Cuisine

Neighborhood

CUISINE: Italian
NEIGHBORHOOD: Park Slope

285 5th Ave at Carroll St

(p) 718-636-8888

Park Slope residents' bragging rights usually revolve around a few predictable things: proximity to Prospect Park, the food co-op, beautiful brownstones, and the Italian restaurant, Al Di La. Our friends swear by this place: "The best Italian restaurant in the entire New York area!" or "The only restaurant my parents want to go to!" And of course, ever since we started YAH, we haven't heard the end of "Have you gone to Al Di La yet?" Finally, I will be able to answer, yes! Now please end the harassment...

The reason we've avoided Al Di La for so long was not to piss off our impassioned friends (well maybe a little), but because the restaurant does not take reservations, and it's packed from 5:30 pm onwards.  Luckily, this past weekend I had the perfect incentive to dine there. My mother, grandmother, and brother were in town and wanted to get an early dinner before driving back to Pennsylvania. The restaurant opens at 5:30, we were seated at 5:35, and the place was packed fifteen minutes later. My grandmother was quick to comment on the decor, "The paint on the ceiling is chipping off." My mother was quick to respond, "It's supposed to be that way." And then my 16 year old brother chipped in, "It's cool in here," which should give you a faint idea of the aesthetics (or at least the vibe) of the small, old-school space.  

We started off with the steamed Bouchot mussels and the warm farro salad. According to my grandmother, (someone who likes her mussels), the dish was perfection; the garlicky broth mixed tomatoes and greens, which my family and I greedily soaked into slice after slice of bread. Our main courses included the pork loin scallopine, tagliatelle al ragu, and the roasted duck special. The ragu was heavier than I anticipated; the sauce was thick, and cheesy, like a deconstructed lasagna. The flavor was delicious but the intensity prevented me from coming even close to finishing the dish. The sauteed potatoes which accompanied both the pork and the duck left a lingering hint of butter on the tongue. While the duck was fancied up a bit with stewed apricots and a flavorful skin, my family unanimously agreed that the pork was a bit under-seasoned. Where the pork felt short, however, the dessert more than made up for it. We ordered a trio of homemade gelati (plum, cherry vanilla, and coconut) in addition to the chocolate ice cream with hazelnuts and whipped cream. They were all heavenly. 

When the bill arrived, my heart nearly stopped when I heard my grandmother say, "I would have paid a lot more for this meal," which, if you know Arlene, is really saying something. 

Posted in FOOD on August 10, 2009 11:34am by Jena Steinbach | 14 comments

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We are young (early 20's) and hungry (for knowledge! music! art! food!) friends living on (or in areas which border) Manhattan. We moved to the city seeking higher education, and an alternative to frat parties and gin buckets. We prefer a bottle of Chianti to a keg, lunches at City Bakery to a dining hall, Joe's to Starbucks, Frankie's Amatriciana to Batali's. Our uniting factor is our love for food. For detailed, personal information, keep reading.
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