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Categories: Italian, Wine Bars [Edit]
Neighborhood: NoHoSip, savor and socialize on Sundays 5pm - 12 and choose from three courses for $25, small plates for $10 and under and a Sunday wine flight
Uptown Bleecker St-Lafayette St (6)
Downtown Bleecker St-Lafayette St (6, B, D, F, V)
8th St-Broadway (R, W)
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
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Great place for Organic wines, and the appts are awesome to share w/a friend or someone special.
If you want to have a romantic bar setting type evening this is a great place as the bar area is lite by candle light. And if your with the girls the bartender [11/18/09] is HOT!!!!!
We had the Gnocchi Gratin, Meatballs in Red Sauce [sweet finish] & Rissoto Balls and I'm still trying to figure out which was best.
Enjoy!!!
I had a very similar experience as "Nicole L." and agree completely regarding the review of this restuarant.
Great atmosphere, good service with a waiter that knew the dishes and the wine that would complement them. The waiter suggested two diffferent wines that would complement the dishes that we has selected. We selected the cheaper of the two (I can't exactly recall the name... "L'Atta" perhaps. Whatever it was we were really pleased; it was fantastic.
My girlfriend and I shared an apetizer; the meatballs..... brilliant !!! We thought these were fantastic.! I should also add at this point that we really appreciated the complementary olives, oil and bread that is provided as they were wonderful.
So why after all this positive feedback does Aroma only get 3 stars.... well 3.5 really to be fair. Unfortanately the entree dishes just weren't something that really grabbed our attention. We ordered the special; a Ravioli with green figs and pork belly and the Italian Meat loaf served on a polenta base.
The ravioli really didn't hit home. It was a shame because I believe this dish could be great. It would require a far more hearty ravioli, with some real texture to the meat involved; the content was either very finely chopped or blended and I felt we missed out on some of the great textures on offer given the ingredients.
The meatloaf was indeed very interesting but it needed more. The base recipe which had a pistacio or similar nut was great, however the polenta was rather boring and all-in-all it just didn't grab my attention.
I should mention that we both felt the meatball appetizer was superb and really tasty; the sauce is simply wonderful.
The overall experience at Aroma was really very good and I will go back and try more on the menu. While the entrees didn't amaze us, there is certainly promise and the service and wine selection is excellent and well worth the visit.
We went on a Saturday night and now plan to try it again with friends on a Sunday and Monday night to try out the family night and tasting specials.
I went here last saturday for my 30th birthday and was definitely amazed. It was EXACTLY what I had in mind for the occasion: cozy, intimate, good food, good drinks, great ambience and all with an extremely knowledgeable and helpful staff. From the beginning to the end I was definitely impressed. When I first started talking with Allene (Aroma's event coordinator), I was immediately filled w/ positive vibes. She was professional, friendly, helpful, accommodating and right on the money with answering any questions that I had in a timely fashion. Not only that, but on the day prior to my event, she called me just to confirm and to make sure that everything was as I wanted (unlike some other coordinators who sometimes leave you hanging). After scoring the smaller private room and requesting for some of the chef's appetizers, I was all good to go.
Now on the day of, I can clearly say that my party had a great time! The food was great (especially the aroma meatballs and stuffed calamari)! The sommelier was knowledgeable and extremely helpful. He helped us pick 2 wines that my party absolutely LOVED!! And the service was just as it should be - there when you need it and not when you just want to enjoy yourself.
Overall, I can definitely say that this was a very memorable experience. For all that are thinking of going, especially for a private party, I highly recommend it!
It really pains me to do this.
When my date and I walked into Aroma, I was thrilled. The restaurant is very cozy, dark, and romantic. The service is lovely, with very knowledgeable, friendly servers. The wine list (very easy to navigate, with lots of interesting choices) is wonderful. It's a little cramped if you're sitting upstairs, but that isn't too much of a problem.
The food, though. That's what was lacking for us. Perhaps the breadth of food we ordered didn't really tap into what this place does best. Whatever the case, everything we had was good, but nothing was excellent. We started with the caprese salad, which was a special that night. It was good, but definitely lacked flavor. For an entree, I had the black linguini, which was also missing something to make it stand out as a special dish. The shrimp and calamari in the dish, however, were cooked very tenderly. My date had the orecchiette with broccoli rabe pesto and sausage, and I tried a bit of it. The broccoli rabe flavor was very potent, which I didn't mind, but my date wasn't too fond of his dish, which I understand. The wine we had, the Ippolito Ciro Rosso, was delicious, though. We were very happy with it.
