Da Marcella – Unassuming Gem that Wows the Palate

A few weeks ago, I spent time with my fellow NYC food bloggers at a press dinner at Da Marcella restaurant.  Being that the restaurant is located close to my day job neighborhood, I was eager to attend, so I can learn about it and hopefully spread the word to others.  I’m happy to say it was a fruitful experience and a restaurant I’ll gladly return to again.

Atmosphere:
Set on a busy restaurant block on Houston Street between McDougal and Thompson St., it’s easy to miss Da Marcella if you’re not looking for it.  Located in the lower portion of the building, it almost feels like a cellar—one that you most definitely want to spend time in.

I loved that the vibe felt communal with a mix of small and large-ish tables suitable for groups such as ours.  Everyone seemed to be relaxed, chatty and equipped with a glass of wine and something delicious in front of them.  The front door was open, letting in the fresh spring air, and the overall feeling was one of friendliness and hospitality.

Food:
Da Marcella’s Northern Italian cuisine was presented in the form of a family style dinner—a great format for this hearty meal.  Sharing everything with my dining companions was a lot of fun, and the food paparazzo definitely came out in all of us.  Here are a few of my personal highlights:

Grilled Marinated Spanish Octopus – Cooking octopus to a fine texture is no easy feat, but Da Marcella mastered it well.  Each bite was a delight, as the meaty octopus melted in your mouth, also creating a pop of flavor from the lemony vinaigrette, a peppery arugula and fresh caper berries.

Scottish Wild Salmon Tartare – Although I wouldn’t expect this dish to come out of an Italian kitchen, once again it was executed to a tee.  The portion was small and delicate, as it should be, and the salmon tasted fresh and vibrant like the sea.  Pretty flecks of green avocado contrasted the salmon in color and taste, giving it body and substance.

Burrata with San Daniele Prosciutto – I can never refuse a good burrata, relishing the creamy substance that lies in the middle of the not quite set cheese.  Da Marcella’s version was simple but beautiful, accompanied by thin slivers of salty prosciutto and a few hints of luxurious white truffle sauce that set our tastebuds aflutter.

Chef Francesco’s Meatballs – A likely staple at Italian restaurants, a meatball dish is usually a good barometer of overall quality, and this one didn’t disappoint.  Served in a homemade tomato sauce, the meatballs had everything we could hope for including juiciness, flavor, fresh herbs and gooey muzz on top.  This was a favorite for a lot of my dining companions, as well.

Ricotta Cheesecake – A traditional Italian-style ricotta cheesecake is always a bonus, so I was excited when this beautiful slice was placed before us.  Not too sweet, with a hint of orange zest, it exemplified a perfect balance of flavors.  After being approached for seconds, we all replied in unison with a spirited “yes.”

Service and Cost:
Matching the laid back, warm atmosphere, the service at Da Marcella exhibited just that.  Manuel, who was our host for the evening did a great job of explaining each dish and paired a complementary wine with each selection.  We felt comfortable and well taken care of throughout the evening.

Costs are competitive, especially given this expensive Soho/West Village neighborhood.  I can’t wait to return with friends and co-workers from the area.

Appetizers - $6 - $12
Pasta - $10 - $14
Entrees - $17 - $19
Dessert - $7

3 Mmmms

Da Marcella – 142 West Houston Street, New York, NY 10012
917.639.3911
A/C/E Train to West 4^th Street
damarcellavillage.com

Punta Dura - Daring to be Different for Queens Restaurant Week

Punta Dura is doing things a bit differently for Queens Restaurant Week, and they're certainly standing out. Instead of a Monday - Friday offering, they're changing things up with a Tuesday - Sunday promotion from 10/6 - 10/18. I got a hold of their menu below, which sounds scrumptious (the fish is highly recommend).

Punta Dura Restaurant Week Menu - $25 per person, prix-fixe

Appetizers (choice of one)

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup - Topped with homemade croutons
Caesar Salad - Romaine lettuce, homemade croutons and Caesar dressing
Fried Calamari - Lightly fried calamari served with marinara sauce
Spiedini all Romana - Layers of mozzarella & bread, fried & served with anchovy caper sauce

Entrees (choice of one)

Filet of Sole - Broiled filet of sole with yellow rice
Three-Cheese Lasagna - Classic lasagna with ricotta, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses
Capellini Primavera - Capellini pasta served with chef's selection of seasonal vegetables, garlic & oil
Stuffed Peppers - Red peppers stuffed with ground beef & seasonings, served with whipped potatoes
Petite Steak - 8 oz petite steak with marsala and mushroom sauce, served with whipped potatoes
Chicken Scarpiello - Sausage, white wine & fresh rosemary served with chef's selection of seasonal vegetables

Dessert (choice of one)

Tiramisu
Key Lime Cheesecake
Fruit Tart

Another cool feature is Punta Dura on Opentable - you can make your reservation directly on the site and get dining points. I'm sold...are you?

