Carbone

Oh, what a night!
I had such a memorable and fun dining experience the other night at Carbone, the brand new, hottest ticket in town, old school Italian restaurant in the old Rocco space on Thompson Street. Carbone is brought to you from the boys over at the extremely successful and delicious Torrisi Italian Specialties and Parm. From the moment this restaurant opening was announced, the foodie community has been all over it eagerly anticipating Rich Torrisi and Mario Carbone's latest venture. So when I scored a reservation weeks in advance for a 10PM seating on a Thursday night, I was pretty pumped. 

From the moment you walk in, Carbone transports you to a 1950's old world Italian restaurant, complete with life size menus, servers in Zac Posen designed burgundy tuxes, and tunes that match the ambience. It feels like a scene out of The Godfather. It's a dark and cozy place, with 2 smallish rooms and a tiny semi-circle bar in the back that holds about 6 people comfortably. The drinks are expensive at $15 a pop, but they are stellar, and were actually brought down from the original $20 price tag. After about 40 minutes, 2 drinks and 3 check ins with the hostess, we are still not seated. I'm livid. It's now 10:45, I have a reservation, and they could care less. The horrid review began writing itself in my mind....
But then, the evening took quite a turn. We were quickly seated and given the "freebies" (or not, given the hefty price tag of this meal), consisting of a chunk of Parmesan Cheese (YUM), and an amazing looking Bread Basket including Grandma Bread, Breadsticks, and the most delicious, oily, garlicky, crispy Garlic Bread I've ever had in my life. YUM.

Our old waiter was not too thrilled about the 'no meat no shellfish' rule we imposed on him, and condescendingly said something like "well then, you're on your own". Really?  Thanks for the help, man. We still managed to do okay. 

Some friends of ours walked in soon after and they accommodated us by moving us to a table for 6 in the back room. Here's where things get interesting...Not 2 tables down from us sits Jake Gyllenhaal, Jay-Z, and about 10 of their friends, loudly talking, drinking, eating (making animal grunting noises !?) and having a great time. FINE. Maybe I can let slide that wait time. Now as a New Yorker, I see famous people time to time. New Yorkers are cool like that. We just roll with it and realize we live in the best city in the world, and sitting next to Jay-Z, or Jonah Hill (like I did the other day at Smile to Go), is one of the many perks. Regardless, it's still pretty awesome. We didn't bother them, just snuck some flashless photos and admired our dining mates, even as they pretty much took over the spot and started smoking cigarettes amongst over things (happy 4/20!) right at the table. Funnnnnnnnn. But I digress. I guess this review should at some point mention the delicious food we consumed. 

 Appetizers. Caesar Salad, I'm told is usually prepared table side. It wasn't for us. It was good and garlicky. I actually liked the version I had at Speedy Romeo the other day better. The Asparagus Genovese was excellent. House Chopped Salad also good, but nothing crazy. 
Main courses we went all out on the pasta. Spicy Rigatoni Vodka. Please order this. Al dente, spicy (but not inedible), delicious. Top item of the night. The other pastas were also great. We had the Penne Primavera, The Fettucine Con Funghi and the Angel Hair AOP. Rigatoni and Angel Hair were probably my favs, but really they are all excellent. The Polenta Torrisi is a definite winner as well, and the Funghi Trifolati was licked clean. 

 

As if all those carbs weren't enough, we ordered 4 desserts including Nutella Tiramisu, Banana Split, Cheesecake and Carrot Cake. We also got another freebie of sugar dusted crisps, and shots of Grappa was offered all around. My favorites  are the Carrot Cake with ginger ice-cream and candied walnuts and the Cheesecake. WOW! Order both. 

Go on OpenTable, and book any reservation you can get here. It's expensive, and they make you wait, nontheless its a great spot and I highly recommend it. I can't promise you celebrity sightings, but the food was incredible, the service for the most part was good, and it was just a really great, great night. Can't wait to go back. I love New York. 


Neighborhood: Greenwich Village 

Bite Mark: ****

Good For: Hot Spot, Trendy, Impress your Date, Family Dinner, Special Occasion 

Carbone, 181 Thompson St 212=254-3000 www.carbonenewyork.com

I Heart Franny's

One of my favorite Brooklyn go-to spots, Franny's is a Prospect Heights staple most famously known for their delicious thin crust Neapolitan style pizza, and their organic locally sourced ingredients.
 Andrew Steinberg and Francine Stephens are the owners and husband-wife team of this amazing establishment. They are extremely conscious of the local sustainable ingredients they use, and a look at the back of the menu will tell you the names of the farms where your food was born. If you are a Franny's groupie like myself you should also check out Brooklyn Larder down the street (228 Flatbush), where they sell gourmet foods and provisions, cheese, meat and some mean sandwiches. 

