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Acappella
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
1 Hudson StNew York, NY 10013
Neighborhood: TriBeCa
(212) 240-0163
- Nearest Transit:
-
Chambers St (1, 2, 3)
Chambers St (A, C)
Park Pl (2, 3)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 12 pm - 3 pm
Mon-Fri 5 pm - 10:30 pm
Sat 5 pm - 11 pm
Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
42 reviews for Acappella
Review Highlights
-
"triple cut veal chop grilled w/ peppers & balsamic vinegar." In 5 reviews -
"Complimentary grappa w/ fruits." In 3 reviews
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"Pro: Porcini Ravioli - delicious as promised." In 4 reviews
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42 reviews in English
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Review from Jayson O.
Marina del Rey, CA
2/21/2012
To sum up Acappella in three words: intense, delicious, and fun!
From the second you get inside, you feel like you have been transported directly to a restaurant in Italy. You're hit with delicious aromas, animated servers, and my favorite part - the giant block of parmesan cheese with healthy gouges already shaved away from the center.
Once you're at your table, you will marvel at the high ceilings, the romantic setting, and the entertaining vibe. There is a lot of energy in there, mostly coming from the really attentive staff. You are greeted immediately with a generous personal slab of that fresh parmesan cheese, some complimentary fried zucchini, and some proscuitto. What a great way to start your meal while you peruse the amazing wine list.
Once you're settled in, had a few bites of your apps, your server then comes over and runs through the night's specials. Unfortunately, I couldn't understand a word he was saying, but I didn't care...he exuded passion, and was quite fun to watch and listen to.
As for the food...it was unbelievably good. We had the veal, and the pasta trio in which the pesto was OUT OF THIS WORLD!
After you finish your meal, they bring you over a complimentary glass of grappa while you decide your dessert.
My favorite thing about this restaurant (besides the food) was that you were NOT rushed between courses. They wanted you to take your time, and enjoy each and every bite. It was fantastic.
As a foodie, I will definitely be coming back here. I loved it! -
Review from Lauren H.
Columbus, OH
5/3/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Food was good, service was terrible.
We purchased a Yelp coupon in anticipation of a spur-of-the-moment vacation. Made a reservation, still waited about a half hour for our table at the bar. Our bartender took very good care of us -- we ordered three top-shelf cocktails, and away we go.
Once seated, the formidable list of specials read, and orders placed, our waiter forgot about us completely.
I don't know if it was because we were obviously out-of-towners and overdressed, because there were only two of us, or because we didn't order wine, but once our entrees arrived, we were completely neglected. The man bussing our table paid better attention to us than anyone else in the house.
My pasta special was delicious and unique. But my partner's lamb was medium-well when he ordered medium-rare, which I consider a prime offense. I encouraged him to send it back, but we never got the opportunity to do so, and we were there on a coupon, so his rationale was to suck it up. I'm assured that it was tasty anyway. We both loved the trimmings more than the entrees: parmesean scooped out of the rind, fresh crusty bread, wilted greens, spicy fried starches.
The house manager eventually noticed the bevvy of disheveled plates piling up at our table and came by. "What happened?" he asked, by way of greeting. After my partner graciously stated that everything was tasty, the manager rushed away. He chewed our waiter out, came back one more time to say a few more curt words, and rushed off again to schmooze with larger parties.
Justified or not, I felt unwelcome and swindled. The food was delicious, but the experience wasn't worth it, even with our coupon. At no time prior to our check did we ever indicate we had coupon. I don't even want to think about what the service might have been like if we'd made any indication of that beforehand.
I'm still mystified and upset. I wish my partner had not been so gracious and my cocktails had not been so potent. I might have been more capable of resolving this conflict. -
Review from B. T.
San Francisco, CA
1/5/2012
I have had better food (at Roberto in The Bronx for example), but rarely better theater. This is an old-school place that would please a Don and has pretty good food too. The waiters--nearly all men of varying ages--are tuxedoed, heavily accented and full of old-world charm (though, of course, at these prices they will be well-compensated at tip time). The tables are set with gleaming china and crystal. The music, when I was there, was Sinatra. The lighting is low but not too low.
