Del Posto
85 10th Ave
(between 15th St & 16th St)
New York, NY 10011 (212) 497-8090
- Nearest Transit:
14th St-8th Ave (A, C, E, L)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 5:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.
Wed-Fri 12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
Sat 4:30 p.m.-11:00 p.m.
Sun 4:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Dressy
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
58 Reviews for Del Posto
I must have been really drunk the first time I went here, because this past weekend I had the spaghetti with jalapeno and crab meat. First, there were two thin slices of jalapeno and LOTS of green onions/scallions. It was horrible. The spaghetti was not as al dente as I remembered it. The complimentary bite-size tastings were pretty bad too. The soup tasted like chicken noodle soup, not in a good way. There was pork on a spoon, and it didn't look cooked. I hate pork. More so, I hate raw pork, so the tasting pretty much grossed me out. On the positive side, the service this time was spectacular.
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2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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07/06/2008
Note to self: make reservations next time. Without reservations you have to sit at the enoteca,… Read more »
on my 1st trip to new york on my own epicurean journey, I was extremely excited to try food with the partnership of Maria Bastanich from KQED cooking show and Mario Batali. I was thinking it was going to be a loud boisterous casual Italian restaurant since Maria is casual cooking. So my sister and I arrived at our reservation, in flip flops and shorts after a long day shopping with bags galore, and when we stepped inside to see dark mahagony wood panels and staff in suits, with light piano playing in the background, boy did we look like deer in the middle of the freeway. Anyway we each had the 4 course meals, which I tried the lobster which was hands down heavenly, and my sister had a vegetarian special. I enjoyed one of the grappa for the digestif. The only downside is the formality which I feel is burdensome when there are 4 waiters attending to one restaurant goer.
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del posto was OK. i got the 5 course tasting menu. not sure if i would go back again since there are better places in nyc, like babbo!
one interesting item, del posto offered flavored lard in addition to sweetened butter for the bread. my friends kept asking me "would you eat if for a free meal? would you eat it for $200?" looking at the dollop of white matter before me, hellz no i wouldn't eat it!!!! i have a tough time eating chicken skin, no way im going to eat flavored lard! bleh...
anyway, here's what i had...
~ abalone carpachio (this was good)
~ spaghetti with dungeness crab and jalapeno (this was good, nicely spiced with the jalapeno and the noodles were al dente. i could have done without the green onions, but i have hated green onions since birth)
~ gnocchi with beef shoulder (this was good, a really rich and hearty dish. and i don't usually like gnocchi)
~ grilled squab (this was OK, i like the skin a lil bit crispier than how it was served)
~ panna cotta (this was good)
i went with 6 other people and i ,of course, tried everyone's food. here's are the best items to order if you want to give del posto a go...
appetizer
horseradish panna cotta with lobster
pasta
gnocchi with beef shoulder
spaghetti with crab
secondi
seafood stew
dessert
chocolate souffle
decor and ambiance are definitely more upscale than your typical rustic italian place. service and overall experience reminded me of a modernized san domenico (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). started with a vitello tonato (veal with tuna) with which i was pretty disappointed. this dish is typically very thin layers of veal topped with a thin layer of tuna-based sauce (tastes better than you think it may sound). DP's version was quite deconstructed and reversed: large cubes of sashimi-grade tuna with a minced veal sauce. i like it better in its traditional form. the two entrees i ate - because some else at the table had a bit too much vino and had to leave early - were superb. white rabbit ravioli's with minced asparagus and sage butter. a bit dense, i admit, for a humid summer night, but it was sublime. the garganelli with bolognese was also excellent. also sampled the veal chop milanese (perfectly frenched/bone-in) and the halibut, which couldn't hold a candle to the pastas. wine selection is great and the super tokai we drank with dinner paired well across the board. 3.5 stars
Went here yesterday for my 3 year anniversary with my boyfriend. Initially we had wanted to go to Babbo after hearing some great reviews, but they were booked solid. Though the restaurant does have valet parking the valet pointed to a spot and had us park our own car - no biggie just not something you'd expect from a restaurant rated so highly. Anyway, the interior of the restaurant is beautiful; tall ceilings, mahogany wood, dim lighting. Absolutely romantic. The wait staff was informative and polite; cracked a couple of stiff jokes with us (kinda weird but ok!). The menu was a bit confusing but after the waiter's recommendations, we settled on the Menu Del Posto with a Wine Pairing. A complementary chef's tasting started our night (whipped pork, buffalo mozzarella with tomato, and a wonderful bread soup).The Snipped Herb & Lettuce salad was refreshing and light though it left a strange aftertaste; champagne was delicious. The two pasta dishes- gnocchi and garganelli bolognese were delicious but TINY! The wine pairings, a chardonnay and rose wine were perfect. Beef Tenderloin for 2 followed; absolutely delicious with potato crisps, side salad, and greens; the red paired with this was great as well. Dessert: chocolate souffle with hazelnut gelato. As delicious as it was presented. A complimentary dessert sampling was also brought to our table; some biscotti, brownie, cookies, etc. Very nice touch. I was completely stuffed. The food was very memorable, but with tip it left a $550 dent in our pockets! We left a generous tip but heard the waiter make a snippy remark as we left and another waiter when asked where the rest room was merely pointed and kept walking. The food and atmosphere were great, but I hardly think ANY food is worth that much money for 2 people. Not a place I would return to in the near future- save it for a VERY special occasion unless you don't mind splurging.