Just mention to me Franny's and I do my "happy food" dance. This is my happy place. It's a given that Franny's will be an exceptional meal and that I will leave here full, drunk, and satisfied. I love that the menu is constantly changing but I always have plenty of meat and shellfish free options to choose from (and often can't hold back and order the whole menu!) Some may complain the staff can be "Brooklyn snobby" but as long as you are nice and patient I have never had a sour experience. 

The room at Franny's includes a nice size bar where you can also eat, a couple of wooden tables, exposed brick walls, and a cute backyard. I almost forgot about the soap! Go to the bathroom and tell me honestly if you've ever smelled a more refreshingly delicious smell! I keep meaning to write down what the hell that is. But as you know nothing in life is perfect, and Franny's too has its minor drawbacks. There are often times long waits (be patient), salty food (sea salt is sprinkled on just about everything -- and I love them for this), and the meal does not come cheap (it's worth it). 

Yes, you are going to have to wait. Be smart about it. Don't show up with 6 people at 8:30 Thursday night and expect to be seated ASAP. Go early or late, or like me go just with a friend and hope to grab a seat at the bar. Often the bar is my favorite experience. Locally brewed beers on tab, friendly bartender, quick service, and sick food. Another tip if you are jonesing for a Franny's fix on the weekend is to go right when they open at 12, or wait until the rush dies down at 3:30 and have a much more pleasurable experience (especially with little ones in tow). 

Although the menu is ever changing, there are a few constants. The simple sounding bruschetta of garlic with olive oil and sea salt. Trust me and get this. It comes with just 2 pieces per order and each person is going to want their own. Crispy, salty, crunchy, delicious-ness. The vegetables. I'm not going to get into too much detail with specific dishes because as I mentioned they are always changing, but basically whatever vegetables are fresh they pair some yummy cheese, EVOO, sea salt, and the results are genius. I've had clementine pistachio salads, grapefruit, olive and hot pepper concoctions, all kinds of greens (kale, fennel, chicory, etc), root veggies that I've never heard of, and delicious combinations of vegetarian friendly soups (below is kale, beans and bread) -- really they are all amazing. The fried things are never too oily and usually the first to finish. I've had arancino balls that are to die for, and fried potatoes with cheese and capers and a spicy mayo that I still dream about.

The pastas are always al dente, and of the 3 ever changing pastas there are always at least one or two that are vegetarian friendly. Spaghetti with meyer lemon and parmigiano is delicious, as is their cacio e pepe when they have it. Don't be afraid of bottargo, fish roe, or even anchovies here. They are never fishy and add amazing flavor. The pizza is without a doubt something special and on par with the best of the best. They are extra thin (like a flatbread), almost burnt and are made with the most freshly tasting ingredients that you can imagine. They are served uncut (for authenticity sake) with a sharp knife. The basic pie allows their delicious creamy mozzarella and amazing sauce to shine through but my personal favorite is the ricotta, mozzarella, oregano, garlic, hot pepper pie. 
It is life changing. 

 

I'm usually too full at this point to think about dessert, but I've seen cannoli, panna cotta, and homemade ice creams swing by that may change your mind. After this the bill is going to come and it is going to be expensive. Don't complain. You just had a delicious meal and your wife / husband / friends / kids will be thanking you for it. You are paying for the fresh food, laid back atmosphere, and wonderful experience. 

If you haven't already been, I strongly recommend you stop reading and head over to Franny's ASAP. Tell them The Brooklyn Bite sent you. 
 And FYI ,the Franny's team is opening an offshoot in Park Slope that will be bigger and offer reservations (yay) slated for a April 1 opening. I can't wait. 

Neighborhood: Prospect Heights, Brooklyn

Bite Mark: *****

Good For: Date Night, Girls Night, Family, Neighborhood Gem, Pizza

Franny's, 295 Flatbush Ave nr Prospect Pl  718-230-0221  www.frannysbrooklyn.com

L'Artusi

This year for Valentine's (or the day before as we like to do it), instead of opting for a fancy stuffy place that we've never been (last year we did Le Bernardin, year before was Daniel), we deciding on keeping it real, and just going with somewhere we love with amazing food.
L'Artusi was my number one choice and all week it was all I could think about (seriously hah).  I love this place. It's not new and it's not fancy, but each time I go they are packed with young, hip people and the service and food get better and better. I've been a number of times now and I can boldly say that L'Artusi is one of my favorite spots in the whole city (!!) 