I ordered agnolotti for a first course (after the complentary darkly fried zucchini and salami slices), and broiled sole for a second course. The pasta was straight-forward (mushroom filling, a white sauce). The fish was a show: A whole cooked fish was brought out which a waiter proceeded to bone, expertly, while I watched. Another waiter prepared a white wine pan sauce over a single burner flame. Then they warmed a serving platter over the same flame and plated it all.
I also had desert--a deeply rich chocolate cake artistically plated with whipped cream and both chocolate and raspberry sauces. It was very good as well as pretty.
Together with bottled water and a glass of house merlot, the tab, at $123, was appropriate for dinner AND a show. But given this price, it should have been about the best Italian food ever and I can't say it was--so one star deducted. -
Review from Gail B.
Manhattan, NY
5/11/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
The service was impeccable - real old school Italian - and the atmosphere cozy, but it couldn't make up for my disappointment with the food. I like my bread and it was served cold and with butter. We had to ask for olive oil. The wine list was limited - a lot of high end bottles with a few that were more moderately priced. The main courses were tasty but a little over sauced. The pastas proved to be the better of the food which we ate. Dessert was a winner.
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Review from J F.
TriBeCa, Manhattan, NY
5/2/2012
Excellent restaurant, great food, tremendously authentic interior. Relatively expensive but worth it. Good date spot- maybe not first date
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Review from Layla C.
Brooklyn, NY
12/19/2011
Ate there on 12/2011
DRINKS: decent to very expensive and extensive winelist, the Chianti we had for $65 was a fairly good bottle.
FOOD: Complimentary zuccinis are nice but bit too garlicky. Get the mushroom - for appetizer and entree! :) It not only shows well, it's so deliciously flavorful. I had the halibut entree which was perfectly balanced and flavored. The vegetarian homemade pastas are on par as well. The items on the regular menu didn't impress but the specials definitely made up for it.
AMBIANCE: Very cozy, intimate and white table clothed type of setting.
SERVICE: It's a show, and the game is on - very attentive and good service. The waiter recited the specials for 10mins like he was an auctioneer.
PRICE: Higher than your usual italian, but it's a nice treat
Would I go again? Yes, for more mushrooms! -
Review from Dee H.
Love LOVE LOOOOOOVE Acappella! One of the best restaurants and best service I've ever experienced! It's a hidden gem and you can't even tell it's open at night. Dimly lit, quiet, romantic and intimate setting, this place has all the right things for a date night!! Yay for Authentic Northern Italian cuisine.
The host memorized all specials (pretty much everything on the menu and then some), over 15 dishes - verbatim. I kid you not, this guy is unlike any other server I've ever had. I kind of wanted to ask him to repeat it for the hell of it but didn't want to be rude or mean. Even when we ordered and couldn't remember what the dish was called but could describe bits and pieces of ingredients, our host was able to decipher what the hell we were trying to order. Magnifique!
The food was excellent. They brought out some sort of fried zucchini, bread, and prosciutto (complimentary) to start. They make everything fresh and sometimes in front of you (bananas flambe)! The food came out lightning fast.
Didn't have room for dessert, but they brought us complimentary grappa (homemade wine) and it was strong and delicious!!! Amazing end to our night. Service made it a great experience - definitely well worth the price. Love the employees here because they actually know what the hell service is and provide it. More restaurants should be like Acappella.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Frank M.
Todt Hill, Staten Island, NY
3/4/2012
Top 3 best restaurants I've ever eaten at. Authentic northern Italian food cooked to perfection. Very pricey though.
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Review from Alex R.
Staten Island, NY
10/19/2011
My favorite restaurant - Period.
Seafood, Appetizers, Pastas and Meats are all top notch.
The rigatoni alla grappa, the porcini ravioli with truffle cream sauce, and the homemade fig grappa for dessert are awesome.
It's pretty pricey here so try to go on business - or a special occasion if you are paying.
The service is very friendly and animated.
The restaurant is very spacious and highlighted by an over sized painting of The Duke of Urbino
(The painting is half of the original "The Duke and Duchess of Urbino" by Piero della Francesca . I found this out when i recognized it in the Uffizi in Florence) -
Review from Brian A.
