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Union St (M, R)
"Scottadito was a shining star in the Brooklyn vacation of two Manhattanites. We lamented how we don't have places like this in the city--…" read more »
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Fantastic! Can't wait to go back and try everything on the menu here. I don't have to much to add to what has already been said here, only some tips for first time goers:
If the wait is too long to get in on a busy night, go around the corner to the wine bar (Al Di La Vino). You can order most (if not all) things from the main menu, but also provides a great cosy spot to have an appetizer and glass of wine while you wait for your table
Also, don't go here by yourself. Bring someone who loves food and isn't afraid to order some appetizers and experience several things from the menu. I say this because if I had only ordered my entree and a drink I wouldn't have been nearly as impressed as I was by my partners food, the appetizers we both chose and the relationship of those things to my main course. Everything here just works nicely together. I can't wait to go back!
I ventured to the big, bad Park Slope restaurant because of a raving recommendation from a colleague. After begrudgingly making the trek from Manhattan to Brooklyn, I ventured in from the cold anticipating a 45 minute wait. Surprise! We walked right in and sat down. I guess Sunday at 7:45 is the time to go!
The restaurant was small and cozy. The service was amazing. The food was delicious. We chose to go for the butternut squash ravioli (OMJesus) and the wild boar cavatelli special. Both were amazing beyond belief. And, as if dinner couldn't get any better, we ended the night with the ricotta fritters. Enough said. I'm drooling while writing this review.
My boyfriend had been raving about this place since his mom took him to dinner there when she visited, and we finally went about a year later. YUM. As many other reviewers have mentioned, they don't take reservations, so you'll have a 30-60 minute wait. It's worth it, though. The food is incredible, the service is good, and the atmosphere is lovely.
I can't wait to go back.
I've heard a lot of great things about this place, but I have to say, I wasn't very happy with my experience there. The mussels appetizer had an unpleasant, too-fishy flavor. I suppose the pasta dishes are not intended to be entrees; maybe they're supposed to be eaten as the first course, followed by a meat, because my pasta dish was tiny. It was delicious, but not a satisfying meal. My boyfriend ordered the chicken, which he said was good, not great. I guess a lot of people appreciate the fact that the menu is much different than the average italian restaurant, but I don't think it's a good place for vegetarians.
SO good on every level. The food is soulful, delicious and original. The staff is friendly, unpretentious and knowledgeable. The prices are fair. Love this place. Will even endure the R train to get there. Don't ever change.
Food: 4 Stars
Service: 4 Stars
Ambiance: 3 Stars
Just went this weekend with a part of 7... All very different diners, and I was pleasantly surprised at how wonderfully everyone was accommodated. We arrived at around 6 pm (they don't take reservations, so we expected to wait a while, given we were 7). They informed us it would be about 45 min, but in the end it only took about a half hour. Not sure how other reviewers had poor experiences getting seated with large parties.
In the end I probably could have passed on my Farro appetizer and had my dad's cuttlefish and oxtail over polenta appetizer. I have been once before and both times had the Casunziei (stuffed red beet ravioli in a parmesan poppy broth - INCREDIBLE). They were able to make substitutions for certain guests, with no problems. Desserts were amazing- Frittole, fried ricotta doughnuts served with chocolate sauce and fresh whipped cream, and a gelato tasting.
This place tends to share a friendly competition with neighbor Vini e Olii of Clinton Hill, and the more I eat here, the more I can't decide which I like better.
We went to Al Di La for my wife's Birthday on 01/11/10. I ordered the winter squash ravioli which was good but had a hint of sweetness that I did not like and a little to much brown butter for my taste. . My wife had the beet ravioli and she was pleased with the dish. We also had the fish of the day which was cooked to perfection.The combination of the lemony butter sauce with rosemary was tasty. Fish was moist and eaten down to the bone! The wait staff was great. Christine our waitress was super. Seating not very private....A few awkward moments of being eavesdropped on. Overall we really enjoy Al Di La. We will be going back.
