Lazzara's Pizza and Café in the Garment District, NYC, New York

I love pizza and with a city like New York, you can find so many different ones, each restaurant having its own way to make the crust, the sauce, to cook it...This time, we went to Lazzara's in the Garment District. You really need to know that it is there, as it is located off the beaten path and you may miss it walking on 38th street.

Opened in 1985 by the Lazzara's brother, Sebastian and Tony, the restaurant is located on the second floor of a townhouse.

The dining room has a warmth and reminded me some restaurants we ate at in Italy, especially in Venice that is in fact representing in a painting hanged on the wall.

When we sat, they brought us the menu as well as the special of the day written on a little chalk board.

There, they serve an all Italian cuisine: pizza, pasta, heroes...We decided to go for the pizza. What I like about Lazzara's is that they propose their specialty pizza in half portions. Of course, you can always add toppings on half a pie in most of the restaurants, but here, I am not talking about toppings, but the pizza itself.

As you can see on the photo above, the pizza is square; but it is not like a Sicilian pizza: the crust is thin. So, the top half of the pizza was the lasagna pizza:

It was made of ground beef, ricotta, mozzarella and some seasoning.

The second half was the margherita pizza:

It was composed of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil.

I have to say that I love both: the tomato sauce was delicious and seemed to be made with fresh ingredients. There were in fact some slices of tomatoes and fortunately, it did not make the pizza soggy as it is sometimes the case. 

The lasagna pie was also very good, rendering perfectly what lasagna would be, replacing the pasta with the crust: it was very flavorful and they were generous in the quantity of meat and ricotta. I definitely recommend it.

The thin crust was on the chewy side, being crispy on the outside.

I was ready to get some dessert, but they brought us the check, making me feel dirty...I then asked if they had some homemade desserts, being interested by a tiramisu, but they do not and the waitress did not seem to be interested to tell me where they buy them. So I decided to pass...

The pizza at Lazzara's was good. It is a good spot if you want more than just a slice, although I prefer Capizzi located few block away.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Lazzara's Pizza
	* Overall
	★★☆☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	Garment District / Italian / Pizza
	* Street Address
	221 West 38th St. (Between 7th Ave. & 8th Ave.), New York, NY 10018
	* Phone
	(212) 944-7792

Restaurant Week: Abboccato

Taking advantage of Restaurant Week, I went for lunch at Abboccato, an all Italian restaurant located Midtown West, behind the Ziegfeld Theater. Abboccato meaning palatable in Italian, my expectations were high.

The place is fairly big with three distinctive areas. The bar:

The main dining room and a smaller dining room next to the entrance. 

For restaurant week, they proposed a menu for $25 comprising an appetizer, an entree and a dessert. 

As we were choosing our dishes, they brought us some Italian breads: focaccia and sticks. 

They then poured some olive oil that I really like as a replacement to butter. The bread was decent. 

For the appetizer, I picked the fried polenta crusted calamari. It was served with a San Marzano tomato sauce that was supposed to be spicy (it was definitely not).

I really liked it: it was crispy and the calamari not chewy. You could sometimes feel some polenta grains when biting into it. 

Then I got the sweet potato ravioli. 

The ravioli was perfectly made, thin and delicate, filled with a mix of sweet potato and ricotta, served with a brown butter sauce and hazelnuts. The filling was a bit too sweet and I would have liked a little less as it was overpowering the ravioli. However, the combination with brown butter was fantastic and I just wished at that point that they put more sauce. 

One thing I should mention is that the lunch menu had tagliatelle instead of the ravioli printed on it as a choice for entrees, the ravioli being proposed in the price-fixe dinner. They apparently made a change that they communicated to me, but did not update their lunch prix-fixe or their computer. So, when my dish came, it was...the tagliatelle. As I was set for the ravioli, I sent it back and they were really apologetic about it, bringing my dish not too long after. 

For dessert, I chose a tiramisu. 

The serving in a glass hinted for a creamy one. And it was. The lady fingers were heavenly soaked in coffee and the cream quite light, but a bit bland. It was an ok tiramisu. 

My lunch at Abboccato was decent; it did not wow me to the point that I would like to go back on another occasion, like I would for Tamarind or Remi. If I really wanted to eat Italian in this area, I would probably go to Circo that is located on the same block. 

Enjoy (...)!

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Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Abboccato
	* Overall
	★★☆☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	Midtown West / Italian
	* Street Address
	136 West 55th St., New York, NY 10019
	* Phone
	(212) 265-4000

Johnny Pepperoni in Hoboken, NJ

The night of the Super Bowl, we decided to go to Johnny Pepperoni to try their pizza as a friend of Jodi recommended that place. Needless to say that this was the perfect night as the place was empty!

I discovered there that the owner, local restaurateur John Avoletta, also owns City Bistro, a popular bar Uptown Hoboken; so I figured at that point that it was not just some random pizza joint. It is a place of a good size that serves Italian food only, from pasta to pizza, and even more. Too bad as I was craving wings...

The restaurant had a nice feel, with its red and white checkered tablecloth and the black and white photos of Italy on the walls. 

On the right of the entrance is the open kitchen and on the left the dining room. 

We decided to start our dinner with Arancini Di Riso, that are fried rice balls with cheese and prosciutto. 

They were served in a thick tomato sauce that had a bold taste. The balls themselves were delicious: crunchy on the outside and cheesy on the inside. I simply loved it and they were probably some of the best I ever tried.

Then, we shared the square pie: 

Made with fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, it was cooked in a pan with extra virgin olive oil.

It was a slightly thinner version of a Sicilian. The crust was crispy and the sauce deliciously thick. There was also a lot of cheese. The pizza was quite big and I am glad Jodi stopped me when I proposed to order a second one!

For dessert, we ordered the homemade tiramisu. 

It was good and light, but I would have preferred more cream, i.e a better proportion cream vs lady fingers. 

The food at Johnny Pepperoni was very good and I definitely recommend the Arancini. I am sure it is not the last time I will be there!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Celebrating Restaurant Week at Remi, in Midtown West, NYC, New York

It is no secret that I am not a big fan of Restaurant Week, because a lot of restaurants are using this event more to make money than making people discover their cuisine. In the past, I had bad experiences at steakhouses (check out my try out at Dino & Harry in Hoboken), as well as all american restaurants like Beacon (closed since) where we ended up with a hefty bill because of all the supplements they were asking for dishes whether it was appetizers or entrees. So it has been a while since I took the opportunity to go to a restaurant offering a menu for Restaurant Week, but this time, I had a strategy: I picked restaurants that usually have a lunch prix-fixe. 

That is how I ended up at Remi, an Italian restaurant located Midtown Manhattan that was not unknown to me.

Remi is an upscale Italian restaurant with a clientele that is more business than tourists. In terms of decor, it has this impressive mural representing Venice and its canals.

The $25 menu for restaurant week includes an appetizer, an entree and a dessert with a choice for vegetarians. After we ordered, they bought us some bread (there was focaccia) that was delicious dipped in olive oil.

For the appetizer, I ordered the Melanzane e Mozzarella alla Parmigiana similar to an eggplant parmesan:

It was in fact a baked eggplant and mozzarella gratinee with a tomato sauce. If you look at the photo, you can see that there was a lot of cheese, and I mean a lot! I loved that dish: this is a more decadent version of an eggplant parmesan. The sauce was not as light as they advertise and had a bold flavor and the eggplant was perfectly cooked. This was a fantastic dish and I am surprised that they are proposing it as an appetizer only.

For the entree, I picked the Fegato alla Veneziana or “Venetian Style” Calf Liver:

The liver was sautéed with onions and served with a creamy polenta. Although the liver was gamey, I really enjoyed the dish, the sauce having a bit of acidity to offset the sweetness of the onions. The polenta was also perfect, creamy and not dry, it was an excellent choice of garnish.

Last was dessert. I went for the Crema Catalana or crème brûlée:

That was very good: not too sweet, the custard was well set, with a nice torched sugar crust on top. This dessert was perfect with a double espresso.

This was a delicious meal at Remi and I am glad I picked this place for Restaurant Week. So in case you are not sure where to go, I suggest you check out this place! And do not forget that they have a prix-fixe all year long.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Remi Restaurant
	* Overall
	★★★☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	Times Square / Italian
	* Street Address
	145 West 53rd St., New York, NY 10019
	* Phone
	(212) 581-4242

Brunch at Maialino in NYC, New York

I had Maialino on my list of restaurants to visit for a while, the restaurant being suggested by one of my colleagues Dan. We decided to move it up the list when we saw their olive oil cake and chocolate croissant bread pudding on the show Unique Sweets. We chose to go to brunch, on a Saturday. The restaurant, located in the Grammercy Park Hotel is beautiful. 

