Trattoria Dell'Arte

900 7th Ave (b/w 56th St & 57th St)

Evenings of attempted Rush tickets to Wicked, a popular musical currently on Broadway, are typically followed by lavish dinners in and around midtown.

The formula for Rush tickets is simple: arrive at a certain time (usually 2 hours before the show), put your name in a basket, and hope you are 1 of 13 individuals called to purchase 2 tickets at a fraction of the cost for the same evening’s performance. Otherwise tickets start at $117 per person.

Last Thursday, chances of scoring discounted tickets were even slimmer as I was late getting off work, and InterSportsWriter was left to fend for the both of us. I arrived just in time to watch the lucky 13 collect their tickets, my evening companion not amongst them. I knew dinner reservations had been arranged should something like this happen (we are going on 0:6). 1 hour later, we were seated at Trattoria Dell'Arte, an Italian eatery located in Midtown West, 2 blocks from Central Park.

We started off with the 3 Vegetable Sampler: Brown Lentil & Corn Salad (plum tomato, thyme & balsamic vinegar); Sautéed Swiss Chard w/ roasted garlic; and Sicilian Eggplant Caponata (sweet & sour eggplant, plum tomato & olives). The appetizer was great (minus the eggplant which I was unable to digest due to a preexisting allergy). Still I sampled it and secretly cursed my stomach because I knew more than 2 bites would leave me curled up in a ball for the rest of the evening.

Next came the vegetarian pizza divided into 4 with each section featuring a different topping: artichoke, wild mushrooms, eggplant and peppers. I left the eggplant to my dining companion, saved the artichokes for later, and inhaled the mushroom and pepper squares. They were amazing.

The crust was thin and crunchy like a pita chip; the oblong-shaped pizza had just the right amount of sauce, cheese, and vegetables. Even for 2 people, it was enormous! It’s no surprise that it boxed up awkwardly and was not quite as amazing the following day. The crust was soggy, and my impatience got in the way of preparing it properly to obtain that unique crispness I experienced during the initial meal.

Dessert topped everything off with myself having the lemonata cheese cake and InterSportsWriter having chocolate ice cream. My selection was fantastic: creamy, dense, and lemony. My companion, however, was dissatisfied with his choice and left over half of it behind.

Besides their signature pizza and one expansive antipasto bar, the most obvious thing worth nothing about the midtown eatery is the décor. The walls are painted in soft pastels and covered in enormous sculptures of the—umm—body. From noses to breasts to butts, Trattoria Dell’Arte has it all. The unique decorations provide a nice topic of discussion should conversation lag.

The bottom line: go for the pizza, gawk at the décor, and avoid the chocolate.

DAMAGE ~$100+
VERDICT: Go

Grom

233 Bleecker St (@ Carmine)

A recent excursion to Italy has left me with a poor beginner’s version to Italian, a couple pounds heavier, and a nasty addiction to gelato.

As such, when NYLawStudent suggested a trip to Grom, what kind of friend would I be to deny such a request? More importantly, immediate action was necessary to fend off cravings until I make my way back across the Atlantic.

The line that never ends, also known as the line at West Village’s Grom, gave us a chance to review the menu and discuss our preferences. I chose 1 scoop of Bacio (traditional Gianduja chocolate w/ hazelnut chips) and 1 scoop of Crema di Grom (w/ Battifolo biscuits & Columbian chocolate chips).

My partner in crime had 1 scoop of Stacciatella (w/ Columbian chocolate chips) & 1 scoop of Caffe espresso (w/ Guatemalan Genuina Antigua coffee).

Despite the snobbishness that results from having the real thing in Italy, I enjoyed my selections. The Bacio was amazing, but to a hazelnut freak such as myself, I expected it to be. Crema di Grom had a slightly odd dark chocolate taste but was good as well. NYLawStudent enjoyed his choices, but made the mistake of comparing Gelato to Blue Bell. At the sight of my oncoming breakdown, he took it back and apologized.

Overall, the gelato was smooth in texture and creamy in taste. Italians might scoff, until I remind them that Grom itself comes from Italy. Indeed, I spotted Grom while roaming the streets of Venice. It hails from the Province of Torino in Northern Italy.

When every other stand is a geletaria; when you wake up and shake because it is almost noon and you have not had your first scoop of gelato yet, relax—you're in Italy. To go from having gelato 4 times a day to once a week (if that) will be tough, but when the cravings get out of control, I take comfort knowing Grom is a short distance away.

DAMAGE ~$5/ small cup—2 scoops
VERDICT: Go

Puglia

189 Hester St

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.

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

No. 28

28 Carmine St

Got pizza? West Village does.

It is not my intention to scope out every pizza eatery in the Village; it just works out that way.

Sir Fancy Pants recommended No. 28, aka 28 Carmine, on Saturday night after I mentioned 60sBumbleBee and I nearly braved the lines at Grimaldi’s (supposedly the best pizza in the city) but decided against it due to the cold weather. No. 28 was closer and the wait was only 10 minutes.