Seriously, this is the best Italian food in Brooklyn! No wonder there is always a wait. I recently went for lunch and felt totally decadent, had to return for dinner the same week. EVERYTHING I had was near perfect. The mussels were the best I've ever had!! The staff was lovely, efficient and knowledgeable, the wine was oh so lovely! Try it, soon. Skip the old school Brooklyn institutions, I've never been impressed by any of them, and head up to the slope!
This is my favorite place in Park Slope!
The food is consistently amazing and the service is impeccable. The pasta is just as good as it is in Italy and the seafood and meats are always super fresh.
Try the black spaghetti if it is available and whatever salad is in season!
One of these restaurants too good to take reservations. Sorry but, as hyped as your food is, I don't want to have dinner at 5 on a Sunday afternoon, nor do I desire to wait an hour and 15 minutes in your "vino" room cramped with other hungry diners, washing down my despair in your wine.
But you wouldn't accommodate a party of 7 anyway (or 6 from what I read).
Because of you we had a great time dining somewhere else that could handle a party of 7 without reservation...
Service: 5 stars
Ambiance: 4 stars
My food experience: 3 stars
I need to go back again in order to give them the 4-5 stars that they surely deserve. I don't hate the place, I believe that I just ordered the wrong dish for my taste.
The waitress was so friendly and helpful. The wine is poured generously if you order by the glass. The environment would be great for a date if the restaurant weren't so noisy.
I ordered the calf liver and M ordered the pasta dish with manila clams. His entree was great except that I find the combination of spices too overpowering. My dish came with polenta cake and sautee onions. The sides were wonderful although the polenta was too salty for my taste buds. My problem was with the hearty slices of liver. They were tender to the point that I believe they were barely cooked. Personally I couldn't take in liver like that since I grew up having Chinese styled liver so they are all completely, fully cooked and have this greyish tint to it. (which I consider normal). I had indigestion after I came back home.... note to self: avoid western style liver cuz I'm a pussy... (well also cuz of my medical background... semi raw meat/tissue reminds of me a lot of textbook cases...)
Anyhow, we did enjoy the evening. The busboys were super nice and attentive. They refilled our bread basket twice as we waited for our food. Yes, we loved the bread.. it was warm, soft in the middle and crunchy (not teeth pulling) rim.
Sorry I gave here a 3 star but it is out of my experience with my dish. Other than that.. everything was good.
We've been wanting to go to Al Di La for quite some time now and went on a whim Saturday night. We got there a little before 6pm and there was one table left! We were so excited! No wait!
I seldom enjoy sitting at shared tables but for some reason, the environment here allowed for intimacy amongst diners.
We started with the Beet Raviolis and special Sardine Salad Appetizer. Both were clean with bold flavors. Quite good! It also reminded me how delicious fresh sardines are!
For our main courses, we got the Rabbit with Creamy Polenta and the pasta special - Cavatelli with Lamb. Both meats were tender, hearty, well seasoned and SUPER satisfying.
As if we walked in with 4 stomachs, we ventured onto dessert - Pear Chocolate Cake and Ricotta Fritters. Both were light and not overly sweet. If I had to choose, I would vote for the Fritters over the Cake since they had a hint of orange flavor to the batter and I'm a sucker for anything chocolate and orange.
The service was also quite superb. Our waitress had her first night that night and she did a fantastic job. Water was always refilled promptly and meals and clean-up did not skip a beat as well.
Overall a LOVELY restaurant with delicious and comforting food. Cannot be missed!
You have to get there early - 5:15 the line has already started. But I got in line and stayed until eveyone was seated and asked the Maitre'D to call me when there was a table for 3 at 7pm. He took my number and at 6:55 we got the call. The service is top notch from the start.
When we sat, classic italian bread was served for the table. We had the carpaccio and 3 plates of pasta. The swiss chard gnocchi - Perfetto! It was so flavorful and unusual - but simple and not over flavored. The butter and sage sauce - what a classic. The beet ravioli is crazy good - who would have thought ricotta and beet? But it works and it's amazing. The tagliatelle is the classic with a meat ragu. The sauce is slightly creamy with the cheese.