It has three distinctive areas: the bar area with a few tables and communal tables, the cafe where you can order your espresso and some viennoiseries and then the dining room that had a very warm feel, casual but elegant at the same time. In the back, a wall full of Italian wines:

Because Maialino is an Italian restaurant, another creation from Danny Meyer who already spoiled us with Gramercy Tavern,  Eleven Madison Park and Shake Shack. 

Opened in 2009, this modern trattoria proposes Roman dishes. Maialino means piggy in Italian, so no wonder why this animal is drawn on the menu as well as well represented in the dining menu crafted by Executive Chef Nick Anderer. 

We had very good service there and the waitress asked us first if we wanted to start with a beverage, mentioning that they have a nice "coffee program". Being a coffee drinker, I got interested and ended up ordering a cortado that is between a cappuccino and a macchiato.

Not only did it look beautifully done with a leaf drawn in the cream, but it was also very good.

We decided to start our brunch with Suppli al Telefono, some tomato risotto and mozzarella croquettes:

The croquettes were dense with a slight crunch and lots of mozzarella cheese in the middle.

I could have eaten them with or without the tomato sauce served with it.

Then, Jodi ordered the Frittata Bianca:

At first, it found it deliciously herbaceous, but unfortunately, some parts of the frittata had too much herbs to the point that it completely overpowered the whole dish.

On my side, I ordered the Contadino:

These are poached eggs served with herb roasted fingerling potatoes and caramelized onions.

The dish looked fantastic and I understood fairly quickly why they brought me a spoon to eat it: the eggs were very soft and the yolks runny, playing the role of some kind of sauce when eaten with the delicious potatoes that were served skin on, adding some texture to the dish. This was so good that I wished there were more, despite the fact that there was not enough caramelized onions! This is a fantastic brunch dish that I definitely recommend.

Then came the moment of dessert! Yes, we went for that and were ready to eat that bread pudding!

Unfortunately, they only serve it for dinner. Bummer! But don't worry, we found some replacements...First was the olive oil cake called Torta di Olio d’Oliva that we wanted anyway to try:

It was served with a cream made of vanilla beans and mascarpone. I admit that I did not really care about the cream: just having the cake was sufficient. You do not taste the olive oil, but it gives a nice constancy to the cake, probably replacing some, if not all, of the butter. Needless to say that we finished it.

We also shared a toffee glazed brioche bun:

It was small, too small unfortunately, because also very good!

The brioche was probably cooked on a bed of sugar that had a nice caramelization on the bottom and sides, and the toffee was sublime. I truly appreciated that it was not too sweet.

I really liked my meal at Maialino and it is definitely on my list of places to go for brunch. I will probably go back to try their dinner, but it will not just be for their bread pudding: their menu looks fantastic!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Maialino
	* Overall
	★★★☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	Gramercy / Italian
	* Street Address
	2 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10010
	* Phone
	(212) 777-2410

Veniero's Pasticceria in the East Village, NYC, New York

Veniero's is the oldest Italian pastry shop in the US, opened and owned since 1894 by the Veniero family. During its long life, this East Village place has earned multiple awards and is said to be the best place for dessert in New York. This put the bar pretty high considering the multiple options the City has to offer. So I was very excited to try it and we decided to go after our lunch at S'Mac and right before seeing the movie Dallas Buyers Club with Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto (great performance from both by the way). When we arrived, we noticed the café adjacent to the pastry shop and decided to come back after the movie, to have some time to taste several pastries. So, chose promise, chose due (promises are made to be kept): more than two hours later, we reenter the place that is packed! I was so glad that I took few photos earlier. 

When you enter the place, you arrive in the pastry shop where I could probably spend an afternoon looking at these fantastic desserts in regular and small size, drooling on the ornate marble floor. I thought it was great to propose the smaller size, so one can try several kinds of Italian desserts, but I can ensure you that I would have had a hard time making up my mind! 

It can be so crowded that you need to pick a number to be served before going back in line.

Passing the crowd, there is another display, for large cakes (you can admire the staff decorating cakes if you like):

And then, here is the café, in the back, with its incredible stained glass ceiling and an authentic atmosphere that transports you back in time in Italy.

Their menu was pretty large and the only regret I had was not to see some of these small pastries or a sampler. But this could not stop us from trying a few desserts.

Jodi decided to order a coconut cake:

Not a surprising choice as it is her favorite dessert. This one was just ok and she did not even finish it. The disappointing factor was the fact that the cream on top did not incorporate any coconut: it was just drizzled on top of the cake. So far, her favorite, and I would agree, is the coconut cake from Balthazar that you can even find at its sister restaurant, Minetta Tavern.

On my side, I chose the Baba au rhum:

They propose it with or without custard. I decided to go with. It was another disappointment: the cake seemed to be a bit stale, although imbibed with the rum and there was an off taste. I could not even eat half of it.

After these two miss, we had high hopes on the cannoli:

It looked good and appetizing. The shell was very good, fresh and crispy, however, the filling was a bit bland. 

I guess the only thing I loved there was my double espresso...

I was very disappointed by Veniero's and it is after trying three of their desserts, two of them quite traditional. Maybe the Italian cookies are better, but clearly not what we picked. If I had to compare it to another Italian pastry and propose it as an alternative, it would be Villabate Alba in Brooklyn. 

Enjoy (the post)!


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Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Veniero's Pasticceria and Caffe
	* Overall
	★★☆☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	East Village / Italian / Desserts
	* Street Address
	342 East 11th St. (bet. 1st & 2nd Ave.), New York, NY 10003
	* Phone
	(212) 674-7070

Famous Ben's pizza in Soho, NYC, New York

Walking in Soho, we were looking for a quick bite before going home. Pizza is always a good choice in that case, because the wait time would amount to the time to order and then to heat the slices. As we were walking, we saw Famous Ben's Pizza, a small pizza joint. We were wondering what Ben was famous for and then saw the sign indicating that it was for his Sicilian Pizza rated best by...somebody. 

This is you typical pizza joint: you would go there for the food, not the decor that was simplistic, if it was not for the quotes on the wall.

There we ordered the following slices:

Vodka slice:

This was a surprising slice: think about the vodka sauce that you typically find on penne pasta and put it on pizza instead of the classic tomato sauce. Et voila the vodka slice. Genius, original and very good!

The second slice was the Palermo pizza:

Originally, we wanted to try their marinara pizza, but their inverted the sign and ended up with this one. What a mistake: it was not good. I am not sure how it was made (tomato sauce of course and onions, but what else?), but I did not like the taste and the texture of it.

Last was of course the Sicilian pizza. Remember: "Rated Best Sicilian Pizza".

Well, it was just ok. For a better slice of this kind, I prefer Stromboli that is not too far from there.

I was a bit disappointed, not that I had high expectations, but sometimes, you find these little hidden gems. Famous Ben's Pizza is not one of them, although their vodka slice is delicious and I would just go back for that one!

Enjoy (...)!


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1st Annual Bollito Misto at Circo in NYC, New York - Jan 27th to Jan 31st 2014 - CLOSED

Circo in NYC, New York

Last Wesnesday, I was invited to Osteria Del Circo aka Circo which presented the menu for an event called

The 1st Annual Bollito Misto week

that will run from January 27th to January 31st 2014

.

 If you do not know this restaurant, you probably know its famous owners: the Maccionis. Sirio Maccioni is to Le Cirque what his wife Egidiana (Mamma Egi) and sons Marco and Mauro are to Circo. Opened in 1996, Circo fulfills the wish from the sons to create a more modern and less formal place than Le Cirque, while staying true to their Italian heritage. I remember seeing them in the documentary A Table in Heaven debating withmtheir father about a no-tie rule at Le Cirque.

There is definitely a tough challenge for Circo considering the fame of Le Cirque and its history. Most of the famous Chefs we know today worked at Le Cirque, under the mentoring of Sirio: Daniel Boulud, Jacques Torres, Francois Payard, Geoffrey Zakaryan, etc, etc. Today, the Chef is Alfio Longo that I met in a previous event.

Chef Alfio Longo at Circo in NYC, New York

Chef Alfio Longo and his team

Circo is an amazing place. First is the logo is is beautiful, representing an acrobat:

Circo in NYC, New York

Then, inside, the decor that boasts impressive high ceilings where red and white drapes go across, symbolizing  a European circus tent (chapiteau in French), with acrobats similar to the logo above our heads:

decor at Circo in NYC, New York

Some sculptures representing circus people, like a fire eater.

decor at Circo in NYC, New York

As well as colorful paintings from Milton Glaser on the same theme:

Paintings from Milton Glaser at Circo in NYC, New York

Paintings from Milton Glaser at Circo in NYC, New York

The way the restaurant is laid out is the bar at the entrance, the dining room with a seafood display on the left:

seafood display at Circo in NYC, New York

And the kitchen in the back.

Kitchen at Circo in NYC, New York

The photo above showing for instance the pizza oven.

