Borough Vegetarian

Babbo - What More to Say?

Babbo is one of celebrity chef Mario Batali's signature restaurants.  It has been widely discussed, blogged and praised.  To that end, what more do I have to offer?  Not much, except to echo that it is a great restaurant that is fairly accommodating of vegetarians.

Why do I say fairly accommodating?  Because Babbo varies on the availability of vegetarian tasting menus.  As such, when we arrived to a sparsely filled Babbo for a Saturday lunch, my husband and I were unable to do the tasting menu because they weren't able to prepare a vegetarian version that day (and the tasting menu requires full table participation, as many restaurants require).  However, they were able to make adjustments to other menu items to ensure I could enjoy a good meal.  

I started with the baby beets salad, which was actually perfectly dressed and complemented by citrus.  I've had a lot of beet salads in my day with citrus and cheese, but this one was definitely the most refined and balanced.

My main course was the silky Garganelli with Swiss Chard and Asiago, which the chef was able to prepare without pancetta, which is included in the menu version.  The pasta was great - perfectly cooked and shaped - though the sauce was probably a little too rich for me.  That being said, my only real complaint with this dish is that I wish there was more lovely pasta!

Oh well, a lighter main course just means more room for dessert!  My husband ordered the Saffron Panna Cotta with Buttermilk Sorbetto.  It was the perfect consistency for panna cotta - just held together without being too stiff - and the flavors were very refreshing.

I ordered the popular Olive Oil Cake.  The cake itself was great - dense with olive oil flavors, well complemented by additional olive oil drizzles, and the richness was offset by the bright and light gelato.  The only downside of this dish was that in contrast to the garganelli, it almost felt like there was too much of it!  So I think that this is best described as a dessert for sharing instead of a dessert for one.  

That's it for my addition to the oeuvre of Babbo reviews - hope it was helpful for my fellow vegetarians!

Babbo

110 Waverly Place

Greenwich Village, Manhattan

A very short walk from the A, B, C, D, E, and F trains at West 4th Street.

Tazzina - Solid Italian / Italian American Fare in Forest Hills

While the Metropolitan Avenue, Forest Hills dining scene has suffered a major blow with Michelin-starred Danny Brown's closing last year, this strip continues to boast among the better restaurants in Queens.  Our latest favorite on this street, which includes fantastic Katsuno and delicious Wafa's, is Tazzina, a casual, friendly Italian / Italian-American restaurant.  

We've visited Tazzina twice over the past few months, including a family birthday celebration.  The draws of Tazzina include its simple, yet accommodating menu and its warm and casual dining room.  It's a great standby for a meal with friends or family, or for an impromptu date night.

On our first visit to Tazzina, we sampled some of their house cocktails, including the bitter but refreshing Sicilian Sunrise.  While Tazzina may have better wine than cocktails, their drinks are not a bad way to start your meal.

Diners are also given toasted pita-style bread and olive tapenade to start.

Post-bread and cocktails is where the restaurant starts to distinguish itself.  My favorite starter so far is the Beet Salad which includes grapefruit, a balsamic dressing, and goat cheese fritters which all add nice complements to the sweetness of the beets and the spiciness of the arugula.  A great salad, which can also be a main course if you aren't too hungry.

My favorite entree so far between the risotto and the pasta I have tried is the Ravioli Ricotta Cacio e Pepe.  While not necessarily a traditional cacio e pepe sauce (far too rich and thick to be so), it is a nice pepper-infused dish with deep, homey flavors from ricotta and the thick sauce.

Another draw of Tazzina is that they will adapt more of their menu offerings to be vegetarian without an issue.  If you find yourself in Forest Hills in need of a filling, simple meal, definitely head to Tazzina!

Tazzina

102-15 Metropolitan Avenue

Forest Hills, Queens

Approx. 1 mile walk from the E/F/M/R trains at 71st-Avenue / Forest Hills

Soleluna - Casual Italian, Neighborhood Restaurant in Sunnyside, Queens

Another vegetarian-friendly, casual Italian restaurant has joined Venturo Osteria in Sunnyside, Queens - Soleluna.  Opened by longtime Sunnyside residents, the casual eatery, which serves breakfast through dinner, offers both a continental and somewhat rustic vibe.

(Mostly took a picture of this complementary bread to show the rustic wood tables)

When we visited Soleluna for the first time a few months back, we sampled several of their vegetarian offerings.  We started with the minestrone soup, which was interestingly chock full of celery and very thick.

While I am not sure if we will order the soup again because of its overwhelming celery flavor, we will certainly get the arancini again, though the portion size seems enough for 3 - 4 people to share instead of 2 (never a bad thing!).

For my main course, I tried the Fagottini alla Valeri0, a fresh pasta stuffed with pear and a light cheese, served in a light butter and rosemary sauce.

The pasta was really light and tasty, though I think I would enjoy it more in cold weather because the pear and rosemary remind me more of fall/winter than spring or summer.  That being said, all of our dishes were simple and fresh, and I can definitely see us returning in the future.

Soleluna

40-01 Queens Blvd.