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I ate here about a year ago and have no memory of the meal, whatsoever. Which is not to say it was bad, per se. Also, I will err on the side of more stars because I'd had not a small number of drinks prior to the reservation.
But still, considering I can remember the specific kinds of cheese I had in my cheese plate at Babbo, circa 2003, one would think I would remember the vaguest smattering of an impression of my meal at Del Posto.
Another thing I will say is that this place is Plush.
I think the bottom line is that Del Posto is like a gilded lily with diamond encrusted stamens, dipped in the finest Chanel No. 5. It's just too fucking much. I think I got so overwhelmed that I don't even remember what the food itself was like.
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I loved my dinner here. At 35 years old I had truffle for the first time and could not believe how delicious! My husband tried the chefs menu and said it was the best meal he had ever eaten.
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If you take the time (and I hope you do) to peruse our reviews, you'll find that wifey and I are huge fans of all things Mario Batali. In our world, he has single-handedly lifted Italian cuisine to revered status.
That's why I'm saddened to report that my Del Posto experience was sub-optimal...
It's a beautiful space, located right where all the action is in Chelsea. Next door is Tom Colicchio's "Craftsteak", across the street is Iron Chef's "Morimoto" and the Food Network warehouse. The interior is dark, upscale, and elegant.
Service was a bit stuffy... well, let's just say the servers were curt.
The prices were steep, too steep in my book. Perhaps we were just too influenced by our prior Batali experiences, but we were kinda expecting Babbo, just turned up a notch. Instead, we got inferior service and double the prices.
The food is good, but I would've liked a pasta-heavier menu.
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Best dining experience I've had in Manhattan. The service was incredible and made me feel like a VIP even though I'm clearly not. I wish I had been fully prepared for how extravagant of a dining experience it was going to be so I could have dressed accordingly. I went in jeans and it wasn't an issue, but the environment is so spectacular and grand that I felt odd.
The food was delicious and encouraged me to try pairings I normally wouldn't have experimented with on my own since I'm not an adventurous eater.
Excellent place for a special night out or if you're trying to impress your date/guest. Looking forward to going back soon!
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i didn't pay for this, but if i had, i'd probably dock a star at least.
i had an incredible abalone carpaccio with charred ramps, white asparagus and wild asparagus. yesss..... so tender!
the rabbit ravioli and the pork chop were both pretty good too.
it's a beautiful, old school, but not stuffy atmosphere and they've got fantastic service. if you've got an expense account or don't care too much about cost, this'll be a good time and good food. nothing too-too revelatory, but guess i prefer that.
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So, as some have hinted at, there's an area within Del Posto, called Enoteca. As you enter Del Posto, Enoteca is the area immediately to the right, just before the main bar. And the great thing about Enoteca is that there's a 4 course prix fixe menu for $45 with an accompanying $19 wine pairing that I personally think is the best value at Del Posto. The food is cooked by the same chefs in the same kitchen as the rest of Del Posto and the price is a lot more reasonable. And for $19, a glass of wine to accompany each course is fantastic value.
When you call to make a reservation, make sure to ask for a reservation at Enoteca and you'll be set. As has been said before, the ambiance/set up of Del Posto is reminiscent of a big Chicago steakhouse with all the yellow and wood accents. Clientele is heavy on suits and far from the younger/more hip and more aesthetically pleasing crowd that hangs out in the rest of the Meatpacking district. But service is attentive. Food is not consistent, being superb one time and rather blah the next. But Del Posto is worth at least one visit to see for yourself, especially at this price.
