Locanda Verde

REVIEW

December 1, 2009


CUISINE: Italian
NEIGHBORHOOD: Tribeca

 

379 Greenwich St Between Franklin and N. Moore Sts.

(p) 212- 925-3797

 

De Niro's first restaurant, Ago, died after only ten months.  We're betting round two will be different.  Locanda Verde (Italian for "the green inn") has a lot going for it. To start with, it's a good-looking place. High ceilings and gigantic French windows lend a grand air, while wooden tables and a brasseries-style bar keep things casual. Andrew Carmellini (of Cafe Boulud fame) is responsible for the relaxed, family-style menu which includes an assortment of crostini, antipasti, pasta, and entrees. CONT'D

 

Start off with the sheep's milk ricotta, doused in sea salt and served alongside fresh Italian bread with a perfectly burnt crust.  Bruni loved it and so did we. Enticing pasta options like "My Grandmother's Ravioli" and white bolognese fettucini are probably more memorable than the entrees. We opted for the special butternut squash ravioli with brown butter; sweet, yet delicate, it was our favorite dish of the night.  Where the pasta succeeded, the entrees did not. The braised beef cheek looked like a plate of mini turds, and tasted bitter and sad. The scallop dish was decent, but scant; it failed to compare with competing versions. The chicken for two, served over fennel and zucchini, sounded promising. If only they made it for one! 

 

Dessert, thankfully, reinforced our initial faith in the restaurant. The chocolate torta with spiced caramel and cardamom gelato was appropriately spicy and sweet. Paired with a hot espresso your meal will come to a harmonious conclusion. Though not all sections of the menu warrant our approval, the ones that do — crostini, pasta, dessert — are reason enough to return. 

 


Posted in FOOD on December 1, 2009 10:38am by Jena Steinbach | 0 comments




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