Posts Tagged ‘Italian’
Malatesta Trattoria – West Village
Last week marked my second visit to Malatesta Trattoria, the first being my birthday earlier this year. It’s a quaint, super cozy Italian restaurant with Italian waiters and deliciously authentic food. Both times I couldn’t help myself and get their homemade gnocchi. They make a special spinach gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce. I’m a lover of cheese, but the gorgonzola might be strong if you’re not — but also, in which case you can order their regular gnocchi with tomato basil. I haven’t had that dish myself, but having tried many of their dishes the last time I was here, I can bet it’s probably just as delicious.
Spinach Gnocchi, $13
After we were done ogling our neighbors food, my friend Lauren ordered the same dish — the grilled tilapia which was the special of the day.
Grilled Tilapia (special of the day)
Fig & Olive in Meatpacking
The Meatpacking District may be best known for its night life, but that culture totally spills into their restaurants. There are doormen, lines, people dressed to the nines and menu prices that lets you know you’re paying probably as much to eat as you are to be seen eating there. Needless to say, God forbid you lose your reservation because now you’re all dressed up and stuck with a minimum two-hour wait at all the restaurants in the vicinity. That’s kind of what happened to us — only our saving grace was Fig & Olive.
After losing our 8pm reservation at Ajna Bar (formerly Buddha Bar…I had no idea they had changed their name either), we were stuck with waiting til midnight for the next slot. Across the street at STK, same story. After wandering a bit, we found Fig & Olive. The maître d’ was so nice and accommodating even though the five of us had just shown up without a reservation on a Saturday night. He said we could wait 15 minutes for an “unorthodox” table inside or a table outside. We opted to sit outside since it was a nice night. While we were waiting, the manager offered us drinks on the house. The service for the rest of the night fit the same standard — it was totally refreshing.
Crostinis Part One
Mama’s Lasagna
I totally forgot I had even taken this pic until I was just going through my massive photo gallery of food shots. I know everyone says this about their mom’s lasagna — but FOR REAL. My mom’s lasagna rocks.
Pulino’s in the Lower East Side
I mentioned in my last food post that I’ve been trying to dine at Pulino’s pizzeria for a while since I saw its inviting lights one night walking by. I finally got the chance to eat there recently. The food was good, but a little confusing. Well, ok, maybe just the gnocchi was.
Potato gnocchi
Potato gnocchi
Piola Pizza
Something you’ll learn at Piola is that it’s possible to make pizza in a gajillion different ways — including topped with eggs.
I went there recently and ordered the Moderna (tomato sauce, mozzarella, arugula, fresh tomatoes and shaved parmesan cheese). Very fresh and cheesy. I’m a fan of thin salty crusts, so there were no complaints there but it was a little heavy on the tomatoes.
Pizza at Co. in Chelsea
Katie’s birthday and I are not friends.
Her birthday somehow always falls on a week when I’m out of town. I tried to make up for it the best way I know how: food.
We went to Co., a pizzeria in Chelsea. It’s a decently big space but still easy to miss on the corner of 24th and 9th since it has no clear markings, besides a big wooden door and window display of their cafeteria-like tables. The whole place is actually outfitted in wood and it almost feels like you’re getting your brick-oven pizza served to you in a log cabin.
We went for the pizza bianca with ricotta for starters.