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This was the first stop on the Iron Chef tour of New York. It was kind of an accident. We didn't mean to patronize Iron Chef locations specifically, it just kind of ended up that way. Next time, it will be the anti-Iron Chef tour...
But I digress. Del Posto:
The three stars I give Del Posto are almost exclusively for service and atmosphere. The place is dazzlingly beautiful and elegant. In all of my dining experience, it is among the top three most visually luscious restaurants I have ever had the pleasure to sit in. (Number one, however, is far and away the Las Vegas Aureole. Helllooo, suede walls? Three-story wine tower? Yes.) The earthy, cool touches of $2 million worth of marble were used judiciously, accented with warm golden lamplight, soft earth-toned leather, and down cushions. It was a truly luxurious physical and visual experience to sit in that room.
The service was stupendous, if a touch formal for my taste. From the sommelier and the waiter, right down to the food runners and the bus boys, everyone was friendly, knowledgeable, professional and perfect in every aspect of their job. Our $95 five-course prix fixe was paced perfectly with the descent of wine in the bottle. Silverware traded out and plates removed without ruckus--we hardly noticed the necessary machinations of the staff as they prepared our table for the next course.
The food, however, was disappointing at large with a couple of standouts. The amuse busch of fried brandino and potato dumplings with spicy tomato paste was delicious, but the little shot of "soup" that came with them tasted exactly what it was: pasta water with herbs. The artichoke heart chips were almost wonderful, except they disappeared on the tongue they were so delicate. The Archdiocese of New York should bless these things as the Host.
My salumi insalata appetizer was full of fatty, grisly textures and flavors. I've had good salumi, and this was not it. My friend's sausage appetizer was much better, to my taste. But she didn't particularly like it.
With the pasta dishes, Molto Mario lived up to his reputation. The spaghetti with dungeness and the gnocchi with pork ragu were both bordering on phenomenal. However, one couldn't help but remember, in a place such as New York, you could find comparably fabulous and interesting pasta dishes at inspired and interesting Italian restaurants across the five burroughs--provided you knew where to look. And cheaper, too.
The entrees were next. The smoked lobster for my friend and the duck for me. I had no complaints about the roasted duck breast on a little mound of delicious celery root, except for the little egg cup of solidified duck fat that came on the side, like some sort of delicacy. Maybe for Mario, but I like my lard still attached to the meat. My friend's lobster dish was... dull. Not in that needs-salt way, but that, wow, how-do-you-make-lobster-so-boring way. It had an almost interesting smoky flavor that didn't do much for the lobster meat, and the accompanying pasta had little more going on than a bit of spicyness.
It was a wonderful evening out--excellent wine, beautiful, warm, comfortable place, perfect service, and most important, great company... but for all of that, we left feeling a little not so molto fantastico about Mario.
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I have been wanting to come here forever and was totally surprised to come here for my bday! I loved it.
The service is exceptional. Attentive, fancy and friendly. The decor is great too and very well done. Big space and it seems like it is very well run and executed.
Started at the bar and those Italian mojitos were so good that they were almost deadly!
The food is fantastic. The bread is tasty which is always a great start for me. The chef's compliments were a nice touch and very good.
The pastas were so flavorful and fresh. I got the garganelli with ragu bolognese. Very satisfied. For my main entree, I had the duck breast. SO GOOD. Small portions, but so good. My boyfriend had the lamb chop and it was so tender, didn't hardly need a knife.
Yes, this place is expensive but worth it. I won't give it 5 stars because of the price and portions.
But, it has lived up to the hype and I will recommend to others.
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To be honest, Del Posto was a disappointment. I so wanted to love this place. The food was below Babbo's standard but double the price. However, two stars to the impeccable service and atmosphere.
I do like the idea of the pasta tastes - here they allow you to literally have a taste of three pastas which is better than having to order a half portion. However, nothing was spectacular and I honestly cant even remember any of the three pastas I tried.
The last star is for the dessert : rum and chocolate pairing. The most unusual and most divine dessert I have tried in a very long time. The waitress cuts off chunks of chocolate while pairing each of the six chocolate cuts with a delicious exotic rum. Truly divine.
Skip dinner and come here for the dessert.
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Let me start by saying I was very reluctant to go to Del Posto - My favorite restaurants tend to be smaller, more intimate spots such as AOC Bedford, Dell'Anima, Apizz, etc.). Del Posto's grand size and close proximity to Meatpacking was an immediate turn-off. However, I was told by many friends that despite all that, Del Posto was worth the trip - that the food and service were exceptional...
