pasta as a side with it. I am not sure how they prepared it, but it surely let the eggplant be the star of the dish.
On my side, I ordered the tagliatelle al ragù.
The pasta were freshly made there and perfectly cooked. I truly appreciated the generous portion of this delicious ragù that was very comforting.
We finished off with the panna cotta that was succulent.
The service there was good, that was, from what we experienced so far, surprising...Anyway, Mamma Gina was definitely a good recommendation and I am glad we had the opportunity to try it.
The service there was good, that was, from what we experienced so far, surprising...Anyway, Mamma Gina was definitely a good recommendation and I am glad we had the opportunity to try it.
Enjoy (I did)!
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My trip to Europe: Trattoria Mario, communal dining in Florence, Italy
We went to trattoria Mario thanks to a recommendation from Jodi's friend, Missy. This place, that is only open for lunch and does not take any reservations, is located near the Mercato Centrale or Central Market, where one can either buy food (inside) or bags and souvenirs, outside.
We arrived twenty minutes before and there were already people waiting outside.
Few minutes later, they opened the door and told us to get seated at specific spots, mentioning that the kitchen would only open at 12pm.
At 12:05pm, the place was full and we heard them telling people that the wait would be thirty minutes.
One particularity of this place is that it is communal seating: that was our first experience in this type of setup and we ended up eating with two regulars who knew the staff so well that one of them helped himself by grabbing some bread next to the small kitchen. They told us that they come on a quasi daily basis, because the food is as good as the one cooked by Grandma.
Few minutes later, they opened the door and told us to get seated at specific spots, mentioning that the kitchen would only open at 12pm.
At 12:05pm, the place was full and we heard them telling people that the wait would be thirty minutes.
One particularity of this place is that it is communal seating: that was our first experience in this type of setup and we ended up eating with two regulars who knew the staff so well that one of them helped himself by grabbing some bread next to the small kitchen. They told us that they come on a quasi daily basis, because the food is as good as the one cooked by Grandma.
But let me restate how communal it is: imagine a table of two we are used to and put four people on it.
We looked at the menu that was fortunately translated in English and had to make our choice quickly. Jodi ordered the ravioli verdi alle zuccine or ravioli with zucchini.
This was a very nice dish, sort of peasant food. The ravioli by themselves were not that great, because the filling made with ricotta was a bit dry, but with the vegetables, it was succulent.
On my side, I ordered the manicotti al ragù.
It was good and hearty, but I would have liked more ragù. Portion wise, it was small and I guess it was on purpose do people would order an appetizer. Concerning the pasta, I am not sure they were freshly made and tend to think they were store bought.
With my meal, I got a carafe of Chianti.
Eating at Trattoria Mario was a very nice experience. The food was delicious and came very quickly to our table and we enjoyed talking to the people sitting with us, although the table was a little small for four people. I definitely recommend this place, but know that, if you go, they only accept cash.
Enjoy (I did)!
Trattoria Mario
Via Rosina, 2
50123 Florence, Italy
50123 Florence, Italy
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My trip to Europe: Italian desserts at Caffè Gilli in Florence, Italy
After our average dinner at Borgo Antico, we decided to treat ourselves for some good Italian pastries and tried Caffè Gilli, a cafe opened in 1733 by the Gilli family, that moved since then in different part of the city.
Caffè Gilli is a beautiful place that combines a patisserie and a tea room that had a very elegant decor.
Jodi decided to order a tea
For pastries, we went for:
the tiramisu (of course, we could not not have it Italy):
It was delicious, very creamy with a nice amount of coffee.
The baba:
Very good, the cake was perfect and there was a nice amount of rum in it.
The cannoli:
Although I liked the ricotta filling, it was a miss, the shell being soggy.
This was a good way to end the evening. If I were to go back to Florence, I would definitely go back Caffè Gilli and definitely recommend the latte macchiato that was divine, as well as the tiramisu or baba (anyway, they have plenty more pastries to try!).
Caffé Gilli
Via Roma 1r,
Florence, Italy
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My trip to Europe: Borgo Antico in Florence, Italy
For our second night in Florence, we had a walking tour that led us in front of the Santo Spirito Basilica, an area full of restaurants around a small park.
