Tagged: Nello

April 25, 2013

8 Best NYC Restaurants for Outdoor Dining

Meatpacking District After the questionable weather these past few weeks, it’s safe to say that Spring is finally here. When the warmer seasons come around, it’s safe to say most people who eat out in New York City opt for outdoor seating. Especially during lunch and weekend brunch hours, popular restaurants in NYC are packed to the brim and waits for even a table for two can exceed over an hour. Of course there are the staple restaurants known for their sidewalk seating such as Pastis, Cafeteria and Sant Ambroeus‘ West Village outpost, but there are also other great lesser known options out there as well. Check out what we think some of the best New York City restaurants for outdoor dining are! [Photo via]

Nello Balan #1. Nello - While we’re certainly not putting Nello on our list of best Italian restaurants in the city anytime soon, the outdoor dining area is certainly one of the best in New York. Nello is the only al fresco dining option on the Upper East Side area known as the Gold Coast of (57th Street to 72nd Street on Madison Avenue). The refined Italian menu is pretty consistent and so are the high prices. While a plate of pasta costs upwards of $40 and ordering an entree less than $50 just isn’t going to happen, you do get to have lunch or dinner at the best outdoor real estate on the Upper East Side. It may not be a regular destination for most, but we do recommend dining at Nello at least once during the warmer weather. [Photo via]

696 Madison Ave. New York, NY
(212) 980-9099

#2. The Good Fork - This Red Hook restaurant is one of our favorite restaurants in New York. After the restaurant shuttered temporarly after Hurricane Sandy, The Good Fork reopened in its same location earlier this year. The menu consists of both American and Asian influenced dishes and the food is always consistently excellent (our favorite dishes are easily the Homemade Pork & Chive Dumplings and the Pekin Duck Breast). While the nautical theme of the restaurant’s interior may be a bit too quirky for some, the quaint and charming outdoor garden is a perfect place to have a relaxed dinner with friends during the summer months. [Photo via]

391 Van Brunt St, New York, NY
(718) 643-6636

#3. The Standard Grill - The Standard Hotel in the Meatpacking District is easily one of the most frequented hotels in New York City. Between the stunning views, popular nightclubs and it’s proximity to the High Line, The Standard has really become one of the most popular attractions in the city. In addition the ground level restaurant, aptly named The Standard Grill, is another go-to spot for well prepared American food in an upscale yet casual setting. In the warmer weather, the outdoor area is perfect for grabbing brunch or just splitting one of the restaurant’s famous punch bowls. On Sundays, The Standard Grill also hosts the popular #NotYourStandardBingo party. You can call the restaurant to make reservations for bingo which should be made at least a week in advance. [Photo via]

848 Washington St, New York, NY
(212) 645-4100

#4. Mr. Chow Tribeca – This upscale Chinese restaurant from Michael Chow seems to have a love/hate relationship with New Yorkers. While some loathe the restaurant for it’s high prices and “pretentious” attitude, others praise the restaurant for its clean, minimalist decor and excellent cooking. Whichever side you are on, the outdoor area of Michael Chow’s Tribeca outpost is undisputed one of the best places to dine al fresco in New York City. Elevated just enough to provide excellent views of Tribeca, Mr. Chow manages to serve well prepared food in an elegant setting making it perfect for special occasions or a dinner out with friends. Mr. Chow Tribeca also offers a $42 pre/post theater menu, from 6 PM – 7 PM and after 10 PM, featuring the items from the formerly offered Recession Busters menu. [Photo via]

121 Hudson St, New York, NY
(212) 965-9500

Hamburger

#5. JG Melon – One of the most beloved burger spots in the city is also home to an excellent outdoor dining section. JG Melon is the quintessential 1950s home-style restaurant in New York City. The bar area is always bustling with Upper East Side locals while the back area is more relaxed and perfect for family dining. JG Melon does not accept reservations so the wait times for a table can easily surpass the one hour mark. However, the spacious outdoor section helps to alleviate some of the traffic inside of the restaurant. We recommend getting the bacon cheeseburger with a side of their famous fried potatoes. [Photo via]