I liked the decor - and sitting next to the regular Italian couple who were impressed with each dish they had (and knew the chef) - I knew that I would be back. This is the real deal and you don't need a passport!
Well worth the wait - creative, fresh food (never would've thought of red beet ravioli)
Stellar service - the servers were always one step ahead of me.
All at a very reasonable price
I found this restaurant to be overpriced for the quality and amount of the food. I thought it would be amazing after I read so many good reviews and even got a personal recommendation, but I was disappointed. My dinner of five or six ravioli was one of those appetizer-sized-portions-isn't-that-what-fancy-res taurants-do types of things and was overall unsatisfying (after I'd gorged on bread and wine, nonetheless!). I also tried the squid risotto, which was incredibly salty, and a few other dishes and didn't think they were too great. All in all, I'm glad someone else paid for the meal and I doubt I'll go back. There are much better and cheaper Italian places in Brooklyn!
YUM YUM YUM!
Came here on a Friday night around 8:45. The wait was about 45 minutes for the main restaurant, but about 25 minutes for the wine bar (in the back around the corner). They don't take reservations (or american express, visa and MC are fine).
We started with the appetizer special of swordfish on top of a tomato salad, this was not bad at all! There was an interesting after taste and we couldn't quite put our finger on what it was - some what spicy, maybe radish? yum. I had the beet ravioli - SO GOOD! The flavors molded together quite well, it was a size of 4 normal sized raviolis, which, with an appetizer, was a good size meal. My friend ordered the braised rabbit leg on a polenta bed and this was also very good, but I will say I liked the polenta more than the rabbit. For dessert, we shared the ricotta fritters. It came with a delectable chocolate dipping sauce and some cream type sauce as well. SO.GOOD!
I was not disappointed by anything we ordered, and I would def recommend this place - good for a small birthday (like 5 people) or a date spot.
Fan-frickin-tastic. I still make the occasional trip to Al Di La and it never disappoints. I had to write another update because of the deeeelicious dessert. It was one of the best desserts I have ever put into my mouth. Ricotta Fritters is what they call it. I call it 'little bites of heaven'. If you don't believe me, you have to try it yourself. If you still need more proof before you go, you can take a look at this brief review: http://newyork.serious...
My mouth is watering just thinking about it.... *drool
YUM! Al Di La is definitely a favorite of mine.
The food here is great. I've been here on a few…
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It is definitively original Italian! The cuisine is from the north west region of Veneto. Pricey but worthed, I don't mind spending if the food is good. The wine list is kind of poor although..
The restaurant is always packed so go early and be patience if you can, you are going to wait an half an hour if you are lucky...
Was here for lunch the other day, and if you don't want to spend the majority of your evening camping out on the line... get your butt here for lunch, when there is no wait for a table! Play hooky from work if you have to! It is just. that. good.
I had the malfatti - gnocchi stuffed with a lot of swiss chard and bit of ricotta - which was delicious and filling, yet incredibly light. My friend had the rabbit which was really nicely seasoned, fried but not super greasy, and the presentation was fantastic. For dessert (yes, we had dessert at lunch) I highly recommend the pear cake which has a great crispy texture on the outside, crumbly on the inside, with bits of sweet and slightly tart moist pears and melted chocolate.
wonderful restaurant with great service. especially now that they expanded into another space around… Read more »
Thank you to all of the people who took the time to comment on yelp about their experiences at Al di la. Our family of four (including 2 college students) relied heavily on yelp reviews to select restaurants for our trip to Brooklyn during Thanksgiving weekend. Based on your opinions, we tried 3 Park Slope restaurants - all of which were big hits! And, Al di la was probably our favorite
We arrived around 8:00 and expected a long wait based on what we had read. We were not disappointed. We were told it would be about an hour, and asked if we would like to wait in the wine bar "around the corner." I had read so much about the wine bar that I was looking forward to it and frankly, would have been disappointed if a table had been immediately available in the main restaurant.