Sunnyside, Queens

Across the street from the 40th Street stop of the 7 train

 

Rubirosa - Great for Dinner and Even Better for Lunch!

Rubirosa is a popular, pizza-heavy eatery on downtown Manhattan's Nolita neighborhood.  I have been to Rubirosa for some packed-house, long-wait dinners, and have recently been back for a few much calmer (and still delicious) lunches.  On my most recent trip, I split with a friend both a pizza and the side of broccoli rabe - a great and affordable vegetarian lunch.

The arugula pizza was great - crisp crust, and lots of beautiful flavors from the salty cheese and sweeter balsamic and onions.  

The broccoli rabe was also cooked well (not tough as rabe can be) and well salted and seasoned with garlic.

So definitely consider checking out Rubirosa when it is a much calmer place during lunch time - and bring a friend to make it one of the better, affordable sit-down lunch options in an otherwise pricey area.

Rubirosa

235 Mulberry Street (btwn. Prince and Spring Streets)

Nolita/SoHo

Easily accessible via the B/D/F/M at Broadway/Lafayette, the 6 train at Spring, or the N/Q/R at Prince.

Franny's on Flatbush - New Space But Consistently Delicious Food

We love Franny’s on Flatbush for their soups, salads, pizzas and pastas (and desserts…so pretty much everything).  Almost everything we have had there over the years has been fantastic, with two notable drawbacks being its price and long wait times during peak eating times.  So while we would otherwise eat at Franny’s all the time, unfortunately our checkbooks and desire to not wait for hours (on weekends in particular) means that Franny’s is only an occasional treat.  

(White Pizza with Ricotta and Buffalo Mozzarella)

We recently checked out Franny’s new, larger space (which somehow has not made getting in easier at all) and thankfully for an early 6pm dinner on a Saturday with friends, we didn’t really have to wait that long.  Sadly though, the prices were still what they are, so departed with a significant dent in our wallets (though, granted a lot of those funds went to drinks).

(Pizza with Tomato and Buffalo Mozzarella)

The food was fantastic though.  We played it fairly safe with bruschettas, pizzas, and pastas, but everything was great.  The pizza crust was perfectly flavorful, the toppings slightly sweet and salty, and the pasta was cooked perfectly.  I sadly did not have a soup on this visit, but I once had a vegan kale and bread soup which was completely out of this world (and something I have dreamed about replicating at home).

(Remains of Perfectly Cooked Cacio e Pepe)

Franny's

348 Flatbush Avenue

Park Slope, Brooklyn

Accessible by several train lines, including the B/Q trains at 7th Avenue and the 2/3 at Grand Army Plaza

Borough Vegetarian Visits Staten Island for Great Italian Fare - Trattoria Romana

A family visit took us to Staten Island this fall, where we checked out of the borough’s highest rated Italian restaurants, Trattoria Romana in Dongan Hills.  

We arrived at the restaurant for a very late lunch (around 2 or 3pm) on a Saturday, and were able to get seated immediately at the sparsely populated restaurant. 

To start, we were given some complementary fried polenta cubes, which has a nice, simple flavor albeit being slightly too hard for my taste.

For our main course, we split two pizzas - an Arugula pizza (pictured above) and a Margherita pizza (pictured below).  Both had paper-thin crusts, and had a nice char from the brick oven.  The arugula pizza in particular was great, with shaved salty pecorino and fresh arugula complementing the crunchy crust.  

I also ordered a pasta dish, the Spaghetti Alla Siciliana, which I sadly did not picture because I dug into it too fast!  The dish had a fresh tomato sauce and eggplant chunks, which were cooked really well.  I was on the fence about ordering that dish versus others on the menu, but I think I made the right choice as it was a filling and satisfying meal.  

Finally, another great bonus from this large lunch - a ton of leftovers.  The pasta alone turned into an additional 2.5 meals over the following days.  Look forward to returning to Trattoria Romana in the future!

Trattoria Romana

1476 Hylan Blvd.

Dongan Hills, Staten Island

Accessible via the Staten Island Railway, between the Old Town and Dongan Hills stops

Long Island City’s Manducatis Rustica with a Queens Food Expert!

I had the pleasure of visiting Manducatis Rustica in Long Island City with a bona fide Queens food expert in late August.  Richard Mumith is a friend who I recently spotted in a local Queens paper for his amazing new company, Local Finds Queens Food Tours.  Local Finds Queens Food Tours launched this summer with history-heavy food tours in Long Island City, Queens.  

As a self-proclaimed Queens food aficionado, I was so happy to hear about Richard’s new business and to meet him at one of his tour stops, Manducatis Rustica, in Long Island City for lunch one day.  Unlike many Long Island City restaurants, Manducatis Rustica stems from Manducatis, a neighborhood mainstay since the 1970s, and is family-owned.  It is also distinguished by being run by one of the only female pizza makers in NYC (things you learn when you meet up with a local food and history expert!).

Given that Richard and I met for a weekday lunch, we decided to split one dish, which actually ended up being too much for both of us!  We ordered the massive $16 calzone, without meat, which featured olives, artichokes, ricotta, and mozzarella.  The sauce was perfectly sweet and the homemade dough was crisp and held up perfectly to the rich innards.