1291 3rd Ave. New York, NY
(212) 744-0585

#6. Cafe Boulud – This Upper East Side restaurant is easily the best on our list when it comes to the food itself. Daniel Boulud’s French restaurant is known for its refined cooking and elegant decor. In the warmer weather the restaurant offers outdoor seating which over looks Madison Avenue as well 5th Avenue. For lunch, we suggest ordering off one of the prix-fixe menus and while you’re there, take advantage of the outstanding cocktail program at the lounge next door, Bar Plieades. Cafe Boulud is one of our favorite restaurants on the Upper East Side in terms of overall excellent food, decor and service. [Photo via]

20 E 76th St, New York, NY
(212) 772-2600

#7. Miss Lily’s - Serge Becker’s Jamacian spot Miss Lily’s not only has one of the chicest clienteles in the city, but the restaurant is also one of the best places to have brunch. Both the food and the decor take modern twists on traditional and authentic Jamaican cooking and style. The restaurant’s “Jamacian Breakfast” provides a little bit of everything including Ackee and Saltfish, Callaloo and Festivals. In the warmer months the outdoor patio is a great place to have a meal with friends. To add to the overall atmosphere of Miss Lily’s sometimes you can catch patrons playing dominoes outside. Also, make sure you grab a freshly pressed juice at Melvin’s Juice Bar after your meal. [Photo via]

132 W Houston St, New York, NY
(646) 588-5375

#8. Lavo - Easily one of the most popular restaurants in New York City, Lavo is a family style Italian restaurant located in Midtown. However, the events inside this boisterous eatery are far from family oriented. Lavo is home to the exclusive Lavo Brunch Saturday party and the Rivera Sunday party. But when Lavo isn’t in total party mode, it can be a place to have a relaxing lunch outdoors. The portions are big and the food is generally pretty consistent and solid overall. The outdoor seating provides excellent views of Madison Avenue without being in the middle of all the sidewalk traffic. Make sure to order one of the pizzas while you’re there. [Photo via]

39 E 58th St New York, NY
(212) 750-5588

January 10, 2013

Restaurant Review: Salumeria Rosi Il Ristorante

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Madison Avenue has gotten a new upscale Italian restaurant with the opening of Salumeria Rosi. This block is already overly saturated with Italian restaurants such as Nello, Bar Italia, Sant Ambroeus and the new Italian project from the Sant Ambroeus team and Larry Gagosian coming soon, there would need to be something very special about Salumeria Rosi to make it last in this area. Cesare Casella and Del Posto alum Will Hickox have created a refined Tuscan style menu for the restaurant which seems like a bit of an upgrade from his other Upper West Side location. Actually, the entire restaurant is an upgrade from the Upper West Side location.

The restaurant is designed with the Park Avenue housewives in mind and is set up almost identically to Sant Ambroeus. The front section acts as a cafe where people can order coffee, dessert of perhaps a plate of Salumi from the well known brand Parmacotto. White tablecloths in the sectioned off back room and wallpaper designed as Roman like Frescos create a more refined atmosphere in this Upper East Side location as opposed to the more laid back ambiance of the original West Side restaurant. The clientele is just as chic as the decor, we even spotted Bette Midler dining across the room. While the decor of the restaurant is stunning there was one small problem. It appears that Salumeria Rosi has a fly problem. On both of our visits we were constantly pestered with gnats and small flies to the point where they even ended up in our wine glasses. We were told that this was only a seasonal issue but we’ll be the judge of that come Spring and Summer.

As for the food, shockingly most of it is very good. We say that simply because most Italian restaurants, actually none of the Italian restaurants, on Madison Avenue have really produced food that justified their price tags. The $40 plates of pasta are worth about $20 at the most and the same goes for the food at Sant Ambroeus and Bar Italia. The Salumi platter is an excellent dish to share for about two to three people. The Mortadella if flown in from Italy and is one of the few cuts we have seen without Pistachios in it (for those who have nut allergies). The Oysters with Walnuts, Pancetta and Breadcrumbs were fresh and the breadcrumbs added a new dish on the traditional raw oysters we normally see. The Sgombro con Caponata (Mackerell with Egg Plant) is also a great starter.

The pastas are even better than the appetizers. The Tordelli in a Pork & Beef Ragu is easily the best dish served at the restaurant. The ravioli like pasta is cooked al dente and comes with a ragu that is rich and salty but is balanced by the sweetness of the tomatoes. The Savarin del Parmacotto (risotto) was also excellent as was the Rigatoni with Eggplant, Tomato and Mozzarella. The entrees are a bit pricier however the Rack of Lamb was moist, savory and generously portioned. The desserts are where Salumeria Rosi slips up. The $14 cookie platter left much to be desired and the Apple Crostata was pretty much forgettable. However the Gianduja (chocolate cake) is excellent and is perhaps the only dessert on the menu worth ordering.