I sat at the dinner table with other media guests, Carlo Mantica (Co-managing member at The Maccioni Group), Maria Von Nicolai (Executive Assistant to Sirio Maccioni), Jean Lee (PR and Social Media Manager for The Maccioni Group) and close to my fellow blogger Malini from

The Restaurant Fairy

and her husband Yozo. 

table and menu at Circo in NYC, New York

table at Circo in NYC, New York

plate and logo at Circo in NYC, New York

At the head of the table, next to me, there was nobody, until Mamma Egi came and sat. I was very honored to have Mamma Egi sitting right there! It gave me the opportunity to talk to her about many topics: the history of Le Cirque, Italy, France, paintings...I proudly told her that I know how to make fresh pasta and learnt that Mamma Egi presents Circo evening in cruises where she will teach people how to cook some Italian dishes, but in a simple manner. For instance, how to make pasta or pizza dough in a food processor rather than by hand, making it more accessible to people.

restaurant fairy malini, Mamma Egi and Mauro Maccioni at Circo in NYC, New York

With Mamma Egi, Malini and Mauro - Courtesy of Malini, The Restaurant Fairy

Few minutes after the start of the dinner, it was the turn of Mauro Maccioni to come, having dinner at the table next to us with some friends, one of them being Donatella Arpaia, restaurateur, author, and television personality (you may have seen her as a head judge on both Iron Chef America and Next Iron Chef).

restaurant fairy malini, Mamma Egi and Mauro Maccioni and Donatella Arpaia at Circo in NYC, New York

Group photo with Donatella Arpaia, Mamma Egi and Mauro - Courtesy of Malini, The Restaurant Fairy

So, back to the other star of the evening: the main dish that gave the name to the menu is bollito misto, a Northern Italian stew that resembles to the pot-au-feu, a classic French dish. I was curious to see what similarities I would find when tasting it. But, although the centerpiece of this meal, bollito misto was not the only one dish. Of course, there is no Italian meal without any bread, all homemade:

bread basket at Circo in NYC, New York

With some olive oil instead of butter to dip the bread in:

Olive oil at Circo in NYC, New York

The first dish was Culatello Di Zibello, Mortadella Di Bologna, Parmigiano, Panzerotti, Mostarda or Antipasto Platter, Culatello Riserva, Mortadella di Bologna, Parmesan, Panzerotti Bread, Mustard Fruit:

Antipasti platter at Circo in NYC, New York

That was definitely a good way to start the meal.

Antipasti platter at Circo in NYC, New York

This was a pretty standard dish to start, but what was new for me was the Panzerotti bread, a deep fried parmesan bread that was so delicious I could have eaten it the entire evening!

Antipasti platter at Circo in NYC, New York

In addition to it, the candied fruits added a nice sweetness to counteract the sharp taste of the parmesan (nice quantity of it by the way). This definitely opened my appetite.

The second dish was Tortellini Mamma Egi or Handmade traditional Tortellini with Broth:

Tortellini Mamma Egi at Circo in NYC, New York

As Mamma Egi was next to me, I prayed that I would love this dish and not make a face, especially as she explained that she usually makes the tortellini for special guests and we were special! And guess what: I liked it!

Tortellini Mamma Egi at Circo in NYC, New York

The tortellini were cooked slightly al dente and were filled with a mix of meats and herbs that gave an incredible flavor that did not overshadow the delicious taste of these delicate pockets.

Then, came the Cappellaci Mantovani Con Zucca, Salvia, Saba or Pumpkin Cappellacci, Mantovana style, Butter, Sage, Saba Wine Sauce:

Pumpkin cappellacci at Circo in NYC, New York

Cappellacci are ravioli from the Province of Ferrara in Italy. Homemade, they were soft with a delicious filling. Overall, the dish had a nice bitterness as well as sweetness that I believe was enhanced by some brown sugar drizzled on top of the Cappellacci. This was really a sophisticated dish that I would definitely recommend to order if on the menu.

Then came the long awaited Bollito Misto:

Bollito Misto at Circo in NYC, New York

It came with different condiments such as salsa verde, candied fruits, sea salt and mustard seeds similar to a moutarde a l'ancienne.

Condiments for Bollito Misto at Circo in NYC, New York

The way you eat it is by adding the condiments, whichever you want, to the Bollito Misto. I first took each of these condiments and put them on the side of my plate to try each of them. Then, Mamma Egi grabbed the salsa verde and put a bit of it on the different pieces of meat that were on my plate, simply telling me: "Try this way, this is the way we do it". So I tried it this way! Before I explain what I though about the dish, let me tell you what was in there: there was capon and beef sausage, with vegetables, bathed in a light broth. At sight, I could see the similarities with the pot-au-feu, although, in a pot-au-feu, there is usually more vegetables and less varieties of meat. However, the concept and taste were very close, bringing me back to my childhood. I admit that, when I was a kid, I was not fond of this type of dishes. Maybe with the condiments, it would have been different, as they add a bit of fun and creativity in a way to the dish. My favorite piece of meat was the chicken and beef sausage: very tasty and comforting, Mamma Egi told me that she used to make it to make sure her sons would eat chicken. You can find the

recipe of the Bollito Misto from Mamma Egi's cookbook by clicking here

,  courtesy of the Maccioni Group.

Following the Bollito Misto, they served us dessert: Pere Cotte Al Vino Rosso Con Zabaione or Red Wine Poached Pear, Zabaglione:

red wine pear dessert at Circo in NYC, New York

Biscotti Fatti in Casa or Petit Fours:

biscotti dessert at Circo in NYC, New York

And we also tried Torta della Nonna con Gelato or Sable tart filled with vanilla cream with toasted pinoli nuts and cafe-latte gelato (not part of the Bollito Misto menu):

Torta de la Nonna at Circo in NYC, New York

The desserts were all good, making me wish that they would soon do the 1st Annual Dessert Week...

I ate them of course accompanied by an espresso!

This was a fantastic media event: the food was delicious and having the privilege to meet two members of one of the most iconic family of the food industry was priceless. The menu they propose for the 1st Annual Bollito Misto is a great opportunity to try dishes that go beyond the usual pizza and pasta dishes in an incredible setting, at a fair price $49.

Thank you to The Maccioni Family, The Maccioni Group, Chef Alfio Longo and Circo for having me!

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

Couple of weeks ago, we wanted to have dinner at L'Ybane (know that L'Ybane closed in 2018), close to Times Square, but the place was so packed that we decided to try Il Forno  Hell's Kitchen, an Italian restaurant that opened recently. 

When we arrived, the place was packed. And then, after 8pm, it was empty. The explanation: early diners eager to find a place to eat before their show.

Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

The place has an interesting decor: you get the impression you are eating at a terrace of a restaurant in the middle of a village in Italy. Pretty well done!

Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

Their menu proposes pretty common Italian dishes, such as pasta, risotto and pizette, that are small pizzas, enough for one person. Of course, that does not prevent you from sharing...

We decided to start with the warm caprese salad that was served with burrata instead of the usual mozzarella. 

Burrata Caprese salad at Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

Besides of the burrata, it was composed of cherry tomatoes and arugula, and dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It was good, fresh and creamy, but not worth the $14 price tag considering the quantity they served.

Black label pizza at Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

Then we ordered two pizettes. The first one was the black label, made with prosciutto black label, mozzarella, caramelized cippolini onions and basil.

Black label pizza at Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

The second one was the Margherita pizette.

margherita pizza at Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

In fact, they brought us first on with bacon and we sent it back as it was not what we ordered.

bacon pizza at Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

The pizette were good, being between a pizza and a flammekueche or tarte flambée. The black label was the best one, having a lot of flavors. The Margherita was just ok, missing a bit of cheese.

margherita pizza at Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

I have to mention that the food took forever to come and between the wrong dish sent and the wait, it kind of spoiled the experience, regardless of the torrent of excuses from the waiter. That explains also why I skipped dessert that day. So, would I go back? Maybe, but then to try pasta and risotto. For pizza, I would go to Capizzi that is few blocks from there and is far better!

Enjoy (...)!

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Villabate-Alba in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York

I admit that when I moved in the US, the only true Italian desserts I knew was the famous tiramisu. I do not recall having seen an Italian pastry shop, except in Marseille, South of France, when my parents used to go to this bakery to buy some Italian bread. For sure I traveled to Italy few times, but still, I can only remember the tiramisu or the gelato of course. Other desserts were unknown to me. Then I came to New York. My first cannoli was a disaster: not good at all and making me ignore this delicious pastry for many years, until Giorgio's in Hoboken.

So, on top of the usual excitement to discover a new place, I was excited to see what treasures Villabate-Alba had. This pastry shop and bakery is located in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, close to the Italian restaurant Il Colloseo that I posted last week. Believe it or not, but we went to these places the same day, hoping to optimize our time, sacrificing our diet...There, we got to meet with Anthony Alaimo, the son of Angelo Alaimo, who, with his other son Emanuele, started a bakery more than 30 years ago, naming it Villabate that is also the name of the town in Sicily they come from. Close by was a pastry shop called Alba. When the owner retired, he sold his shop to Angelo and that is how Villabate-Alba was born, merging the bakery and pastry shop altogether, making it the oldest in Brooklyn.