Punta Dura - 41-15 34th Avenue, Astoria NY 11103
718.721.2137
R/V/G Train to Steinway Street
www.puntadura.com

Last Chance to Win a Punta Dura Gift Certificate

Last week I announced a raffle for a $20 gift certificate to Punta Dura. Tuesday, August 4th is the last day to submit your favorite Northern Italian recipe to me for a chance to win. If my review from last week hasn't convinced you that Punta Dura is a place you must check out, maybe this gift certificate will. My favorite thing was the grilled branzino (pictured above), which was cooked beautifully and deboned at the table. It's an authentic, homemade experience that you won't forget.

Respond to this post with your favorite Northern Italian recipe for a chance to win.

Punta Dura - 41-15 34th Avenue, Astoria NY 11103
718.721.2137
R/V/G Train to Steinway Street
www.puntadura.com

Punta Dura - Northern Italian Food with Star Quality

Punta Dura - 41-15 34th Avenue, Astoria NY 11103
718.721.2137
R/V/G Train to Steinway Street
www.puntadura.com

Meg and I tried Punta Dura, Northern Italian restaurant last week. We didn't really know what to expect but were pleasantly showered with excellent service and scrumptiously, fresh food.

Atmosphere:
As most traditional Italian restaurants, Punta Dura doesn't differ dramatically in the decor department. The place is spacious with nice wooden tables and chairs, white tablecloths and large artwork, depicting the Italian countryside. While not overly inventive, the surroundings are comforting, nice and as mentioned earlier, familiar. There's a large bar in the front of the house, which is welcoming and conducive to hanging out if you're not looking for a formal meal.

Food:
The quality and freshness of the food impressed me. I especially loved the fish and would urge anyone and everyone to order it as an entree.

Mixed Salad with Chickpeas - Included in the day's specials, it sounded great to us. What sold us on it were the chickpeas and the balsamic glaze dressing. Overall, it was lovely--the veggies were fresh and the glaze was somewhat on the sweet side, yet still savory.

Baked Clams Oreganata - A traditional seafood appetizer, it was new to Meg but not to me. I happen to love it so I had no complaints, and this version was exceptionally amazing. The best part was the crunchy, well-done topping of breadcrumbs, garlic, butter and parsley. The breadcrumbs were as crispy as can be and the clams were fresh and juicy--tasting like good clams should, having an "of-the-sea" essence without being fishy.

Grilled Branzino - Our waiter recommended the fish of the day, which we gladly chose. The fish of choice was grilled branzino, filleted and served with vegetables and potatoes. It was impressive to watch it being deboned tableside, which took a couple of minutes but it was worth the wait.

The texture of the fish was exquisite--soft, gentle and flaky, with a nice off-the-grill flavor. The seasoning was simple but perfect and the veggies and potatoes were a nice complement. I especially loved the potatoes, as they had a crispy crust and a soft, delectable interior.

Penne Piccate - Unlike its name suggests, this dish wasn't spicy--at least in my opinion. It consisted of al-dente penne pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and a sauce with dried red pepper flakes. I was very happy with it, as it was flavorful and uncomplicated--and I'd suggest it to safe, non-experimental eaters. A nice sprinkling of fresh parmigiano cheese topped off the yuminess, giving this dish more personality.

Dessert - We ordered two desserts--I got the Torta Frutti di Bosco specialty while Meg went for her favorite, Tiramisu. Both were delicious but I preferred the Torta Frutti di Bosco, as it offered something new and exciting. I adore ricotta cheese, which was the filling in this, topped with fresh blueberries and plenty of powdered sugar. I thought that they went a bit heavy on the latter but I wouldn't say that I minded.

Meg's Tiramisu was decadent and creamy but not too heavy. I only had a couple of spoonsfuls so it's hard to judge, but she finished her portion, making me believe that it was awesome.

Wine - Meg and I enjoyed a lovely white Croatian wine, which was a welcomed difference from the standard pinot grigio. It was dry with fruity undertones, offering the perfect way to enjoy this fabulous meal. I'd highly recommend asking about their imported wines.

Service and Cost:
The service was truly excellent. Our waiter, Jordan took his job seriously--he was thorough in explaining the specials to us, as well as any dishes we asked about. He was meticulous when serving our meal, arranging everything beautifully in front of us, making sure that we were 100% happy and comfortable. Because we asked, he provided a little history lesson about the wine and other dishes on the menu, which are a mix of Italian and Istrian cuisine.

Costs are moderate and worth the investment, given the good quality. Appetizers range between $8.75-$12.75, pasta dishes are between $12.75-$21.75, meat and fish entrees run between $14.75-$29.75. And as I mentioned last week, I have $20 gift certificates available. If you'd like to get your hands on one, email me your favorite Northern Italian recipe (critic@foodistanyc.com).