We decided to go to Borgo Antico, located in Piazza di Santo Spirito.
We decided to go to Borgo Antico, located in Piazza di Santo Spirito.
I did not see the interior of the restaurant as we decided to stay outside, the weather being perfect. I decided to order a glass of Spritz, a wine-based cocktail commonly served as an aperitif in Northeast Italy.
I enjoyed it with some black olives and bread.
We decided to just order an entree as we had other plans for dessert...Jodi ordered the pizza bianca con funghi misti e olio tartufato that is the white pizza with mozzarella, mushrooms and truffle oil.
It was a fairly good pizza with a wonderful truffle scent, but I would have preferred real truffle like other joint proposed.
On my side, I decided to order the linguine alle vongole or linguine with fresh clams, one of my favorite dishes.
The linguine were perfectly cooked and the sauce was fantastic. However, the clams were full of sand, so very grainy. Too bad.
This was just ok; I think we had much better meals in Florence, one of them in the same area, so next time, I will pass...
Borgo Antico
Piazza di Santo Spirito
6-r, 50125 Florence, Italy
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My trip to Europe: Il Caminetto in Florence, Italy
For our first dinner in Florence, we did not have any plan and decided to look for a restaurant near the Piazza Del Duomo, where the impressive cathedral, built in 1296 through 1436 was standing.
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But I was already sure we would dine there because of few dishes I saw and the fact that they make their own pasta, not that it is uncommon in Florence.
It is not a big place and it filled up fairly quickly with tourists. I was hoping at that point that this was not one of those tourist traps...And it was not.
To start of, I ordered a Zuppeta cozze e Vongole, that is mussels and clams.
It was very good, the sauce being extremely tasty. In the bottom of the plate, submerged by the sauce was a piece of bread that I could not ignore. It started well!
For the main dish, Jodi ordered a seared tuna, a dish called Tonno agli aroma mediterranei.
Quite good, I was surprised to see that it did not come with any side.
On my side, I ordered the tagliatelle al ragù, the first of the series during my trip... This was delicious, the ragù being very flavorful and comforting. I definitely recommend it!
To go with my pasta, I ordered a glass of chianti "Poggio al ripe" Tenuta S. Martino 2008:
It was a good start for our vacation in Florence: the food was good as well as the service. Although mainly frequented by tourists, this is a nice and fairly priced place.
Il Caminetto Ristorante
via dello Studio 34r
50100 Florence, Italy
Enjoy (I did)!
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My trip to Europe: Le Festival des Pizzas in Grenoble, France
Each time we go to Grenoble, we go to the Quartier Saint-Laurent aka Le Quartier des Italiens or Italian neighborhood, named because of the important Italian community there.
It is a nice area, located on one side if the Isère river and in the bottom of the Bastille that used to be a fortress, built in 1592 on the South end part of the Chartreuse mountain. It is now a ruin, with just few restaurants on top of the hill, where people like to go to get some fresh air, either walking or taking the "bulles", a spherical cable car.
We looked at all the pizzeria there to try to find one with Saint-Marcellin, a soft cheese made of cow's milk, named after a small town nearby where they produce this divine cheese. Unfortunately, we could not find it, so we opted for Le Festival des Pizzas, simply because they were the only one proposing a five cheese pizza!
That is what I ordered in fact. Cooked in a wood fire oven for a couple of minutes, it had emmental, goat, reblochon, blue and mozzarella cheese.
I really liked the crust, the outside being all puffed up
And the bottom having a nice char.
This is definitely the kind of pizza any cheese lover would like, as they were generous in the quantity of cheese.
Jodi ordered the goat cheese salad, as two pizza are too much.
Well, the salad was big...
My mom got the Atlantico pizza that had smoked salmon in it.
It was ok: I do not really like when smoked salmon is cooked because it releases the salt.
Overall it was pretty good. I would definitely go back, maybe to try their white pies.
Festival des Pizzas
74 Quai Perrière
38000 Grenoble, France
www.festival-des-pizzas-grenoble.fr
Festival des Pizzas
74 Quai Perrière
38000 Grenoble, France
www.festival-des-pizzas-grenoble.fr
Enjoy (I did)!