Villabate-Alba is not your small pastry shop and you may think, looking at the photo above, that it was quiet. It was not: I took this photo between two waves of customers. Yes, at some point it was packed and I cannot blame people who go there considering what this place has to offer.

When you enter, on the left, you cannot miss the gelato that they continue to offer, even if the temperature has dropped. I was glad to see that they have nocciola / Hazelnut that is my favorite flavor with praline, bringing me back few years ago, when Jodi and I were in Venice and Rome and had gelato everyday (keeps you hydrated!). 

Then is the counter where you can have a nice coffee with some pastries, or even breakfast.

When you go around the store, you see an incredible number of cakes, some looking amazing! Anthony told us that they also custom made cakes and showed us some of them that looked like edible works of art. They probably should get a show on TV (I guess this idea was already taken...).

The fruits below made with marzipan.

So we went at the counter where Anthony made us try few specialties. The first one was a Cassatella:

It is a white wine ravioli filled with ricotta (I should mention that their ricotta is imported from Sicily).

The shell was crispy and nicely sweet and the inside so smooth, it was divine.

In fact, it was perfect with an espresso.

Then we got to try some pignoli and some rainbow cookies.

The pignoli were fantastic: soft inside, not too sweet, it is perfect if you love almonds as the cookie is made with it.

The rainbow cookies, also made with almonds, were delicious because you definitely could tell that they were made with fresh ingredients and the strawberry really came through.

And then, when we thought it was time to go (to our next stop in Brooklyn...), Anthony brought us this:

It was very nice and generous of him and we could not refuse... So, we had to get a tasting.

Sfogliatelle:

The outside was definitely crispy with multiple thin layers; however, I did not like the inside that was made with sweet ricotta cheese and semolina: it was too heavy and dry for me.

Red velvet cake:

It was filled with cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar. That was a nice Italian version of the red velvet cake (that was perfectly moist by the way)

Cardone: cookie crust infused with ricotta cheese, dipped in liquid sugar, fondant and then dipped in almonds.

That was one of my favorites. It was crunchy, thanks to the almonds and the cookie, delicately sweet thanks to the fondant, but smooth, thanks to the ricotta.

Baba au rhum:

So, this is not an Italian pastry: more Polish. It is made of a light cake imbibed with rum. This one was good although slightly overcooked, but not dry at all (and I remind you that it was rum...).

Iris:

It was a delicious twisted roll with ricotta inside and topped with cinnamon sugar. I loved it: light and, again, not too sweet, it had this wonderful ricotta cream inside that paired well with the roll that was a bit airy. Second favorite!

Of course, the cannoli, filled with ricotta:

They were of a nice size. The shell was fresh and crispy and the filling divine, with a nice cinnamon touch. 

Napoleon:

This definitely looked like the French mille feuilles, but with a vanilla cream rather than a crème pâtissière. Sometimes, the icing is replaced by a thin layer of confectioner sugar, but, at Villabate-Alba, the icing looked and tasted similar to the one I am familiar with. I admit that I ate more of the top than the bottom part though... 

Zuppa Inglese horn:

The shell was similar to the sfogliatelle, crispy with lots of thin layers, and the inside had a very light cream that was delicious.

Foret noire slice:

First of all, this cake looked amazing. It was light and had several layers, alternating cream (strawberry or coffee for instance) and a very good and soft sponge cake. 

I am not sure what the next one is called, so I name it the Mandarin thrill:

It was a light cake with a quite good filling that had a nice mandarin taste.

Cassatini Siciliani:

It is a smaller version of the Sicilian Cassata, made with marzipan and filled with ricotta. This was my all time favorite and I had to battle with Jodi who, usually, does not like almonds...Strong recommendation!

The last cake was made with rainbow cookies and had a light strawberry mousse in the middle.

 I liked the rainbow cookie, but did not like the cream.

All these cookies were great and I just wished that they had a store in my neighborhood. Or maybe it is a blessing that I do not have one, because I would be there everyday, few times a day, all the time (hopefully I do not sound too creepy...). For a delicious and authentic Italian experience, Villabate-Alba is definitely recommended.

Enjoy (I surely did)!

Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own! 

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Il Colosseo in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York

Last week end, Jodi and I were invited to Il Colosseo (The Coliseum), and Italian restaurant located in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, that opened in 1991, at a time where the area was an all Italian neighborhood. There, we met with Giulio Mannino, the son of the owner, Lorenzo.  He gave us a bit of history about his family who comes from Sicily and explained to us that he worked in the restaurant business since age 14. He also told me that the dishes at the restaurant are straight or derived from family recipes.

When you enter the restaurant, there is first the bar area.

Then, you pass an arch to go tot the dining room with its open kitchen in the back.

There is definitely a feel that it is an old Italian restaurant where you would eat traditional dishes.

Also visible from the dining room is the wood fire brick oven where they make pizza.

Apparently, when they opened, they were the first to have such oven in Brooklyn. 

Giulio decided to make us try different dishes that are on the menu. We first started with the Misto Mare, an appetizer plate composed of octopus, shrimp and baked clams:

The octopus and shrimp (that were of a nice size) were deliciously grilled, giving them a nice char; simply grilled I should say, letting them be the star. The octopus, purchased from one of their friends in Bensonhurst, was perfectly tender that is not a given, and they served the full animal...

However, I did not like the baked clams: too much breading and I could barely taste the clam.

The next appetizer is a classic: calamari fritti or fried calamari.

It was good, maybe not the best I ever had, but good, the calamari itself not being rubbery. It came with a sauce that I guess was marinara, that was a bit watery.

Then, we tried their eggplant pizza or Pizza Melanzane, made in the brick oven.

After Capizzi recently, I am rediscovering eggplant pizza. Often, there is too much breading or the eggplant is cut so thin you cannot taste it. At Il Colosseo, it was big chunks of eggplant, so I could enjoy the texture as well as this particular taste this vegetable has, both smokey and sweet.

The crust of the pizza was nicely charred with a crispy outside and a soft center. There was also a nice amount of cheese on it. So it is definitely a great pizza to try.

After the pizza, we tried the pasta: penne a la vodka.

They gave us each half portions that we had a lot of food to try. I cannot imagine eating a full portion anyway by myself (although...).

Let me tell you: that sauce was fantastic! First of all, there was enough sauce, that is not always the case in restaurants. Second, they make it with fresh tomatoes and a touch of cream, so it is still light but tasty. I could have licked my plate (I think I did...).

The last dish was chicken Francese.

The way this dish is made is by dipping the breast (often pounded to make it thin) in flour and egg, cooked in a skillet and smothered by a light lemon sauce. At Il Colosseo, they dip the breast in butter and sauté it with white wine and lemon. When it came, you could definitely smell the white wine and lemon. The chicken was perfectly cooked and moist and the sauce was delicate, not overpowering. Nice dish if you like chicken.

After this feast, Giulio proposed to have some homemade desserts...How could we say no? We started off (or I should say finished?) with tiramisu.

That was a fantastic tiramisu! It was light and creamy. What is interesting about this dessert is that you will not find one identical tiramisu in pastry shops or restaurants: they all have their own recipe. At Il Colosseo, they add a bit of anisette to it. It was perfect with an espresso:

The second dessert was the Italian cheese cake, made with ricotta, of course.

When I tasted it, it reminded me a bit of a tourteau fromagé, a specialty from the Poitou-Charentes region in France, except that it did not have the thick shell, burnt on top, that the tourteau has. However, the texture, lightness, freshness and taste was very close. This is definitely not your regular cheese cake, the American version being denser. I really liked it, although between the two desserts we tasted, the tiramisu was my favorite.

This was definitely a delicious meal: if you are looking for traditional Italian dishes that will transport you to Italy, Il Colosseo is a good spot for you!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

L'allegria in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

There are times when, as soon as you enter in a restaurant, you get this feeling that you probably should have passed on it. It was what I felt at L'Allegria. The manager was outside and asked us to follow us inside, so far, nothing unusual. But then, he did not even hold the door, called somebody and left. As soon as we got seated, we heard a big noise and it was one of their customers pounding his fist at the table because something was wrong. We were too far to hear what the problem was, but there were four staff members surrounding him. It calmed down quickly, but Jodi and I were wondering what we were doing there! After a while, a waitress came to us, bringing us the menus. At least she was courteous, not like most if the staff that was not making us feel welcome. 

We ordered our food and had enough time to look at the 1970 decor of the restaurant. Yes, it clearly did not look modern! 

They also brought some bread that was most likely made with the same dough as the pizza and cooked in the same oven:

It came with some tasteless olive oil and some balsamic vinegar that had a consistency that made me think that it probably sat in that oil for a while...