3 Mmmms

Al Di La - Simplicity and Goodness

al di la - 248 5th Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11215

718.783.4565

Q Train to 7th Avenue

www.aldilatrattoria.com

Visiting Park Slope is always fun and dining with my friends Ivona and Edita never falls short of a good time--there's always laughter, eating and drinking. While we usually eat at Slovak restaurants, this time we tried Northern Italian treat, al di la, per Ivona's suggestion. For those of you Brooklynites who haven't been there yet, it's a must. And for you Queensies, it's worth the trip on the Q train.

Atmosphere:

Rustic, intimate and cozy describe the look and feel of al di la. While the outside doesn't look like much, the inside is as charming as can be with dim lighting, vintage furniture and eclectic artwork. The tables are the long communal kind and while this doesn't always appeal to me, it fit the persona of this place so well. Creating a feeling of comfort and family, the long tables made me feel like I was in my own dining room eating with my own family. And like any real family affair, this place gets loud, boisterous and crowded. We arrived merely 20 minutes after its opening and the dining room was already filling up. A half hour into our meal and the dining room was completely full--so make sure to arrive early because they don't take reservations.

Food:

We were floored by the simplicity and intense goodness of the food. Everything was made with fresh, quality ingredients that tasted fantastic. The absence of creamy, red sauces was welcomed and made for a lighter dinner. While we stuck primarily to veggies and pasta, I'd like to try their meat dishes next time--especially their braised rabbit. Our dinner included...

Mixed Garden Salad - Although a simple dish, it was prepared perfectly with fresh, thinly sliced veggies such as zucchini, radishes, beets and sprouts. I liked it a lot because there was no lettuce in it, which could sometimes weigh a salad down. The fresh lemon and vinegar dressing was wonderfully refreshing. Again, nothing fancy just good quality stuff.

Zucchini Carpaccio - Long julianned pieces of zucchini and yellow squash made this another light starter. The pickled onions were a nice touch and the vinaigrette was again lemony. There were a few fresh spices added such as tarragon, giving this dish a licoricey taste. I'd get it again in a heartbeat.

Malfatti - A signature dish at al di la, it consists of swisschard and ricotta gnocchi floating in brown butter and sage. These babies are so soft and delicate that they feel like soft clouds dissipating in your mouth. While this wasn't my dish, I tried Ivona's portion, who orders it with every visit. A unique detail, which I appreciated was the crunchy sage--I presume that it was fried in the brown butter. The crunchiness and potent smell of it overtook my senses.

Casunziei - The exotic name of this pasta dish accurately portrayed its non-traditional ingredients--ravioli stuffed with red beets, ricotta cheese over melted butter, topped with poppy seeds. I've never seen such a beautiful magenta color inside a ravioli. The beets were soft and delicious and make for a perfect combination with the cheese. The butter sauce provided a luxurious sensation and the poppy seeds brought out a fun, whimsical element.

Ravioli Special - Edita ordered this pasta special because it sounded too good to pass up. Like my dish, the Casunziei, it consisted of homemade ravioli, however these were stuffed with mascarpone cheese and sweet corn. While we had concerns of it tasting too "desserty" it was just right. The corn provided a sweet crunch while the mascarpone brought forth a decadent creaminess. I hope that they continue to include this dish in their specials or even consider putting it on the actual menu. It was that fabulous!

Gianduitto - Ivona was raving about this dessert the entire time and she couldn't wait to get it--she easily convinced Edita to order one too. I almost joined them until the charming waiter convinced me to order the dessert special instead. I tasted the gianduitto, which is a simple chocolate gelatto with hazelnuts, surrounded by fresh whipped cream. The gelatto itself was good but not the best that I've had. However, there was something really special about the whipped cream. It had a beautiful milky color and was so fluffy and bountiful that it casted a spell on my dining companions.

Dessert Special - I was convinced to get the plum crisp, which was topped with vanilla gelatto. This beautiful dessert came in a rustic, terra cotta dish, which was just a little too big for me. The crumb topping was buttery, crunchy and once it hit my tongue along with the gelatto and plum compote, it melted my heart and my taste buds. Since the dish was so large, I brought the remnants home to Dan and topped it with old fashioned oats, which he liked.

Service and Cost:
Our waiter was lovely and unassumingly charming. We had fun trying to guess where his intriguing accent came from and by the end of the night, we found out that he was indeed Italian. Our dishes were brought to us in perfect time--everything seemed to be spaced out just right so by meal's end we felt satiated but not gluttonously full.

al di la is a treat so be prepared to bring some extra cash with you. Appetizers range between $7-$10, primi piatti between $7-$16.50, secondi piatti between $14-$22.50 and dessert is approximately $7. Wine is sold mostly by the bottle and our entire dinner cost us about $53/each including tax and tip. However, as expensive as al di la is, it's worth every penny because the food is molto delizioso.

3 Mmmms