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Italian dinner Family style at Carmine's in NYC, New York
There are institutions in NYC and Carmine's is definitely one. It is not just experiencing some good Italian food, but also eating it family style, like you would do at home, sharing huge plates of delicious food, where taste matters more than presentation. So we decided to go there with the Kroners, our Danish friends. Good that we had a reservation, because it was packed, unexpected for a Wednesday night!
We went to the restaurant on the Upper West Side that is in fact the original restaurant, opened in 1990. This place is huge: I am not sure how many people they seat in the dining room, but it was quite impressive, tables being for four people or more. Well, being two could be challenging considering the quantity of food served, although you can take it home.
At the entrance is the large bar where you can either wait, drink or eat.
Upstairs is the dining room.
The menu is pretty traditional, so there is no surprise there. As we were six, they suggested to order one appetizer, one pasta and two entrees. We kind of followed their advice, although replacing one entree with a (large) side.
As we were waiting for our food, they brought us some bread.
The focaccia was just ok for me, tasting a bit stale.
Then came our appetizer: tomato and mozzarella.
Nice plate: the star was definitely the mozzarella that they make there. It was soft and tasted fresh.
Then came the spaghetti (store bought) and meatballs that were the size of my fist.
Coincidently, there were six meatballs; I am not sure if they considered one by person or not. These meatballs were delicious: tasty, not dry with a delicious hint of herbs.
The pasta sauce was succulent: thick, it is not just made with tomatoes, but also with beef, and you may end up with delicious pieces of meat in your plate. We all finished our plates, regretting that there was not more.
Then came the chicken saltimbocca:
It is chicken breast cooked with ham and mozzarella, served on a bed of spinach and bathed in a wine sauce. I was not that thrilled by the spinach (I prefer them with cream to offset the bitterness), but really liked the chicken that was perfectly cooked.
Last was our side: eggplant parmigiana.
Ok, they call it a side there...It was definitely big, with an impressive presentation, a knife stuck on the thick block formed by the multiple layers. It was delicious, the eggplant really shining. I just regret that there was not more tomato sauce on it.
Needless to say that we were full at that point (ok, I admit that the hot cocoa and chocolate chip cookie from City Bakery did not help...). So, no dessert. That was fine considering the fantastic dinner we had at Carmine's. I should mention the very good service and the noise level that requires you to scream to be heard. But hey, this is the price to pay and it is worth it.
Enjoy (I did)!
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Italian lunch at Bricco in Hell's Kitchen, NYC,NY
I found Bricco looking for a reservation Midtown, on open table. Not sure I would have found it otherwise, the street it is located on not being that busy. Opened by restauranteur Nino Catuogno, the restaurant serves Southern Italian cuisine with a Northern Italian flare.
It is a big place for sure, painted in pastel colors matching the tablecloths and napkins, and with some interesting art on the wall.
In the back is the wood fire oven where they make pizza:
And probably the focaccia bread they brought to the table (I found it stale):
When I looked at the menu, I could not miss the Polipo Alia Griglia or grilled octopus:
I love grilled octopus: it is definitely hard to prepare as it needs to be cooked enough so it is not rubbery and I believe, needs a nice char that enhances the taste.
It was served over a mesclun salad and topped with a mint sauce that had a very refreshing taste, without overpowering the octopus. If you like octopus, this is for sure a dish to try there.
I also tried the Melanzane In Carrozza or baked eggplant and mozzarella that was delicious.
For the entree, I chose the Fettuccine Integrali Alla Contadina:
These were homemade whole wheat pasta in tomato sauce with sausage, fennel's seeds and a touch of cream. Well, more than a touch! It was good, but very, very heavy: the pasta were perfectly cooked and the sauce to die for, very rich, with a nice hint of fennel that came through from time to time.
The food at Bricco was good, with reasonable prices. Unfortunately, I did not have time to get dessert, the dishes taking time to come to the table...But trust me: I left with my belly full!
Enjoy (I did)!
