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Aliseo Osteria Del Borgo
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
665 Vanderbilt Ave(between Park Pl & Prospect Pl)
Brooklyn, NY 11238
Neighborhood: Prospect Heights
(718) 783-3400
- Nearest Transit:
-
Grand Army Plaza (2, 3, 4)
7 Av (B, Q)
Eastern Pkwy - Brooklyn Museum (2, 3, 4)
- Hours:
Thu 6 pm - 10:30 pm
Fri 6 pm - 11:30 pm
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Welcome to Portalia Bar e Ristorante, the realization of our dream is to create a simple, natural, & pleasurable dining experience in Astoria. Elegant… read more »
24 reviews for Aliseo Osteria Del Borgo
Review Highlights
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"The desert -- panna cotta with cherries -- was very good." In 3 reviews -
"The wine list is superb." In 3 reviews -
"I ordered a vegetarian pasta with zucchini and pine nuts." In 8 reviews
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24 reviews in English
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Review from Margaret T.
New York, NY
9/6/2011
I'm in love with the wallpaper here.
While I don't believe ambiance is the most important aspect of a restaurant, it certainly does help improve the experience.
Yes, the food was excellent -- especially the special Salt Crusted Sea Bass which they brought out to show us pre-oven. Appetizers were interesting and beautifully plated with greens and oranges as the background. The Gnocchi and Mackerel was also a tasty surprise: fluffy pasta and nice, rich fish sauce. I also couldn't stop ogling my neighbor's steak dish. That sucker looked mighty juicy...something to look forward to next time.
Non-food, non-wallpaper related issues: The service was good. Attentive without being overbearing. Nothing ruins a romantic atmosphere like a stranger sticking their nose in your bidness every 45 seconds trying to get you to buy something. The soft italian pop music also helps contribute to the ambiance. Something about italian is very alluring. Weirdly, I thought the bathroom was memorable as well. they may, quite possibly, have the best hand soap ever. The restaurant is a bit of a walk from the train station which may account for the slow business on a Saturday night. I say it's worth a little stroll.
But seriously, that pink and green flower wallpaper. I wants it.Listed in: Barry White is the Mayor on…
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Review from John Q.
Brooklyn, NY
2/16/2011
Chestnuts weren't roasting over an open fire at Aliseo Osteria Del Borgo, but they were being mashed and stuffed into agnolotti. Following assurance that the pasta was not also stuffed with cheese, I decided to order this dish, served in a butter sauce which was more of a light broth really, topped with fresh sage.
I was going to order a glass of a particular $9 red when the man behind the bar, who had been working pork loin through a meat slicer, informed me he was "the author of that book" and he would be happy to assist me with any questions I had regarding it.
I was momentarily confused as the novel I happened to be reading at the time was by a Jane Smiley. This man certainly didn't resemble a Jane.
Then I realized the book he was referring to was in fact the menu. But did he mean the one detailing the food, the wine list or both?
Ultimately it didn't matter as I had already settled on my food selections before making it halfway through the available selections, so I graciously accepted the offer of wine recommendations and tastings.
As it turned out the suggested red was more appealing to my barbarian palate whether or not it would actually pair better with chestnut filled pasta.
Indiscreetly I had averted my eyes towards the blackboard listing the prices of the wines by the glass, the author following my gaze. Any concerns of upselling to some $16 glass were unfounded; the wine chosen for me was a mere dollar more costly than the one I first considered.
(note to self: if you bring a date here, just listen to the man's suggestion you cheap, stupid bastard)
The agnolotti were slightly on the firm side, but the texture of the chestnut inside perfect, its rich flavor offset splendidly by the light, buttery broth. Braised endives preceding the pasta were...sublime, each bite a varying level of bitter, each leaf providing a gratifying mouthfeel. Pitted black olives submerged in a fine olive oil were a welcome accoutrement, even if the rosemary soaking in the oil offered little additonal enhancement.
After exiting Aliseo, I perused the menu in the window noting other dishes I might've liked, wondering how I could've missed them earlier. Mediterannean sea bass stuffed w/ preserved lemon. Sea scallops accompanied by a chickpea sauce. An unfamiliar squash covered with walnut and wild mushroom gravy.
Given the enjoyment of the meal devoured and the proximity of Aliseo to home, it would seem inconceivable not to return to Aliseo in the not too distant future.
And yes, I do believe I shall.Listed in: Central Brooklyn
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Review from Furyk C.
Chicago, IL
11/17/2009
I was thrilled to have such a cool place near our new apartment. i read good reviews and it sounded quirky. daring and interesting - not so much.
For an ap i had the mixed cheese and meat board with was tasty but for $16, i would like more than 4 small slices of three things...