New York, NY
6/4/2011
two words. Portobello Mushrooms.
Okay a few more--incredible staff, service, and food. TOP of the line dining experience. -
Review from Jeffay C.
Pelham, NY
10/30/2011
Purpose of visit: Business lunch. This is your classic old style NY italian eatery. It is located in a non descript buiding. Inside looks like a dusty old living room. Where is the big fireplace. Starters include cuts of parmigiana cheese and some slightly burnt eggplant slices. Ordered a house salad which was nondescript. Main course was a pasta fra diavolo style. They didn't hesitate to put in a lot of peppers which is fine for me but for the average diner much too much. Pasta was cooked nicely but was overwhelmed by the sauce. The place was dark enough to hide the fact the carpets ands overall decor is over 30 years old. Overall experience was average and nothing to stand out to justify a second visit.
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Review from M N.
Newport Beach, CA
12/29/2011
Hidden but an absolutely wonderful restaurant. Homey atmosphere and the servers are friendly and beyond gracious. The apricot grappa was something new for us to try after dinner (quite the surprise). Ravioli was fresh and the chicken marsala was delicious. Portions are generous. GO!
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Review from Melisa S.
New York, NY
8/9/2011
Went here on a fun double date. Was a tough day in the market... which is why I think there were only three couples in the entire restaurant (on Monday evening). The food was fresh and good. Big block of parmesan cheese and zucchini was brought out from the chef right away (which is nice when you are starving). Food and wine was excellent. Only disappointment was Oysters Rockefeller which had too much cheese rather than a nice breadcrumb mixture. Good service as well.
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Review from Sara D.
Manhattan, NY
First off, we may be rather biased, however we LOVE this place!!! From Gianni the bartender to Dino the maitre d', there's nothing that these fine men won't do for you!
Love the fact that we never use a menu because the specials are always amazing. (FYI, specials are usually pricey).
Great wine list! Very romantic. If it's you're birthday, let them know... After it's not called Acapella for nothing! ;-)
FYI- don't leave without having the homemade anisette!
Check out pics of our meal at http://www.SaraDISH.com
http://saradish.com/po... -
Review from Victoria C.
New York, NY
10/15/2009
There are so many places in the city that are so much cheaper but still provide a fine dining experience with amazing tasting food.
The service is attentively rude. The staff is uncomprehendible.
They missed one of our orders and only one of the two that did come was good. But was it $6 a bite good? Absolutely not!
Beware! -
Review from Alisa B.
New York, NY
7/2/2010
This is my favorite Italian restaurant in the city. From the moment we (my husband and I and another couple) entered the place I knew it was going to be a event. The decor is old New York and therefore fancy and intimate. We were greeted by the owner who acted like he had known us forever and from that point forward were never off their radar.
We started with a charcuterie plate which has the best parmesan I had ever had as well as a trio of pastas that included a creamy pesto that I cannot re-create at home ( I tried). When I was uncertain as to what to order for my entree, I was asked what I liked, how I liked it cooked and was told that they would create a special dish just for me! Yes, I was nervous. They seared an assortment of seafood at our table and it was nothing short of amazing.
So- the dessert? Most amazing! We all had the zabaione which is extremely hard to perfect but of course they nailed it. Made table-side, it was intriguing to watch and delicious to eat as it was served warm on top of fresh berries. Spend the money and experience Acapella! -
Review from Katie K.
San Francisco, CA
11/7/2007
The restaurant is dimly lit and catered for a business meal in a classical Italian restaurant.
The server tried to accommodate and plated each course for the party. We tried:
- scallops in shell for appetizer......nice
- fusilli pesto.......okay
- ravioli stuffed with fresh lobster....good
- porcini mushrooms ravioli......my favorite
- triple cut veal chop grilled w/ peppers & balsamic vinegar....order if you want to feel like Fred Flintstone......eeh
- pounded chicken breast w/ reggiano cheese & white wine......best entree
Complimentary grappa w/ fruits.....strong like rubbing alcohol but it was good compared to others. Would I come back?.......nah. -
Review from Tom K.