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The Gotham West Market - part 5/5: Court Street Grocers
The last restaurant we visited at The Gotham West Market was Court Street Grocers, an outpost of the Brooklyn food shop. Smaller than the other places there, they offer a menu composed of mouth watering sandwiches, mainly for carnivores, the vegetarian options being limited, although I have no doubt that they would accommodate.
So we sat at the counter, overlooking the small kitchen.
Jodi decided to order their grilled cheese sandwich.
It was made of four different cheeses (Swiss, Pecorino, mozzarella and cheddar) and tomato mayo, squeezed between two slices of brioche bread. So, if you are a cheese lover, this is definitely good stuff! I was scared at first that it was too burnt on the outside, but in fact, it was fine. As they were generous with the quantity of cheese, it was deliciously gooey, oozing from the sandwich, like a call to be eaten.
With the grilled cheese came a side of pickles:
On my side, I ordered the Italian combo:
It was prepared with mortadella, salami, hot copa, mozzarella, Swiss, Pecorino, arugula, red mayo, a hoagie sauce and vinaigrette. As they were out of hero bread, we went for a ciabatta.
Not only it looked appetizing, but it was scrumptious, packed in flavors, each layer contributing to a great taste that made us regret it was not bigger.
With our sandwiches, we simply ordered a coke and chips.
This was very good: my favorite was the Italian combo that is definitely recommended. On top of that, the service was courteous and efficient. Definitely a good sandwich place to know.
Enjoy (I did)!
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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
Parm in Nolita, NYC, New York
On a Sunday afternoon, we were walking in Nolita, looking for a place to eat when we passed in front of Parm, on Mulberry St. We were so pleased to see it that we both shouted "Paaarm!" at the same time. Yes, this place was on our wish list for a while, since we saw their baked ziti featured on the TV show Unique Eats. So, I guess at this point you know what we would order...
This place, opened in 2011, is an offshoot of Torrisi, located few steps away. It is a small place:
Bar and delivery takeout at the entrance:
Small dining room in the back:
With an open kitchen where you can see the Chef and crew prepare the dishes.
We decided to sit at the bar, overlooking a part of the kitchen, watching the magic happen.
The menu is not that large, that is understandable for such a small restaurant. Anyway, I prefer a small menu well executed rather than a large one poorly delivered. At Parm, they propose few vegetables, salads, sandwiches or this mouth watering baked ziti.
You are probably wondering what the big deal is. Well, first of all, after baking the ziti, they fry them in a pan, giving to the sides a nice crunch.
Second, there is a lot of cheese: mozzarella and ricotta.
Last there is a lot of tomato sauce, so it is not dry like baked ziti can be in some restaurants.
So, definitely, this dish is worth the trip and no wonder why our plate was empty in a matter of seconds.
We also decided to try one of their sandwiches and hesitated between the eggplant Parmesan and the meatball one. We picked the later.
We chose to go with the hero bread over the roll or plate (served with a salad or ziti).
I liked it: they used the same tomato sauce as for the ziti and put lots of mozzarella cheese, in a hero bread that was perfectly soft. The meatball itself was good and flavorful, however, I wish it was slightly burnt on the outside to give a nice crunchiness and add texture to the dish. But still, it is a good dish.
We were glad to find Parm on our way and I can't wait to go back to try their other sandwiches. Well, I can't wait to go back to eat this ziti!
Enjoy (I did)!
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| * Restaurant Name | |
|---|---|
| Parm | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★★☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| Lower East Side / Italian | |
| * Street Address | |
| 248 Mulberry St. (bet. Prince & Spring St.), New York, NY 10012 | |
| * Phone | |
| (212) 993-7189 |
Fortunato Brothers, Italian Bakery in Williamburg, Brooklyn, NY
Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!
Continuing my discovery of Brooklyn, I gladly accepted the invite I received from Fortunato Brothers Bakery in Williamsbug, an all Italian bakery that opened in 1976. Family business for sure, the establishment's name reflecting the association of three brothers from Naples, Michele, Mario and Sal. Today, they transmitted their passion to their sons, Biagio and Biagio, as well as Frank, another member of the family, and another Biagio! I admit that I met with Biagio, but I have no clue which one!!!
So, as we approached the bakery, we could not miss the delicious smell coming from it, as well as the small Fiat cars in front if it.