The "Misticanza" (Ensalata Mista" in any non annoying Italian place) was skimpy, with a too-sour dressing
Next I had the Acciughe Marinate (note: using an obscure italian description does not make it better) was actually just sad little canned white anchovies on STALE bread - yes i know what a crostini is, but this was just stale bread. Hey i love white anchovies and yes most come from a can but in aplace that charges $12 and claims to be authentic...meh -
Review from Jesse S.
Brooklyn, NY
3/3/2008
In terms of ambiance, decor, and service, I'd give this place 5 stars. In terms of food, it fell off a little bit, unfortunately.
I'd heard great things about this place through a friend of a friend, which is usually one degree beyond which I'm willing to pay much attention to somebody's recommendations. But I'm new to the nabe and eager to fill in the details of the places on my burgeoning Google Map. So I made an 8:30 res for two and hoped for the best.
Our table wasn't quite ready, and my girlfriend arrived a few minutes early and was treated to a few flutes of tipple whilst she waited for both me and our table. Nice touch, I thought, as I arrived. The restaurateur was behind the counter pouring these prosecco numbers and preparing salads, conversing with us congenially. Nice guy.
After a few minutes (luckily it wasn't more, because there really isn't any standing room inside, and it was COLD outside), our table was ready, a perfect corner table. The dining room is nicely decorated with a rustic Italian motif, perfect for a small Brooklyn eatery. The wine list offers a nice variety for a range of prices, but the by-the-glass menu was a little limited, I found.
For my appetiser, I opted to start with the Cacio e Pepe, the classic pasta with cheese and pepper dish. I'd call it fair, cheesy and peppery, but lacking in the creaminess that I loved in the eponymous dish at Cacio e Pepe. To follow, I had the pear tart, which was perfectly cooked and delicious, although sweet dishes aren't really my cup of tea for my main. (Don't ask me why I ordered it.) Really, a dish like that should have been on the appetiser menu.
After our apps and mains, plus generous portions of the delicious bread, we were too full for anything more than espresso for our third course, but the dessert menu was disappointing anyway, eschewing cakes and tarts for sorbet-ish desserts, an odd choice in the winter.
All in all, I'd recommend Aliseo as a great Italian place if you live in the nabe, but it's not really worth travelling too far to try. -
Review from William S.
East Elmhurst, NY
1/19/2010
Overpriced imitation fine dinning.
After hearing all the good things I had heard about Aliseo, I never doubted it would be a good experience. Maybe I should give it another shot, but I was overwhelmingly disappointed.
I won't rip the whole meal apart (like I'd like to). Instead I'm just gonna say this: There are other fresh herbs (yes even in winter) than rosemary. -
Review from Bret H.
6/11/2008
I had a hard time deciding between three and four stars. 'Unique' is not a word I use often when describing Italian food, but when you order pasta with pine nuts, raisins, and sardines, that's definitely the experience you'll have.
The food was definitely delicious, the service prompt, friendly, and informed. The prices were about right for the quality. Downsides: my chair was profoundly uncomfortable (am I getting old?), and the table rocked, which it just shouldn't do in an otherwise fine ambiance. Desserts priced at more than half the cost of a main course were a bit of a shock.
Anyway. Good times. But not Blown Away times. -
Review from Melanie L.
Brooklyn, NY
Updated - 1/11/2010
I feel terrible. I lied in my previous review. Aliseo is awesome. It is also only 2 blocks from my home, and I've been going here for 5 years, and feel very protective. Don't want its cool vibe junked up by bridge and tunnel dorks.
But that was a wrong thing to do and so I'm updating. Aliseo is one of the best restaurants in NYC. Hands down. Just don't come here if you are a dork.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/3/2010
What are you really looking for in Italian food? Go to Amorina across the street, unless you really… Read more »
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Review from Melissa T.
Brooklyn, NY
3/18/2010
Finally went this past weekend in the pouring rain and Albano, the owner, had a table available. My husband and I have been wanting to try Aliseo for years and were thrilled we got the chance.
We started with the beet sformatino (amazing and airy, like something from another planet), moved on to the kamut papardelle with pesto, tomatoes, and green beans (delicious - hearty and light at the same time, plus it was gluten-free!), roasted squash and mushrooms (squash was dry, but mushrooms were amazing and the flavors blended really well), cauliflower with sun dried tomato sauce (yum), braised endive (tasty and perfectly done), topped it off with a very nice bottle of wine that came on the recommendation of our server since they were out of the Montepulciano we ordered. The wine was actually $4 less than the one we originally wanted and our server was very thoughtful about her recommendation - it was very comparable and we ended up being glad the original wine was unavailable after all. -
Review from Little fish H.