3/11/2010
My Acappella review is based strictly on a dessert experience so is therefore limited in its scope. (What is this, a project plan or a review?)
Disclaimer out of the way, let's go!
The dining room of Acappella has a presence lurking on the wall that best captures the confidence, pride and accomplishments of Northern Italy during the Renaissance and in turn the dessert I enjoyed. It's a rather large portrait of Federico da Montefeltro, Lord and then Duke of Urbino, the quintessential Renaissance man and exemplar of the ending dark ages.
He'll watch over you as the staff of Acapella lavishes attention upon your party. I imagine him springing to life if service is not up to his impeccably high standards as dining room order is restored.
Flambe dessert is a house specialty and worth every minute of anticipation as it is prepared table side. It's a feast for the senses as you'll smell the fresh lemon and orange peels, watch with trepidation as the sugar and grand marnier mix together into a flaming pyre of pleasure.
Your guide on this journey will smile, engage in some banter, and next add raspberries (with other fruits available). He'll mix and stir until a delectable syrup is formed.
But what then?
Enter a cup of gelato, the perfect cold base to house a warm syrup. It's a thunderstorm of flavor waiting to explode and the first bite did not disappoint.
I was tempted to applaud but maintained my cool.
Dramatic flair never tasted so good. I'll be back for more. -
Review from Jeff W.
Astoria, NY
11/15/2009
Hype started with this restaurant when I tasted the best mushroom ravioli I've ever had at the Taste of TriBeCa - Acappella stand. I was very excited to finally get a plate full.
Pro: Porcini Ravioli - delicious as promised
Con: A plateful of 6 medium sized Raviolis: $36. You tell me if it's worth it. I said delicious, not orgasmic.
Con: the 3 pasta dish was horrible and they missed one of our orders
Pro: Staff - attentive and was nice enough to explain the giant painting in the back wall is given to the restaurant for a mob movie shoot.
Con: Staff - the menu guy sped through the menu in heavy italian accent without breaks between words. Dear restaurant owners, please send waiters that speak comprehensive english, especially when explaining food! -
Review from Keri M.
New York, NY
3/21/2008 13 photos
Incredible Northern Italian cuisine!
The food was delicious and the service was impeccable (pulling out your chair, not hovering, smart about space on the table...). This is a great date spot - be prepared to drop some coin.
I liked how the portions were on the smaller side so you could actually taste and appreciate your food. They make great recommendations and have an ever changing specials list so I would recommend not even ordering from the menu.
A definite must is the lamp chop dish - they cook it out on the dining floor right near you so you can see the flames - it's quite the show. The pasta trio is great for sharing as an appetizer, it gives you a chance to sample they're top 3 pasta dishes and not get to full for your Entree. The ambiance was really nice - super high ceilings with a dim light and incredible art/mirrors all around... -
Review from Daniel S.
San Francisco, CA
12/3/2008
Embarrassing.
The service was so good that it was embarrassing. Seriously, we probably had eight servers for a table of four, but they never felt intrusive.
The food was excellent. Pay close attention to your waiter as he's describing the entrees, because he won't give you a menu. At least we didn't get one. Everything sounded delicious and everyone was happy with their food, so happy that we went back after catching "Speed the Plow" to sit at the bar and drink grappa with the owner. -
Review from Stephanie Y.
Jersey City, NJ
5/1/2009
Ok ... so I was on the fence about 4 or 5 stars and let me tell you why:
My bf and I have money but we ain't loaded: so we can treat ourselves to nice meals but by no means are we ballers. Acappella is for BALLERS or special nights out.
The place is awesome. The food amazing. You are treated so well. We didn't feel at all like we were in NYC - we felt like we were in Italy. We had the hot antipasto app which the oysters roc rocked our worlds. My bf got the veal chop - WOW and i got the halibut ( trying to get back into summer shape :) ) - which was perfectly cooked with hot cherry peppers and olives. The tiramasu- delicious with fresh whipped cream and berries. The free fig grappa at the end - homemade and strong.