The shop is fairly big, with a seating area on the side that is perfect to enjoy an Italian espresso, a homemade gelato (they have twenty different flavors, my favorite being nocciola or hazelnut), or a cake.
But of course, the best part was the display, where we could salivate in front of the large choice of cakes and cookies:
As we were close to Easter, they had plenty of items prepared especially for the occasion, some sweet:
and some savory, such as the meat pie that we tasted.
It was a delicious combination of ham and ricotta wrapped in a crumbly dough.
So we sat in the seating area, waiting for our tasting, when we noticed a cat sitting (or shall I say sleeping) next to our table.
His name is Rocco: he is the bakery's owners cat and you might see him either sleeping, walking around, or coming to you to get pet or to play.
Biagio served us a combination of pastries that were mouth watering. Small size though, when possible. I have to say that I love when bakeries offer pastries in a smaller size, as it allows us to try several.
It was fantastic: soaked in rum and light.
There was also a Napoleon:
Similar to the French mille-feuilles, I was glad to see that it had icing and not sugar on top (the best part) and crème pâtissière inside.
The only problem: too small: it was so good that I would have eaten several of them!
Next was the Sfogliatelle (Italian for small, thin leaves/layers):
What is interesting about this pastry is the multiple layers that wrap around a filling made of ricotta, almond flour and candied fruits.
I liked it, but admit that, with a similar dough, I preferred the lobster tail:
It is bigger, but lighter.
In fact, this pastry was invented by Italian-Americans in the 1900s. So, the same dough, but, inside, the filling is made of a cream similar to whipped cream.
Then we got a cream puff that was glazed with a thick layer of dark chocolate.
Inside was a vanilla custard that was delicious and had a perfect consistency.
Following was a classic: cannoli.
It was very good: the ricotta filling was fantastic, not too sweet, and the shell tasted fresh and was crispy. It was my second favorite after the baba.
Last was a cookie called Deliciosa.
It was made with a moca cream. I admit that, although I love coffee, I did not like it.
These pastries could not be eaten without a shot of Italian espresso.
You may think that it was it, but it was not: Biagio proposed to bring home whatever we wanted to try. As Jodi put it, it was like bringing a vampire to a blood bank...
So I went in front of the display and simply (?) asked for some Italian cookies.
So our visit was followed by a cookie tasting.
Here is what we tried:
Rainbow cookies:
Pignoli:
With the equivalent made with pistachio:
Biscotti:
And various cookies.
My favorite were the rainbow cookies and pignoli, maybe because I love any cookie or pastry made with almonds.
So, Fortunato Brothers was definitely a nice discovery of an Italian bakery that seems to stay true to itself, serving customers with traditional Italian specialties, all homemade. Not to mention not too sweet, allowing me to try all of these without falling into a sugar coma!
Enjoy (I did)!
Rainbow cookies:
Pignoli:
With the equivalent made with pistachio:
Biscotti:
And various cookies.
My favorite were the rainbow cookies and pignoli, maybe because I love any cookie or pastry made with almonds.
So, Fortunato Brothers was definitely a nice discovery of an Italian bakery that seems to stay true to itself, serving customers with traditional Italian specialties, all homemade. Not to mention not too sweet, allowing me to try all of these without falling into a sugar coma!
Enjoy (I did)!
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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
| * Restaurant Name | |
|---|---|
| Fortunato Brothers Cafe | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★★☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| Williamsburg / Italian | |
| * Street Address | |
| 289 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211 | |
| * Phone | |
| (718) 387-2281 |
Da Marcella Taverna in Greenwich Village, NYC, New York
Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!
Last Wednesday, I got invited to a press dinner at Da Marcella Taverna in Greewich Village. When I saw the name, it sounded familiar and when I saw it, I realized that I passed so many times in front of it. Why didn't I stop before? Simply because I mostly passed at lunch time and they only serve dinner.
It is a small place, seating just 42 people between the bar or in the main dinning room that has either individual or communal tables.
Know that this place is an outpost of Da Marcella located across from the Rockefeller center.
I got to meet with the founder and owner of the restaurant, Manuel Moreno and had a quick chat with him at the end of the dinner.
