Have you ever been somewhere so bad that it’s good? That’s what happened during a recent visit to Little Italy’s Puglia. I made several fatal mistakes over the course of the evening, which ultimately killed the night and led to my worst dining experience thus far in New York City.
Mistake #1: Suggesting Little Italy for food. WHAT WAS I THINKING??? Can you say TOURIST TRAP CENTRAL? I won't compare it to the "food" (I use that term liberally) in Times Square, but it was a close second.
Mistake #2: Little Italy ≠ Pizza.
In our quest to find something relatively decent, my dining companion and I asked a restaurant host where to find the best pizza in Little Italy. He directed us across the street to Puglia.
He must have really hated us.
Mistake #3: Stepping foot inside Puglia. The décor was awful. Think communal seating, outdated décor, and a live keyboard player. The inside echoed, and there were several big groups making the entire place feel like an outdated bar rather than a restaurant. I asked the server how long the guy would play, and he assured me only a few songs. LIES I TELL YOU! He played on and off the rest of the evening.
Mistake #4: Staying. Had I not been so hungry, I would have left immediately.
Mistake #1: Suggesting Little Italy for food. WHAT WAS I THINKING??? Can you say TOURIST TRAP CENTRAL? I won't compare it to the "food" (I use that term liberally) in Times Square, but it was a close second.
Mistake #2: Little Italy ≠ Pizza.
In our quest to find something relatively decent, my dining companion and I asked a restaurant host where to find the best pizza in Little Italy. He directed us across the street to Puglia.
He must have really hated us.
Mistake #3: Stepping foot inside Puglia. The décor was awful. Think communal seating, outdated décor, and a live keyboard player. The inside echoed, and there were several big groups making the entire place feel like an outdated bar rather than a restaurant. I asked the server how long the guy would play, and he assured me only a few songs. LIES I TELL YOU! He played on and off the rest of the evening.
Mistake #4: Staying. Had I not been so hungry, I would have left immediately.
I began the evening with a glass of white wine. Not only was it warm, it took forever to arrive.
Next came the appetizer of stuffed mushrooms, mediocre at best. I secretly prayed the food would get better. We followed the mushrooms with fried zucchini. I asked for a side of ranch dressing; the waiter brought bleu cheese instead. Barf! I might have thrown up in the bathroom had I not been cautioned about the conditions beforehand from my friend.
Last came the pizza. It was undercooked, raw, and doughy. The sign outside claiming “brick oven pizza” should have read “raw dough with toppings.” My companion and I barely finished half before asking for the check.
When I think back on the evening, I laugh. I’ve been to some pretty awful restaurants in the city, but nothing like this. If you want to ruin your evening, come to Puglia. If you’re craving pizza, walk a few blocks to Spring Street and eat at Lombardi’s.
DAMAGE ~50
VERDICT: Pass
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