With that being said it was expensive - we even had the http://restaurant.com coupon which barely put a dent into the bill. So if you are in the mood to BALL out or you are just a BALLER, ball out here. -
Review from Byron W.
8/9/2009 5 Check-ins Here
If you ever long to eat in Italy and can't afford the trip this is the spot to visit. Has a great old school charm and personality. Completely felt like I was back in Rome on vacation with these guys.
The wait staff is very accommodating and friendly. The food is downright amazing. I usually just order one of the day's specials because I've NEVER had a bad dish here. Wine list is a bit pricey but impressive. Love this place, get ready to drop a load of dough but it's definitely worth it!!!!! -
Review from Alessandra V.
Somerville, MA
2/24/2010
My boyfriend and I went to this restaurant because we had a coupon and it got decent reviews on yelp. I knew from the moment we walked in, that this was not going to be the great italian restaurant I was anticipating. The atmosphere was stuffy, with the clientele definitely on the older side. The waiter actually brings over a portabello mushroom to explain the special salad of the night. The food was so overpriced and bad...pasta with sausage was 28 dollars...i ate half the dish and felt like i had gained 10 pounds instantly. My boyfriend had the pasta bolognese which was nothing special.
The tiramisu was the best part of the meal. The service was decent. I honestly can't believe this place has gotten such good reviews with food this bad...maybe we just ordered the wrong thing.... -
Review from Steve N.
Florham Park, NJ
7/18/2011
The wine list was small for this type of a resturant and priced for the Donald. We where a party of seven. Three entrees arrived and waited and waited for the other four to arrive. Not acceptable for the act they are putting on. Don't order any of the verbal specials without asking the price or you will get burned. All said the food was very good, but the service could use a brush up. Beautiful decor and romantic.
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Review from banschick k.
Demarest, NJ
12/3/2011
Have been to this restaurant several times. Made a reservation on Thursday on Opentable for Saturday nite @ 8PM. Arrived at 8:05 and proceeded to have drinks at the bar. At 9:10 when we still had not been seated, we paid the bar tab and left. The hostess and maitre' d were in hiding. There are plenty of good restaurants to go to that honor reservations, or that at least apologize when they don't. I will NEVER return. Don't waste your time.
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Review from Anthony V.
East Rutherford, NJ
10/26/2010 3 photos
Best Italian meal I have ever had and considering my family is italian and loves to cook I don't say this lightly. The wait staff was excellent and when we couldnt decide on appetizers they offered to create a sampler for us. This was the most amazing thing, they literally plated and prepared each appetizer for us. There were 5 different ones in total and we each had a plate with some of each. They walk around with giant wedges of cheese breaking off pieces for you. The desserts are incredible and everything on the menu looks good. The meal ends with some complimentary Grappa that reminds me of my unckle's paint thining home made grappa.
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Review from Patrick B.
Madison, CT
5/14/2010
Had lunch here yesterday. This place is fantastic. I would give it five stars if I go back and have the same experience we had at lunch yesterday. Great service, great menu, amazing food.
If you are downtown, definitely try it. I will go back at dinner next time -
Review from Christine C.
Astoria, NY
11/17/2009
One of my favorites!
The food is consistently great and the service is amazing as well. I love their ravioli! I've had the pleasure of eating here many times, and I can honestly say that I've never been disappointed.
While I'm not typically a huge fan of anisette or grappa, they are for sure a must try. The homemade anisette is so smooth and delicious we once tried to buy an entire jug from them. A close second, in my opinion, is the blueberry grappa. Be prepared for, well, grappa (and some well soaked blueberries)!
Another must try-- Bananas Foster which they make table-side. Excellent! Admittedly, I also just enjoy watching them go through the process of making it.Listed in: My Lunch Spot List
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Review from Tamar K.