Manuel and his parents have an interesting past. His father was born in Spain and left for Italy to escape the infamous dictatorship of Franco. There, he opened a bakery, where Manuel's mother (Marcella) used to shop. And you can guess what happened next. They got married, had children, and, when Manuel was three years old, they moved back to Spain. Years passed. Manuel became a graphic artist, before doing a 180 and becoming a baker (The Bakery of NY in Long Island City) and a restaurateur. In fact, the bread and desserts we tried came from his bakery.
When I told Manuel that his restaurant had a neighborhood feel, he explained to me that it is exactly what he wanted to create in his restaurant. As he explained, the term taverna is common in Spain, Greece and Italy, although now in Italy, the word Osteria or Trattoria are more used. So the taverna or tavern was a place where people could go and eat some food that would cost them just a little more than if they were cooking it themselves. Some sort of kitchen of the neighborhood. Keeping the same spirit at Da Marcella is important to Manuel and that is true that the prices are fairly reasonable ($10 pasta dishes: that is pretty good).
The menu, crafted by Manuel and Executive Chef Francesco Mueses, offers dishes that are for the most part family recipes.
So let see what we ate! The first appetizer was grilled marinated Spanish octopus, served with caper berries, sun dried tomatoes and rughetta.
The octopus was very tender thanks to their cooking process: they marinate it for three days (in vinegar, peppers, salt...), then will cook it for an hour in the oven, with some marinate. Well it worked! Cooking octopus is not that easy, because if not cooked enough, it can be tough.
The second appetizer was the Scottish wild salmon and avocado tartare with Lampedusa capers.
I liked it: well balanced, enough acidity with the capers adding a nice salty and bitter taste.
It was served with some bread soldiers.
These two dishes were served with a light white wine: Vermentino di Sardegna 2012 "La Cala".
After that, we tried the meatballs: Chef Francesco's meatballs "al sugo di Pomodoro".
They were made with veal, pork, Parmesan, milk and bread, as well as rosemary and sage that definitely enhanced the taste. They were very good, soft and not dried at all, serve with a nice tomato sauce.
Then, came the wood fire eggplant "alla parmigiana":
Although I did not really taste the fact that it was cooked under a wood fire, I liked this dish for the simple reason that it was...simple...and let the eggplant shine. Often, eggplant parmesan tastes too much of the breading rather than the eggplant, but not at Da Marcella Taverna.
The meatballs and eggplant were served with a red wine: Cannonau di Sardegna 2011 "Filieri" - Cantina Dorgali, that was fresh, tasty, with a medium intensity.
Then we got to try a pasta dish. It was the tagliatelle artigianali "Setaro" Al ragu'Bolognese classico, Manuel's family recipe.
They import the pasta from Italy, Setaro being the brand. I have never seen such pasta: uncooked, instead of being smooth, they are rough, allowing the pasta sauce to stick to it when cooked. But no worries: it was not rough to my palate and was definitely my favorite of the dinner.
That ragu, that they cook for few hours, was succulent: rustic, not watery with a bold taste. Eating it with a piece of bread would even be fine for me: bring me the pot!!!
It was paired with a red wine: Langhe Nebbiolo 2011 "Elvio Pertinace" from the region of Piemonte.
The last entree was the braised beef short rib "Al Barolo" served with a creamy polenta.
These short ribs were fantastic: they literally fell of the bone. Apparently, they first pan sear it and then cook it for more than two hours in sofrito (garlic, onions, pepper...). Very tasty, I truly appreciated the fact that it was not too fatty. The creamy polenta (the brand used is Berreta) that was served with it was sublime: very creamy, it was not grainy at all and had a slight buttery taste, although, surprisingly, they only use milk.
The short ribs were served with my favorite wine of the evening: a Cabernet montepulciano 2011 "Integolo" -Sada from Toscany.
Of course we could not have left without trying some desserts. First was the panna cotta:
Perfectly set, it definitely had hints of anise and vanilla.
The tiramisu:
A classic: I always say that you can measure the quality of an Italian restaurant by trying its tiramisu. This one was perfect: creamy, with the right balance of coffee and mascarpone, and perfectly soaked lady fingers.