With a full meal for one costing no less than $100 per person after tax and tip, was Salumeria Rosi worth it? Aside from the flies, the ambiance is stunning and the food is easily the best amongst the Italian restaurants on Madison Avenue. While it may not be Sfoglia, Salumeria Rosi is an excellent restaurant that is even worth the trip to the Upper East Side.

Salumeria Rosi Il Ristorante

Ambiance: 8

Food: 8

Service: 8

Overall: 8

Verdict: Oasis

903 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10021

212-517-7700

View menu

[Photo via]

July 16, 2012

Il Mulino Great Neck, Long Island

With the Americana Mall right down the block, Il Mulino seems like the perfect place to grab lunch or dinner after shopping and for the most part it is. Well, until you see your bill that is. Il Mulino in New York is synonymous to a traditional Italian restaurant with a chic and who’s who clientele. However, this outpost of Il Mulino draws a much more reserved crowd, mostly from the Great Neck area, than its trendier West Village sibling. The average age for patrons at this restaurant would have to be somewhere around 50 but to be honest, those are probably the only people who can afford their prices. The dark woods match nicely with the cream colored walls simple tables and chairs in the very open restaurant and the design is safe yet effective in the conservative but elegant dining room. The atmosphere is essentially the same as you’d find at Cipriani or Nello but again, much more toned down and less bustling. A tall man with a thick, and possibly fake, Italian accent greets you at the entrance and most of the servers are actually not Italian despite what you might think.

The menu consists of traditional dishes from the Abruzzo region of Italy and all of the plates are made to share which is good because so is the bill. A plate of pasta will run you easily over $30 and the meat dishes are in the $30-$60 range. The dishes themselves are nothing different than you’d find at an upscale Italian restaurant; you have your basic yet filling pastas such as: Linguini in a Spicy Seafood Sauce and Mushroom Rissotto and your entrees such as: Veal Milanese and Branzino. The menu does tend to focus a bit more on fish than meat which is good, especially for an Italian restaurant. My advice when ordering, skip all the appetizers and go straight to the pastas and entrees as you essentially get an appetizer with your bread and butter. Not only did we receive bread before our meal, but an entire order of Bruschetta (which was actually one of the better Bruschettas I have had) in addition to our very generous portions. As an entree I had Il Mulino’s famous Porcini Ravioli with Champagne Truffle Cream Sauce. The ravioli were cooked just perfectly and the sauce was flavorful, if not a bit too heavy. However, the only turn off about the menu would be dessert. While the main dessert is prepared in the kitchen, all the garnishes and sauces are pre-prepared and added to the dish at a dessert station at the front of the restaurant that is disguised as apart of the decor. While I could see how this was supposed to be a “fun” aspect of the restaurant to make patrons feel at home, if you are charging over $12 for a dessert I would expect that 25% of it to not be sitting out in the open at the front of the restaurant for the entire day.

Il Mulino is a place to go if you’re in the mood for decently prepared food that you, yourself, can not make at home. The food is better than the near by Cipolini but it’s also triple the price. The only reason why this place isn’t as absurdly overpriced as Nello is because the portions and amount of food they give you is actually quite generous and much better but don’t get me wrong, this is certainly not a cheap dinner. My suggestion would be to stop in for a glass of wine and pasta or for their Sunday Supper which consists of a four course pre-fixe menu for $39 a person (a great deal for the area in my opinion).

Ambiance: 7

Food: 7

Service: 7

Overall: 7

Verdict: Oasis

[Photo via]

July 4, 2012

Aalex Jullian is Out of Nammos Southampton

Known as the strictest doorman in New York, Alex Jullian was brought to the new restaurant/lounge Nammos in Southampton to oversee the back lounge area. Now in the late Nello Summertime location, Nammos is an upscale Greek restaurant with a very clean and chic decor and a boisterous after-hours scene. Unfortunately once the lounge of Nammos didn’t really hit it off with the Hamptons Club goers, Jullian decided it was time to leave the venture and take back his position as the regular doorman of PH-D at the Dream Downtown Hotel. The twitter handle @NYNightlife mentioned:

“3 sources have told me Alex Julian & Eric Marx are out of Nammos. Apparently the lounge aspect didn’t work. It’ll continue as a restaurant”.