New York, NY
10/15/2010 8 photos
picture this: We were casually dressed and in a hurry on our way to a friend's performance. We step out of the Chamber St. subway hoping to find a quick restaurant. I'd been craving Italian, and poof! there it was. So we said we'd look at the menu. OK. Pricey. Dark. Table clothes. And a half a dozen tall, dark, handsome men in tuxedos. Would they scoff at us? Not at all! They serve late, so there were plenty of empty tables at 6:45 on a Friday night and they were more than happy to have us come in. I get the feeling that everyone who enters not only gets the royal treatment, but the family treatment. The owner? manager? was too funny. They knew we were in a hurry and they ZOOMED us through our amazing meal. We were seated, boom! We had an amuse bouche (bruschetta), bread, butter, fried zucchini, and sliced salami within seconds. It took 10 minutes for him to, literally, act out the story of tonight's specials (plus show and tell of the fresh portabellos). Hysterical. And we were so taken with it all, we kept eating and eating.
I had the polenta with mushroom appetizer. best polenta, ever. My boyfriend had the sausage pasta appetizer. awesome. Both sauces were to die for. I had the veal saltimbocca, which honestly, was my least favorite thing of the night. But the portion was great, and it was prepared perfectly. Just the flavor was not nearly as good as my boyfriend's special rack of lamb. WARNING! He did not ask how much the lamb was before ordering, and it was a whopping $49. But honestly, the portion was huge, the presentation was gorgeous, the preparation was perfection. So it was kinda worth it. And he let me suck on the bones. We both got suckered into a pricey dessert, tiramisu and chocolate truffle cake. Very small portions, very large prices. Still, extremely good.
We ate it all and paid in under 50 minutes, and felt we had a show. Definitely a special restaurant. -
Review from katie j.
7/18/2010
Took my husband here for his birthday last week. The restaurant itself is beautiful. Situated at One Hudson below multimillion dollar condos, Acappella occupies a lovely spot in Tribeca. It looks rather unassuming from the outside but once you enter, the high ceilings and triangular space are really quite lovely.
Overall, the service was great and the food enjoyable, though for the price you can definitely get better Italian food elsewhere. The waiters were extremely attentive, refilling water and changing plates before you would even think to ask. Two downsides however...
(1) Before being handed a menu, the head waiter asked us (in a terribly difficult to understand accent) what we liked to eat. He proceeded with a list of recommendations we couldn't understand until we finally ended up just requesting a menu. He was oddly resistant... likely because the off-menu specials cost considerably more (always a fun surprise, isn't it?).
(2) Weirdest birthday cake experience of our lives. When my husband was in the restroom, I flagged down the waiter and mentioned that it was my husband's birthday, to which he immediately replied "No problem, we've got it covered." After my husband returned, a chorus of four waiters came with a huge, 12" chocolate cake topped with berries and a lit candle. As they sang their loud birthday song, I was thinking... are they going to charge me for that huge cake!? (sorry, I'm cheap. And tacky. I know.) My second thought was, "nah, they'll probably take it back to the kitchen and cut him a piece." After the singing ended ad my husband blew out the candle, one waiter jokingly (?) said, "We'll save this for next year", and he whisked the entire cake away. And then we awkwardly (actually, we both found this pretty funny) sat for the next fifteen minutes wondering if they would bring out any cake. Nope! Guess we just got the pleasure of blowing out the candle. I really do hope that was a fake cake or something they did not serve to someone else. Quite the mystery.
Foodnalysis:
- Antipasti - Complimentary. Standard fare of cured meats, quite good.
- Fresh Parmesan from their cheese wheel - Excellent.
- Mozzarella with Roasted Peppers and Zucchini - Fresh mozzarella, well prepared. A nice appetizer choice.
- Pasta Trio - Not the best pasta of our lives (the pesto was a little strong for my liking), but fair.
- Seafood Pasta - Generous servings of squid, clam, mussels over pasta in a white wine, butter sauce. Had a lot of potential but just didn't quite make it. The seafood just wasn't fresh enough and the flavors did not blend into the right medley for which they were designed. Not worth the $36 price tag.
- Zabaglione - This dessert almost made up for the cake mishap. A traditional Italian dessert of berries topped with whipped sugar, egg yolks and prosecco.
The Bottom Line:
Enjoyable Northern Italian fare but overpriced. Not recommended for birthdays unless you like blowing out candles then seeing your cake disappear. -
Review from Karol S.
