I don’t usually stumble when I’m asked for restaurant recommendations, but this question always stymies me: “I need a spot in Midtown that’s not too pricey but will still wow me (or, at least, the person I’m trying to impress) with its food.” In search of an answer, I decided to give Abboccato’s rustic, Italian-style menu a try. They have a little something for everyone, ranging from chiccetti (small plates), antipasti, primi, secondi and contorni. Chef James Botsacos even gives a shout out to his Nonna on his menu – as most good chefs should – with her Polpetti (meatballs).
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My date and I started with a few chiccetti. First was the Polpetti – golf ball-size meatballs that would please tender meatball-loving aficionados as well as the tougher, more firm meatball fans. Next was the Calamari alla Napoletana, small rings of braised calamari stewed with tomatoes and finished with green olives. Our third choice was the Arancini, or fried risotto balls. As their name suggests, they were the size of a “little orange,” and came with some flash-fried shiitake mushrooms and fried parsley on top – a well executed Arancini. We followed the chiccetti by splitting the Ricotta Cavatelli, which was a simple, well-seasoned pasta dish with broccoli rabe and housemade pecorino sausage. This was a good pasta dish to share. Note: all pastas are available as half portions.
For our main course, my date had the Spaghettini “Cacio e Pepe,” a light spaghetti tossed with pecorino cheese, black pepper and finished with a little butter. I chose the Pan Roasted Skate served with Prawns, Manila Clams, Mussels, Fennel and Potato. It was served in a light saffron herb broth and the fish was cooked to perfection. This entrée kept me from getting bored with the same old bite. As a small nibble on the side, we ordered the potato croquettes filled with potato, cheese and speck (an Italian ham).
Dessert appeared to be out of the question until we came across the Crema Frita. Translated literally as “fried cream,” this was a piece of custard with a crisp coating served with chocolate semifreddo, whipped cream and a little passion fruit pool on the bottom of the bowl. Even when you think you can’t possibly find room for one more bite, get this dessert – please trust me. It will be the wow factor you’re looking for to end a perfect evening.
09.19.08 @ 2:50 pm
I wanted to share this press release below. I receive the LWE newsletter, and everyone should know about this fantastic resource for wine lovers, restuarants & foodies:
LocalWineEvents.com, the world’s foremost online calendar for publicizing food, wine, beer and spirits events, just added post-it-yourself videos to its lengthy list of free features that benefit both consumers and food/drink professionals.
The exciting new feature, Video Juice (http://vids.localwineevents.com) can be used to spotlight a brand, product, event or service. Instructional videos are encouraged, as are entertainment clips.
With web videos dominating promotional media these days, Video Juice is the perfect cutting-edge companion to the site’s primary service - allowing industry professionals to post their upcoming events, such as food and wine tastings, festivals, gourmet events, culinary classes, brewery and spirits events - all at no charge. Video Juice ratchets up interest by allowing wine and food enthusiasts to see what they’ve been missing and learn a few things while being entertained.
LocalWineEvents.com founder and wine expert Eric Orange is on a serious mission to demystify wine. “My hope is to spur some witty, clever wine videos that will help in that regard, making wine appreciation fun instead of intimidating.” says Orange . “Plus, with LocalWineEvents.com reaching close to one million page views a month – this creates an extraordinary marketing opportunity,” Orange adds.
Using Video Juice, a nimble chef can show a theatrical display of culinary skills, a vineyard can offer a virtual tour, a wine shop can provide a tasting demonstration, or an industry expert can share knowledge with all who are interested to learn more - the possibilities are endless.
LocalWineEvents.com has carried over 167,000 event postings to date. Additionally, Orange publishes a free weekly newsletter called “The Juice ®”, featuring city-by city listings of wine, beer, spirits, food events - from a champagne and chocolate pairing in Austin, to a “smelly cheese” and wine pairing in New York - plus informative articles, trivia, quizzes and more.
Orange’s site is also a life-saver for date night, girls - or guys - night out, globe-trotting couples who wish to experience local flavor on travel, and for married couples who can enjoy a night out with like-minded adults. “The Juice®” is rapidly approaching the 100,000 subscriber mark, and subscribers are toasting the site’s praises. Like a fine wine, LocalWineEvents.com just keeps getting better with age. For more information about LocalWineEvents, go to http://www.LocalWineEvents.com
10.01.08 @ 10:11 am
Seriously?
We dined there recently at the suggestion of friends. Had we been alone, we would have left when they kept us waitng for an hour past our reservation time. Our friends wanted to honor our reservation, so we stayed, and endured a loud B&T crowd, supercilious maitre d’ and a very overpriced menu. The food was just OK.
This restaurant is in a hotel and could not exist if it weren’t supported by tourists.