We decided to order their Margherita pizza with fresh mozzarella. 

It was a six slice pie that had some cherry tomatoes and fresh basil as well.

What a disappointment: the thin crust was not crispy and was not even at the level of a NYC pizza joint and I am wondering where is the brick oven they advertise!!! Imagine that for the same price, this is what you get at Luzzo's:

Clearly no comparison! 

We also ordered the eggplant parmesan: 

It was good, with lots of cheese and a nice tomato sauce, but a bit pricey. 

This was not a great experience and I would certainly not go back there for their pizza! Hell's Kitchen has so much better to offer that I would never think going back to L'Allegria. For a good Italian restaurant in that area, try Capizzi!

Enjoy (...)!

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Pizza at Capizzi in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

I was recently invited to Capizzi, a Pizza and Wine Bar located in Hell's Kitchen, right behind Port Authority. Capizzi gets its name from a town in Sicily, where the owner's grandparents and mother are coming from. The location is definitely not ideal, most of the people going up of 42nd street to find restaurants.

There, we met with Joseph "Joe" Calcagno (left), who explained to us that he wanted the restaurant to feel like home, like it was at his grandmother (Nonna in Italian). 

That is why the wall is full of artifacts coming from his grandma, as well as photos of Joe's family, one of them being 7 years old Joe with his dad Paul. Joe's father and grandfather have been in the restaurant industry, making it somewhat natural to follow their footsteps.

He also placed some elements that remind him his family and childhood, such as the refrigerator that was similar to the one his grandma had. In the back of the room, is the kitchen where you can see them prepare the pizza, throwing the dough in the air to shape it.

Joe wanted the kitchen to be open so people can see what is going on. Looking carefully, there are few things you can notice. First is the wood burning oven that cooks pizza at more than 800 degrees for approximately 2 minutes.

You definitely feel the heat when you are close to it! Second is what is hanging in the kitchen.

Yes, it is peppers that you see drying there. Because at Capizzi, there are plenty of things that are made on premises and not bought dry, such as crushed red pepper.

Or oregano:

Joe told us that most of the dishes of his menu are made from fresh ingredients. He prides himself in buying the best products he can find so his customers can enjoy some great quality food, similar to how it was when he was a kid: what they were buying had to be the best, even if it meant going in different stores to find it. As he puts it: "One bakery might have the best bread, but not the best cake".

After we sat and Joe went to the kitchen, one of his staff member who did not know that Joe was taking care of us, started to describe the menu so we could order. We truly appreciated the fact that he knew the dishes and described it in a way that made us want to order most of it; it is always frustrating when you go to a restaurant, ask questions about the food and realize that the staff has no idea what it is or how it is made. Later, Joe explained that he eats with his staff, meals being a good opportunity to discuss matters of the restaurant, as well as knowing each and every dish.

My drink of choice that evening was their homemade sangria that I was curious to try; it had a nice fruity taste and was made with a blend of wines. Dangerous drink for sure as it is the kind that you would drink like you would drink milk.

So, it was time to try the food! We started off with arancini, that are fried rice balls that are breaded.

There were two kinds: red peppers and spinach & cheese. Both were really good and not dry. I admit that my favorite was the red peppers one, although the spinach one, with all the cheese in it was fantastic too.

Then, we got their arugula salad that is one of their best sellers. It was composed of arugula, tomatoes, goat cheese, walnuts, cranberries, onions and green apples.

Although a bit overdressed (the dressing was made of olive oil and balsamic vinegar), it was a delicious dish, that married sweet and tart flavors perfectly. It was fresh and had a nice crunch thanks to the tomatoes, and mainly to the green apples.

The third appetizer was burrata.

They do not make the burrata at Capizzi and they buy from one of Joe's friends. It was simply dressed with olive oil, so creamy and delicious; the vegetables (tomatoes, peppers and artichokes) as well as the speck were a perfect addition to it. 

Then came the pizza. The first one was the margherita pizza.

As Joe explained, all pizza use San Marzano tomatoes, Mozzarella and Italian olive oil. However, Joe uses American flour, simply because he prefers. He in fact characterized his pizza to be between Neapolitan and American. The margherita was delicious: moist, there was a lot of cheese on it.

The second pizza was made with speck, arugula and four different cheeses: pecorino, provolone, parmesan and mozzarella. 

Similar to the margherita pizza, the outside was puffed up and it had a nice char. The crust had a slight crunch that faded in the center.

The speck was crispy, rendering some additional saltiness to the pizza.

Again there, there was a lot of cheese.

The third pizza was the eggplant parmesan.

I admit that, when Joe asked if we liked it, I said yes, mainly for Jodi as it is one of her favorite, but also to be polite. Well, I was pleased that we got it: it was the best eggplant parmesan pizza I ever had. I know it is a bold statement, but I will explain to you why: most of the time, you barely taste the eggplant, there is too much breading and it is oily. At Capizzi, they roast the vegetables in the morning and then put them on the pizza right before cooking it for two minutes in the oven, retaining the moisture and ensuring that the vegetables on the pizza are cooked. So, there was no breading and the taste of the roasted eggplant came through deliciously.

The fourth and last pizza was made with pepperoni and sausage:

Imagine that Jodi, who does not really like sausage and pepperoni loved it! It was definitely high quality meat: tasty and not oily at all, it had a nice kick. 

For sure, we could not eat all these delicious pizza and brought some home...

But Joe really wanted us to try their homemade desserts and we could not say no (it would have been rude, right?).

It was composed of:

Mini cannoli:

Tiramisu:

Pannacotta:

All of the desserts were really good: light and not too sweet. My favorite was the pannacotta that had a great texture, a bit denser than a flan.

I finished the meal with an espresso:

As well as some homemade lemonade that was nicely acid and not too sweet.

Talking to Joe was a real pleasure because we could feel the passion for what he does and the importance he attaches to the quality of his food. One may think that Capizzi is pricey , but taking into consideration the ingredients used, I do not think so. Think about it: why do we accept to pay $15 for a burger? Because we expect the meat to be of better quality. Same applies to any food and why not to pizza. If you are not ready to pay the price, there are plenty of $1 slice pizza around, but you will get what you pay for and it will not be the same quality as Capizzi.

Enjoy (I did)! 

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Please note that I was contacted directly by the restaurant or a PR and that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

My nephew culinary visit: day 8 / part 1: Italian sandwiches at M&P Biancamano in Hoboken, NJ

Next stop with Valentin was M&P Biancamano in Hoboken. Why? Well, first to try a good Italian sandwich and then, because we discovered this place recently and loved it!

First of all, it is not a restaurant, but a deli with few tables next to the entrance if you cannot wait to inhale your sandwich and shelves full of food, mainly Italian, from Pasta to Olive oil to panettone. 

But it is in the back that the whole operation to create fantastic sandwiches takes place and you cannot miss the huge pieces of charcuterie hanging from the ceiling, promising some fresh cuts of meat!

The owners, Terry and Peter were there to serve us each time, very courteous and ready to help us if were not sure what to order, making the experience enjoyable and highlighting the fact that it is a family business, a sort of neighborhood shop that makes you feel welcome.

Looking at Peter slicing the meat is always a fascinating, considering how generous he is with the portions. Yes, their sandwiches are huge! The first time we did not know and ordered the one with ham, prosciutto, salami, sopressata, Swiss cheese, lettuce and tomatoes with a balsamic vinegar dressing. There was so much meat that we could not even close the sandwich and shared held for lunch and half for dinner! But this is not it: it costed us less than $18 with chips!

So, of course we went back there! And this time we got curious about the mozzarella that they make themselves and has been nominated "Best Mutz in Hoboken" last January, in a competition at the Elks Club. This time, we decided to order only half a sandwich, but when I saw it on the plate(s), I was wondering if it was really half; Peter confirmed!

Valentin went for prosciutto, fresh mozzarella and roasted peppers:

I went for mortadella, salami and mozzarella:

For sure, the quantities were again generous, creating massive half sandwiches! Imagine that these two sandwiches with two sodas costed us $19.50!

They were delicious: soft bread (they have a crispy one that I never tried), fantastic mozzarella that was soft and smooth (as opposed to rubbery), with high quality of meat.

This might look rustic, but there is no better place for such good sandwiches! I am now officially a big fan of M&P Biancamano!

Enjoy (I did)!



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Motorino pizza in the East Village, NYC, New York

With a name like Motorino, who would have thought it was a pizza place? One would have thought it was related to an automobile or motorbike! Yes, Motorino is indeed a pizza place that started in 2008 in Williamsburg and opened some outposts in the East Village and...Hong Kong!

We found it while going to Luzzo's that is so far my favorite for Neapolitan pizza. So my expectations were high!!!

The place seems small from outside, but it can cater to a reasonable number of customers. The decor is simple and you cannot miss the beautiful pressed-metal ceiling. 