While the lounge may be closed for the summer, you still can make reservations to have lunch or dinner at Nammos. [Photo via]

Photo via

June 5, 2012

Le Bernardin

I visited head chef Eric Ripert’s world famous Le Bernardin over the weekend after reading the 4 star New York Times review and seeing the 3 stars it received from the Michelin guide. The restaurant sits between most major office buildings in Midtown making it a great spot for a business lunch. The restaurant itself has undergone several renovations and this one features a majestic ocean wave mural located at the back of the restaurant. The first area is the newly updated lounge which features newly created cocktails which then leads into the grand main dining room which is surprisingly large considering the caliber of the restaurant that Le Bernardin is. The dark woods and high ceilings add to the experience of the restaurant though Le Bernardin could take some notes from Nello and update their unimpressive flower arrangement.

The menu is split up into three different menus. Two being tasting menus (one 8 course menu for $190 and one 7 course menu for $145) and the other is a 4 course a la carte menu for $125. We chose the 7 course tasting menu which consisted of two appetizer style dishes, three entrees and two desserts.The first dish was the Fluke Sashimi with avocado in a Jalapeño-Lime Broth. This dish was perhaps a bit too simple and the fish was cooked just as well as some decent sushi places in New York (Sushi Seki serves much better sashimi in my opinion) and the jalapeno flavor was a too strong and shadowed the delicacy of the fluke. The next dish was the Tuna that was lighly seared and cut into strips and laid upon a bed of salad. There also was a lime, soy and ginger vinaigrette that went along with the dish. The Asian inspired vinaigrette was easily the best part of the dish as it was flavorful if not a bit too strong after more than three bites of the tuna. As for the rest of the Tuna, the dish simply was not anything I could not get anywhere else in New York. Since Le Bernardin ran out of the Escolar we were served a Lobster Carpaccio. The chef took a lobster claw, cut it finely into rings, placed the rings around the plate then put chopped up lobster claw in the middle of the dish. Again, the dish was nothing I couldn’t get at the Lobster Inn in Southampton. I would hope that the Escolar was a far better dish than this sub par substitution. After the Lobster was the Salmon which was the highlight of the meal. The salmon was cooked so perfectly that you didn’t need the fish knife to cut it. The fish was buttery yet light and was really a special dish. Right after this wonderful Salmon I was presented what was probably one of the worst dishes I have had in a restaurant awarded at least 2 Michelin stars. The Black Bass was a piece of fish, grilled and seared on the skin side to make it crispy. There was no intricacy to the dish nor was the fish even cooked exceptionally well. Next up was the Coconut Lime dessert however, mine was substituted for a Raspberry dessert since the extra cautious staff thought I was allergic to coconut (I do have a nut/peanut allergy but coconut is not one of the “nuts” I am allergic to). I would hope the original dessert was a palate cleanser as it really was just a scoop of coconut sorbet with lime flavoring. However my dish was more of a dessert as it featured a small cake pastry which went well with my raspberry sorbet. The next dessert, the Black Forrest, was a variety of different desserts such as a dark chocolate mousse and a raspberry foam. To be honest those are the only two I remember because the other two small desserts were really forgettable.

Actually, the entire meal was forgettable. Aside from the Salmon and the vinaigrette from the Tuna, there was nothing I received from the world famous Le Bernardin that I could not get anywhere else in the city. The Black Bass was not good at all and the fluke was an awful way to start off the meal. Despite the mediocre food, the service is top notch. The servers were overly attentive about my food allergy and the servers always made sure your table was immaculate. If you are looking to dine at a true four star restaurant go to Daniel, otherwise you are setting yourself up for an overly disappointing meal at Le Bernardin.

Ambiance: 9

Food: 2

Service: 8

Overall: 3

Verdict: Mirage

Note: I know the math doesn’t add up, but the food was so mediocre at Le Bernardin that there is no possible way I could justify rating it higher than a 3 out of 10 (even if the decor and service we’re great).