Overall, for what we paid, we felt the food could have been better. The atmosphere, experience and service, however, were redeeming factors for us, and we were able to enjoy our meal (and our wine) a great deal because of that.
A small group of us ate here to celebrate a friend's birthday. It seemed that we were all running late for our 5pm reservation, but the host seated us at the bar as we came trickling in one by one. He was very gracious and even informed us when one friend called the restaurant to say she was still looking for parking. The bartender, meanwhile, made sure to keep our water glasses refilled while we waited.
The host turned out to be our sommelier, and he really took his time explaining the wines based on our preferences. Even as it became clear that I was a total wine novice, he never talked down to me. In fact, he seemed quite happy to be sharing all his knowledge. In the end, we chose a moderately priced red that turned out to be a perfect accompaniment to the meal.
It turned out to be a poached egg night for me since I ordered the Caesar's salad and then the bucatini. It's very rare to find a traditional Caesar's salad Stateside because of the raw egg issue, but the poached egg is a clever substitute. The anchovies provided a nice salty kick to offset the creaminess of the yolk-infused dressing.
Egg yolk played another crucial part in my entrée, the bucatini with pancetta. The yolk helped to thicken up the sauce, making it a slightly richer dish, yet it wasn't heavy. The bucatini was definitely al dente, and a bit unwieldy at times, but still a pleasure to eat. The birthday girl ordered the linguine with clams, which was presented in a parchment pouch. The waiter unwrapped the parchment right next to me, and I smelled the tempting aroma as the steam immediately escaped the bowl. Linguine with clams is one of my favorite Italian dishes, and I second guessed ordering the bucatini. But I was pleased with my entrée, so I'll just have to try the linguine next time.
For dessert, one friend ordered the bread pudding, which was sweet but not cloying, and not too dense. The birthday girl ordered the pistachio semifreddo, which also had just the right amount of sweetness, and was creamy yet light.
Overall it was a tasty meal in a pleasant setting. We got there early enough that we could sit and linger over our dinner for two hours. We were never rushed - instead, we were met consistently with friendly, attentive service. The only issue I had was with having to sit on a backless stool since we had the table in the front. But my lovely dining companions and delicious food eased that slight discomfort. I look forward to coming back and trying more items from the menu.
The place was a little cramped and a little dark - let's call it romantic. My date and I really enjoyed the atmosphere, and the wine was fantastic. I loved the whole wine menu!
But the food was not to my liking. We had the Caprese salad, which was unremarkable. Then, I had the orecchiete which tasted mainly of broccoli rabe, and very little of pesto and spicy sausage. I couldn't eat more than 10 bites - it just tasted bitter and bland. It needed more grated cheese.
My date had the black linguine, which was better...but still lacked flavor.
Thank goodness the wine was so good, otherwise I probably would have ranked this place 2 stars. When I'm paying those kinds of prices, I really expect to be wowed (or even merely ENJOY) at least something on the menu.
I had the pleasure of coming here with my paying mother so I really got to indulge. The calamari appetizer was like no other I've had, the cortecce wonderful, and the panna cotta just enough to push me over into food heaven. The bottle of white we shared (unfortunately I drank enough of it to make me forget the name) was delicious as well. I plan on coming back to check out the prixe fixe menus; those are definitely more within my price range.
It'd be a great idea to make a reservation as the place is really kind of cramped, by the way, though others have mentioned this.
4.5 stars...I went on Sunday night when they had the fixed price meal for $29. Tasty food! I ordered the meatballs for an appetizer (great), my friend had the cheesy zuccini appetizer (which looked amazing). For the main, the orecchiette pasta with sausage and broccoli rabe was delicious! I would have preferred just a few more curly cues of fresh parmesan on top, but definitely delicious. And the best..the bread pudding was so moist and great down to the last bite.
Cozy atmosphere.
Minus .5 stars for the house white wine, which is REALLY bad. Definitely splurge on something else.
I've been here twice in the late afternoon for the wine and it has been a wonderful experience both times. Great wines. They also have a good deal during happy hour - $15 for 3 flights of wine and 3 appetizers. The flights were pretty much full glasses (a red, a white, and a rose) and the appetizers were nearly a meal. Service was polite and knowledgable.
We all have our 'go-to' restaurants. The places that you recommend for an out-of-town friend, and the places that you frequent because you know it's gonna be good. So in addition to my go-to's (Perilla, Luzzo's, Pylos, Freemans, etc) Aroma is a new add to my list.