5/17/2010
This place was upsettingly below average. Recommended by a trustworthy friend, we gave it a shot only to find the most "meh" Italian food we'd had in awhile. The wild swings in the ratings of this restaurant almost lead me to believe it's really hit or miss. But at their prices, why take the shot?
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Review from Kerry F.
New York, NY
3/10/2009
I always have the best time when I go here and the food is phenomenal. I love the laid back 3 hour dinner. This is what going out for a meal is all about. They sit you down, give you a drink and then actually talk to you. The owner comes over and then the manager and your waiter and the bus boy and the guy from the kitchen, it is so much fun but really the food is what keeps you coming back. Their veal chop is amazing and I would never, ever miss one of the pasta specials for an appetizer, split because then you couldn't possibly fit the veal chop. Not just dinner, but an event.
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Review from Randolph G.
Long Island City, Queens, NY
3/14/2011
outstanding...i have eaten there many times. this is what Italian should taste like.
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Review from Chinku G.
Hicksville, NY
1/12/2006
The food was incredible and the service was outstanding. The staff would sweep in, silently, whenever something needed attention. The bar was comfortable and quaint. I recommend this place to everyone who loves Italian food.
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Review from J F.
Bayside, NY
5/24/2010
This is hands down the best restaurant period. I don't think you can ask for better attention at an establishment and the food is amazing. I don't bother looking at the menu, I just have the staff recommend something and surprise me... that's how much trust I have in the chef. I know I will be delighted and completly satisfied
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Review from C. D.
Port Washington, NY
9/19/2008
Delicious fusilli pesto dish. Nice, romantic ambience.
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Review from Chris C.
New York, NY
7/1/2009
Went there for the second time last night on a double date. I'm a huge fan of this place, so long as I'm not covering the whole bill. It's definitely expensive, and the staff tries to up-sell you at every available moment, but the food is exceptional.
I love Italian food, and they do a damn good job with it. The pomp and circumstance is great too. There were four of us. We shared:
Portabella with buffalo mozz appetizer
App size porcini agnlotti (unbelievable)
Prosciutto and melon
Pureed minestrone soup
Dinner was:
Porcini risotto (creamy and delish)
Veal chop
Porcini agnlotti
Lobster ravioli
I'd definitely go back -
Review from Jeff S.
New York, NY
1/25/2010
Been here a number of times over the years and while the experience is always a fun time, in my opinion the food has gone downhill. As another reviewer said, you could go to some other places for similar money (Il Mulino comes to mind) and have just as good if not better service and fantastic food.
The restaurant is somewhat gimmicky old school - a Captain (who you are supposed to tip and the bill has the line for him) introduces you to the specials while you munch on a little plate of antipasti, some parmigiana cut from a huge cheese wheel. Maybe or maybe not you will get menus. Sometimes they just bring to food which is fine.
This time we ordered from menus so here is the brief rundown
Wine list is weak, small and fairly pricey.
Portobello mushroom special - they should just put this on the menu because for 5 years it has been a special. they even brought over a huge basket of the mushrooms (again gimmicky). Its not that great. Mushroom, some mozzarella and some sauce. small and $15.
Cesar salad - $12 - very weak. almost insulting for $12.
Pappardelle with mushroom - actually the best thing. Come here for the pasta.
Veal Chop which is their speciality - double-cut of a fatty and not appropriately cooked or seasoned meat.
Dessert - Was not on the menu but had them make me fresh zabajone at the table - its was excellent. We started a trend because almost every table afterward got it as well.
if you have never been i guess its worth the experience, but nothing to write home about.
stupid factoid - a scene from the first episode of the sopranos was filmed here. -
Review from Samantha W.
New York, NY
8/24/2010
This restaurant is a gem. I went here for a double date and it was truly an experience. The service was impeccable and seemed really authentic. Our waiter was so engaged and sounded like a Soprano! The food was very good as well. Although, it might have been the slightest bit overpriced. But again the service made up for it so I would definitely go back. I ordered one of the veal dishes and my friends ordered the pesto pasta and other chicken dishes. They were all very tasty and tender. Perfect for a date night!