Photo via

December 7, 2011

Armani Ristorante

On the roof of the relatively new Armani flagship store on 5th Avenue sits a modern Italian restaurant mainly built for the tourists that come in and out of the store. The restaurant itself has its own separate entrance from the store itself but during store hours you can access the restaurant through the store’s elevator. The restaurant’s location within the Armani store looks as if they had a bit of extra space left over and didn’t know what to do with it as it takes up a bit less than half of one floor. However, the restaurant itself is decorated very simply with modern looking black chairs and white tables and a few circular booths scattered throughout the restaurant. Its a very chic and modern decor and matches the rest of the store perfectly. There is, however, a bit of a pretentious vibe given off when you first enter the restaurant by the maître d. Even though the restaurant was half empty during my lunch visit, we still had to wait 10 minutes for a table for two but then again when visiting an upscale Italian restaurant there’s a bit of attitude is to be expected.

The menu features refined Italian dishes that would please any Park Avenue housewife. Of course you have the essentials for any upscale Italian restaurant such as Beef Carpaccio and an array of salads to choose from but what is surprising is the $33 pre-fixe lunch menu. However, since I was having dinner at Sushi Gari later that evening I chose to save my appetite and just get the Bavette Sul Pesce and the Spaghettini. The Bavette consisted of Bavette pasta, similar to linguini, with an array of seafood in a light sauce. The bavette itself was very al dente, though some people do prefer it that way, and the portion size was far too small to justify the $28 price-tag. The sauce was also very oily and left a very greasy feeling in my mouth afterwards. The Spaghettini was similar to the Bavette except it had sea urchin in it as well. This dish was mediocre at best and featured such a small amount of sea urchin that it was laughable.

Since I haven’t heard much about Armani Ristorante I suppose I should not have set my expectations so high. While the space is beautiful, the service is a bit pretentious and the food leaves much to be desired. My suggestion is checking it out once if this is a place you are very interested in or if you really need a nice place to have a quick lunch while shopping on 5th avenue. Frankly the food is not good enough to make this my regular Italian spot. For this price range I’d much rather Sfoglia, Cipriani or even Nello.

Ambiance: 7

Food: 6

Service: 6

Overall: 6

Verdict: Mirage

Photo via

July 6, 2011

Bar Italia

Finally there’s another option on Madison Avenue besides Nello! Bar Italia just opened up a few months ago on 66th and Madison. The restaurant caters mainly to the older Upper East Side crowd (rather than Nello who caters to the older Upper East Side crowd, their children and occasionally Beyonce and Jay-z and Russian billionaires) the food is actually moderately priced for the area and the quality is in a completely different ballpark. Bar Italia is where Frederick used to be (a former Madison Avenue favorite) so Bar Italia has some big shoes to fill. The restaurant is very sterile with its all white interior but things such as the TV in the back (which normally I despise but in Bar Italia’s case it helped it not feel as stuffy) and a slightly downtown looking engraved wall helped bring a fun vibe to the otherwise mature restaurant.

Bar Italia is one of the few Italian restaurants in New York to have a gluten free menu. The menu is a bit confusing at a first glance (the regular and the gluten free menu could have been separated a bit better) but there are the pizzas, pastas and of course: the salads for Upper East Side housewives. To start I had the Pizza Margherita and the Tagliolini al Tartufo with black truffles and parmigano as an entree. The pizza struck me as a bit too Americanized when it was first brought out to the table. It honestly didn’t look like a brick oven pizza but rather an American pizza but in a brick oven pie’s size. However this pizza did taste like a brick oven pizza nor was it overly oily like what you would find in other New York pizzerias (Pulino’s for instance). The Tagliolini al Tartufo is possibly one of the greatest values on Madison Avenue. Usually a dish containing any type of actual truffle would easily cost upwards of $50 but at Bar Italia it costs $26 (Nello charges $120 for the same dish). The pasta was cooked perfectly and the tartufo wasn’t overbearing or heavy. If you want a good pasta dish with high quality ingredients at a not so exorbitantly expensive price, get the Tagliolini al Tartufo at Bar Italia.

Bar Italia is the best Italian restaurant on Madison easily if you’re not looking for people watching. If that’s more your thing go to Nello or Sant Ambroeus but if you want good food with great service while still being on Madison Avenue, Bar Italia is the place to be!