In the back is the kitchen, with the wood fire oven where they cook their pizza. 

The menu is small and you will not find there twenty different types of pizza. They also have a short list of appetizers, but know that their meatballs are apparently only available after 2pm (we went there for brunch and wanted to try them...They should mention that on the menu!). 

So, the pizza are small size pies, 4 slices, similar in size, if not slightly smaller from the pizza that you would get in France for one person. 

We decided to try the Margherita pizza:

It is a simple pie, made with tomato sauce (probably raw when preparing the pizza considering the color and taste), mozzarella di bufala (my favorite), basil and olive oil. There, they also add pecorino cheese. 

Pizza might be the only dish when burnt is welcome and the outside of the pizza had a fantastic char and bubbles that made it extremely appetizing! I loved it: the ingredients tasted fresh and the crust, with (again) its char, although floppy, was deliciously crispy.

The second pizza we tried was their brunch pizza! Pizza Al'Uovo or pizza with an egg!

I think it is a great idea to marry the pizza with one of the favorite meal of many people: brunch! It was made of fior di latte (mozzarella from cow milk), an egg, basil, smoked pancetta, pecorino, basil (nice amount) and chili oil.

There again, fantastic char and bubbles, floppy but crispy crust. The egg was perfectly cooked, the yolk being a bit runny (I dipped the pizza in it). This was full of flavors, from the smokiness of the pancetta to the kick the chili oil gave to the dish, as well as the fresh basil. This was a great pizza!

I loved the pizza there and will definitely go back to try some other one. Maybe for dinner so I can have the meatballs! Motorino is definitely on the top of my list, after Luzzo's, for Neapolitan pizza!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Ice cream at Il Laboratorio Del Gelato in NYC, New York

Gelato always reminds me of our trip to Italy few years ago where we had gelato on a daily basis! Coconut for Jodi and Hazelnut or nutella for me! I remember that, at the time, it costed 2 Euros and we had a huge amount of it!

So, here we are at Il Laboratorio Del Gelato or the Ice Cream Laboratory. 

They did a good job making it look like a laboratory where they experiment and create incredible ice cream such as olive oil or tarragon! I tried the olive oil ice cream and it was fairly good, with sufficient taste of olive oil.

Jodi decided to order coconut and marshmallow:

I went for cookies and cream, and chocolate and hazelnut:

I liked the marshmallow and cookies and cream ice cream: they were creamy and tasty, the cookies and cream having some decent chunks of oreo cookie. But I was extremely disappointed by the chocolate and hazelnut one: you could barely taste the hazelnut and the chocolate was a bit bitter. When I ordered it, I thought it would be similar to nutella: not at all! 

Then, for the first time, I saw Jodi not eat her coconut ice cream! I tried it and it is true that it was lacking coconut taste.

At the end, I am on the fence for Il Laboratorio Del Gelato and may go back to try other flavors. At this point, I still think that Eataly or Grom are better.

Enjoy (...)!

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An Italian Culinary Experience with Casa Vinicola Zonin and Osteria Del Circo!

An Italian Culinary Experience with Casa Vinicola Zonin and Osteria Del Circo!

I was recently invited by Casa Vinicola Zonin for an Italian Culinary Experience. This is my second event of that sort and I admit that I love it, because it is not only about the wine, but also about the marriage of wine and food. This time, the wine was paired with the food from Osteria Del Circo, one of the many restaurants from the Maccioni family. If you are a foodie, this name cannot be totally unknown! They own few restaurants, the iconic one being Le Cirque! And we got the privilege to meet with one of the Maccioni brothers: Marco. We even spoke with him after the event, for couple of minutes and he was very nice! During the evening, organized at The International Culinary Center, he entertained us with great stories from his family, and making me realizing how big Le Cirque is, considering how many renown Chefs worked there, from Francois Payard, Jacques Torres, Daniel Boulud or Geoffrey Zakarian. The way Marco told these stories, you could feel that he was proud and it was not pretentious at all, making us forget that we were at a marketing event, and giving us the impression that we were invited at some friends' gathering and Marco was one of the guests. 

Osteria Del Circo

Interesting enough, he presented Osteria Del Circo as the anti-Le Cirque, giving as an example the fact that you have to wear a tie at Le Cirque and not at Osteria Del Circo. We saw few years ago a documentary called

A Table in Heaven

, where the brothers tried to persuade their father not to impose such a formal attire. We mentioned it to Marco whose reaction was "Oh God!"...  

Also present was the Casa Vinicola Zonin crew, Jelena, Paolo and Francesco, as well as Chef Alfio Longo who is the executive chef of the kitchen at Osteria Del Circo.

An Italian Culinary Experience with Casa Vinicola Zonin and Osteria Del Circo!

A student from the ICC, Chef Alfio Longo, Marco Maccioni, Francesco Rabellino and Jelena  Meisel

(Paolo, where were you???)

Chef Longo has an interesting story: born in Germany to an Italian family, he was raised in a small town close to Florence called Pistoia. After developing a culinary passion and studying at the F. Martini Culinary & Hotel Management & Tourism Institute in Montecatini where he graduated in 1998, he worked in famous restaurants in Italy. In 2003, as a sous Chef at Uno Piu Restorante in Montecatini, he impressed Sirio Maccioni and his family so much, who were spending the summer there as it was their hometown, that they proposed him a job! After many tribulations and travels around the world, he was appointed Executive Chef at Osteria Del Circo in New York City.

An Italian Culinary Experience with Casa Vinicola Zonin and Osteria Del Circo!

So, with such a cast, we were ready for this long awaited Italian Culinary Experience! 

An Italian Culinary Experience with Casa Vinicola Zonin and Osteria Del Circo!

We started off with canapés, one bite food. The first one was tomatoes and mozzarella:

tomato and mozzarella at Osteria Del Circo in NYC, New York

Then, my favorite: prosciutto wrapped figs!

prosciutto wrapped figs at Osteria Del Circo in NYC, New York

This was simple, but heavenly good, with the saltiness of the prosciutto and the sweetness of the fig complementing each other.

After, smoked salmon canapés:

smoked salmon canape at Osteria Del Circo in NYC, New York

This was a fantastic way of preparing our palates for what would be an incredible experience! These canapés were served with Zonin Prosecco, which was also the welcome drink.

Prosecco from Casa Vinicola Zonin

Then came the first dish: Vitello Tonnato, salasa verde and capperi or veal tenderloin, tuna sauce, salsa verde and capers:

veal tenderloin, tuna sauce, salsa verde and capers at Osteria Del Circo in NYC, New York

The way the Chef prepared it was by cooking the veal in boiling water for one hour, making it moist and tender, then cutting it carpaccio style. He will then roll it around the marinated canned tuna mixed with aioli (to simplify, mayonnaise with garlic) and capers. The salsa verde was made with parsley, mint and avocado.

This was a surprising dish in the sense that I never had meat and tuna together. Canned tuna and mayo does not scream elegance, but I think the Chef succeeded in elevating the dish and make it elegant. I really liked the different flavors and wanted more of the salsa verde that was not too overpowering, added some freshness and let the other components of the dish shine.

Vermentino Calasole Rocca Di Montemassi 2011 from Casa Vinicola Zonin

It was paired with a glass of Vermentino Calasole Rocca Di Montemassi 2011, a dry white wine, tangy and crisp.

The second dish was Pasta Paccheri All Anatra, Zucca and Funghi or Del verde paccheri pasta, with braised duck, butternut squash and mushrooms:

Del verde paccheri pasta, with braised duck, butternut squash and mushrooms at Osteria Del Circo in NYC, New York

It was a very hearty dish, made with pasta that I never tried before! Chef Longo picked this pasta, not only because they are not common, but also because he wanted thick pasta to go with the duck ragout which had robust flavors. Chef Longo cooked the duck in red wine and vegetables (celery, carrots and onion) for three hours. That is true that the pairing with the thick pasta, as well as the butternut squash was perfect to add a bit of texture and the latter added a nice sweetness, subtle, but nice.

The wine served with it was my favorite of the night and will be in store in approximately a month: Berengario Zonin.

Berengario Zonin from Casa Vinicola Zonin

This wonderful wine from Northern Italy is made of grapes from merlot and cabernet sauvignon, named after the first king of Italy.

Dry and soft, it was perfect with the bold flavor of the ragout.

The next dish was Trippa classic con crostone ai carciofi or Italian-style tripe with a gratiné artichoke bruschetta:

Italian-style tripe with a gratiné artichoke bruschetta at Osteria Del Circo in NYC, New York

It has been so long I did not have tripe and I was very excited to try that dish! It is a traditional dish where the tripe is cooked for four hours in tomato sauce. It smelled very good and the first bite was divine. The tripe was not chewy and perfectly cooked and the sauce had a robust flavor,  counterbalanced by the bruschetta (first eat the tripe, then the bruschetta); another hearty dish for sure.