I should have gone with my gut.
Let's start with the service: I had an 8:30pm reservation and was not seated until 9pm. Only after I complained 5 times and asked to speak to the manager did I get an apology. The maitre'd fed me one excuse after another and the manager did nothing to help the situation. It was only after 20 minutes that they sent someone over to offer us a tasting from the kitchen - but unfortunately it was a completely unappetizing fried rice ball. Once we sat down the service improved...
Atmosphere - this didn't surprise me at all, but still...the only way to describe it is that it feels like you're in a hotel lobby somewhere in the midwest. And the servers present the menu to you as if you are at a theme restaurant.
Food - I really wanted to love it. I am usually a big fan of Mario Batali - Lupa and Otto are 2 favorites. But nothing I ate was exceptional, or even mildly satisfying. Here's a rundown...
-Amuse Bouche: shot of soup - tasted like watery milk; artichoke chips - ok, not very tasty; fried potato dumplings w/tomato paste - I'll give them a point for this one, but again, nothing special.
-Roasted Winter Vegetables w/truffled hazelnuts: this was actually a good dish - fresh, crisp vegetables and I love the taste of truffles.
-Cauliflower Sformato w/poached lobster: the lobster was cooked well but the cauliflower custard had little flavor
-Rare Tuna w/Bresaola: Loaded w/salt and that was all I could taste. It overpowered everything else on the plate.
-Lamb Chops: tender and juicy but lacking any flavor. The accompanying tomato paste would have been great, but once again they used too much salt
- Dessert: this was on the house - they brought out sorbet/gelato sampler, semifreddo, lemon tart, and panna cotta - all were just ok, none stood out.
The plate of tiny cookies they brought out at the very end was the best part of the entire meal.
Why not a Fifth star, you ask? I loved it, the food was incredible, the service was excellent, the atmosphere was Pristine, but its not Babbo. I did get to meet Mr. Bastinich (sorry for spelling) and that was cool to see him over at the bar, swirling away at a glass of wine. It is expensive, you will leave full and feeling like you need to starve yourself for days to even out for all the calories you consumed in one seating, but after all is said and done I had a much better dining experience at Babbo.
I cannot remember exactly what I ate, since I was here last October, but anything that you order will be delicious. Bring the big boys and expect to pay a pretty penny.
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The experience was grand as is the entrance when you are greeted by the well dressed doorman who assists you in hailing a cab on your departure.
Privacy: We sat upstairs and there was no one to our left or right, just behind and in front - excellent.
The layout is smart and elegant, many touches make this place architecturally interesting in a clever way, the coat check before the sweeping entrance, the entrance of the lowest level floor as seen from the balcony, the piano, the covered sugar and assorted dishes etc.
The seating on the balcony was well spaced and offered intimacy in a large setting.
Food;
There is a variety of bread, served warm with butter. We did not order a tasting menu and were treated with awesome courtesy. A large selection of cookies were presented at the end in addition to the dessert.
Entrees sampled;
compliments of the chef - small soup, cod fish dumpling, chip-dip
ink...fruit de mare pasta - large portion- fresh and savory
ravioli...buffalo tomato - smaller but filling
Affogado...small - about 1/2 a cup's worth, probably will not be worth the $15 for some people.
Service:
I did not care for the assistants to our head waiter, they seemed out of place, with an uncultivated attitude - almost miserable. I may or may not return because of this oversight - especially as several of us have noted in our reviews!
Head waiter on the other hand was a professional and sharp. The gracious hostess who assisted us with last minute reservations gave us a sweet parting pair of truffles. Her professional demeanor set the tone for the evening.
Clients:
You can dress up or down here, the patrons included businessmen, dates and mid-western looking ladies in jeans and winter scarfs.
Very comfortable and friendly, if you want to impress someone - this is a great choice.
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"They're gonna need to roll us out of here," said my friend Jennifer. And she was right. It was so good and rich, although the right amount of food. (They handle portions well.)
The five of us got the Prix Fix menu where we each picked our started and main course and as a table we picked two pastas. We were all happy with our meals.
I started with cauliflower sformato with poached lobster. For my main course I had the siced venison with grilled cabbage. The pastas we chose for the table included the orecchiette with lamb sausage and the carrot cappellacci with almond milk and black truffles. All of this was so very divine.
The whole thing was quite and experience and an indulgence. And it was worth every penny.
