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Manducatis Rustica
Rating Details »
- Nearest Transit:
-
Vernon-Jackson Aves (7)
21st St (Van Alst) (G)
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Dessert
- Alcohol:
- None
16 reviews for Manducatis Rustica
It appears that Italian restaurants in the city believe that to enjoy commercial success one needs to be defined by a single word: rustic. For they are all scrambling to occupy that positioning in the mind of the diners. Manducatis Rustica does one better than the others by incorporating the word in its name.
To be fair, it also acts the part in its quaint ambience and décor - which straddles between someone's home (50s style family tables, curtains, couches, working fireplace, old photos) and a family owned general store (antique cash register, tomato sauce, olive oil jars). That sort of confusion is inevitable as one walks through a neighborhood of auto shops, metal works, ceramics, and such other commercial establishments to get to the restaurant.
The restaurant opened a year ago, "as the economy tanked" (per the owner, Gianna) and is slowly developing a reputation for good quality thin crust pizzas and excellent gelato. I must confess I have been surprised by the paucity of yelp reviews praising the restaurant as I have seen my fair share of diners enjoying their meals. While I may not be a fan, as per yelp's rating system, I do think they are much better than A-Ok.
Manducatis serves a few options at lunch spanning pastas and meat dishes, but the menu revolves around pizza. Their Margherita pizza is a Neapolitan thin crust, topped with excellent imported mozzarella and a tangy/sweet tomato sauce from locally grown tomatoes. The crust is pliable, yet chewy and is nicely charred. I wouldn't rank them amongst the top pizzerias in the city, as they certainly don't match up to the standards of Di Fara / Luzzo, but then they are much cheaper! An individual pie goes for $ 13, and frankly it is large enough that three people can feast heartily on two pizzas.
They also have a good reputation for calzones and I suspect this should be well earned. While I haven't tried them, I did eat the Manicotti (tubular pasta with ricotta cheese, tomato sauce) and it was well executed.
What surprises me about Manducatis is the large dessert selection. They feature Italian favorites like pignoli cookies, rainbow cookies, Tiramisu, Cannoli, and additionally also carry a range of American desserts from cheesecake to cookies, tarts (frangipane fig is recommended) and pies, carrot cake (a good Southern recipe), and many other cakes. The real pity is that the restaurant suffers from the vicious cycle of low demand impacting turnover and as a result continuing to carry desserts in the display case that do not look fresh. They would do better with a smaller selection. When I discussed the large selection with the owner, she responded that while she continued to offer traditional Italian desserts, much of her clientele would ask for cupcakes, cheesecakes, tarts, and the like.
The area where Manducatis really excels is their gelato. I've seen customers from different ethnicities (and this is Queens so there are many!) just come in to buy a cup of gelato, for it is perhaps the best value for money in New York. Even on an absolute level, this is very good quality gelato, and definitely the best I've tried in the borough. I had the pistachio gelato the first time I was there (recommended by the owner) together with the gianduja, the subsequent times I've had an exceptional peanut butter brownie gelato (sold out in a day) along with Stracciatella. Even the sorbets (banana, orange) are intense and refreshing. The owner insists on fresh, quality ingredients ("We don't use Jiffy for the Peanut Butter") and the results are evident in the taste. The one gripe I have (detracting from a higher rating) is that the gelato melts rather quickly and given the generous serving size, drips all over the hand.
I have read complaints about service, but I can vouch that I got courteous, prompt, and attentive service. The owner would come in to check on me, if the server was helping other customers. She remembered well what I had eaten in the past few days, and thanked me for the continuing patronage. It feels good to be treated as a valued customer, and so I also say one word: Manducatis (Latin for "come and eat").
What can i say about Manducatis....................
I visited once when they first opened up, on recommendation from a friend. It was ok at best but we pushed it off, as being a new place. The owner was friendly and after purchasing some very tasty Gelato to go, we bid her good luck.
Almost over a year later, we decided to give it a second chance. Not remembering their BYOB (bring your own booze) policy, we walked in to what was the beginning of a really terrible evening.
Our waiter came over to take out beverage order. Notified us of the policy, said there was a wine store a few doors down and walked away. AAAMMM maybe, just maybe I would have liked a soda. In any case, he pulled the wine glasses from the table and after taking our food order.
My hubby went to the said wine store and returned with a really nice Albarino Wine. AND WE WAITED.... WAITED to be acknowledged..Eventually, flagged down the bread boy to get some wine glasses, in which we poured our the wine ourselves. Apparently when they say there's no charge to BYOB, it refers to the fact that you get NO service in that aspect.
We shared a Insalata Mista which was very bland, i would have asked for vinegar but our waiter never came around.
