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Amarone Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
686 9th Ave(between 47th St & 48th St)
New York, NY 10036
Neighborhoods: Hell's Kitchen, Midtown West, Theater District
(212) 245-6060
- Nearest Transit:
-
50 St (A, C, E)
42 St - Port Authority Bus Terminal (A, C, E)
50 St (1, 2)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
43 reviews for Amarone Restaurant
Review Highlights
-
"My secret gem in hell's kitchen." In 6 reviews -
"I truly haven't had pasta like this since I was in Italy..." In 15 reviews -
"...the specials are fresh, (seafood ravioli is my fave." In 4 reviews
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43 reviews in English
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Review from John C.
Flushing, NY
5/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Celebrated the gf's birthday here with 3 other people. It was a Friday night and we had reservations, although we probably didn't need them with the amount of people in the restaurant.
We started with two bottles of wine which were reasonably priced and opted not to get appetizers. We wanted to make sure we had room for our entrees, and we had a whole night of drinking ahead of us. This turned out to be a good choice.
I ordered the meat lasagna as my main course. It was cheezy, the meat was delicious and the sauce was super tasty. It was probably a 5x5 square, about 2 1/2 inches thick and it was the perfect portion for me. I left feeling satisfied, not filled with regret for the amount of food I just consumed. Everyone else at the table thought the portions were perfect.
Service was good, and they gave us a small plate of biscotti for an after dinner snack. Definitely an enjoyable Italian experience! -
Review from Benjamin M.
Burlington County, NJ
4/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
"Where are we going to eat before the show?"
"Let's try this Italian place near the hotel."
"Okay."
(Looks at watch...6 p.m. on a Saturday evening). "Crap. I wonder if we should've made a reservation?"
Well, we got lucky because even though two gentlemen ahead of us took the last seats at the tiny bar, the hostess found us a small table. Granted, it appeared like they pulled it out of nowhere and stuck it right in the middle of the restaurant (and foot traffic), but we didn't care.
After listening to the specials from our waiter, we both decided on the veal chops with potatoes and vegetables. Excellent choice. Add some good bread, red wine and cheesecake/port wine for dessert and we were a very happy couple ready for an evening at the theater.
Although it is a small, cramped restaurant and a little pricey, the food and good service made it worth it. Very glad we stopped in. -
Review from Priyanka P.
Manhattan, NY
4/1/2012
3.5 maybe. The food wasn't great, but the service was good.
I like a lot of flavor in my food so this wasn't as spicy and tangy as I would've liked. I had to add seasoning to everything. Although the spinach ravioli in white and red sauce mixed is great. The sourdough bread they serve before the meal wasn't fantastic either. I've eaten better. Nice ambience and service though! -
Review from Caroline K.
Astoria, Queens, NY
1/7/2012
Italian food at its best. I rarely order pasta in restaurants because I can easily cook spaghetti at home. I like to order dishes that I can't easily make myself - call me lazy but I think it's smart. ;)
Anyway, I ordered the Orrechiette pasta because who could say no to pasta named after little ears? I remembered that from taking Italian! Plus, leeks, prosciutto, and mozzarella in pink sauce... sounds so exciting. The pasta came out piping hot, and it was amazing. I think the sauce tasted like vodka sauce, and it blended really well with the saltiness from the prosciutto.
For dessert, I shared the Tiramisu with a friend. I'm trying to cut back on sweets for the new year, but this was definitely worth breaking my resolutions for. Really great staff - I didn't feel rushed even though my friend and I stayed later than our other friend and her fam. And the manager came around and made sure we enjoyed our food. -
Review from Jeremy E.
Longmont, CO
4/7/2012
Went here on a last minute reservation on hotel recommendation. It was a nice little place and i believe it was family owned. It was good but we ate at Andelo's Pizzeria the night before and a personal preference I liked the pasta better. When we arrived it was somewhat empty and we were seated in the back corner. Overall it was good but not good enough with all of the options available to come back. I say this being a visitor to NYC and limited time to try all of the places available.