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Went here for a birthday dinner and was disappointed. I REALLY wanted to like it. The appetizers were amazing and the food went downhill from there. Pasta course was okay, but do you know how much it costs them to make that tiny plate of perfect pasta? Pennies! The service was horrendous. Our server was more concerned with a 8 top than us. For that kind of money, I expect the server to almost do back flips if I ask
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Went here last year on my client's dime. Even without paying, I was still not impressed. Sure, the interior is gorgeous and very austere-looking and you instantly feel important just being inside, but sit down and the illusions of grandeur quickly fade away.
I remember we had good wine, and that was about it. The food was so unmemorable, I can't begin to tell you what we had...all I know is that none of it was good and I walked away thinking the bread basket was the best part of the meal. Oh, and the waiters were ridiculously snooty. Seriously, get over yourselves. Your restaurant is about as good as the Olive Garden Times Square. Wait, I think the soup at Olive Garden is better than Del Posto's...
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In one word: PHENOMENAL
One of the best meals I've ever had, and at those prices, it better have been! I mean how often do I treat myself to a meal that's costs a little under $200 (for just myself), especially when I can use that for shoes!
Originally we came in wanting to have order a few apps and have a few drinks, I know...we made a reservation one month ahead of time for apps! But then we walked in...and it was beautiful. I felt like Zelda Fitzgerald or something, it really was so Fitgeraldesque! There should have been a jazz band playing off in the corner somewhere. Call me crazy, but I wanted to live there!
So anyway, we sat down took one look at the menu and OUT went the plan of a few drinks and apps, and in came the idea to just go for the tasting menu. A lot more food that I had previously expected to have, but it was all amazing and one of the better decisions I've made! I remember how good the bread they offered us was. They also left a little dish of this butter looking stuff next to it. I mentioned to my friend that it looked sort of like lard (and I love lard) and she asked me to try it first, so I obliged and went for it. Oh my God, what I tasted was AMAZING, it was the best pork tasting lard ever. Someone walked by and I asked him what it was and he replied "you don't want to know" as he laughed, and I said "is it lard" and he said "well it's lardO"! Which brings me to this question, why isn't lardo served with bread in more places. I'm not a big fan of butter anyway. (On a sidenote, it is on the menu at SPQR in San Francisco).
As for the rest of the food, gnocchi with pork was my favorite, and was when I fell in love with gnocchi, really and truly (see my profile under current crush). I also loved the salmon and insalata caprese which was so different than any other I had ever tasted, and also included cucumber pieces. I can't remember what else I ate, the desserts were delicious, but I loved when they wheeled the cart with all the goodies in big glass jars to our table. They gave us a plate full of small sweets, and even a small homemade Oreo cookie!
The restaurant itself was beautiful and so elegant and grand, the food was outstanding and mouth-wateringly delicious, and the service was nearly flawless. I honestly felt like royalty. And now you know why the one word I used to describe this place, is PHENOMENAL!
P.S. My life will not be complete if I never am able to enjoy another meal here. But I will let you all know how B&B in Vegas is soon!
P.P.S. Lydia is one of my favorite chefs (catch her on KQED on weekend mornings). Also, I heart you Batali!
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Damn you, Mario Batali. And you big orange clogs, too. And you too, Lidia Bastianich. And your freakin rich restaurateur of a son.
I really don't want to like, yet another, celebrity chef-run restaurant. Particularly one that confuses me as to whether I'm eating dinner or whether I'm in some arrivals hall waiting for the next train from Yonkers to pull in. Fortunately for Mr. Batali, the food somehow outdoes the overwhelming space you're dining in.
I won't get into the separate dishes themselves, as they probably won't be there when you go anyway (the menu is always changing). But on a night where the kitchen is really on, you can be sure that your dishes will be nothing short of excellent. The pastas are perfectly prepared with amazing texture and flavor. The meats are expertly roasted and flavorful. The seafood is incredibly fresh and perfectly moist. The desserts make you want to cry.
Aside from what you order, the little amuse-bouches throughout the meal are fun and tasty. The wine list is (as would be expected) overwhelming. Fortunately, the sommeliers are (as would be expected) incredibly knowledgeable.
Yes, it's pricier than an Extra Value Meal, but well worth it. And if you eat in the Enoteca (the cheap seats), the food is the same quality and you can get a 3-course meal for $45 (plus $19 for a wine flight). Definitely an excellent deal.
Putting this in context with the highest end of restaurants, I give it 4 stars. There are a few restaurants in the city that exceed it, but it certainly is superb.