The ricotta cheesecake.
Another perfect dessert: not dry, not too dense and not too heavy.
So I would pick desserts in this order: tiramisu, cheesecake, panna cotta. They were deliciously paired with a Moscato d'Asti 2011 "Cascina dell Perliche" from Piemonte. I love muscat wine for its sweetness and this one was sparkling.
This was a wonderful evening and the food was delicious, comforting for the most part, definitely representing the concept of neighborhood kitchen that the owner wanted to create. This is clearly a place to know!
Enjoy (I did)!
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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
| * Restaurant Name | |
|---|---|
| Da Marcella | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★★☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| West Village / Italian | |
| * Street Address | |
| 142 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012 | |
| * Phone | |
| (646) 559-9192 |
Hot Dog Pizza at Ribalta in NYC, New York
Ok, I admit that the only reason I wanted to go to Ribalta, a restaurant located few steps from Union Square, was to try their hot dog pizza. Yes, you read right: a hot dog pizza. I do not see any problem about having such a pizza, having seen pizza made with cheeseburger, mac and cheese or vodka sauce. I guess it is a good way to show some creativity and have something on your menu that will make people want to try and, sometimes, talk about it...like me!
There is one thing you need to know about Ribalta: it is owned by Rosario Procino, former founder of Keste pizzeria, and Chef Pasquale Cozzolino, former Executive Chef at Dellaroccos in Brooklyn Heights and Pizza Arte, who want to stay true to the Neapolitan pizza making.
The place is pretty big, with high ceilings and a giant TV where people were watching the winter olympics in Sochi.
We decided to start with an appetizer and could not resist ordering the meatballs.
This was a delicious dish, the meatballs being perfectly moist. I admit that the star was the ragu though.
Then came the hot dog pizza:
Called the Americana, it was simply tomato sauce, mozzarella, French fries (crispy on the outside and soft on the inside) and a sliced hot dog sausage.
Cooked in a brick oven, it had a nice char and the crust was crispy.
Overall, it was a very good pizza, all the components working very well together. Would I go back just to get this pizza? Maybe for fun with friends, as it sounds like a crazy dish. But I would probably go back to try other pizza such as the Nobile, made of mozzarella, gorgonzola, truffle sauce and truffle shaving, or to try pasta.
Enjoy (I did)!
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The Brick Pizzeria in Hoboken, NJ
We decided to try The Brick, a new pizza place uptown Hoboken. I am sure the stakes are high for The Brick considering the number of pizza places in Hoboken, such as Benny Tudino's, Johnny Pepperonni or Basile's. So I was curious to see what would make it stand out.
The decor has nothing fancy, but there is a bit of warmth from the bricks on the walls.
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I decided to try their homemade mint lemonade.
It was delicious, not too sweet, with the right amount of mint, making this drink quite refreshing.
With it, they brought us some olive oil with basil, where they added a nice amount of parmesan.
We ate it with some bread.
Looking at the menu, they have interesting dishes such as their own version of chicken wings, made with siracha sauce. They also have salad, pasta and pizza.
For the appetizer, we went for their caprese bruschetta:
It was composed of grilled eggplant, fresh tomato, basil, garlic, red onions, kalamata olives, fresh mozzarella and parmigiano cheese, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. I really liked it, the bread being soft and not too chewy and I loved the mix of flavors that made each bite unique.
Then, we ordered the margherita pizza:
It was made of tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil, drizzled with olive oil. This pizza being quite common, this is the perfect choice to compare to other pizzeria.
I liked it: the tomato sauce was good and the crust deliciously crispy, although I would have liked a bit more cheese.
The second pizza we tried was The Brick pizza:
This is not your regular pizza: it is made of prosciutto, pear, fresh mozzarella and Gorgonzola cheese on a white crust.
This was even better: there was a nice amount of gorgonzola that paired perfectly with the pear that added a delicious sweetness to the pizza, counterbalancing with the saltiness of the prosciutto. I would definitely reorder it!
I liked my dinner at The Brick and I am looking forward to go back there to try some other dishes.
Enjoy (I did)!
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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!