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Review from Jessica F.
Jersey City, NJ
3/28/2012
The worst service I have ever had. It seemed as though the staff was more concerned with their lunch then mine. I was the only guest in the restaurant and still had to search for help.....I would of served my self better at home!
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Review from Paul Z.
Austin, TX
9/24/2011
Awesome food, great atmosphere, wonderful people! Need i say more?
We chose the special of the evening - home made pasta, and sauce from heaven. Good selection of bread (which is my favorite part of a meal)
Extensive wine selection - especially if you're looking for something new, or from the Amarone wine region.
Also, the walk there from Times Square takes you from a concrete jungle to a tree lined neighborhood.
10/10 -
Review from Robyn W.
Longmont, CO
4/7/2012 4 photos
Went to this place per a referral from our concierge at the Hilton Garden Inn Times Square. It was a Thursday night around 7:30. We made reservations last minute, and upon arrival the place was fairly empty. They chose to seat us in a back corner of the restaurant, where my boyfriend pulled out his chair and a bottle of wine came with it....crashing to the floor. They moved us to a more appropriate table that wasn't sandwiched into the corner for 4 people to dine at. The food was good. I had lasagna that was pretty good....I had better the night before, so I felt a little let down. Service was also a little lacking. I ordered a glass of red wine and had to ask for it a second time well after our meal showed up. We skipped dessert, so I can't review that. I would probably give this place more like a 3.5. I don't know why in the world they tried to sit 4 people crammed into a corner that was covered with wine bottles when there were plenty of other open seats! Service average, food was good but I had better Italian the night before at Angelo's Pizza above the Ed Sullivan Theater for a lesser price.
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Review from Ashwin M.
8/7/2011
My friend picked Amarone for a big bday dinner because of its convenient location near XVI rooftop where we had drinks afterwards. The ambiance and decor will not wow you, and i'm not exactly a fan of this neighborhood, so this place already had a couple strikes against it....but all in all it was a solid dinner experience.
Service was a little slow and choppy, but I guess that's to be expected with a group of 20! Actually, the place was too small to accommodate us all at one table, so they made two tables of 10.
Eggplant fritter appetizer was awesome, melt in your mouth goodness. Fried calamari was delicious too, and well seasoned.
For entreea, I think the majority of the group went with one of the two ravioli specials - (1) spinach and ricotta with pink sauce and (2) goat cheese. Both are homemade and didn't disappoint.
Sauvignon blanc was pretty good at 42/bottle.
Oh, and they also threw in a strawberry tiramisu, sang happy birthday and handed the girls roses on the way out which was a nice little touch. -
Review from Melissa M.
New York, NY
9/12/2011
This place is alright. Went on a Sunday night because I was craving some good pasta. The menu is pretty standard Italian-American fare, nothing unique about it.
The food was very tasty, but the service/ambiance leave something to be desired. The food took a long time to arrive and I had already finished my glass of wine before our meal was served - yet the waiter never returned to offer me a second glass and we literally had to flag him down to get our check. We were seated directly under an air conditioning vent and were shivering for our entire meal. Not exactly the cozy quiet dinner I had imagined.
Again, the food is pretty good here so if you're looking for a quick meal it's not a bad choice - but for a romantic evening out or group dinner, you can do better. Try Cara Mia just down the block - the food is just as good, the setting is a little more intimate and the service is better. -
Review from D B.
Cape Elizabeth, ME
1/25/2012
My wife and I stopped in for dinner while staying in the area recently. We wanted Italian and this place had decent reviews and was able to seat us on short notice. I had the spinach salad and the gnocchi. Both were good. My wife had the lasagna, which she referred to as among the best she's had. For dessert I had peach sorbet and she had Tiramisu. I thought both were fantastic. Perhaps the highlight of the night was the service. It was everything you could ask for throughout the meal.