So, around the corner we went. Like the restaurant, the cozy wine bar was packed (there are actually 3 tables in the wine bar serving dinner). We lucked out and settled onto 4 stools in a corner of the room. We ordered a bottle of wine and shared a couple of dishes from the restaurant menu as appetizers including the beet ravioli and the oxtail and cuttlefish (both very unique and tasty). What a great way to begin our evening!
After about 45 minutes we were told that our table was ready so we headed out the door and around the corner to the restaurant.
I can't say enough good things about our dining experience. The room was warm and inviting, the service was professional, and the food was very, very good. Our waiter was helpful and not pretentious -- when he described the "specials" he actually recited the prices of each (a pet peeve of mine and a good sign that these guys knew what they were doing). The rest of the service staff was very attentive, and we never felt neglected.
All in all, it was really a fantastic experience. I can't imagine someone not liking Al Di La. But, I realize some people have a difficult time dealing with the fact that they don't accept reservations. However, if you can get past that, you should love this place!
I'd heard about Al di La for years and how the food is amazing, so I had some relatively high expectations going in. I liked the atmosphere; it was relaxed yet refined. It was lovely to sit back and look out their big picture windows at the sunny street. Also, there was no wait at 6pm on a Sunday.
I decided on the beef carpaccio, based on my waiter's recommendation (photo in previous post), and tortelli with pea-and-ricotta filling and mint. The beef carpaccio arrived quickly, with generous shavings of pecorino, capers, and anchovy fillets on top. I've never had beef in its rawest form before (though I do like my meat rare) but I wasn't surprised at how tasty I found it. The flavors were bold but worked well together.
Then came the homemade tortelli. This dish was far more subtle, almost to the point where I wished for a little extra something more. The mint was a great, bright note with the peas but there wasn't enough of it to make an impact. Maybe it was because I was comparing it to the previous dish. But comparing the two would be like comparing a bodybuilder to a delicate, consumptive woman. Yeah, I just went there. And I don't even know where there is.
All in all, a satisfying experience, but more because of the whole package than the food. If they were serving the same food in a dingy shack on the highway, I doubt that I would go back. As it is, I would go back, but with friends so that more of the menu could be tasted. And to be fair, I didn't have anything from the secondi portion of the menu, where the meat/fish entrees were located.
"It isn't the little pleasures of the country that make life worth living there. It is rather the big assurances. The little pleasures are for the casual visitor...To see a hillside white with dogwood bloom is to know a particular ecstasy of beauty; but to walk the gray winter woods and find the buds which will resurrect the beauty in another May is to partake of continuity."
The Brooklyn dining scene is certainly in the age of Renaissance (grudging acknowledgment from an avowed Manhattanite), but there is no better standard bearer for fine dining than the consistently magnificent Al Di La, now in its eleventh year of operations. I would run out of superlatives to define the dining experience, other than to say that it was so transcendent that I actually contemplated a move from the culturally rich, culinary poor, and otherwise challenged U.E.S. to Park Slope, Brooklyn.
But, there was magic in the air that night with the first snowfall of the season. Reminiscent of the allure and romance of Paris in the spring time, this particular stretch of Park Slope glistened with freshly fallen snow and the quiet on the streets allowed one to introspect on the pristine beauty and charm of the surroundings. It didn't hurt that the Northern Italian food was spectacular, the wine heartwarming, and the service precise.
We started with the acclaimed oxtail and cuttlefish appetizer with soft, creamy polenta. This would not be a visually arresting sight, by any stretch of imagination. My dining companion, who has a discerning palate otherwise, could not fathom the rationale for its popularity. Conditioned, perhaps, that sight dominates the other senses (sarcasm reflective of my distaste for the American Idol phenomenon), I had to coax her to appreciate the textural flourishes and the taste nuances by eating with her eyes closed. That prompted an immediate spike in her grading to 4 stars (from 2.5 initially).