It's a bit cozy (ok, it's downright cramped) and has limited seating, but these were the only flaws I could fault. Everything else that defines this restaurant is all positive.
Exceptionally friendly and knowledgeable service is certainly a plus. On my last visit, our affable bartender reminded me just a little bit of Steven from Top Chef Season 1, incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the food he was serving, but hopelessly wordy. It's a charming trait unless I was in a hurry, but this is a meal worth lingering over.
Another interesting quirk - the portions here are out of control, which is counter-intuitive of most New York restaurants. Splitting two apps, a soup, and two mains between a couple of voracious diners turned out to be a huge (but delicious) mistake. It was simply too much food to handle.
Our starters of mussels and beans in a red snapper broth was an interesting balance between the light fish broth, the intensity of the mussels, and the beans which maintained a balance in the flavor profile. A simple arugula salad played the peppery, yet clean flavors of fresh arugula against the earthiness of the base of artichokes and mushrooms.
My main of simply grilled branzino, while not of its own fault, was probably the least interesting dish of the night in terms of texture and flavor. On the other hand, a buccatini, reminiscent of a carbonara, was perfectly al dente and completely delicious. The pasta is served with an expertly poached egg, which coats the pasta and the diner's palate, and gives an unctuous mouth feel that's almost sensuous.
Even if you're not here for a full meal, the wine selection is excellent. Purely Italian (natch), you could linger over a refreshing bottle of minerally verdicchio or a few glasses of grappa and nibble on small plates all day. The coziness and calm of the restaurant invites you to stay a while and escape the craziness of the city.
I had my post-wedding dinner here in August following a small ceremony in Central Park. There were 12 of us seated in the beautiful downstairs room. There was an age range of about 40 years and everyone raved afterwards. The service was wonderful. Vito, one of the owners, and his staff were very attentive and walked us through, explaining each course.
The food was phenomenal, each course better than the last. I planned the meal with Allene, the event coordinator, and Vito beforehand and they suggested awesome offerings and wine pairings.
I have also been here with my husband and had wine and small plates upstairs and the atmosphere and food combination is one of my favorites in the city. I highly recommend these great folks for everything from a single glass of wine to an 8-course meal. Just go, trust me!
I've never been treated so well when planning a large dinner. The manager was accommodating, seating our party of 12 in the 'cellar' - a private room. Our servers were knowledgeable; the food was delicious. I recommend this restaurant for when you want a big meal, in a intimate setting, for groups.
A tart, unkind maître d' snapped at my 70-year-old parents and sister when they showed up for dinner last night, claiming the reservation we'd made ( and confirmed the evening prior by phone) to celebrate our parents' 43rd wedding anniversary at Aroma, had never been confirmed. Hence, they'd given away our table.
Navigating any front of the house with such a basic collapse in respect and manners suggests an amateurish disregard for professionalism. This is downtown Manhattan, so surely Aroma has a thousand thoughtful, cultivated potential employees who'd be at ease liaising with customers without snapping, "um, I guess we could have a table for you, in like an hour" before motioning toward the exit.
In the end, we went to Gemma, serendipitously, a splendid eating pleasure. The meal was superb, spread out over a rustic farmtable, such a cozy nest. Our waiter gushed over our mother, even setting a plate of homemade anise and almond cookies-- on the house from the pastry chef-- before her in homage to the occasion. Gemma made our parents--and us--feel as though we mattered as clients. And the food was lovely, home-style Italian, but with a more artisinal shading in terms of seasonal beets and gourds. The cheese also was bliss-- buttery, smoky balm after the smashup at Aroma.
Intimate restaurant with knowledgeable waiters and a good wine list (albeit pricey (read: normal Manhattan) wines.
This is a great, intimate, cozy, upscale Italian restaurant and wine bar. Perfect for an intimate group or date. Not recommended for large groups. The atmosphere is helped by exposed brick walls and a wine library as you enter. The food was delectable - a more sophisticated take and not the typical Italian dishes and better than usual pastas and flavors.
HUGE fan. I went there for a b-day dinner last night and sat in the "farmhouse" room down stairs. Great salads and pasta, all of which are very unique. I would recomment this anyone, be it for a date or a b-day party.
What a cute, casual restaurant. They have an enormous wine selection with great suggestions from the sommelier and excellent service overall. Really small, but cozy/rustic space. I would recommend sitting downstairs at the communal table rather than sitting upstairs.