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Review from Andrew W.
Portland, OR
1/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Pasta was the best since I was in Italy. You can tell that the chef takes a lot of care in preparing the dishes. Food is fresh, waiter is knowledgeable, prices are more than fair (I would have paid more for this quality), and the amount of sauce is perfect. My only critiques: the decor could use some work (but it is hell's kitchen).
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Review from Blair K.
Manhattan, NY
12/12/2011
Had the light and tasty lasagna special
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Review from T C.
Manhattan, NY
5/15/2011
Stopped in here on a whim with my Aunt who was visiting from DC. We wanted a bite to eat and it just felt like as we walked north on 9th avenue, all we kept seeing was Asian cuisine, this was a nice break.
We didn't get to order tons of food, I had the pear salad, and my Aunt had the grilled calamari. My Aunt loved the wine they paired with it, and I just had Pellegrino.
We were both stuffed! The atmosphere was nice and the servers were attentive.
I look forward to going back! Happy to have a good Italian eatery near my house, besides a family favorite, Da Gennaro in Little Italy. -
Review from Nirav D.
2/15/2011
I don't even know why I stopped going here?
The waiters and staff are very nice and accommodate to any special orders or requests.
The red wine selection is great!
Most of the salads are great. The spinach ravioli which they only have as a special is one of the better ones they have in the city.
The place needs a refresh or an update, looks kind of dated. -
Review from Hello A.
Miami, FL
4/28/2011
I came here on a recommendation from my local hotel. I ordered the pork medallions. What I received was a thin slice of the most rubberized pork meat that I have ever tasted.
To their credit the potatoes and asparagus were pretty good, and they had a tasty bread basket. I would not recommend this place to anyone. I am not sure my hotel hands out recommendations to this place. -
Review from Laura H.
Astoria, NY
9/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Went on a date night with the husband here last night. Overall, it was a very great experience! We enjoyed the fire roasted portabello for an appetizer. The service was very fast (we were there at 5:30 PM though because we hadn't eaten all day and couldn't wait any longer) and the delicious bread basket with rosemary infused olive oil got emptied out pretty fast by us. I ordered the special with wide pasta noodles, a pesto sauce with scallops and shrimp....which was to die for! Very, very rich and tasty. Yea for Amarone!
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Review from Sam P.
New York, NY
4/17/2008 1 photo
I used to live two blocks from this place and I never bothered to stop in, even despite their lovely little outdoor seating area where fabulous HK residents lunch and dine on delicious looking Italian fare while wearing sunglasses and laughing gaily (emphasis on the gay). But now I know why - the food's pretty mediocre. Not bad, per se, but definitely not great and DEFINITELY not worth the price. Most entrees are $20+
There was a special of grilled artichoke hearts covered in Parmesan that was excellent, but my squid ink linguine with seafood was really sub par. The calamari wasn't well cooked and the sauce tasted and looked a little too similar to Campbell's tomato soup for comfort. Also, I had a particularly atrocious glass of Montepulciano that I didn't have the heart to send back. The Nero D'avola was pretty good though.
Basically, what you get is a nice little Italian trattoria that's probably only in business because of its location. You can do much better for Italian food on 9th Ave. -
Review from Makoto S.
Orlando, FL
7/17/2010 1 Check-in Here
My wife and I were staying at the Sheraton in Manhattan and we wanted to know what some of the locals enjoyed, so we asked one of the security guards there for a recommendation. He ended up suggesting we try out Amarone, and with a name like Luciano, I hope he knows where the good Italian restaurants are.
We walked a few blocks down and found the restaurant. It had a European feel to it as soon as you get there, with the people sitting on the outside. We were greeted quickly and had really excellent service.
They brought us some wonderful bread to snack on, and we ordered some grilled calamari to start off while we looked through their menu. The grilled calamari looked a bit like a salad with all the spinach and arugula, but it was still really good and we cleaned off the plate.