Al Di La has a much deserved reputation for pastas, cooked to perfection. Of the versions I've tried in my many visits my preference has been for the homemade ravioli with winter squash, brown butter and sage sauce; while others have liked the Tagliatelle Al Ragu. My favorite dish, however, remains the Galletto Alla Diavola: charcoal grilled young chicken, fennel salad and mashed yukons. It's the best chicken dish I've had in New York - even better than the version at Dell'anima.
Desserts, superficially, appear to be the weak link given a limited selection. My companion ordered the pear chocolate cake (bittersweet chocolate chips) with fresh whipped cream, and while I would have preferred gelato instead of the cream, she remained contented with her selection. I have been fairly consistent in ordering their gelati platter, getting three different flavors each accompanied by a peanut brittle chip. Most of the flavors have been true and pure (burnt caramel orange, fig ricotta, honey, pistachio, etc.), however the odd (black pepper) has been far too subtle.
Now the odds of you securing a table at prime time on a Saturday evening may be similar to those of Andy H winning RoTD (i.e. it CAN happen, but after 950 reviews!!), given the democratic nature of the first come first served seating process, aka no reservations. I believe the way around that problem would be to find the answer to the right question: So, what are the rents like in this neighborhood?
Enjoyed a "late" Sunday supper after a trip to Ikea In Red Hook. According to Park Slope dining standards ..late is after 8. The host was gracious enough to seat us but our waiter needed to take our orders immediately. Food was tasty but a tad heavy/oily, however, I'm sure I would have enjoyed the meal more if my party wasn't so rushed.
Best part of the dining experience--no strollers or high chairs in sight. To reiterate... 8:30 is way late in Stroller congested Park Sleep. Live dangerously and dine after 8. Woo Hoo!
Another glorious meal at Al di La. We got there right at six on a Monday night, and were seated at one of those tables right by the window that I always drool over when I'm on the other side of the window. The host was very nice, allowing us to sit while the last person in our party walked up from the subway.
The service is always great: attentive, knowledgeable and accommodating.
The food. That's why we're here. For four of us we ordered four pastas: the legendary beet ravioli, a seasonal corn tortelli (yum), clams al a vongole, and the swiss chard gnocchi. I think everyone at the table had a different favorite, but we were all certain that we had ingested plenty of vitamin "butter" for the day. For mains we ordered the rabbit, pork scallopine, and the steak. I was just humoring our benefactor who insisted on getting the steak, but holy hell. That was a delicious steak: served with a balsamic sauce and fresh arugula, the meat melted in my mouth just like the aforementioned butter. These people know what they are doing. Lastly there were espressos and dessert. I can't recommend the frittole highly enough: tender little fried pillows of ricotta with a slight lemony freshness, served with whipped cream and a hot chocolate sauce. We ordered one plate, and it was more than enough for the four of us after stuffing ourselves.
I agree with the rest of the comments here, the food is amazing, the wait is long and they don't take reservations. I've seen a bad-ass line at 5:25 waiting for them to open. But they do have the wine bar around the corner. It's pricy and perhaps a one-time event for me (until I make it big, anyhow), but I do recommend it, and it's not AS pricy as getting amazing food in Manhattan. No $50 entrees or anything. We very much enjoyed the tagliata, monkfish, and gnocchi. Deeeelicious!
OH - also, annoyingly closed on Tuesdays. I kept forgetting and trying anyways.
I discovered al di la back when I first moved to Park Slope. My new roomie, his parents and I set out to the neighborhood to find some grub after a long day of hauling boxes up to our 4th floor walk-up. It was 6 PM. And it wasn't packed yet.
Without even knowing it, I had no idea that I had my first meal of what would be become my favorite restaurant in the city. I admit I have a bit of a blind love affair with the place, but it is what feels like home at this point.
A cozy dining room with a polite and knowledgeable wait staff, I always feel happy to be there. Al di la is all about the sauce. I've never had a dish of game that I didn't love, but more so, tasted a sauce I didn't swoon over. The appetizers are delicious (I recommend the muscles with the oh-so-perfectly charred bread), and the main courses are always a treat. (If you can remember the multiple specials they tell you about before your feast.) If they have the peppercorn ice cream for desert, do not pass it up!