Food was fantastic. I had the gratin of gnocchi - soooooooooo good - the white truffle oil + the gnocchi + sausage + fontina is oh so rich and flavorful to start and the orecchiette with spicy sausage, broccoli and pesto sauce as an entree (an excellent recommendation by our waiter). My friends ordered the salmon tartare special (just ok), the baked stuffed calamari (get it!!), the braised chicken with potato (good), black linguine with seafood (excellent), and the strascinati with mushrooms, roasted red peppers and a light marinara sauce. All the pastas were al dente and pretty good. The standouts were the black linguine and the orecchiette, but I'm sure all the pastas are great.
I had the molten chocolate cake for dessert, which was good, nothing special really. But a nice way to end the meal.
I found the portions reasonable, not too small at all. With 1.5 bottles of wine, 3 appetizers, 4 entrees and a dessert we only spent approx $60 each for 4 people, which isn't bad for the quality of the food we received. I will definitely be back to try the other items on the menu!
4.5 stars. One of my new go-to restaurants in New York, Aroma is a charming little place that serves great food. I love the exposed brick walls, the bar seating, and the wine bottles of different shapes and sizes that line the wall. Definitely a good place for a casual dinner date.
The food is simple but extremely flavorful. I loved meatball appetizer and the gnocchi gratin with truffle oil, the dense, sicilian meatloaf that exploded with flavor, and of course, the pastas. We had a wonderful bucatini that was served with a perfectly poached egg which, when popped and mixed in, creates a silky sauce that mixes well with the other ingredients. The spaghetti was freshly made and served with tender octopus ragout with capers and olives. Delicious! I also love how the portions are very reasonable, not so large as to make you feel extremely stuffed at the end of the meal but leaves you enough room for dessert, which were also pretty good but, in my opinion, not mind blowing.
Service is very friendly. Whether you're asking for wine or food recommendations or planning an event, everyone I have spoken to has been really helpful. I recently planned a celebration dinner for my company, where we rented out one of the private dining rooms downstairs in the basement, which was also very charming. Allene, the events coordinator, helped me plan the menu to make sure we had some good choices that would still please people with different palates. The sommelier also helped us pick some good wine pairings, including some very interesting choices like a cloudy, unfiltered white wine.
The best part is that everything was very reasonably priced. If you're looking for great food and a good value for money, this is definitely the place to go.
Aroma is one of those places you can really imagine yourself coming back to consistently. Delicious food, very attentive and helpful service and some incredible yet expensive wine.
My party and I had an evening show and the hostess was very accommodating with our time constraint. I asked her not to seat us in the highly recommended cellar because the weather was so pleasant on Friday. She seated us at the only table up front with a banquette that has a great view for people watching.
I'm in complete agreement with my fellow yelpers about the food. It was all excellent and very reasonably priced. Portions do tend to run on the small size, except for my braised lamb shank which was huge, tender and delish. I'm telling all you hungry carnies out there right now. If you see ever braised lamb shank on a menu, that dish will almost always be bigger than anything else on the menu. Trust me as this comes from meaty experience. Menu offerings are very well balanced and they will probably have something for everyone.
The wine offerings are quite impressive with prices ranging from reasonable to bug-eyed flabbergasting. There's a huge range from which you can choose from but when in doubt, utilize the sommelier. That's why they are there. I ordered a flight and for $18, it was a pretty great deal. But the real deal is their appertivo (wine tasting and antipasti) special from 5 to 7pm every Monday through Friday for $15. You can't beat that!
Overall, a fantastic place for a casual midweek meal, yet cozy enough for an intimate evening. Perfetto.
Aroma is as tiny and tasteful as their wine list is huge and AWESOME. I don't mean awesome in the sense that they have a lot of great wine (although I'm sure they do; I just know nothing about wine except for what tastes good to me) I happen to love their descriptions. They give you the standard "plum and black cherry notes" sort of details, but they also provide much more colorful insights, such as "heavenly light and joyously caressing," "your first kiss," or "a walk on the moon."
I didn't read the whole list, as it was a bit long (there's a table of contents!), but my favorite commentary was "Say you were rich and of noble descent, and you could hire the best in winemaking; you decided to make very little of a grand sangiovese of Brunello stature but got tired of waiting ... wow, delicious! I want more delicious!"
Seriously. It says that next to one of the reds. This is the kind of thing that makes me wish I could appreciate the nuances between the $40 bottles and the $400 bottles.