Afterwards, I ended up ordering the Amarone chicken. I figured surely this must be a good dish if they're using their name with it. My wife ended up getting a spicy sausage dish that I cannot recall the name of. Both dishes came out fairly quickly and they were both delicious. They were also just the right portion size, it didn't leave me hungry, and it didn't leave me too full and wasting a bunch of it.
After we finished our main course, a family from Brazil had sat a few tables down from us. Once our Brazilian waitress had found out that they are from Brazil, she had a long conversation with them and it felt like she almost forgot about us. Took a while for us to order desert, which was a wonderful tiramisu. The assistant waiter was also Brazilian and was talking about the World Cup game with this family and he had forgotten about us too and our drinks weren't getting refilled. They were doing a great job beforehand however.
Overall, we had a really great experience, other than the delays at the end. I wanted to give it 5 stars, but we had a feeling of being neglected towards the end.
I would recommend this place if you're looking for an affordable and friendly place to go to get some delicious Italian food. -
Review from Kimberly S.
San Mateo, CA
5/18/2010 1 Check-in Here
We met up with a friend here for dinner who raved about the gnocchis. But I wanted something light after a few days of carb-loading on this vacation, so I went for the amarone salad which sounded delicious: green salad with artichokes, roasted red bell peppers, fresh mozzarella, and shaved parmesan cheese.
With the great service and fancy decor, I was expecting so much more. But the itty-bitty salad was not fresh at all with 3-4 slivers of roasted peppers, and the dressing seemed to be simply balsamic vinegar and olive oil - no seasoning other than the pepper freshly ground by the waiter.
The red snapper my boyfriend ordered saved my tastebuds (and this review). That and the bread with their rosemary oil - I could have eaten that all day. -
Review from Eric P.
New York, NY
5/30/2008
I was really aching for some Italian last night -- food that is.
For me, the ingredients for a good Italian dining experience includes:
1. Rosemary Oil for your bread
2. Homemade bruchetta
3. A non-chain enterprise
4. Bottles of Peroni
5. Plein-air dining
I was out with a friend, and it always seems like we end up walking around Hell's Kitchen looking for food, drink, debauchery, or all of the above.
This is one of those places with the rosemary oil for your bread -- I love that stuff. I had the gnocchi in tomato sauce with mozzarella. Simply delicious. My drink of choice was (of course) a bottle of Peroni.
This is where this place loses the fifth star: Our server (petit woman with dark hair and a foreign accent) was a little curt with us, and the meal was a little on the expensive side. -
Review from Kelly D.
North Brookfield, MA
1/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
Accommodating and friendly hostess. Waiter made sure our food arrived quickly so we could get to the theater. The food was amazing. I had the ravioli special ... stuffed with cheese and spinach with a creamy, buttery sage sauce. My complaint: high price/small portion.
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Review from Eros A.
New York, NY
8/27/2010
I'm a huge fan of Amarone which I don't recall why I stop going here...
I used to come here and everything was just great. Love the casual setting and the good food.
The staff is always so welcoming and friendly and it's hard to compare them. The food is more northern, but you can find a dish here of almost anything; great selections of wine (Amarone wine - perfect) and the prices made this place a must to visit/enjoy!!!Listed in: iLike it
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Review from Peter M.
Alexandria, VA
2/18/2009
Service: Spectacular.
Food: Excellent
Wine: Very good.
Our waiter and the Host were absolutely impeccable. We were told by our hotel staff to ask for "Tony" and we did - and we were treated like royalty. Decor is understated, but nice. Smallish in size, don't plan to see a lot of spare room between tales.
I had a very nice Fussili pasta, red sauce and sausage dish, that had just the right amount of tooth to it. Not over or undercooked.
Our daughter (one year old) was starting to get figgity, so we decided to get dessert to go - and they helped us with everything.
Bottom Line: Highly recommended. Bring an appetite. -
Review from Hilary S.