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The food was good, but not remarkable. The service was attentive, kid friendly (waiter and my 6 yo son got along just great and got a tour of the kitchen at the end) and informative. However, the price ($300 for two adults and a kid pasta and 2 glass of wine) was not justifiable. I will take Jean George over this place any day.
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Del Posto sat atop the Amazing Tree (distant cousin of the Ugly Tree) and hit every branch on the way down. Amazing.
Ok, maybe that was a bit over the top, but Del Posto was and is good eats. Plus, the $45 Pre-Fixe meal and $19 wine pairings with every course is a killer deal. Where else can fine dining and deal be spoken positively in the same sentence?
The decor grand, the service impeccable, and the food delicious. If you've gone to Lupa and want go to a little more upscale, but Babbo is booked solid, give Del Posto a shot. You won't regret it.
A note: if you don't get the Pre-Fixe menu, there is a food prep station on the floor for food prepared tableside. That could be kind of cool.
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Walking into Del Posto and admiring the VAST space, you wonder how many clients they must have to pull in every night to even pay the rent...I have a mixed experience here....
We had a group of 5 and we sat down at a lovely table overlooking the restaurant on the upper tier. We ordered cocktails...me my favorite pre dining drink, pink champagne. The somalier/ cocktail man arrives at our table with the beverages....and before I know it, cold liquid running down my cleavage and down my dress....I popped up in half a second. With the most sincere apologies, he got me some napkins and the card of the manager for dry cleaning. He was so flustered for the rest of the evening, he kept blushing and then the ruse started with my aunt harassing the man because she was convinced the reason he dropped the glass, was that he was enamored with me....he was so embarrassed...and at that point, so was I.
On to the waitress, she was a sweet girl who took a licking from this crown and was grilled about every item on the menu. She did an amazing job of describing the delicious food....although she seemed a little nervous and said tough crowd picked up on it immediately...and sort of egged it on.
The food at Del Posto was one of the most excellent I have had in a long time. I am what I like to call a fishiterian...I eat mostly vegetarian, but sometimes fish when I go out. The staff was very accommodating to revise the menu slightly for my dietary needs as a lot of the first courses have some sort of pork or meat product in them.
The Gnudi was phenomenal....I also thoroughly enjoyed the fish dish (I think I had Turbot) and all of the amazing courses....I believe 5 in all.
Each Course was paired with some amazing bottle. We let so full....and the next day I woke up with a food hangover....it was worth every bite.
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I visited Del Posto in a blizzard. The snow was 20 inches on the ground and I plowed through it towards the frozen Hudson, determined not to miss the reservation.
Finally I arrived, 15 minutes late. I expected a dressing down from the maitre'd, but the place was empty. NO ONE made it to their reservations! The vast space was echoingly empty. And the snow was falling outside.
Eventually a few bedraggled diners made it in.
They brought unbelievably good agnolotti (Mario Batalli knows his pasta. trust me on this one) and a killer, aged Bovio barbera. Then awesome dessert. It all warmed me up.
Then we had to face reality. We stepped out into the snow.
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This restaurant is amazing! For some reason, the waitress manged to come by the second we needed something. I forgot what exactly we had for dinner (we ordered the tasting menu), but I remember one thing: the truffle pasta was truffle sprinkled with pasta, not the other way around. Decoration is impressive and the food lives up to the environment.
Expensive, scene-y and totally crappy. Having eaten at all of Batali's restaurants, I gotta say, dude is as over as a Pashmina shawl. Del Posto belongs in a strip mall. It's big, loud, totally impersonal and completely forgettable, except for the egregiously expensive menu. We were a party of eight and were forced to do the $95 prix fixe menu per person. And of course, for that price, no substitutions are allowed. The food sucked -- beef consome with zero zest or flavor, mediocre Olive Garden-esque pasta, and for my entree, a tasteless, limp halibut. That's what $95 gets you there. Oh, and did I mention major helpings of attitude and a waitress that disappeared for 25 minutes at a time, without explanation. If you're stuck in that neck of the woods, go across the street to Morimoto, which is heavenly.
Dining at Del Posto kind of felt like I was dining in the CLUE mansion. There were a cast of characters and the meal was very private. But as much as we wanted to keep to ourselves, we kept stretching our necks to see what the next table was devouring, whispering to discuss what was going on, and taking mental notes to pull the whole meal together in the end.
Del Posto was a feast. Service was amazingly quick (what happened to the seven hour dining experience?) and there was so much detail on everything.