Thankfully for those of us who are oenologically challenged, the food is fantastic, and the service is exceptional as well. I believe our waitress was named Melissa; she was incredibly knowledgeable about not only the menu and the wine list, but also about food in general. She clearly takes pride in her job, and also in Aroma itself.
Although Melissa insisted that the entire menu is wonderful, she did make a few recommendations that were spot on. She pointed out the gratin of gnocchi (sausage, fontina, pesto nutmeg béchamel, white truffle oil), and the bucatini ("cacio, pepe e uovo", pancetta arrotolata). I took her up on both suggestions, and they were fabulous. The gnocchi is really not to be missed; it is easily one of the best things I've tasted in months.
Prior to the meal, Melissa confided in me that Aroma is the sort of restaurant you return to over and over again to work your way through the menu. At this point, I will believe anything she tells me. You should too.
Went here on a Wednesday night to catch the tail end of their Apertivo service. The place didn't get crowded until 8pm or so. You get 3 tastes of wine and 3 small tastes of food for $15 dollars. That night they were offering a cold rice salad, bruschetta with sundried tomato and artichoke, and beets in fig preserves. I thought the food was tasty and the wine: a red, white and rose- were all interesting. The owner rushed us out after our 2nd hour since there aren't many tables in the tiny place. I have to keep this short because my date from last night is stalking my yelp profile. Side note: if you're still hungry when you leave I suggest doing what we did and going to New Wonton Garden in Chinatown for soup dumplings.
Off the charts great. We sat in the "cellar" at the communal table, which I recommend. You feel so damn cool in your own little room. and if you are like me you will inevitably end up talking a bit to the people next to you. Great wine selection and very solid food. I had the small but tasty meatballs stuffed with mozzarella to start (hard to go wrong there), followed by beet infused pappardelle with oso bucco. Subtle flavors that just tasted good. Portions were perfect. I left satisfied but could keep my belt on.
When I go out for dinner of course I want good food but I also want good service and that special something. For Aroma kitchen that special something is the ambiance. It feels like there are a team of master chefs behind some magic curtain whose only goal is to make sure the special guests in the cellar are happy. Truly, this place is a gem and the prices are reasonable.
I must mention that people who who have trouble getting around might want to stay away. To get to the cellar you have to go down a very narrow flight of stairs and then through a hobbit door. This adventure is rivaled only by the crawl space that doubles as a bathroom. Personally... I thought it added to the charm. Enjoy.
Pro: Tasting Menu for $30. Food quality is excellent. Wait-staff is very knowledgeable. Sometimes you can even talk to the owner/chef himself!
Cons: Everything is Small... portions are VERY small, and seating is VERY cozy.
Aroma is a gathering place with the comforts of a small town eatery in the midst of a metropolis. The quaint, inviting setting is extremely communal with a charming central bar and tightly arranged wooden tables for dining.
The menu is filled with pasta, salad and appetizer options experimenting with calamari, artichokes, red peppers and braised lamb to create an original take on the 'Italian' meal. We each enjoyed our entrees and our olive tray was extraordinary as well.
You could find Aroma Kitchen & WIne bar in a Woody Allen film; filled with intelligent conversations, fashion-conciousness and liveliness. Reservations are taken, but be sure (in winter) to request a table away from the door- it's freezing upfront. Service was decent, but could have been better. There was a ridgedness about the staff that was odd.
Given I came here once and didn't try a lot, I think it's just OK.
The restaurant is quite small and not very relaxing. Pasta was pretty good but not great; women portion.. Wine was great. Service was great. Overall is okay, not bad..
Ok, so I was nervous. Organizing a ten person dinner party for my girlfriend and her friends, many of whom I don't really know, with ten inches of snow on the forecast, and the 6pm party before us, running late....
But let me take it back about a month, when I started planning this potential ulcer. Having previously been to, and been impressed by Aroma, I stopped in to inquire about their private dining rooms. I was given a tour of the possibilities and told I would be contacted by their events coordinator.
Speaking with Allene, the events coordinator, it became immediately obvious that she was very busy, my bad for stopping in during the holidays. But don't misinterpret busy for inattentive, she could not have been more helpful, walking me through the menu options, the wine list, and making recommendations that were in the end....fantastic. I know I certainly was not organizing the largest or most grand party they have put on, yet I was consistently treated as if I was.
They graciously sat a group of boisterous young ladies, and awaited the guest of honor.....