It was served with a glass of Chianti: Classico Le Ellere Castello D'Albola 2009.

Classico Le Ellere Castello D'Albola 2009 from Casa Vinicola Zonin

This was another great red wine (yes, the bottle is empty, but it is not my fault!). The way they describe it is: 

"Offers a medium red ruby color and a perfumed light cherry nose with touches of toast. The wine finishes soft with round tannins and dry sweet fruit flavors".

That was perfect for this dish that was rich and had strong flavors.

Last was the dessert: tiramisu!

tiramisu at Osteria Del Circo in NYC, New York

If there is one thing that an Italian restaurant must make perfectly is tiramisu and Chef Longo made one that I will remember for a while!!! It was amazingly delicious: creamy, with the right balance of ingredients, with the perfect amount of coffee and not too sweet. In fact, they paired it with a glass of Rosato Castello Del Poggio that we tried the last time, which was a great choice for this dessert.

Rosato Castello Del Poggio from Casa Vinicola Zonin

This wine is made with a blend of moscato bianco and pinot noir grapes. I love the way their describe the bouquet and flavor:

"Fruity and floral, with delicate rose and exotic fruit scents.Fresh and pleasantly sweet with a taste that reveals its varietal characteristic".

An Italian Culinary Experience with Casa Vinicola Zonin and Osteria Del Circo!

Thank you to the Casa Vinicola Zonin, Osteria Del Circo, Delverde pasta USA and the International Culinary Center for hosting us: this was a great evening that not only allowed us to discover some great wine and food, but also to learn more about one of the iconic families of the culinary world in this country.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Please note that, in accordance with the FTC guidelines, I must disclose that I was contacted directly by the restaurant or a PR and that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

Luzzo's in NYC, New York

After discovering Luzzo's during one of Scott's Pizza Tours, we were eager to go back to try some other pizzas! Just thinking about the slice we got the first time we tried it, I am still drooling!

So we went back twice, on Sundays. The staff was very courteous and sat us at a table close to the back room. We could not not notice the paintings that were upside down and when we ask the waiter, he simply said: "look, everything is upside down!". In fact it was. Interesting decor I have to say!!!

In the two times we went, we tried the following dishes: meatballs appetizer.

It came in a thick tomato sauce that was divine: slow cooked, it had a fully bodied flavor. A bit salty though. The thickness was perfect to stick to the perfectly made and moist meatballs.

Fortunately, they gave us a nice soft focaccia bread that we ate with the sauce and with the olive oil that is on all tables. It was heaven!!!

Then we tried the eggplant parmesan appetizer or Parmigiana di Melanzane:

That was a great dish! Not greasy, the eggplant were skin on; often, the skin is removed because it can have some bitterness. This was not the case. Also, the eggplant was not breaded, maybe to let that succulent vegetable be the star of the dish. And for sure it was! I think it is a good idea to offer that dish as an appetizer and that portion is perfect for sharing.

Then, we got the Tartufata Pizza. 

It was made of tomato sauce, truffle paste, mozzarella di buffala and basil leaves. You could definitely smell the truffle but it was similar in a way to the one we had last time (pizza di buffala); not that it was bad, because it was a stunning pizza: the crust, very thin, was a bit crunchy although floppy, with this heavenly good char taste, especially on the outside. 

The other pizza we tasted was the 4 formaggi pizza or 4 cheese pizza!

The 4 cheese pizza is one of my favorites when I eat pizza. Hey, do not forget that I come from the country of cheeses! The cheeses were gorgonzola, mozzarella, ricotta and parmesan. There was no tomato sauce.

It was perfect: they are not cheap on the amount of cheese and there was a perfect balance as too much gorgonzola can overpower other cheeses. It was also creamy. To conclude: a must have!

I am definitely a big fan of that place! They have great pizzas and I cannot wait to go back to try their homemade pasta! 

Enjoy (I did)!

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Italian dinner at Giano in the East Village - NYC, New York

I was recently invited to a Press dinner at Giano, an Italian restaurant located in the East Village that opened more than 5 years ago by two Italian guys, Paolo Rossi (the wine director) and Matteo Niccoli (the Chef). They are both from Milan, but met in New York. The place is interesting: looking for sure like a wine bar, with all the bottles on the walls, they push the concept of the name in the design of the restaurant. Yes, Giano is the Italian from Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and transitions, thence also of gates, doors, passages, endings and time.... If you carefully look at the logo of the restaurant, you will see two profiles: one looking to the past and one to the future. 

The place is kind of designed the same way, with a first room that is modern (the future):

The exposed brick wall definitely adds some warmth to the place and you may notice the wine bottles 

adjacent to the modern 12 foot long bar:

Note the bar top that is made from sea salt from Italy!

And the second dining room representing the past that had a more rustic feel accentuated by the wooden tables, bench and chairs. 

Both rooms are separated by red ropes:

I was wondering if it was to represent the voyage between the different eras...

They also have a nice garden for approx. 20 tables, that maybe, in my own interpretation, represents the present. 

At Giano, Chef Matteo Niccoli crafts an all Italian Menu, taking some traditional dishes and elevating them as you will see later in this post. I think one the main thing to know is that they make their own pasta. This is definitely a plus for an Italian restaurant (of course, they have to make them well!!!). Making boxed pasta is fine, but then you need to serve it with a killer sauce, otherwise, I can do it myself at home!!! Know that Chef Niccoli is also a pastry Chef and therefore, all desserts are made at Giano.

So, it was time for us to start, after enjoying a nice glass of Prosecco served by co-owner and wine director Paolo Rossi:

Prosecco was my drink of choice that night, but I had a look at their wine list made up of mostly Italian wines.

After having some bread and olive oil, we started with the first appetizers tasting. It was made of three dishes. The first one was Crocchette di ricotta e tonno:

The description says it all: "creamy and crunchy tuna and ricotta croquettes with arugula salad and balsamic reduction".

Oh yes: it was creamy and crunchy. If you like fish, it is a good appetizer for you because of the slightly pronounced tuna taste. But what I loved the most was this fantastic crunch!

The next dish was Polenta e Funghi:

It was a crispy polenta served with sautéed mushrooms. The mushrooms were spectacular, hearty with some delicious cheese on top. But, I did not really like the polenta: it was a bit bland and I wished it was a creamy polenta instead.

The last appetizer was Polpette al pomodoro gratinate or meatball with tomato sauce:

The meatball, made with grass fed beef, was delicious and moist. I really liked that dish. It was my favorite of all the appetizers.

After this appetizers tasting, came the pasta tasting. I was really looking for it as the pasta are made on premises! They were all place on one plate, but I admit that I started with the Gnocchi ai 4 formaggi or homemade potato gnocchi with a four cheese sauce because I love cheese! Probably a French thing!

These gnocchi were fantastic: light and not potato-y. They were bathed in a spectacular four cheese sauce that was very creamy, probably thanks to the taleggio cheese they use. The other cheeses were gorgonzola, fontina and parmesan. If like me you love cheese, this is the right choice for you.

Then, I tried a very interesting dish: Bigoli al ragu d'agnello e noci tostate or homemade medieval spaghetti with slow cooked braised lamb ragout and toasted walnut powder.

Bigoli are close to bucatini pasta, but are thicker; the other difference is that bucatini is like a tube and these were not. These pasta date from the 1400s and, at that time, were not made with eggs because eggs were used too precious and used for bartering. At that time, they were served with a ragout made of all sorts of part of animals, leftovers I would say, such as liver, heart...Well, Chef Niccoli succeeded in making it a great dish. What I truly appreciated was the fact that there was a right amount of ragu, letting this delicious pasta shine!

The last pasta dish was Tonnarelli con colatura d'alici or homemade quare spaghetti with "colatura" (anchovy sauce), panko and parsley:

This was an original dish, maybe the most original in fact, but I did not like it because of the anchovy sauce that overpowered the entire dish. I like anchovies, but it was too much for me.

Then, for the main dishes, we started off with Baccala alla livornese con polenta:

It was a pan seared cod fillet (fresh) with tiny tomatoes, black olives, capers and crispy polenta. The Chef told us that he is sometimes using salmon for the dish. I was happy to have that perfectly cooked piece of cod! It was flaky and moist, with a silky texture. I really liked eating the fish with the tomatoes, olives and capers, although I would have liked much more of it, because it complemented the fish so well. However I passed on the crispy polenta that was similar to what was served with the mushrooms in the appetizers.

The last dish before dessert was exciting considering that I love meat...

It was Filetto al balsamico con pancetta e cipolle or Balzamic glazed filet mignon served with basil mashed potatoes, crispy pancetta and braised onions.

This looked really good and you could not miss the bright green color of the basil mash potatoes that was very original and delicious! Smooth texture with a fantastic basil taste. I also liked the onion and crispy pancetta that I ate with and without the steak. It had a nice sweetness and a tiny bit of smokiness.

The steak was good, juicy and tender, but slightly overcooked for me.