We were served complimentary white bean soup with dark chocolate shavings. It was smooth, a little creamy, sweetly aromatic, and in the end had a chewy bite. We were also given a skewer of broccoli and mushroom. We ordered the pork loin, duck breast, and garganelli pasta. The pork loin was juicy and tender. It was served with a fig that was stuffed with ground pork. On the side, in it's own separate dish I was served onion rings so they didn't get soggy from the reduction sauce of the pork loin. These were the best onion rings I have ever tasted. They were perfectly crunchy and light in batter. The pasta was good but I think the main courses were better and the pasta at Otto is just as good. The duck breast wins for the night because it was served with foie gras! In a little cup, we had foie gras topped with pumpkin seeds. We spread the foie gras on buttered toast with a baby spoon. It was the silkiest, sweetest, buttery foie gras I had ever tasted. It was a true delicacy. The duck was also very meaty and flavorful and placed on top of cauliflower. An apple and celery chutney was paired with the duck but we decided to skip it. It overwhelmed the duck slightly. After our main courses, the waiter placed a white napkin over the messy parts of our table. Voila! Instant clean table.
Dessert was a feast for the eyes and tastebuds. The hot chocolate was heavenly. Rich but smooth and warm on this cold and rainy winter day. It came with the thickest whipped cream ever. The chocolate souffle was divine. The waiter poked a hole in the middle with a spoon and then proceeded to pour chocolate syrup into the middle. It was paired with espresso gelato and brandied cherries. We were also given a variety of miniature cookies. We were full by this time and it was quite overwhelming to watch our waiter serve us the cookies but one bite and we couldn't help but finish the whole plate. He was so nice and funny, he even told us if we wanted more just to let him know. We were given extra white chocolate hazelnut crunchies. This was God's spin on rice crispies. On the plate was also home made versions of merangue, oreos, caramel, jam cookies, orange and apricot jellies, etc. Each one was equisite.
As we exited Del Posto, each guest was given a sealed golden box of chocolates. What a nice touch. I was way too full to even taste the chocolates and really appreciate it. Two days later, I finally opened the box and in it were the most delicious round truffle balls dusted with cocoa.
Del Posto is truly a five star dining experience.
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Emerging from our cab and seeing the unassuming entrance on 10th Avenue, I wasn't sure what to expect. Walking in, the restaurant was far more grand than I anticipated and because we did not have reservations, we asked to sit in the Enoteca. Immediately, I was glad for this decision. The main dining room of Del Posto was beautifully appointed but the high ceilings distracted from a warm, intimate feel and seemed more "corporate dinner-ish". However, the Enoteca side was the opposite. With lower ceilings, heavy drapery and warm colors, I felt like I was visiting a dear friend's villa in Tuscany (if I had any dear friends in Tuscany!).
Scanning the menu, we decided on the Calamari Fritti with cherry peppers and capers. This was, hands down, the best calamari I've had. It melted in my mouth, wasn't over fried or heavy and the addition of the cherry peppers to the butter reduction sauce made for a nice mixture of sweet and salty. Perfectly balanced.
For our second plate, we chose the Garganelli with Lamp Sausage. The homemade spinach pasta was not overworked or tough. It had the right amount of give and melted in my mouth. The lamb was fresh without a hint of gaminess.
To finish our dinner, we had the Black Sea Bass. The fish was thick and I was worried that parts might be overcooked and the middle under but it was cooked to perfection. It flaked onto the fork nicely and the texture felt just right.
We finished the evening off with an espresso that took me back to the cafes of Italy.
It was an enjoyable experience, the wines by the glass were reasonable and the service attentive.
My only complaint would be that when we first arrived, we wanted to order our calamari first with our martinis and then scan the menu slowly but were informed that we had to order everything at once because that's how the kitchen wanted it. We felt a bit rushed but the food and the service made up for our initial upset.
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Great service from beginning to end. I had dessert packed to go and it was ready in box at the coat check. Clever!
Beautiful space with soaring ceilings and comfortable seating.
Minus one star because the food is slightly below Babbo but the restaurant is solid.
I took my boyfriend to Del Posto for his birthday dinner this week and was not disappointed. I have to say, the place was a lot fancier than we'd expected, and had a very Client Dinner sort of atmosphere - lots of men in suits were dining there. At least my boyfriend and I clean up pretty well...we weren't given funny looks for our relatively casual appearance.