Upon her arrival the wine began to flow, and the parade of food commenced. The chef's appetizers won high praise, from the stuffed calamari to the frittata, and the citrus salad....at least three young ladies made a point to mention how much they loved the meatballs filled with smoked mozzarella.
Like I said I was nervous, so I can't even begin to try and recall all the meals that were ordered, or the names of all the staff but the birthday girl had Grilled Branzino w/ squid ink and octopus risotto.....and was floored.
Dessert was a meal in itself. They created a triple chocolate cake for the birthday girl, and presented a symphony of desserts for everyone to try...again the food was excellent.
The attention to detail however, was present in the food, decor(check the website), and the service. Everyone at Aroma is unobtrusive yet very attentive, and can help you make instant sense of a rather extensive wine list. When Vito, the chef and sommelier came in to make sure everyone was happy with their meal, it became even more apparent that these are people who love food, and love to share what they create.
I simply cannot recommend this place enough, and this review does not even do it justice...
On a side note, I got a preview of the Valentine's Day Menu....make your reservation now....it looks amazing.
I'll be upfront about it, I'm anti-hipster and I only like the ladies.....but after dinner at Aroma,… Read more »
Went there on Friday night for a drink--had a super-knowledgeable bartender/sommelier. Knew the story behind every wine. Cool bar, candlelit, friendly service & a calm atmosphere. We'll definitely go back!
What we thought would be a fun free wine tasting at Astor Place Wine & Spirits turned out to be a what everyone else was thinking and an impossible queue. So, meandering in the general direction of B bar we came upon tiny sweet Aroma. In the window they advertised a $15 wine tasting with appetizer sampler which was too incredible to resist.
Already pretty busy, they managed to squeeze the two of us in there with a smile. The wine maiden a the bar had full wine glasses in our hands in under 60 seconds and I realized "free wine tastings" are really way overrated. Plus, these were not measly little tipples, we downed three amazing glasses of wine! I had dinner plans encroaching on our tasting time but the food came out pronto. This was the most amazing tasting menu I've ever seen.
- beet and Gorgonzola salad
- savory fried polenta
- some sort of chilled quinoa salad
- a cheese breed stick wrapped in prosciutto
I was actually worried that I might be too full for dinner! And yes, this was all $15. Go here between 5-7pm on weekdays and prepare to be impressed. The food was so fantastic that I'll be back on a Monday soon to enjoy their $35 5-course Chef's tasting menu.
Aww man! This place rocks. We were here for a "rehearsal dinner" and were sent to the Farmhouse. The Farmhouse was that it was through the main dinning area, down the stairs, through a staircase outside and presto! It was worth it because it was a nice, quaint, sit down area. It was rustic, homey and a wonderful romantic atmosphere.
We were on the prefix menu, but everything was absolutely exquisite. The appetizers were tasty. The beets, meatballs and artichokes stood out for me the most. It's a great place with lovely sized entree portions of very good food. I opted for the ravioli, since I was full from the snacking and "wine tasting".
The staff was kind and attentive. They have the BEST customer service ever. The owner came and greet us in the beginning and she came back near the end to wish the happy couple well. The waitstaff was honest because we didn't see the added service charge and added additional tip. Instead of keeping it, she came back to tell us so we can correct it.
Since it's a wine bar, remember to take advantage of their selection. I'm not a wine person, but some of the bottles we samples impressed me. I love this place and I will surely come back again. Reservations are best, so it guarantees you a spot.
A beautifully romantic but not over the top Italian nook of a restaurant with the perfect balance of warm rustic feel and simple elegance. A perfect place for a long conversation over a bottle of wine and dinner. We went for the $29 prix fixe Sunday dinner (three courses), but ended up straying from it when we saw all the other choices. You only live once, right?
Highly recommend the fried risotto balls and the stuffed calamari (they call it: baked stuffed calamari, almond, shrimp, capers, fennel, parsley) appetizers, as well as the pasta called "cortecce, angus beef short rib & royal trumpet ragu, spiced ricotta". The spiced ricotta is absolutely scrumptious.
There was also a live guitarist who did a fantastic job setting the mood for a lovely evening, and hostess and server were extremely friendly and accomodating.
Tip: make a reservation since this place is pretty small.
Was introduced to this place by a friend who hosted her big bday blowout last summer in the private room. LOVED IT! The food was great, the wine was great, the decor was great... Reasonably priced...
Decided to pay it forward by introducing the place to another friend recently... The place is still adorable, and the service is still great... but I didn't remember the portions being that small? I took a star away for that... but that just means that you can order more from the menu!