I ordered the Veal Chop with what should have had a side of vegetables but instead there was salad. Obviously, our waiter had not a clue!!! The Veal was RAW!! SO I WAITED!! waited for someone to come over to take it back to the kitchen.
My hubby order the Tortellini with mushrooms, which was superbly done. Very delicious!! I ate half of his plate.
My dish was finally returned a couple minutes later and honestly I could've done without it. It had no flavor!! It tasted like char-broiled boiled meat!!! Quiet disappointing....
Sometimes I wonder if the cooks in these restaurants really care about the food they're sending out. I always say, they never know when a Food Critic might be eating at your establishment.
We were done with our food and WE WAITED.... we waited to be asked "would you like coffee or dessert".... NOTHING!!!!
What a shame for a place like this, because when you walk in there is a full display of desserts - cookies, cakes, gelato. Enticing you to get to finish off your meal on a high note. BUT NOTHING!!
We even engaged the thought about walking out just to see if they'd notice we even existed. EVENTUALLY, we flagged down the busboy for the check.
I would recommend this place for family gatherings. I would guess that they'd do fine in that setting. BUT please re-think as a Date place.
I only give this place two stars because I received a coffee that was "drinkable", unfortunately my brother had a much worse time than I did. =(
Me and my brother came in here looking for two simple cups of coffee. The Barista (if this putz can even be designated a Barista) who came over to help us said that the coffee was fresh and we'd have it in a jiffy. Not so, not by a long shot.
He checked on the batch and saw that there was nothing left. He said it would be about 3 minutes to brew a new batch and I said we were in no rush. He offers us Lattes and I refuse, he offers us Cappuccinos and I again refuse (are you getting the message yet jerk off? I want Coffee not Espresso!). So my brother decides in the meantime to get a hazelnut ice cream (which is mostly melted and dripping down the sides of the cup). He decides to throw it out after 3 bites (I don't blame him).
Finally, when the coffee's done brewing, he tosses it into two cups and hands it off. We ask for sugar and he obliges (not enough of it though). We ask for the milk and he whips out a container of barely existent whole milk. I ask for a quarter of an inch of milk and he gives me more than I ask for. My brother gets the really short end of the stick when the milk doesn't even fill a millimeter. At this point I for him to get another container of milk, he looks around and doesn't find any, now for the best part. He says to us "I really don't feel like going downstairs and getting another gallon...whip cream OK?" Are you fu*king kidding me? WHIP CREAM!? HOW DOES THAT REPLACE WHOLE MILK!? My brother succumbs and says OK, the guy tops it with an unshaken can no less (milky and disgusting whip, YUCK!). My brother even left him a tip earlier before he made the coffee (still don't know why) so he's feeling even crappier as a result.
As we walk out I start talking about me writing up a review of this place and burning it to the ground. As I walk past the nearby street corner I see the same Barista/Jerk off sitting on the concrete with his back to the building texting on his cell phone. He looks at me as I pass by, my eyes communicate my message:
Yeah as*hole I know you heard what I said, and now I'm doing what I said I would. You're so lucky I don't remember your name or it would be going in this review. Your lack of caring will be your undoing.
So in closing, stay away from this place ladies and gentlemen, it's complete and utter sh*t. This place is so bad I wouldn't send my worst enemy into this establishment to use even the bathroom. STAY CLEAR OF IT!!!!
This review is for coffee and sweets, as I haven't tried anything else on the menu. In a word, solid. You can find a wide variety of cookies, cakes, and pies, along with many cool flavors of gelati (for example, popcorn?!).
I almost never give such low reviews to restaurants but this one is definitely warranted. My husband and I dined at Manducatis on Thursday, November 5th. At first we were seated in a nice dining room. I was quite surprised that for such a large restaurant that there was such a limited menu. Approx 6 antipasti dishes, 3 pastas, quite a few pricey meat dishes (fillet, salmon) and a whole back page with quite a few pizzas. My husband ordered the chicken parm which was $17 pretty pricy in my book and it didn't come with anything (not even veggies!). He decided to add a side order of pasta to complete the dish. I ordered the 4 cheese pizza figuring that if they had so many pizza's listed that it must be their specialty. Our server promptly removed all of our silverware and to my HORROR placed it back in the drawer with all of the other silver ware. Now is it just me or do you sit down to the table, put your napkin on your lap and move things around. With the prevalence of H1N1, i would certainly NOT recommend reusing silverware that was touched by random people!!!!
Wouldn't you know the server came back and said that they were out of chicken parm! How can you not have chicken when you only have 15 things listed on your menu and the place is dead! So he was asked to substitute for veal, which he obliged.