L'Artusi is named for the famed gastronome Pellegrino Artusi and is run by the wonderful team of Gabe Thompson and Joe Campanale (Dell' Anima, L'Apicio). It is an inviting and warm Italian restaurant in the West Village, with an open kitchen, white marble bar, cheese and raw bar, and comfortable booths. There's space for private dining upstairs and also boasts an impressive wine cellar. The service each time I've been here is friendly and impeccable, and the food is always EXCELLENT. Their brunch is amazing, and their dinner even better. 

When the hostess told us upon arrival to have a drink at the bar and 2 seats magically became available at that same moment, we decided to make ourselves comfortable and let Aaron the bartender take care of us. I jokingly warned him that the bar may not have room to hold all the food I was about to order but he reassured me to leave everything to him.

THE FOOD. We started with a special cheese of the night which was a House-made Ricotta with EVOO, sea salt and toasted cracker type bread with an orange marmalade. We licked it clean. The Fluke Ceviche with pear, pumpkin seeds and pomegranate was fresh and clean tasting and we had to fight over the last bite. Roasted Mushrooms with fried egg, and ricotta salata. All I'm going to say is please ORDER THIS! I wish I got a better picture. It was so f****ing good! I don't know what they do to those mushrooms but they were salty and crispy and almost meaty tasting and paired with the egg and cheese, it was heaven in a plate. Seriously, get this. 

 Next came the pastas. Their basic Spaghetti with garlic, parmesan, and chilies is anything but basic. It is spectacular. It is delicious. It is so simple yet so freaking good. Al dente and crispy and really just perfection. I could have had 3 plates of this. The Ravioli with autumn squash, sage brown butter and parmesan was also delicious but definitely had that sweet kick. It's also an excellent, excellent pasta. We went for the Red Snapper with white beans and spinach for the fish and although it was okay, it honestly did not stand up to the rest of this wondeful meal. The Cauliflower side with capers, lemon, and bread crumbs was yummy, but the Brussel Sprouts with black pepper and pecorino, Oh My Lord. I know it sounds like I keep saying this, but holy freaking cow. They are insane. 

 We ended the meal with Aaron's recommendation, the Hazelnut Chocolate Torta with Praline crunch and salted caramel gelato. Another home run. Really really excellent and delicious. Salty, creamy, sweet, crunchy. Wonderful. 
So to recap, go to L'Artusi hungry and I can guarantee you will leave happy. Do not miss the mushroom appetizer, spaghetti with chillies, roasted brussel sprouts, and hazelnut dessert. I honestly don't think you can go too wrong at L'Artusi. They are running a fabulous establishment here and they are doing it really really well. 

Enjoy, and Happy Valentines's to all!! 


Neighborhood: West Village

Bite Mark: ****

Good For: Everything! Date night, Out with Friends, Family, Girl's Night, etc, etc, etc

L'Artusi, 228 West 10th bet Bleecker & Hudson  212-255-5757 www.lartusi.com

Perla

Gabriel Stulman is definitely doing something right. I don't know how he does it, but he has the magic touch. Every couple of months he manages to open up a new spot, and they all f**king rock!

His whole Little Wisco operation is right on the money. Joseph Leonard, Jeffrey's Grocery, Fedora, Perla, and now Chez Sardine. I have never had a bad meal at any of them. What do they all have in common? They are all located around the West Village area, are all small intimate spaces that play awesome music, and the food at each one is top notch. No matter the cuisine, it is innovative comfort food, in the best possible way. I didn't even menton yet how the service is always friendly and knowledgeable. They make you feel the Little Wisco love.

The first time I went to Perla last June was when they first opened, and I fell in love. The other night we returned, and the love affair continues. Helmed by chef Michael Toscano (Manzo), Perla is an excellent casual Italian restaurant, that stands out amongst the dozens of its kind. Located on the quiet Minetta Lane in Greenwich Village, Perla is stylish and trendy, but not pretentious. The place has a downtown hipster vibe (our server was wearing a fedora), but not in an obnoxious way that makes you feel out of place.

We were a party of 6 at 9PM on a busy Saturday night, and after just a few minutes we got seated at the comfy leather booth all the way in the front. Although we had to flag down someone to take our order after the drinks were in, they were really gracious about it and the service was spot on the rest of the night.