SFP, 60sBumbleBee, and I were seated in front of the brick pizza oven and its master, away from the overcrowded main dining area. We ordered two 18” pizzas from the 19 combinations. SFP and 60sBumbleBee shared the Pizza Marinara with garlic, red chili peppers, anchovies, oregano, and cappers; I had the Pizza alle Patate with ricotta, potatoes, walnuts, and rosemary, which I also shared with my dining companions.

My pizza came on white crust pizza bread without tomato sauce because (as told by the waitress) the acidity of the sauce ruins the pizza. Potato as a pizza topping was a first for me, an interesting combination with the ricotta cheese and walnuts. It was good, but I would have preferred the crust to be crispier. SFP and 60sBumbleBee enjoyed both pizza selections.

No. 28 is a true Italian pizzeria. From the Italian flag over the entrance to the Italian speaking staff, you feel as if you are getting the real deal without actually traveling to Naples.

My biggest gripe about the restaurant was the cleanliness factor; my silverware and the brim of my wine glass were dirty. Unfortunately for No. 28, spotless utensils and drinking ware is a must, especially if you expect me to refer your establishment to my friends.


DAMAGE ~60 (CASH ONLY)
VERDICT: PASS

Centro Vinoteca

74 7th Ave S Do you want to know one reason I love New York City? Plans that fall through.

Sir Fancy Pants and I had no intention Wednesday evening to visit Centro Vinoteca. We made plans to check out a tapas place in West Village. Tapas place was closed due to construction, so we stumbled upon the Italian gem off 7th Avenue. Well, not so much stumbled…we both walked by the place numerous times. Finally, we stopped to check out the menu. Five minutes later we were seated drinking water.

The hostess initially sat us near the window, but the table behind us was too loud, so I asked to be moved. Surprise! They have an upstairs; we were reseated at a corner booth on the second floor. Surprise #2: Restaurant Week! I had no idea Centro Vinoteca was even on the list, but since Restaurant Week has been extended through the end of February, we lucked out.

The waitress started us off with a bread basket filled with focaccia and European crusty loaf. Sir Fancy Pants and I ordered the following from the Restaurant Week menu:

SFP:
Appetizer: trio of piccolini shrimp & chickpea fritter with lemon aioli & truffled deviled egg
Main: grilled rack of lamb w/ black mission figs
Dessert: sweet tarallucci w/ salty caramel
ME:
Appetizer: sunchoke soup w/ hazelnuts, chanterelle mushrooms & hazelnut oil
Main: kabocha squash ravioli w/ walnuts, brown butter & vin cotto
Dessert: chocolate cake filled w/ chocolate mousse coated with dark chocolate ganache
Perhaps it would be easier to start out with what I did not like about my meal... the soup was on the salty side and the ravioli dish portion size was small (there were maybe 5 or 6 raviolis).

Other than that, everything was fantastic! The focaccia bread from the bread basket was literally the best focaccia I have ever tried. The soup was delicious, and the squash ravioli ranks in the top five Italian dishes I’ve had in my life (and no, I have not been to Italy…yet). Sir Fancy Pants has and nearly passed out when he tried my dish; it was that amazing. The chocolate cake was good as well, although it was not quite as impressive as the focaccia bread or my previous two dishes.

I also had a bite of the deviled egg that came with SFP’s appetizer and ate nearly half his dessert, both very good.

I am so happy we ended up here. The food was great; the service was great; and I will never look at focaccia bread the same. The only downside was the pricey regular menu.

DAMAGE ~ 120
VERDICT: Go

Bianca

5 Bleecker St

For TheStageManager’s last night in New York City, I took him and TexasThespian to a Lower East Side eatery named Bianca, a tiny Italian restaurant family owned and operated. It was my second time to the restaurant establishment, but I knew they had reasonable prices and delicious food.

TheStageManager ordered mushrooms with Ricotta cheese as an appetizer. The mushrooms were cooked to perfection, and it was served with a side of salad greens. For entrees, I had the ricotta ravioli with sage and butter. TheStageManager ordered the lasagna. TexasThespian opted to stick with appetizers as he had eaten a couple hours earlier. I loved my dish, but TheStageManager said his was lacking in flavor, something I cannot confirm or deny as it is made with meat sauce. For dessert, we ordered the chocolate mousse pie, another pure delight that my taste buds repeatedly thanked me for.

The space is small, so the wait can be long to get a table. All entrées are priced near $15. The restaurant may feel cramped (or cozy depending on what kind of mood you are in).

Bianca is one of my favorite places to eat in the city. I cannot stress how much I love this place; I know I will enjoy my meal and not cut up my credit card when I get home, especially since the place is cash only. I recommend running to the eatery as soon as possible. Do not let the long wait be a determent; there is a bar next door and the host will come get you once your table is ready.

DAMAGE ~ $75 (cash only)
VERDICT: GO NOW!