Just ate here last night, what a deal? A 5 course tasting menu for $35 and additional wine pairings for only $25 more! Well, first of all what a cute little place this is. Very rustic with wood tables and exposed brick. The food was very good all around, not earth-shattering, but solid. The ambiance was very romantic and they even had an acoustic guitar player. My favorite was probably this salmon tartare thing they did with avacado, capers, cucumber & onion. Dressed frissee sat on top.
FYI, they have a great private room that can seat up to 22 at one table and 12 at another. I would definitely go back, it's one of my new favorites!
This place was perfect. Great service from the reservation in the beginning to the email I received after the fact. I planned a birthday dinner for 10 here and last minute they switched us into the private dining room since it was not reserved. (I didnt want to reserve it cause of the minimum tab) We walked into the tiny place and waited for a little bit before they escorted through the back to another building. We walked through the kitchen and saw them making fresh gnocchi.
Anyways we had the Chef's sampler of appetizers, wine, and entrees. Everything was great and all of the guests were really pleased as well. (Contrast to the nightmare from my bday last year..ugh) The sampler was a pretty good deal and the only thing I didnt really like was the calamari, although the pasta dishes are my favorite. The beet salad was delicious! All of the pasta dishes were quite good and the branzino was very tender. I actually sampled about ten dishes and loved almost all of them. Also, the place is very affordable with various specials on sundays and mondays. Almost all of the entrees were under $20 so you would only spend a lot if you order the works.
One of the many things I love about Yelp, is that I sit across from the man, the myth, the legend: peter d. And besides listening to the minute details about my day, the latest dress I purchased, the "omg my pants are so tight!" phrase I dole out fairly often, he still always - and I mean always! - gives me great restaurant advice.
I needed a special place, preferably downtown, on the cheaper side (hey! it's a recession, people!), good for a group of gal pals AND a birthday girl. Peter d.'s confident answer: Aroma. And given that he claimed he had "the best gnocchi of his life there" and "didn't think it was possible that anything Aroma served could even be mediocre" I decided, "OK, this could work."
The venue is small. I mean SMALL. They have maybe 5 tables and a few stools at the bar (though I understand there is also a downstairs). Our table was oddly placed in the very front of the restaurant (actually, in the outside vestibule) and was rather annoying because every time someone walked in or out we were greeted by a gust of wind or smacked in the back with a purse or bag. Having to balance on 3 backless stools was also a bit of a challenge. However, that remains my very only complaint. The wine list is exceptional and as the Yelpers before me have noted, the descriptions are very charismatic. The servers are also quick to help make a selection, give you a taste, offer any advice - and not just point you to the priciest bottle. I like that! And the menu itself is a site to behold. Despite the fact that we were there for the Tuesday and Wednesday Prix Fixe, we all opted to choose off the regular menu. Things I can attest to:
-Pete's right. The gnocchi appetizer is a straight up gift from God. Get it.
-The Caesar salad is the best Caesar I have ever had. Two of my dining companions remarked the same thing.
-The Molten Lava Cake is insane; so are the selections of gelatos (avocado and strawberry?! Yup, but it works!)
-You will definitely see me here again - I want to try the Risotto Balls (that's what she said)
I was truly impressed. I came here for a joint b-day dinner for a large group of friends - so we had a room downstairs reserved just for us. There was a wine flight option (which, of course, I willingly obliged to partake in!). It's too bad I can't remember what wine we had - but it went well with our main dishes. Because we had a prix fix menu, I can't say for sure if it would be the same that was on the regular menu. There were vegetarian options, but I had the gnocchi with lamb. TO DIE FOR! I was SO impressed. I will DEF be back here.
I would recommend this place for an intimate date - maybe 3rd date...and you can also rent out the private room for a big party. The restaurant is very cozy. YUM!
Iv'e been here 3,4 times - and each time was a pleasant experience. I must admit I know more about Astronomy than I do about wine, and all I know about astronomy is that its about celesetial objects, which I can name some. When it comes to wine I'm reduced to a mmmm i like it, or pchhhhh I don't like it. However, anything I tasted there was great, and the atmosphere is cosy and casual.
this is is very dark for picture taking...which explains the lack of them on yelp, so I did my best
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Aroma was the only place is recent memory where I couldn't get a reservation. We went anyways and decided to sit and eat at the bar. This place is cozy and beautiful. The bartender, our server, was hilarious and had great suggestions for the wine and food.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Overall this meal was pretty mediocre. The calamari and fried risotto balls were probably the highlights of the night.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I had the black linguine with seafood in lobster broth. It was very tasty, too tasty. The salt overpowered any natural flavors from the shrimp. The pasta was very al dente, just how I like it.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The lamb shank was a massive hunk of meat which fell off the bone pretty easily. It had been slow cooked for 12 hours and it definitely came across. The beans had a BBQ flavor which when paired with lamb, made this dish very heavy and hearty. But, that's what we expected, and damn those beans were tasty.