This place is like a well-oiled machine. They seem to have a different staff member for every step of the dining process, from seating to pouring water to the sommelier, wait staff, dessert cart guy, etc etc. Having so many people being so attentive actually makes me slightly uncomfortable in an "I don't really need this" sort of way but at least everyone was polite and quick. I guess I'm just not that used to Fine Dining.
Anyway, my boyfriend (who is super picky) and I both enjoyed our experience here. I was a little disappointed that there were no vegetarian entrees, so I just ordered a first course of crepes as my entree. It was a small dish, but we had enough other food to fill me up, starting with the amuse bouches (not one, but four!), the big bread basket, and of course dessert. My crepes were delicious. My boyfriend ordered the lamb and he said it was really good, but overpriced for what it was. Not surprising, being that this is Batali and Bastianich.
Never had I spent $15 on a dessert before this place, but I was there for the experience so I sucked it up. And it was worth it. I ordered the cheesecake/kaffir lime coconut sorbetto/roasted pineapple dessert trio, and it was just wonderful. My boyfriend was not so impressed with his tiramisu, which had semisweet chocolate flakes on top instead of bittersweet dark chocolate. Boyfriend is not a sweets guy. He also said his espresso was not impressive, but he's a coffee snob.
Oh, and I forgot to talk about the wine. The wine list is MASSIVE. Like overwhelmingly gargantuan. No wonder places like this have sommeliers. We were actually able to sift through and find a good, reasonably priced rosso di montalcino on our own but had we needed assistance I'm sure the sommelier would have been valuable. This is one of those restaurants that has items like a 3 liter bottle of wine for $3,250. Yeah. We managed to pick out a tasty $42 bottle. And I loved the big red wine goblets - I'm a sucker for drinking out of those. It makes me feel so fancy.
Would I go back? Only if I'm not paying for it. Like my boyfriend said, it's overpriced for what it is, but it was a nice splurge. And they send you away with a "gift from the kitchen" - a small box containing two chocolate truffles. As if you even needed to stuff your face with more food...but they sure were yummy.
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I was a bit overwhelmed by the size of the restaurant when I first walked but eventually bought into it. Think 1920s glam.
The amuse-bouche was interesting... I like that they were there to "snack on" before the menus arrived. We had excellent appetizers and delicious pastas. The wine list is extensive!
Loses one star, however, because dinner is a bit pricier than one would expect.
We'd actually had reservations at Craft this night but while on the Chelsae Market Food Tour, our guide detoured us into Del Posto and started raving about the $45 Pre-Fixe menu in the Enoteca. A $45 dollar pre-fixe menu is a good deal anywhere in the city but the fact that it was Del-Posto made the deal even sweeter so I stopped by the front on our way out and made dinner reservations for that evening.
We were seated promptly when we arrived.. none of the waiting like Babbo and the space of the restaurant gave it a very relaxing atmosphere. The live band that was playing definitely added unto the already great ambience.
We chose the $45 pre-fixe menu that allows us to choose any antipasti, primi, secondi and dolci. There's an accompanying wine pairing for an additional $19 per person which we also chose. (The pre-fixe menu must be for the entire party at your table).
There was a wide variety of breads from the bread basket and they give you butter and lard. The lard on your bread can be fun but if you don't like pork, you won't like it. It definitely tastes like what it is- pork fat.
The antipasti was beef carpaccio and the calamari. The beef carpaccio was velvety with crunchy salt crystals, olives, and fresh mozzarella. The calamari was crunchy and spicy. Both excellent.
For our primi, I had the Bucatini all' Amatriciana and while I do usually like this dish, the guanciale was very overpowering, giving the pasta a very "porky" flavor that was somewhat disconcerting. I definitely liked the Orecchiette with spicy pancetta and greens much better.
Secondi was Roast cod and Pork loin. Cod was a definite winner, the pork not so much. It was very dry,
The desserts were solid but nothing mind blowing. We had the flourless chocolate cake and the sorbets.
All wines that were paired with our meal were great accompaniments. I especially liked the spicy red that went with our primi. The prosecco at the end wasn't half bad either.
A really great deal for the kind of restaurant that it is.
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It's everything about French formal dining in an Italian restaurant. Del Posto is grand and elegant, reminiscent of a bygone era. The appetizers were good, but it is the pasta that really shines here. The entrees were disappointing especially after the exuberant performance in the pasta. The rum and chocolate paring, although gimmicky, is worth the fun and don't forget to leave room for the after dessert cart of goodies. Next time, I would skip the tasting menu and enjoy the pasta with a glass of wine, but the somewhat rigid atmosphere would make me uncomfortable to do so unless I was at the bar.