Ambiance: 7

Food: 7

Service: 6

Overall: 7

Verdict: Oasis

[Photo via]

May 31, 2011

75 Main

I’ve passed by 75 Main while in Southampton numerous times and the restaurant has always seemed packed and it appeared to be a worthwhile restaurant. The front of the restaurant was filled but unfortunately as you got to the back the restaurant became empty and there wasn’t a single patron in the back of the restaurant. What I did find in the back was a DJ playing music you would find at a Day & Night brunch to a nearly empty restaurant. While I did appreciate the effort of 75 Main trying to make the place more lively, the blasting music became a bit awkward as my meal progressed. When I researched 75 Main I realized why the restaurant was trying so hard. Zach Erdem, the former General Manager of Nello and Nello Summertimes, is now the General Manager of 75 Main and is trying to revamp the restaurant and turn it around. The more I read up on 75 Main the more it seemed like a rip off of Nello. I read a Curbed article about a 20 person bar fight breaking out at 75 Main last summer and I’ve heard of numerous fights breaking out at Nello on Madison Avenue. The clientele looked mostly like those who you would find at STK on a Friday night, very “Jersey Shore” so to speak.

As if the restaurant couldn’t be possibly be going more downhill the food wasn’t good as well. The Crab Cakes were the only good thing I had that day. The portion was very small, I got one normal sized crab cake for $14, but there was a decent amount of crab in the crab cake and the crust was flaky and the inside was moist. The Chilean Sea Bass was a really poor dish overall. The Sea Bass was pan seared and came with a side of fingerling potatoes, zucchini, squash and sun dried tomatoes.

After visiting 75 Main I realized it was going downhill. The food is mediocre and the crowds are awful (think Neptune Beach in Hampton Bays invading Southampton). If I were Nello I’d be very happy to give away my manager as Nello is now thriving with their Saturday parties at the “Nello South Beats Lounge” and 75 Main is drawing in a much older crowd with ridiculously themed parties. Jamaican Dancehall night in Southampton…really 75 Main?

Photo via

Those who have been reading my blog over the past few months may have noticed a few comments on this particular post from “anonymous” who is claiming to be the owner of 75 Main. He/She (though I know who the owner is I will leave his/her name out since I assume they wish to remain “anonymous”) has been claiming that I did, in fact, not eat at his/her restaurant but am just writing a negative review for no reason. I decided to take the comments down due to the language used in them but some of the comments read:

“bulls**t review you never been in this place
show me the bill that shows you were in my restaurant i will give you $5000.00,,,but you have no ba**s

jealous person (i dont know if you are really person or ……) get a life i see your review that you hate nellos but your brain does not take that i HAVE NOTHING TO DO NELLOS” posted June 9, 2011 8:19 PM

and

“you are idiot” posted July 8, 2011 1:45 AM

First of all I would love to commend him/her for their excellent grammar. Secondly, I have never nor will ever write a review if I have never been to the restaurant, that would defeat the purpose of my blog.

In regards to his/her comment about having anything to do with Nello, I never said that you are still currently affiliated with Nello in some way, shape or form but rather that you used to, in the past, have a position there. My point is that I am here to write only honest reviews about places that I have dined at. While I respect your decision to disagree with my review, I do have the right to share my dining experiences with my readers.

Also I found this photo on the75 Main website:

The photo in the middle, the location at which this photo was taken seems very familiar…maybe it could be Nello Summertime in Southampton! So much for not having anything to do with Nello…

May 2, 2010

Da Silvano

Yesterday (May 1st 2010) was Da Silvano‘s 35th anniversary. Sadly by the looks of their lunch service, no one really cared. Aside from the outside seating, the inside dining area was pretty much empty at around 2 PM (prime-time for a Saturday lunch). For the most part the outside area was full but of course the host at Da Silvano had to make it seem full to capacity and didn’t want to seat us outside…though I pointed at two tables that could have seated both me and my friend. Like for Bar Pitti, I would never want to eat inside Da Silvano. The decor sadly doesn’t match the price tags. Traditional trattoria ambiance for a $19 plate of small portioned pasta, I don’t think so. Once seated outside, and it took a bit of persuading, there was a bit of a scene going on. Though quite frankly now after being at Da Silvano, the scene at Bar Pitti is much better. The customers at Da Silvano are blatantly going there only because its “Da Silvano”. Think like a much more “wanna-be socialite” version of Cipriani Downtown. The scene at Bar Pitti is a bit more genuine in that the people actually go there somewhat for the food, mainly for the outside seating though, and since the prices are lower.