Moments later our food arrived. I was surprised that the 4 cheese pizza had tons of disgusting proscuito on it as it was not explained on the menu. The veal was mediocre at best and the side of pasta was overly spiced.
When our bill came I was shocked that they had the nerve to charge us 2 bucks more for the veal when it wasn't what we wanted in the first place! The chicken was supposed to be $17! Aside from that the side dish of pasta was 10 dollars!!!!!! that is ridiculous!
We will not be coming back and I doubt that they will be in business for much longer. There are far better italian joints in the neighborhood less that 3 blocks distance.
we went here because we saw a photo of the calzone. maybe you have seen it too. and are now searching yelp reviews to see if its worth it.
well, i thought the calzone was pretty dang tasty. though i cant recall ever ordering one so i dont have much to compare it to. in any case, it came hot and filled with stuff. i cant even remember everything..olives, artichokes, cheese, ham? in any case. i say yum. they had a nice looking desert counter as well, though we didnt sample the treats. the people were friendly and i would like to go back to try the pizza because the crust on the calzone was crunchy and good.
I often eat lunch here, and a few dinners with friends. Simply stated--I'm a fan. Some of the reviews I've read here sound like some other place entirely. Our waitress is always friendly, always efficient. Remembers what we like to drink. Sometimes service is a little slow by NYC standards, but fine, gives us time to relax and talk.
The front room, which looks like a rumpus room, is where we usually sit, in front of the huge photograph of Georgia O'Keeffe. There are all sorts of things scattered around, old radios and old pictures. Whatever their source, they feel authentic, as does the whole place.
Terrific pizza, well-prepared fish, the pappardelle was delicious. I always have an excellent espresso--it may be as good as the cup you can get at the owner's parents' restaurant on Jackson Avenue.
The biscotti and cookies after the meal are a welcome touch too. I get to eat dessert without the sin of ordering it! I've only had one gelato at Rustica, and it was... as gelato should be, and often isn't. I think I'll work my way through all the selections, slowly.
All told, I find Manducatis Rustica to be a place i want to return to again and again. In fact, I think I'll go tomorrow.
I've visited this restaurant at least 4 times. It was finally kind of busy my last visit, a Thursday evening. But it's been quiet to start, with a pleasant ambiance despite this. I'm giving it four stars because I'm sure I'll be a regular for the pizza alone. However, there have been some disappointments.
First the bad news: the non-pizza/pasta entrees, grouper and osso bucco, were only good; serviceable. And a couple bad gelati, believe it or not: the banana and the cannoli flavors. Granted, those are dicey choices, but the gelati are the talk of the neighborhood, and these selections, particularly the banana, were overpowered by what tasted like artificial flavorings. Other gelato choices have been good, and the portions generous.
Bad service: the host/waitress is extremely solicitous, but she interrupts conversation all the time in the course of her job, explaining her anxieties and concerns about our needs as she does so. This got tiresome very quickly. Perhaps when there are more tables working she will be kept busier. The interruptions--literally interrupting diners mid-sentence to announce that "the mains were coming soon"--were relentless. Obviously if people are engaged with each other they aren't worried about when the food is coming or need anything "wrapped up" or to be asked if they're "still working on that." These interruptions addressed the waiter's tasks--they weren't an effort to enhance the customer's dining experience. How about offering fresh pepper, for instance?
But the worst offense is constantly being addressed as "Sweetheart." This raised eyebrows at our table several times, several visits. Maybe someone can get away with this if they're genuine, and old enough to be my aunt. But this was incessant condescension from a nervous waiter.
Good news: the appetizers and salads have been stellar. The salads are deliciously composed and very lightly dressed; the ingredients are fresh. [The tall peppermill is on the sideboard on the left wall ;-) ] The grilled eggplant app was heavenly, though only a few very small, thin slices for a hefty price. Others were reluctant to share the tiny portion.
The pastas, including the gnocchi, have been terrific. Toothsome and fresh.
The pizzas are the stars of the menu. They are paper-thin and crisp, with delicious topping combinations. We haven't gone off-menu on the pizzas, and I think we've tried them all. They are sold as individual servings, but they are large and many would find them sharable. Sides of broccoli rabe have been available on request.
The bread basket comes with a delicious, complicated little savory pastry for each diner besides the excellent bread. A bowl of bright green olive oil is served with the bread basket.
Dessert pastries and cakes have been, without exception, perfect. All very good.
Visit them now while you can bring your own wine. Once they have their liquor license, prices will go from "acceptable for a casual dinner but high for the neighborhood" to "pricey." The waitstaff graciously provided corkage, glassware and garnishes for liquor and wine. (The service in general has been great, aside from the issues noted.) There is a good wine shop one block south on Vernon.