Brooklyn, NY
10/20/2009
Since my boyfriend and I first moved to Prospect Heights 3 years ago, we have been going to this place several times a year. We never thought we'd be lucky enough to have a great neighborhood restaurant that we can just walk to, but here we are...
It just gets better and better as the year went on. They use fresh farmers' market ingredients whenever available. This spring I had the kamut flour pappardelle with ramp pesto, it was simply heavenly. Light, creamy, with a bit of green freshness all combined perfectly. Their chitarra al ragu has been tested by some of my very critical friends and has received an A plus all around! The roasted whole seabass was also amazing, just firm enough to pick up with a fork, and instantly melted in my mouth. I actually like it a lot more than the whole branzino I had at Babbo's.
The owner and the staff are always very friendly and knowledgeable. The decoration is lovely although the space is a bit small, but that also adds to the home-cooking feeling, especially on a cold wintery night. Oh, and everything on the dessert menu is perfect! -
Review from Atticus H.
Brooklyn, NY
7/12/2010
If you're looking for standard fair pasta dishes, this is not your place. Hit scalino etc for good simple classics.
Aliseo serves excellent rustic Marche region food. The owner (Albano, I think) takes true passion in his dishes and ingredients while changing the menu dramatically every season. It's very much a pleasure for the foodie seeking a more authentic, homestyle and atypical selection from Italian cuisine.
Excellent wine quartinos and friendly staff. A Brooklyn favorite for me. -
Review from Anne H.
Brooklyn, NY
9/11/2008
You know a place is good when your parents, fresh from a trip to Florence, commented on how the restaurant captured the Zeitgeist of old world Italy.
I'd give the ambiance a billion stars if I could.
The food is also really damn good (which I will call RDG in subsequent reviews because I am lazy). Their meat and cheese plate makes me want to touch myself (ok, a lot of things do). Their squid salad is to DIE for. Their scallop wrapped in bacon proves that the precarious meat/ seafood dialectic can be harmonious when prepared correctly. The wine list is superb.
The only thing I've gotten here that I've actively disliked is the pork chop. It's kinda dry, heavy, and generally all around nasty. But hey, Italians aren't known for their pork chops. We fatty Americans are.
The owner is quirky as hell and unbelievably nice. He recognizes faces and will hook you up with a free glass of wine (so don't tip as if you were actually in Italy).
Perfect place for a date, a "hey mom and dad, I want to eat well, but I'm lazy, stoned, and don't feel like leaving the hood," or for when you want to escape hectic New York life. -
Review from Mark S.
Brooklyn, NY
1/11/2008
I don't know why Aliseo gets dogged on Chowhound and other food sites; I think it's the best kitchen in the hood. It's certainly the best wine cellar. Everyone on the staff knows wine, and they'll guide you expertly. You can enjoy some very special bottles, if you're feeling spendy. The food is from Le Marche, which is offbeat for Italian joints -- lots of sweet and salt combinations: hard cheeses and figs, great smoked meats. Come in winter and fall, when duck and wild boar and braised beef really hit the spot. All pastas homemade, too -- try the traditional lasagne, made with a papery baked dough and ragu. Romantic room makes for a great splurge dinner.
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Review from Steven O.
Brooklyn, NY
9/7/2010
Great little place -- very romantic. However some of the dishes are way overpriced for what you get (i.e. three scallops.) The beet flan was a great surprise -- warm and inviting -- and the panna cotta was a great way to end the meal, even if they replaced the figs with cherries.
I can't get over how romantic the evening was and the waitress was charming and helpful. Not always the case in Brooklyn.
I'll be back... with my sweetheart. -
Review from meredith p.
Brooklyn, NY
5/22/2011
The food was pretty good though the service (specifically our waitress) was not. She was rude and passive aggressive with us. I'm not sure I would go back to experience that again.
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Review from Tracy K.
Brooklyn, NY
11/14/2010
Beautiful atmosphere, but very bland food. I got all excited when I walked in and saw how cozy and full of ambiance the place was, and of course I always get doubly excited as soon as there's a bottle of wine in front of me. But as for the food, I kind of expected that a place that puts on extremely snooty airs (the server spoke with the kind of gravity that made it sound as though we were about to have some sort of religious experience), the food was very ordinary and lacking in flavor. Everything could've benefited from a little garlic, a little salt, a little spice, a little SOMETHING. But hey, it was pretty, I'll give them that.
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Review from Brendan J.
Brooklyn, NY
4/9/2011
I've been overcharged for wine twice. Food average. Wait staff a bunch of tools. One guy brought my table some limoncello saying we had to try it, implying it was on the house, then charged us for it. Have twice sent food back to the kitchen for being too salty.
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Review from Jaime K.