I am sure there are restaurants with "better food" or a "better decor," but al di la takes the cake for me. Very reasonable prices for some great food, I'll continue to have my traditional birthday dinner here! :-)
Best in Brooklyn
Oxtail and cuttlefish. Oxtail. And cuttlefish.
This bizarre combination started out my meal and was the clearest indication of things to come - a rare combination of the unexpected, the homey, and the sublime.
Every dish was perfectly tuned, radiating the warmth and confidence of a lifelong cook ('chef' is too impersonal a term for this kitchen)
The tripe was the best I've ever had. The salumi, ragu, and lamb shank were all contenders for top honors. And the pasta was so close to ideal that it deserved a pedestal instead of a plate.
Go. Spend the hour (or more) waiting for a table at the attached wine bar - nibble olives, sip a glass of italian red, and anticipate great things to come.
Simply the best Italian cuisine in Brooklyn. Make sure you come with your biggest appetite otherwise you will not know what to do with their three course dinner.
They don't take reservations, therefore only 4stars from me.
Perhaps too much hype ruined my experience. I always find that I should go into a place with NO expectations then I can be more objective.
The food was good and if I lived in the neighborhood it would probably be one of my staples but it's definitely not the best food I've ever had in my life. The ambiance is sweet and the food is fresh.
I have wanted to go here for a very long time but all the reviews say, "don't take reservations, 1 hour wait" so I have been waiting for either an early dinner or a bad weather day to go. It was 7PM on the day after Christmas and it was pouring rain, I figured it HAS to be easy to get a table. I walked in to find a completely full restaurant with a party of 4 in front being told that there is a 40 minute wait. Due to pure luck, a party of two just gave up their table so we were seated right away. The service was perfect! The food- unique and absolutely delicious. I can see why this place is always packed. It has things you don't see on every Italian menu - liver with onions, rabbit, black ink pasta. I had a 'white salad' which was a salad with a ton of veggies - all white. Who would have thought you can find THAT many white vegetables and make an absolutely delicious salad from it. The portions are a good size and while I didn't have room for desert, the sweets menu looked amazing. The only reason I am giving this place 4 stars instead of 5 is because I think it's pretty ridiculous to not allow reservations. I would love to come back here, but would I wait an hour for a table....hmmm....not so sure...
The other of our fav's in the neighborhood. Consistently excellent food! Hard to get in b/c they don't take reservations. If you want to get in go early - when they open, otherwise a LONG wait. There is a wait for a reason - b/c the food is superior!
This is the best meal and overall restaurant experience I've had since my first time at Chez Panisse, which is saying quite a lot.
I went with my boyfriend on a Friday night, and after we were told that there would be a 40-minute wait, did what many others seem to do and wandered over to the wine bar. In addition to boasting a nice wine list (we went with a lovely pinot gris from Eyrie Vineyards), the wine bar had a smaller and more intimate seating section where we eventually ended up after a short 15-20 minute wait.
Now, on to the most important part: the food. It was fantastic, fabulous, and absolutely *beautiful*. We split the seppia and oxtail antipasti, served over creamy polenta. For the primi, we both opted for the specials of the day: a melt-in-your-mouth potato gnocchi with pork and for me, a garlicky (in the best way) risotto nero, made with cuttlefish and its ink. The portions for the primi were so large that we couldn't even contemplate digging into the secondi. And yet, we forged on somehow. The boyfriend got the wonderfully tender calf liver on the recommendation of our waitress, and I opted for the flavorful saltimbocca. At this point, we were nearly speechless with how good everything was and could barely swallow another bite. But upon hearing the dessert specials, we realized that we couldn't pass up the trio of gelati in fennel, fig, and caramel. Needless to say, that was delicious, as well.
Of course, well done Italian food with fresh, organic ingredients isn't exactly a rarity. What really put Al Di La over the top for me were the lovely hostess/bartender and our waitress, both of whom were delightful and solicitous without being overbearing.
