Take Refuge At Riposo 46

Riposo 46 - Hell's Kitchen
667 9th Ave., New York, NY 10036

Despite being just a few blocks away from Times Square mayhem, Riposo 46 feels like a calm get-away. The restaurant consists of a few high wooden tables and an L shaped bar. It was busy--I took the only empty seat--but not noisy or overwhelming.

Wine glasses range from about $9-$12; the menu was diversified, not pretentious. With a glass of white hanging from my left palm, I asked the bartender to surprise me and bring Riposo's best flatbread.

He returned several minutes later with a large Prosciutto di Parma, big enough to share, with Prosciutto resting in folded heaps across the arugula. Thin, warm bread, fresh greens, and salted strips of fine charcuterie folded up into bites of Italy.

Otto is Like Being Wrapped In A Warm Italian Blanket

OTTO - Greenwich Village / Washington Square Park
1 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10003

As a dining mate said, walking into Otto is like being wrapped in a warm Italian blanket. It was hollow and windy and freezing outside, and then I walked in to a heated, crowded, lively Italian restaurant with rusty orange walls. There were more children and families there than I'd seen in most restaurants of that size and caliber in New York. While I was duly impressed with the service--we had both a knowledgeable sommelier and a prompt and informative waiter--the food wasn't quite what I was expecting. My friend's pizza with egg was perfectly thin and fresh, made from the best dough, but the sauce hinted more strongly at tomato paste than fresh vine tomatoes in summer. I ordered the Goat Cheese Agnolotti, a fresh pasta dish with lemon, butter, and tiny pasta pillows of goat cheese The food was good, but the presentation lacked--anything. The dishes, garnish, plating--all lacked imagination.

But to be honest, the reason you come to Otto is for the homemade ice cream. Three scoops, though they seem small in their silver goblet, are more than enough to satisfy any sweet tooth. I ordered caramel, crème fraîche  and dark chocolate. The crème fraîche is made with eggs, so it is thicker and richer than the rest--and quite heavy. The caramel and dark chocolate were both exceptionally flavored and all three were remarkably smooth. I ordered a hazelnut hot cocoa, too, and it was one of the best I've had. Period. I wouldn't give the overall restaurant a five-star rating, but this restaurant is more than reasonably priced ($8 for three scoops of homemade gelato; $15 for homemade pasta) and very friendly. It's a good, solid find. 

Great Pizza Sauce on Short Benches

John's of Bleeker Street - West Village
278 Bleeker Street, New York, NY 10014

John's of Bleeker Street, a small pizza joint in the West Village, is an institution founded in 1929. Tonight was my first meal partaking in the tradition. The room is small and unpretentious. The dark wooden paneling and benches are stripped to the flesh from thousands of initials carved into the surface. The seats comfortably fit two, but only if you're prepared to sit on the edge of your tuchus for the evening. I sat down and I thought I might slide off the bench, which was at least 6 inches shorter than booth benches at other restaurants.

We received prompt service from a knowledgeable waiter. He did bring out the wrong pizza but realized his mistake immediately and served the correct pie soon afterward. It was half meatball and half ricotta. The former was too meaty for me but appeared to be prepared well. The ricotta was light and creamy, sitting in dollops across the pie. This was a well-prepared pizza. The crust was crisp but not crunchy; the sauce was present and fresh.

Skip the six slice small and just go for the large. For a $16, eight slice pizza, I highly recommend it.

Cash only.