New York, NY
1/2/2006
I heard that Hell's Kitchen had really cleaned up, but my experience at Amarone was gritty. Really... The leek and smoked mozzarella pasta contained small particles of sand, probably because the leeks were not thouroughly washed. After grinding my teeth on three bites, I decided to snag forkfuls from my sister's pasta dish. Although it was a different dish, the sauce was pretty much the same. Ditto for her friend's dish.
Dessert was another story. There was no way my sister was letting me get near her tiramisu--with good reason. It was light, creamy, and flavorful. -
Review from Ed P.
Marcy, NY
8/28/2011
Great food! Great Service!
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Review from Christopher T.
Manhattan, NY
4/19/2008
I've got Sam P on the artichoke being very good, but apart from that it wasn't very memorable.
We sat outside, of course, as the weather was nice and gazed at the onlookers. The food came out timely and was just pretty average. It tasted very much like a dish that would come from the theatre district and not necessarily from a neighborhood street.
Only way I would return is if there was seating outside and for drinks only. -
Review from Lizzie W.
New York, NY
6/18/2009
I'm SO happy we walked by this place. The service was great and the food was DELICIOUS. I had the Amarone salad and the spinach pappardelle in a bolognese sauce. Both were tastey. The pasta was SO GOOD. I'm a sucker for homemade pasta but seriously, this one is definitely on the top of my list.
All of the staff were friendly. Our waiter was attentive but also let us sit and enjoy our wine at the end - no rushing at all.
If you're heading to a show or find yourself in Hell's Kitchen I would highly recommend checking out Amarone!! -
Review from Lisa S.
Roseville, CA
6/12/2008
Yumm. I had the orecchiette pasta with smoked mozzarella, leeks, and prosciutto. House salad was just ok, nothing special.
Italian beer was good. Glass of pinot was great.
LIttle pricey, but its NY, what are you gonna do? Someone's gotta pay the rent...Didn't eat outside, but it looked entertaining with the strange guy playing the guitar. Sat inside next to the brick wall, small and cozy.
Would eat here again in a heartbeat. -
Review from Saheli K.
Manhattan, NY
11/6/2011
Great place! Most of the pastas are really tasty--The gnocchi, parpadelle, and fettucini alfredo are delicious. The best pasta, however, is the chef's special spinach ravioli. The ravioli is infused with the ideal amount of cheese and spinach, and to top that, the pink sauce that it is served with is mouth watering. If you plan on going to Amarone, call a day in advance and request for the spinach ravioli to be made. The owner and the staff are extremely nice and accommodating.
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Review from Gourmet G.
San Francisco, CA
11/1/2005
Fresh house-made pasta is the hallmark of this Hell's Kitchen dining spot. Among the outstanding entrees are veal-filled tortellini, fettuccine with spinach and ricotta cheese in a rich tomato sauce, and linguine with capers, olives, and anchovies. The staff hustles to ensure theatergoers will be in their seats by curtain time. With pastas as low as $9.95 and main courses ranging from $12.95 - 24.95, this is a delightful spot that fits all budgets.
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Review from Billy A.
12/14/2006
This seemed like a place with really good desserts, and HO, YEAH, these were really good desserts -- ricotta cheese cake and tartufo gelato, enjoyed on a date at a table for two in the window. Lovely. I'll come back for dinner.
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Review from Veronica O.
Charlotte, NC
8/12/2007
I was really disappointed in this place! It looked cute on the outside and the staff was very friendly, but the food was very mediocre. The presentation was poor, and the food was not very flavorful. There was nothing special about it and I would not go back. Sorry!
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Review from Melissa S.
Austin, TX
9/18/2007
Came here for lunch, and it was okay, albeit quite pricey. I had the grilled portobello salad, which was excellent, except for the salad part -- since I was splitting it with my coworker, I had to restrain myself from taking ALL of these pieces of perfectly cooked portobellos. My pasta dish was pretty damn average for the high price, but it was a big enough portion to split with a coworker and still be fairly full. All in all, the experience was pretty disappointing. I enjoyed sitting out on their front patio, but not enough to return.