I will definitely visit Al Di La again, and I may have a new favorite restaurant.
One of my favorite Italian restaurants in Bklyn, and I've been a frequent guest over the past 2 yrs. A cozy, comfortable dining room (not big at all, and some tables can be tight) and friendly and accommodating servers. The highlight, of course, is the food. Just about everything I've ever had was excellent. Menu changes seasonally, with several specials most nights. Select favorites include the housemade ravioli (love the summer corn/mascarpone and the beet), risotto, tagliatelle al ragu, trippa alla toscana (a tripe stew, soooo rich and flavorful), charcoal grilled chicken, blackberry sorbet, and donuts. Menu is interesting, food is generally very well prepared with great flavor and textures. While I've not loved everything I've tried here, I am always very satisfied with the experience. No reservations and lines can be long; I simply avoid by going within 30 minutes of opening. I wouldn't try a large group but once, with 9 in our party, we were able to snag a table because the host was willing to seat guests around a space "semi-reserved" for us (although we probably would have rightly lost the table if everything filled up before our group all arrived). Wine bar on the side where you could also dine, or a place to have a glass of wine while waiting for a table (rather than the street).
Really spectacular Italian - I can't say enough good things about the meal I had there - perfectly cooked hanger steak and one of the most divine Tuscan wine's I have ever had...I'm still kicking myself for forgetting the name of it. Can't wait to go back.
Best restaurant in park slope. Food is amazing here. Their menu changes with the seasons and they always always have fantastic specials. I almost always order one of their specials as I have yet to be disappointed. The service is great and they have a very good wine list as well. Save room for dessert as their homemade gelatos are a perfect finish to your meal. Only draw back to this place is that they do not take reservations, but you can go and put your name down on the list and they will call you when your table is ready.
When I first came to this spot, I LOVED it! I've been twice since and it doesn't compare to the first time. I like the Saltimbocca Alla Romana, which I get everytime I visit. The beef carpaccio is good as well.
What I really like is the wine bar they have around the corner. The small dishes they serve while you wait for your table are excellent. They have a great selection of wine and the staff is great. I would give it more stars if the main restaurant was even close to the wine bar.
Excellent food, very well presented, very tasty adn original. A wonderful mix of flavours.... I had a memorable dinner, and the sericce is outstanding. Not too pushy, very nice and very well prepared on the menu. I will definitely go back!!!
While I loved the ambiance and wait staff, my food experience just doesn't warrant a hire rating. I know, I'm sorry. Al Di La was a place that I long wanted to try, and so one mother-daughter weekend , we decided to give it a try.
The beet and goat cheese salad hors d'oeuvre was amazing -- and since then I've tried to recreate several times. But the rest of the meal was an "eh" at best. I had a meat and pasta dish - some sort of pork ragu - and the flavors were just not that impressive, nor was the pasta. My mom got the fish, which was far too salty to be that enjoyable.
The dessert, however, did bring back the meal. We ordered a slice of the pear cake and I have to say it was one of the best (fancy) desserts I have had. (I tend to go primarily for the hot fudge brownie sundae sort of thing... a la Big Boys...)
Sigh. I really did hope for more from Al Di La, and I'm more than willing to go back again, and be proved wrong.
Dear Al Di La,
I've had my eye on you
I've been watching you for years
We have always been so close
so close indeed
You in Park Slope,
Me in Carroll Gardens...
But yet-
You were so unattainable
Always filled with other patrons
that are not me
Tables always taken
occupied by couples, families
that did not include me.
"An hour wait" they told me!
time and time again
On Friday
On Wednesday
On Sunday
Ok let's try Tuesday
You don't take reservations
No, you're too avant-garde
for such conventions
But I was too hungry to wait
So I never sampled your
"exquisite" goods
and now it's too late
You can't have me
In fact,
I would never eat your Saltimbocca Alla Romana (pork loin)
I'm a vegetarian now
Weekend Special for Yelpers!
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Valentine's Day 2010
Neighborhood: East Village
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Category: Spanish
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Carroll Gardens
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Category: American (New)
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