I had high expectations for this place after getting friends' recommendations and reading reviews from the NY Times and various other sources. Overall, I don't think it deserves special attention. It was a good meal, but nothing special whatsoever. Love the space, but it just doesn't do it for me.
Ask to sit in the "Farm House" room - co-habitating table in the wine cellar - really the best seat in the house, no pun intended.
Not to sound redundant, but the menu is concise and the wine list encompassing. Non-popularized pasta shapes, cortecce, strascinati, etc. etc. with not-over-powering sauces and whatnot. It really let's the pasta taste like, well, pasta. I had the garganelli special of the night which, though different than what I thought it was going to be, was superb. Portions are just right. Not sure if they do it, but ordering a half order of pasta and a meat/fish main would be pretty cool.
Wine by the glass were excellent, especially the nebbiolo - and the bottles were well represented, from $30 bargains and upward. I liked the idea that they also offered magnums and Jeroboams of wine. Cool for a crowd - or for 4 looking to get more than a belly full of excellent Italian. I'll be revisiting again soon.
Aroma, how you have saved me? So my friend Jaime was leaving New York and wanted one last Farewell dinner. And with a week advance notice, I was given the task of figuring out where we'd have this little dinner. With guests expected to be anywhere from 10 to 16 people, finding a good restaurant with nice atmosphere at 9pm on a Saturday night in Manhattan within 3 days of date is next to impossible and so I had to dig deep in my memory for a place that might be able to handle a group dinner last minute.
Allene, who is in charge of large group dining at Aroma, helped me arrange for just that perfect dinner. Aroma has a cellar downstairs with two long tables. The Farmhouse and La Tavernetta. While the two rooms essentially share a space, they are able to pull a curtain between the two thus giving the illusion of privacy. We ended up with 11 people in La Tavernetta which fit perfectly. The wine list is extremely comprehensive and despite how comfortable and familiar I am with Italian wines, relying on the staff's expertise definitely came in handy as our waittress was able to recommend fantastic and very reasonable choices for red and white wines.
We ordered a number of appetizers, ranging from the arancini (fried rice balls) to the salads. The olives and bread served also went down quickly. Entrees disappeared from most people's plate, attesting to the tastiness of the food, especially the pastas. Portions are just right and half the table didn't even want to look at the dessert menu as we were full.
Service wise, everything was perfect. The staff is very professional and helpful, from the moment we arrived to when we left. Allene sent me a little questionaire in advance asking whether this was for a special occasion so they were aware that we'd start with a toast and they had in advance recommended I choose a red and a white wine. Our waittress, once the wines were chosen, very adeptly kept our glasses full. She also managed to get our entire group's attention and hold it through the specials. She was accomodating and friendly and made it easier for me to enjoy myself instead of worrying about how the dinner was going.
All in all, dinner was great and I will most likely plan dinners here again and again.
What a wonderful place. Cozy, Romantic, Friendly are all words I would use to describe Aroma Kitchen. The staff was so gracious. They were attentive and always had a smile when serving. I went with a group of 7 and even though we were a bit cramped at a table on the 1st floor. It almost felt like we were sitting in someone's living room. It was a busy Monday and service was a bit slow. But our water glass was never empty and the bread bowl & olive oil were always filled. Eating here just puts a smile on my face and the evening was completely satisfying.
We all had the chef tasting menu and I could tell the food was prepared with lots of time and care. The menu changes weekly and even though this week's menu wasn't my favorite. I still found the food to be amazing and very authentic. The salad was fresh and crisp. Salmon prepared perfectly tender. Fried risotto ball was very crunchy and not greasy at all. The pasta dish was rich and so deeply flavored.
One thing I could of fault them for was the dessert. It wasn't spectacular but I had an amazing chocolate cake & bread pudding from the dessert truck just before dinner so it wouldn't be fair to judge them after that. But that's another yelp.
I will definitely come back here again soon to try their regular menu and wines.
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