I wonder if these pizzas will be delivered to LIC Bar down the road? They are closer than Bella Via. Hmmmm.
This was my second attempt at Manducati's restaurant and will probably be my last. The first time I went was shortly after they opened. The service was spotty and the pizza was good, but not great.
I definitely wanted to give Manducati's Rustica another chance, especially in light of positive reviews on yelp. I went on Tuesday night and there were a few tables full and one large party of 15+. As we dined, the dining room began to fill up.
Our waiter was very nice, but didn't seem to know the menu very well. When we asked for any recommendations and what the very popular items are he told us, "The pasta is good. So is the meat." We placed our order and waited for quite awhile, only to have him come back and tell us the item we ordered had run out because of the large party. It happens, I know, but it was only 8:15...
The food finally arrived and it was fine - the tortellini was very tasty and the pork loin was kind of dry and greasy. I didn't realize Manducati's Rustica was still BYOB, so we stuck with water. I think some wine would have improved the meal...
I had some gelato for dessert and it was pretty good. I also had a chance to talk to the owner when I ordered the gelato and she was nice. It's too bad she is not more on top of the wait staff and overall service.
Manducati's Rustica seems to want to create a cozy, family-room type vibe, but the ditzy service, terrible music, and just okay food just never hit that mark.
What a terrific place for a party. Dinner was served family style with way too much food, but since it was all so, so tasty, we almost finished it all over the course of 4 hours. Had to starve for the next few days from all the gluttony ....
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/22/2008
Really, really good gelato. The first slurp transported me back to day where I had my first taste of… Read more »
We were here for the gelato - which is homemade and quite tasty. Looks like the serve inexpensive pizza as well as other italian dishes for dinner, too. Quaint atmosphere - we'll be back for sure!
I've only tried the gelato here so far. It can't compare to L'Arte Del Gelato, of course, but it was still pretty good. The staff here was super friendly and explained every baked good there and gave me free samples of a bunch of the different gelatos. I'll definitely come back here to try the bread, the baked goods, and the other gelato flavors. That is, if L'Arte Del Gelato doesn't pull me there first...
Really, really good pasta. They're known for their pizza and gelato, but if you love homemade pasta you have to try the fettuccini bolognese. Very close to what you'd be served in Italy. They also have great specials that change every night and a comfy atmosphere to eat dinner or lunch. Pastries are also delicious and the pizzelles are almost as good as my Grandma's.
We went to Manducatis rustica on saturday night for dinner. The place was empty and we still stood there waiting for someone to notice us for about 5 minutes (there were four of us) We were told the main dining room was hosting a private party and were seated at the smallest table in the cafe area while some man sat all alone at a huge table. We were then ignored, not even given water, for a good 15 minutes when the waitress came over and told us about the menu: pizza and then one veal dish, one chicken dish, one pasta. All with mushrooms. Then she left. After still being ignored after that (still no water!) we decided to take our business elsewhere. I understand they may have been preoccupied by their private party that hadn't yet begun, but if that's the case they should have simply turned us away. Instead they decided to seat us and ignore us to the point that no one in my party plans to ever patronize their shop again. Best of luck, but I'm not holding my breath.
There are three parts to this pizza/cafe shop- the kitchen with the giant brick oven, the coffee/dessert shop and the actual dining room. They offer brick oven pizza, though not by the slice, traditional Italian food, freshly baked breads, gourmet coffee and the best of all, sweets- pastries sprinkled in powder sugar and tasty gelato- from chocolate to banana to jasmine to blueberry. Not to be mistaken for the original Manducatis on Jackson Ave, this place offers a new kind of dining atmosphere to LIC. Its quaint rustic feel goes beyond the traditional exposed brick walls. Walking into the cafe you are transported to what resembles an old fashioned dessert parlor. There's an antique cash register, old photos, even the curtains are reminiscent of decades gone by. The counter offers a window side bar to prop yourself on for some snacks. There are also tables in the back for more substantial fare. Manducatis Rustico is a unique addition to LIC.
Yummy, yummy gelato! I really did enjoy it. I had the hazelnut and the chocolate gelato. Very creamy and delicious. Some of the best I've ever had. I felt like the serving was a little bit skimpy but then again that saves room to try their other other tasty desserts...The staff was pretty friendly. After my gelato I felt like I needed something more. I asked the woman behind the counter about one dessert and she took me to the cake display and told me about EVERY dessert. I ended up trying a small savory pastry instead. Pretty good and buttery but did pale in comparison to the gelato. I hear great things about their espresso and pizza so I will definitely be going back ASAP. try it!