I definitely look forward to taking my in-laws to Manducatis Rustica in the future, and based on what I learned in lunch with Richard (pictured below), I highly recommend his tour company as well!

Manducatis Rustica

46-35 Vernon Blvd.

Long Island City, Queens

Easily accessible from the 7 train (Vernon-Jackson or Court Sq. stops), G train (21st-Jackson St), or E/M trains (Court Sq.).  For these trains, it’s their first stop in Queens, so very easy from Manhattan or north Brooklyn.

al di la - Really Good Restaurant in…Park Slope (Yes!)

As I’ve written about before, the Park Slope dining scene leaves a lot to be desired.  Yes, there are a ton of restaurants across the greater Slope area, but unfortunately many are a combination of both mediocre and slightly more expensive than they should be.

One notable exception to this general rule though is the consistently excellent al di la Trattoria, which always seems to have several vegetarian options to choose from.  Unfortunately, al di la’s reputation though is far from a secret, and it is certainly one of the most written-up and visited restaurants in the Slope.  

My secret to avoiding the crowds is to go there for a weekday lunch or for weekend brunch, which I think might be a slightly newer offering.  In any case, with both options, we have been able to avoid the multi-hour waits that can otherwise occur there.

My last trip for brunch included the not-necessarily brunch-y Ricotta and Lemon Ravioli, which was outstanding.  The tomato sauce was perfectly sweet and not too tart, the lemon flavor of the pasta filling added a really nice freshness.  I easily could have eaten two servings of this dish. 

My friend ordered the daily frittata, which was also outstanding.  Light with lots of flesh flavors and the side salad was also delicious.

While I no longer live in Brooklyn, I could certainly see al di la being one of the few places I’ll return to in the Slope.

al di la Trattoria

248 5th Avenue (at Carroll St)

Park Slope, Brooklyn

Just a few blocks from the R train at Union Street

Italian Streak Continues with Don Antonio in Midtown Manhattan

My apparent run of blogging exclusively about Italian restaurants continues withDon Antonio, the bustling pizza-focused restaurant in Midtown (West) Manhattan.  

On my first trip to Don Antonio, I was shocked by not only how busy it was at 5pm on a weekday, but also how insanely large the menu is (similar to Keste, which shares the same owner).  My friend and I ultimately ordered two dishes that I would recommend, though only for those in the mood for a heavy meal.  Don Antonio is definitely not a light fare restaurant from my experience!

We started with the potato croquets, which as we should have guessed, were pretty rich fried fare, though tasty with the cheese/potato explosion inside the crust.

I then had the Pizza Del Papa, which had a butternut squash puree “sauce,” smoked buffalo mozzarella, and vegetables.  It was really interesting and the flavors did blend in a good, albeit unusual, way.  I could definitely see myself ordering this pie again, but after the first slice, I already felt full!  

I think I somehow ate another slice or two, but there were definitely a ton of toppings on each slice and a hearty crust, so I think these pizzas are definitely for sharing.  Sharing also makes sense given that each “speciality” pie is between $20 - $25 each.

Don Antonio

309 W. 50th Street (at 8th Avenue)

Midtown (West), Manhattan

Easily accessible from the C/E at 50th Street, and a longer walk (approx. 5 - 10 min) from the B/D/F/M at Rockefeller Center-47th/50th Streets

Piccola Venezia - Great Traditional NYC-Style Italian in Astoria, Queens

For at least a decade, my husband’s Queens-based family has been going to Piccola Venezia for family celebrations - birthdays, anniversaries, graduation parties, holiday celebrations, etc.  

Not only is the Astoria space incredibly large, so you can find multiple private parties happening each night, but also the wonderful kitchen at Piccola will make you anything you want.  Really - anything you want.  Don’t want any of the many items they have on their menu, no problem! Just tell them any Italian/Italian American dish you want, and they’ll make it with no hesitation at all (including a wide range of vegetarian dishes, pasta and otherwise).

This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t order off their menu.  I don’t think I have come across a bad meal there yet.  The only complaint I will share is that their portions are HUGE and you can easily feel full very quickly there.  But apart from that small concern, I’d really go there anytime.

Our latest trip included some great Piccola-esque dishes that I actually thought about for several weeks after we went there.

I started with their simple Insalata ‘Piccola’ is what I think of as a vegetarian version of Caesar salad, but with iceberg lettuce instead of romaine.  The dish is simple, light though garlicky, and refreshing.

I then received the Maltagliati ‘Dania’, a fresh, perfectly cooked pappardelle in a simple tomato sauce.  The highlight of the dish is definitely the velvety pasta - the noodles are so thin, yet hold up so well to the sauce.  Yum, yum.

Even though at this point, I was more than full, I definitely sampled some of the desserts we ordered, including their great lemon polenta cookies, which are the perfect not-too-sweet, crunchy ender to any meal.  Sadly, no pictures along those lines to share, but hopefully I’ll insert some on a return trip!

Piccola Venezia

28th Avenue and 42nd Street

Astoria, Queens

Accessible by N/Q to 30th Avenue stop in Queens