The service at Da Silvano is actually what turned me off the most. I’ve found that as these “chic” Italian restaurants, the host and servers often think they’re better than you. This requires that you have to be a bit arrogant and assertive in order to get what you want. For example, when telling my waiter about my allergy he knew there weren’t any nuts/peanuts in my dish but couldn’t tell me what oil they fried in, and I felt that was important for me to know. He clearly didn’t want to ask the chef, but after telling him about three times to he finally went over to Silvano himself to ask what exactly was in the dish. Then and only then was I assured that the food was safe to eat. But at a restaurant like Da Silvano, I shouldn’t have to fight with the staff to find out if the food is safe to eat.

Once my fighting with the staff was over, I just hoped the food at Da Silvano was very good. Though I still prefer the Cipriani, Da Silvano’s food isn’t awful. The Lobster Gnocchi was very good, though it was really small portioned…actually it was appetizer portioned. The gnocchi could have been cooked a bit less, but the sauce was great and the lobster was fresh (though there could have been a bit more lobster in the dish). Then, since we were still hungry after our “appetizer”, we ordered another appetizer of Fried Calamari. Since I don’t think I can go too much in depth about fried squid, basically it was average and no different than any other normal Italian restaurant in the five boroughs.

Overall I wasn’t impressed with Da Silvano. I expected much more especially with all the hype surrounding it. The food was good, but the service was awful and the atmosphere leaves more to be desired. Its not cheap either. My lunch was $50, which in reality isn’t so bad, after tax and tip and I got the same amount of food as the Cipriani Downtown. As far as Italian restaurants go, I’d still pick the Cipriani Downtown over Da Silvano any day. Actually I’d pick Bar Pitti, Nello, Scuderia and Sandro over Da Silvano. The only time I’d go back to Da Silvano is if I couldn’t get a seat at Bar Pitti or Scuderia and I didn’t want to take that 5 minute train ride over to Soho to go to the Cipriani.

Ambiance: 6

Food: 4

Service: 6

Overall: 5

Verdict: Mirage

[Photo via]

April 17, 2010

Chat Noir

After hearing about Chat Noir‘s recent menu change, by recent I mean last Thursday the night that I went, I just had to check it out. Bistro Chat Noir is owned by Suzanne Latapie who was the former manager of the famous La Goulue which used to be on Madison between 64th and 65th street. Taking her business off the “Gold Coast” (57th Street to 72nd Street on Madison Ave) Chat Noir looks to be a more intimate French Bistro and wants to “wow” you with its warm service and superb food rather than its scene and people watching. But don’t get me wrong the scene at Chat Noir isn’t too shabby either, its just not the sole thing they worry about like at other Madison Avenue restaurants like Le Bilboquet and Nello.The restaurant is located on 66th Street between Madison & 5th Avenue under the Rosario Acquista Salon. On a Thursday night at around 8 PM, Chat Noir was bustling with its regulars and Upper East Side residents.

The restaurant does draw in celebrities here and there but it is mainly driven on its loyal clientele (kind of like Sette Mezzo, but with a lot more energy). The service is very cordial and helpful and doesn’t forget about you like other restaurants in the area. But what is best about the atmosphere at Chat Noir is the owner Suzanne Latapie. Suzanne is full of energy and treats each customer as if they were a friend and makes sure you’re taken care of throughout your entire meal. What ties Chat Noir all together is the fact that the food is excellent. The Ravioli du Royan is out of this world as an appetizer. The Ravioli is imported from France and is smaller than traditional ravioli resulting in a more tender and delicate pasta. In the words of Suzanne “Leave it to the French to make good Ravioli”. The Ricotta, Comte, Gruyere cheese blend is perfect as none of the cheeses overpower one another and the sauce is smooth and creamy. To be quite honest this dish was better than the Tortelli dish I had at Le Cirque. For an entree I had the Pan Seared Duck Magret which is wonderful as well. The duck was moist and the skin was crisp and flavorful. The Chocolate Souffle for dessert was also great! Usually I can’t eat desserts at French restaurants due to my allergy to nuts, but the waiter at Chat Noir understood the severity of my allergy and assured us there weren’t any nuts in the dish. The souffle was rich and moist and the Creme Anglaise complemented the souffle perfectly!

I truly enjoyed my experience at Chat Noir. The food was excellent from the first bite of the Ravioli to the last bite of the Souffle and its moderately priced for the area. The atmosphere has a nice energy but not to the point where it becomes pretentious and the service is fantastic. Its a great place to have lunch, dinner or even to have a quick dessert at the outside seating in the warm weather when in the Upper East Side!

Ambiance: 7

Food: 8

Service: 7

Overall: 7

Verdict: Oasis

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