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Review from Tony J.
Haworth, NJ
2/21/2011
My party of 3 arrived 6:05PM for a pre-broandway 6:00PM dinner reservation. The place was packed and hoping. We had to wait about 5 minutes for our table, which was on the right side overlooking 9th Ave. George was very effective to get us seated. My beef carpacio was good followed by veal gorganzola. My wife and our friend shared the grilled squid salad. My wife's salmon was nicely portioned. Our friends pasta dish was also enjoyed. Our total dining experience was relaxed and we were out by 7:45 with enough time to make our way to our "13" broadway play, which was also very enjoyable. All in all another great evening in NYC.
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Review from C J.
Washington, DC
9/8/2008
I live in HK and frequent here quite a bit. I agree with most of the reviews that the food is "OK". I'd say the best dishes are the gnocchi (I have brought guests here from out of town and they LOVE the gnocchi also) and any of the pastas. Their Risottos are fabulous as well. The have recently brought a new chef in to spruce things up a bit and I can say that I have seen improvements. Otherwise this is truly a great neighborhood bar/restaurant. The owner/manager "Tony" is great and he is why people keep coming back. He really cares about his clients and waitstaff and I think it shows. Check it out for yourself!
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Review from Stephen T.
New York, NY
1/11/2009
The best rating I could ever give this restaurant is the fact that I see Italian tourists frequent it. My secret gem in hell's kitchen. I live in the hood and I needed a place to get some great Italian food near me. The service is friendly, like a family. Very relaxed. I go there for lunch and dinner often. The Pomodoro sauce is truly authentic, I just get it with rigatoni and it's fantastic. Fresh basil, btw. I also recommend the Brodetto with red snapper. It's a great portion with shrimp, mussels and clams. The three cheese risotto is rich and wonderful, and has always been perfectly cooked. It's the perfect local place for foodies in the hood to sneak off to for a few drinks or great, simply prepared Italian food.
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Review from Jane S.
New York, NY
11/7/2010
An unexpected discovery.
My first clue as to the quality of an Italian restaurant is the bread and dip. Amarone did not disappoint! The focaccia is delicious and the olive oil incredibly flavorful.
Appetizers were excellent - try the calamari as well as the pear salad - as was the pasta. The dessert was another must-try - we ordered the orange (tangerine?) sorbet, which came in a hollowed-out orange, as well as the pillow-soft tiramisu.
This restaurant isn't fancy, but it is a cozy and friendly neighborhood place. I would not hesitate to come back! -
Review from David W.
New York, NY
1/5/2010
I live in HK and am a huge fan of Italian food. So imagine my disappointment to discover that Amarone simply does not fall into the same league as other midpriced options such as Puttanesca and Maria Pia. Although the service was very good, the food was mediocre, the portions were small, and the prices higher than I'd anticipated. Don't let the "$$" fool you--it's on the high end of that scale. I took my mom to a pre-show lunch: splitting a salad, plus two pasta dishes, a split bowl of ice cream and one cup of coffee came to $60 before tip. I should also note that the host appears to fill the restaurant by first seating diners in the narrow, foyer-like area that abuts the larger and more spacious dining room. I think he should proceed in the opposite direction and fill the most desirable seats first.
On balance, the people at Amarone were very nice, and the food isn't bad, but it's just not a good value. -
Review from MARIANA L.
New York, NY
10/13/2005
This place has expanded to three times it's original size since it opened on this Hell's Kitchen corner. This is of course, due to customer demand. The waiters have a great, fun attitude, the specials are fresh, (seafood ravioli is my fave). If they like you, they'll buy you a drink and get you really jolly... Caramelized apple tart with hazelnut ice cream is the sweet I like to finish with. Good choice for pre-theater.