Washington, DC
6/8/2009
I thought it was cute and charming. On a rainy Friday night, I wasn't really craving any particular food.......but of course I was hungry. New to the neighborhood, I am always finding places that I never knew existed. A friend and I wondered in the restaurant and it was packed at about 9:30PM. They sat us right away at a little table with people talking all around us and I loved it! We ordered a nice bottle of red wine (I'm not familiar with the different regions in Italy, so my friend chose) and shared a lovely "stinky" cheese appetizer. One of the problems was that the waiter was around, but never when we needed him. The cheese was served differently than I am use to (served with honey, nuts and no bread). Also, he didn't point out what cheese's he served. Although, I did make do with the cheeses just fine, i wish he would have taken a little more time with presentation. I ordered a vegetarian pasta with zucchini and pine nuts. i enjoyed it thoroughly. Afterward, we shared a custard dessert that was "okay".
I left happy and full. I really enjoyed the cozy setting. Having moved here from Los Angeles, I greatly appreciate a nice non-shallow ambiance!
If your looking for a pleasant evening, Osteria Del Borgo is a great place to go!
Cheers!!! -
Review from Eat It B.
Brooklyn, NY
2/28/2009
Try the Crispy Octopus - bit, meaty sections served with potatoes - amazing. The meat and fish dishes seem better than the pasta, but overall it's a great place with a great owner who will help you pick wine if you're feeling undecided.
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Review from G. R.
Brooklyn, NY
5/13/2010
Had dinner here last night. It was good. Didn't change my life. Really overpriced though. It is a sweet little neighborhood looking place and something like Frankie's or Supper was more of what of what i was expecting. Aliseo is like fine dining Italian in a rustic atmosphere with rustic food and fine dining prices.
The pasta was truly amazing with homemade ramp pesto and fresh artichokes and a lot of them. The fish dish was also really good, but at almost $30, I left feeling a little bit violated.
The panna cotta was not great- too much gelatin and not a lot of flavor! Why is it so hard to cool it with the gelatin?
I probably won't make an effort to go back, but I wouldn't say no either. -
Review from Liz D.
Manhattan, NY
5/8/2009
Great! I have eaten here several times. Two weeks ago I came in with my girlfriends and had a great experience. We sat outside and enjoyed wine, cheese and assorted other goodies. Everything was excellent. Service was great as usual. Liz (a new server) was outgoing and very helpful. I have never had a bad meal here and have nothing negative to say. All I have to say is shame on anyone who thinks otherwise. As for the person who said that the servers can be too "loud" shame on you. Both my huband and I appreciate a hands-on educated and articulate person to help us with our meal.
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Review from Ella R.
Brooklyn, NY
4/18/2010
Meh, I've experienced better sums this place up pretty perfectly. Very cute ambiance but the food is over priced and not up to par with its prices. That is a recipe for a non-returning customer and Aliseo did just that for me.
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Review from Dan B.
Alameda, CA
2/19/2007
Our friends go here often. It's warm, cozy and filled with funny, informative Italians who guide you through your tasting venture. However, beware when the owner says "no, no, no!" and attempts to steer you towards another wine of his choice. We'd decided on a fine $30 bottle that he poo-pooed. We agreed to sample his choice instead but failed to notice that it was $56. Same with the white wine, and dessert, and coffee: Another "no, no, no!" When my wife requested a cappuccino after her dinner, "In Italy, we no serve coffee after 10am!" Yikes. Lots of rules for stupid Americans. Despite this, we had a swell time and very tasty food. I got the baked squash and mushroom dish and others at the table enjoyed the red beet flan, artichoke lasagna, and roast pig. I must admit, the waiters' opinions were right on, but bring some extra cash if you're feeling not-so-confident about your menu choices.
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Review from Donald B.
Washington, DC
10/24/2010
The atmosphere is nice and the wine selection fine. The appetizers we had (cauliflower flan & braised endive) were delicious. The main course was not. The pappardelle (which came with a mushroom ragout) was undercooked. Not al dente, which we like, but actually still pretty raw and thus not delicious. The scallops were a disappointing combination of overcooked all the way through while also strangely under-seared on the outside. Again, not delicious. The desert -- panna cotta with cherries -- was very good. All in all, a mixed bag. We might try again or, given how many great places there are in the area, we might not.
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Review from A C.
Brooklyn, NY
9/28/2010
My experience here was a bit of a bummer. My boyfriend and I went there on a Friday night and it wasn't too crowded. We had a cauliflower flan to start, and that was delicious and special. But both of our mains - duck ragu and scallops - were very average. My scallops were a touch overdone, and his duck was...just not that flavorful, and the small pieces of meat also seemed a little overdone. The place is cozy and the waitstaff was very nice, so we'd be willing to give it another shot, but I did leave a little disappointed.