The food. We received an amuse of Crostini with ricotta, honey, and sea salt. Sweet and delicious. Next we shared some apps including Red Beets with macho, hazelnuts, and robiola cheese, Arugula with roasted cauliflower and anchovies, and a bunch of sides. The spicy Brocolli Rabe was good and not too bitter, the Balsamic Glazed Brussel Sprouts was licked clean, and the Soft Polenta with asiago & ricotta was insane. Creamy and cheesy and delicious, order it. The Mixed Mushrooms were also a hit. When I took a breather from inhaling this delicious food, I realized there was not a bite left to be had on the whole table. 

For the main we got the Whole Roasted Branzino with escarole, orange mint, and fried basil for the table and we each got our own pastas. WOW. I remembered that the pastas were great but this BRANZINO was the bomb. I wanna say it's the best whole fish I've ever had. It was lemony and salty and crispy. Do yourself a favor and get one.

The Gnocchi with spicy tomato sauce and ricotta was delicious if not mind blowing. Creamy and a good solid sauce. The Tajarin (angel-hair like pasta) with black truffles, sage, and parmesan was also delicious.
Everyone is smiling.

Dessert was an Apple Sauce Torta with mascarpone, quince and honey which I felt was a little weak, but the Praline Semifreddo with salted rum caramel & croccante more than made up for it. GET THIS.

Overall another great experience at Perla. This is what dining out should be. It was not cheap, but we were not complaining. Excellent food, chilled ambience, friendly service, and good tunes. Who could ask for anything more?

 Can't wait to try Chez Sardine next week. Will keep you posted ;-)


Neighborhood: Greenwich Village 

Bite Mark: ****

Good For: Date Night, Girl's Night, Family Outing, Foodies

Perla; 24 Minetta Lane, 212-933-1824, www.perlanyc.com 

Locanda Verde

Yesterday I had an appointment with my 6 year old in Tribeca, so I thought it would be fun to pick him up a little early and spend some quality time together.  Obviously the first thing I did was do some research and figure out where I would take him for lunch.

Food, essentially, is what my life revolves around.

I'm rarely in this area, but I realized yesterday there is a lot to do. You can easily make a Sunday outing to this hood with the kids. Along Hudson and Greenwich Streets, there's a bunch of really good food choices (Bubby's, Sarabeths, Locanda Verde, Kutshners, etc). We wandered into a boutique toy store, and stopped to play tic tac toe at a great children's playground. There's also Barnes and Noble right there, and of course the new towering Freedom Tower.

After debating all of my food options, I opted for the oldie but goodie, Locanda Verde. Locanda is an Italian Taverna by Chef Andrew Carmellini partly owned by the famed Robert de Nero. It has a sprawling bar, big open windows, and high ceilings. During lunch there is a big banker and
businessmen crowd, but dinner and brunch (which I hear is amazing!) draws more of a diverse bunch. The last time I was here was when they first opened in Spring 2009, and I remembered that the food was delicious, but not specifically what was so good about it. In the past fews years whenever I tried to go back here, it was always full and impossible to get a reservation.

Locanda got tons of buzz when it first opened, and now a few years later I must say that it is still buzzing. Tuesday at exactly 12pm, the place was fully packed. The focaccio bread that they bring to the table is OUT OF THIS WORLD. The photo does not do it justice. Fresh and piping hot out of the oven with rosemary, parmiaggino (?), and I don't know what else. My 6 year old was impressed.

Next we got the special crostini of the day with pesto, mozzarella, and eggplant. Crispy and delicious, and you taste the fresh ingredients. For the mains we got the Eggplant Hero with egg, escarole, tomato and burrata. WOW. It's a big sandwich so you better come hungry, and it is definitely not light, but tasty nonetheless. We also got a side of Roasted Cauliflower sprinkled with cheese (my least favorite thing on the table), and Rustic Potatoes with garlic and parmigiano-reggiano. The potatoes were also insane. They had a sort of spicy mayo sauce on top that reminds me of the papas bravas we got so often in Barcelona.

By the end of the meal we were busting, but the sweet waitress who was very attentive and helpful, brought us a house made donut to top off the meal. One bite and we were both smiling ear to ear.

Perfect way to end a very nice lunch.

My son wants to know if we can make this a weekly endeavor. (I'm thinking about it) :-)

Neighborhood: Tribeca

Good For: Lunch, Brunch, Date Night, Girl's Night

Bite Mark: *** and a half

TBB Tip:  Make a reservation, they are perpetually crowded!

Locanda Verde; 379 Greenwich Street between Franklin & N. Moore 212-925-3797 www.locandaverdenyc.com