PrintWhat is your favorite NYC Italian Restaurant?
After a couple of days of not so quiet contemplation, as well as some serious Italian restaurant eating, I have decided that Babbo 
is my favorite Italian restaurant in NYC. Why? Because of how I feel when I eat there. Babbo has the greatest vibe and the best energy of any restaurant I know, Italian or not. I feel great as soon as I walk in the door, even when I'm confronted by a crush of people at the bar and on occasion a less than warm and gracious welcome. I feel I'm smack dab in the middle of something both energizing and transportive. I have eaten at Babbo dozens of times, and the food is full of gusto and energy and panache as well. The pastas, the sweetbreads, the skirt steak (is it still on the menu?), the lamb chops, and even the desserts (not normally the strongest suit of an Italian restaurant) are almost always satisfying, earthy, a little bit showy, and extremely delicious. I don't even mind the music, though it can get way too loud late at night, because Mario generally has very good taste in jazz and rock. Though it's never quiet in Babbo, you can almost always carry on a conversation with your tablemates without raising your voice. I have heard people complain about their meal at Babbo (the food and the overall experience), but for my money it defines what contemporary Italian dining is in NYC right now. 110 Waverly Pl. (just east of sixth avenue) 212-777-0303.
My other top four:
Esca fantastic raw seafood creations (called crudo), exemplary pastas (I'm partial to the one with sea urchin and crabmeat), and deceptively simple, fresher than fresh, grilled, sauteed and baked fish main courses. 402 W. 43rd St. (just west of ninth avenue) 212-562-7272.
Teodora: Chef Giancarlo Quaddalti is from Bologna, so when you go to Teodora have the lasagna. It's the real thing. Teodora really feels Italian, from the cooking to the vibe to the Italian being spoken at many tables. 141 E.57th St. (just east of Lexington Ave.) 212-826-7101
Del Posto Inoteca The casual side of Del Posto, the Inoteca's cooking is a little more soulful and significantly cheaper than its big brother. They even have chicken cacciatoria on the menu. Great nibbles, pastas, salads, meat dishes like a pork loin with fig salad, juicy skirt steak, just food you want to eat. They only take reservations there the same day, and when I went the other night, there were a number of empty tables, In other words, you can get in without speed-dialing. 85 Tenth Ave. (between 15th and 16th streets, 212-497-8090)
L'Impero Scott Conant's cabrito (goat) is reason enough to go to L'Impero, and he has a fantastic way with pastas and starters as well. 45 Tudor City Pl., 212-599-5045.
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
6 Comments:
Eddie,
get Mario's petzela off of your plate. 3 of the 4 best italian restaurants in this great city are his?
bigdaddy at 7:23PM on 09/15/06
Ed -- I agree completely with your assessment of Babbo. It's really one of the best restaurants in the city, never mind just among the Italian spots. Further, each of Batali's other Italian restaurants in the city (haven't yet been to Del Posto though) is excellent in its own way, whether for the packed wine list and cheap eats at Otto or the simple fish treatment at Esca. And each of them is efficiently run with smart service, which also contributes to his success.
My wife and I recently tried to go to Babbo without a reservation, hoping to get a spot at the bar. When we discovered a long wait, we went to Lupa instead and had a great time.
Will at 10:47AM on 09/16/06
I love Esca's sea urchin and crab pasta, too.
floretbroc at 4:51PM on 09/16/06
Hard to disagree about Babbo as one of the best restaurants in NYC. Have been there twice, met the man once. He was as nice and as gracious as he seems on TV, and, as you say, that warmth translates into the entire dining experience.
I would just say this: Babbo is almost impossible, for any number of reasons, to frequent. It is not what I would call an "everyday", or "neighborhood", kind of place, the kind of place you can manage on, say, a monthly basis. These kind of places deserve a category of their own, places like, say, L&B Spumoni Gardens out in Bensonhurst. While hardly charting in the top 10 for food, the pasta dishes (not to mention the sicilian slice) are rock solid. Plus, the cultural, neighborhood vibe can't be beat.
Have heard great things about Il Mulino. Anyone have any reviews?
Polecat at 5:58PM on 09/17/06
I haven't lived here nearly long enough to have a favorite -- although I don't think anything could be better than Esca -- but I had a really great meal at San Ambroeus the other night. Great homemade pasta and an excellent special, baby lamb chops (with radicchio in a demi-glace -- I never got to eat like that in D.C.).
Like a lot of pricey upper east side-type Italian restaurants (though this one has relocated to the West Village), the whole trick in eating affordably and sticking to a reasonable caloric intake is ordering half-portions of pasta or risotto, then splitting an entree with your date or pal. Works every time, and you usually have room for dessert or extra cash for a good bottle of wine.
moth23 at 12:27AM on 09/19/06
head to the Bronx Dominick's on Arthur Ave......
enough said ,,,, the absolute best
wildbill bronx cowboy at 9:01PM on 03/23/09