Last, was dessert! We got two in fact!

The one on the left was a cappuccino. It was made of homemade coffee gelato, layered wafer cookie and a ricotta, cinnamon and coffee foam.

This was a great interpretation of a cappuccino! The coffee taste was not too pronounced so if like me you like (bleed) coffee but do not always like coffee desserts, this is the perfect choice. The best part of it was the foam that was not too sweet and addictive.

On the right of the plate was the tiramisu:

This is a classic Italian dessert and if an Italian restaurant makes a bad tiramisu, it says it all! Well, the tiramisu at Giano was delicious: light, not too sweet, with enough creaminess from the mascarpone. I finished it for sure!

I was stuffed at the end of tasting! We had a great time at Giano, a restaurant with a nice atmosphere and definitely a neighborhood vibe that make that place warm and inviting.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Please note that, in accordance with the FTC guidelines, I must disclose that I was contacted directly by the restaurant or a PR and that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own! 

Dinner at Incognito Bistro in NYC, New York

This week, I was invited at Incognito Bistro in the Flatiron District for a press dinner. I was very intrigued by the description of the restaurant: "Roman with Scottish flair"! I was already imagining some strange fusion dishes like black pudding lasagna or haggis pizza. It is not the case: the Chef, who is from Scotland, introduced a Scottish corner, featuring some traditional dishes that I was lucky to try that evening.

So here I am at Incognito Bistro, greeted by the owners, Adriana Moretti and Chef Paolo Montana, with a glass of prosecco. Both of them are Scottish Italian (on top of that, Paolo having an Irish mother), raised in Glasgow, explaining why there is this "Scottish flair". Right away, I understand that it will be a fun dinner thanks to their personalities that made me feel like I was eating dinner at a friend's home!

Chef Paolo Montana (Press photo)

One particularity of the restaurant is that it is the only one in New York City to showcase the Italian Tartan from designer Michael Lemetti, that brings together the Italian and Scottish cultures (there are more than 60,000 Scottish with Italian roots in Scotland). So, if you go to Incognito Bistro, look at the ties of the staff!

Italian Tartan (Press photo)

The restaurant has three sections: the bar with a warm and casual feel.

The main dining room, with a more elegant setting and an impressive wraparound champagne color banquette. 

Then, a smaller room, with 40 seats, perfect for private parties or for celebrities to be apart from the regular crowd and the autograph chasers! The walls are covered with either abstract paintings from Patricia Moretti, Adriana's mother, or beautiful black and white photographs of European dining scenes.

In the back, is the kitchen that I got the chance to see.

Yes, it is the base of a pizza that you see and pizza was in fact the first course!

It was a fennel and mushroom pizza with roasted tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. The crust was thin and crispy, a bit puffed up on the outside. What I love the most was the freshness of the vegetables and I truly appreciated that it was fresh mushrooms, and lots of them! I was a bit worried at the beginning that the fennel would be overpowering, but it was not the case at all. Last point to mention: there was a lot of mozzarella! 

The second dish was braised octopus:

I love octopus! I admit that I was secretly hoping they would serve it after reading the menu at home! This dish was made with capers, anchovies, olives, black beans (what? Black beans in an Italian dish?) and a tomato broth. The octopus was very good and tender. The overall dish is pretty successful with different components that, although can have pronounced flavors, like the capers or anchovies, work well together. For sure, they add some saltiness to the dish, a bit much, but it is easily forgotten. 

Then we got the beef carpaccio, served with rucola, parmigiano cheese and truffle essence.

When the dish came, my nose immediately picked up the truffle essence. You probably wonder, like me, what truffle essence is compared to truffle oil? Truffle essence is a synthetic concoction recreating the scent and taste of real truffle oil. For that reason, you get it for a cheaper price. At least, to write on the menu that it is truffle essence is honest and know that lots of oils named "truffle oil" are also made synthetically instead of being truly infused with truffles. 

I liked the presentation of the carpaccio: nice colors with a bit of marbling on the thin sliced beef. I liked it, but would have like a bit more oil on the plate or at least on the rucola.

Then, they served us s nice red Italian wine: a Montepulciano.

The next dish was a soup made with roasted tomatoes, tuscan bread and...Greek olive oil!

I loved it! It was a very comforting dish that combined successfully the robust savor of the roasted tomatoes with the sweetness of the olive oil. Unfortunately, this dish is not on the menu and was only the soup of the day! I would definitely put it on the menu!

Then came the first Scottish dish: Highland Haggis!

Haggis is in fact considered The National dish of Scotland. The definition on Wikipedia is for sure not as appealing as the photo can be:

"Haggis is a savoury pudding containing sheep's pluck (heart, liver and lungs); minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally encased in the animal's stomach and simmered for approximately three hours". 

The one from Chef Paolo was made of: lamb sausage (with oats - Mc Cann's Irish oatmeal brand that we could see in the kitchen from the dining room!), turnips, creamed potatoes and whisky jus. Now, forget the definition I just gave you! This dish was very good and the Chef succeeded in making an elegant version of it! Although we had a smaller quantity because it was a tasting, I found it light with a nice balance of flavors. The whisky jus was perfect: the alcohol content was reduced so it did not overwhelm the dish and definitely contributed to the success of the dish.

Then we had a pasta tasting. Interestingly, only few pastas are homemade: the ravioli and capellini if I remember. For the others, they use Barilla pasta. Adriana told us that is because the taste of al dente pasta is different between homemade and boxed pasta and they have been raised with the boxed one so prefer it. 

It was composed of:

Butternut squash ravioli, mascarpone sauce and green peas:

Believe it or not, but the part I liked the most was the sauce! Rich and creamy, with a smooth taste. Adding the peas gave some texture. The ravioli was ok for me: a bit too thick, it sometimes overshadowed the delicious butternut squash filling.

The risotto - afumicato:

What was interesting about this dish is that everybody was trying to figure out where the bacon was as it was smokey. We were all wrong: this dish is vegetarian and the smokiness was coming from the cheese! It was good, but I am not sure I could eat a full plate of it.

Piccante:

That was my favorite pasta dish and apparently a very popular one at Incognito bistro! It was penne pasta with crumbled sweet sausage, marinara sauce, chilies and ricotta. The penne were cooked al dente and that rich sauce was to die for! Yes, it was rich and spicy, with bold flavors, but comforting at the same time. Definitely a dish I recommend!

Then came another wonderful dish: the Isle of Skye scallops:

It was for sure a big piece of scallop and what you see on the left is the roe, that is most of the time served in Europe, but not in the US. It has a very rich, smooth and sweet taste. I finished it first! Then on the right was the scallop: perfectly cooked, it had this fantastic parmesan crust that added some crunch and salt to the scallop. It rested on a nice creamy bed of mashed potatoes. This was a very elegant and rich dish: another favorite!

The scallops were paired with a glass of Chardonnay:

Then, for the last entree, we had another taste of Scottish cuisine: Ayrshire pork with Stornoway black pudding, apple julienne, a sort of twice baked slice of potato, some caramelized onions and a grain mustard sauce.

The Stornoway black pudding (Stornoway is a city in Scotland) is a blood sausage. Interesting to see all the different versions of blood sausages across Europe: from Black pudding to boudin noir in France or morcilla in Spain. There are also different texture: from soft to dry. This was deliciously dry and homemade. The pork was perfectly cooked, tender and moist, perfect with a bit of caramelized onions for some sweetness or with just some grain mustard sauce that was very tasty. This was another Scottish dish that I appreciated!

At this point, I started to be very full...But I could not refuse some dessert, especially after seeing this:

I had two favorites, although all were good: first was the chocolate torte with a salted caramel sauce.

It was a soft and creamy chocolate cake that paired very well with the caramel, and the combination was not too sweet. But rich! This is the kind of dessert that chocolate lovers would appreciate.

The second favorite is called a cranachan:

It is a mascarpone cream with meringue and toasted oats, served with a wonderful berry compote:

It was like pairing something delicate (the mascarpone cream, smooth and light) with something bolder (the compote), the first one neutralizing a bit the sweetness of the second. 

The two other desserts were more traditional: 

The tiramisu:

The tiramisu was more like a cake than the creamy version I sometimes encounter in Italian restaurant. It was pretty light and, similar to all the desserts I tried at Incognito Bistro, not too sweet.

And last was the panna cotta:

The vanilla panna cotta was firm and gelatinous. Again, not too sweet and not a heavy dessert.

Desserts were served with a deliciously sweet moscato wine.

This was a fantastic tasting: great presentation and great taste. I liked both the Italian and Scottish dishes, although I do not know how many people will go for the Scottish ones: with a name like Incognito, people will probably be ready for an all Italian meal. But you never know! If you ask me, the Scottish dishes are worth trying!

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!


Please note that, in accordance with the FTC guidelines, I must disclose that I was contacted directly by the restaurant or a PR and that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!