I
stepped back in time tonight. I entered a dim lit room where red lights hang on
the wall and small tables are neatly dressed. There is mismatched china all
perfectly lined up. The restaurant appears to have been asleep and with a flick
of a switch as the clock stroke hit five-thirty, it became alive for another
evening. A Sunday evening in fact, this is the perfect setting to try a new
iconic Italian restaurant in this city, my city, New York City.
Carbone
opened its doors last year and is the brainchild of chefs Mario Carbone and
Rich Torrisi. This duo is infamous for their work in the restaurant world. The
hype behind this venture seemed to be in my path every waking moment. I first
read about it in The New York Times and then I opened my December 2013 Travel
and Leisure magazine and behold it was there too. The
universe knew this was a place I must try. That’s when my efforts first began.
It has taken me thirteen months to accomplish it but that is not for a lack of
trying.
Last
December I purchased a gift card and gave it to my brother for a Christmas
gift. I wanted to add this new, exciting, place to the list of institutions we
take on. I knew that if I set the stage just right I would have the tastes of
Carbone in my mouth sooner than later. Ah, but that was not my fate. It turns out
2015 is the year of food for me.
Busy
schedules and the insanely hard task of achieving a reservation to Carbone have
led to this delay. You can only make a reservation one month to the day from
which you call. Then you need to call as soon as possible that morning. Trust
me if you wait til the evening of January 15th, there will be NO
reservations available for February 15th. It is a complicated song
and dance but I figure only the hot spots are worth the effort. And I
definitely get an E for effort.
Despite
the fact that it took thirteen months to get a reservation that actually worked
within the confines of our busy schedules didn’t make me want to go any less.
In fact because it got put off I wanted to make sure it was a night where it
was the focal point. I got my wish.
So
this past weekend I was preparing for a good meal and an equally good time. I
had eaten light all day assuming I would be stuffed to the gills after our
dinner. I got dressed up (so not me on a Sunday) and headed into the city.
Before
I describe my evening I want to brief you on the prevalent takes regarding
Carbone. As always The New York Times is crucial when I am deciding what to see
and do. Of course I will do what I want but I am always curious to see what
others think especially since I usually agree. This is even more enjoyable when
I reading a review written by Pete Wells.
Pete
Wells is a food critic who has changed my life. One of the first reviews I read
of his discussed the opening of Guy Fieri’s New York City restaurant, Guy’s
American Kitchen. I was so taken back by the
witty, brutally honest, and clever way he wrote that review I immediately
looked up to see the author and then find out more about him.
Pete
Wells was a bit more muted about his review of Carbone. Mostly notable (I admit
I read it several times) was that this is a “red sauce joint”. For those
of you not of Italian persuasion “red sauce” is the gravy we pour on our pasta.
In English that means marinara sauce. You know the good stuff that comes on the
side of mozzarella sticks.
The
dishes to eat here were to have red sauce on them like chicken parmesana or
what I really wanted to try, the lobster fra diavolo. I heard the lobster would
be spicy and contain both claw and tail meat. It would also be over two pounds.
I didn’t know how I felt about that. I was undecided up until the last second.
That’s when I went for the lobster ravioli.
The
final result is partially my fault and partly Carbone’s. My big mistake was
that I did not order a meal with red sauce!! It sounds so stupid now especially
after that was the name of Pete Wells review. But that night I really didn’t
feel like it and thought what I ordered would be close enough. Turns out I was
wrong. I can only sit back and wonder now would a different more signature dish
of theirs made a difference?
The
lobster ravioli came in a cream sauce and the ravioli were green so I assume
they were spinach. There were chunks of lobster in the sauce but I am still not
sure what was inside of the ravioli. It tasted a bit like sausage to me but I
don’t think that’s what it was (the menu contains no descriptions of the
dishes). If it had lobster in it then maybe I really don’t like claw meat. I
have only ever eaten lobster tails and loved them. Luckily I was pretty full
from my appetizers so after a few I was over it. But something definitely was a
miss. I wish I had tried to spicy rigatoni alla vodka but again seemed too hot
and familiar to me. But I guess that’s the point.
For
an appetizer I had the Caesar salad. Finally something that Mr. Wells
recommended. He was right the freshly shaved ricotta salada was melt in your
mouth good. This was much better than the heavy doses of parmesan usually
accompanying this plate. Even better there was a table off to the side in the
middle of the restaurant where they were being freshly prepared. It was a huge
portion and I barely made a dent despite trying my hardest. We had asked for
the anchovies to be placed on the side because I had never tasted one before. Turns
out they weren’t too bad but I only could eat one or two. As for the croutons
these were really mini garlic breads, crunchy and soft all at the same time.
They were masterpieces, each and every one of them. Those I was able to finish.
My
brother had the Caesar salad too and for his entrée he got scallops francese.
Those were not bad. I had never had them cooked that way before and I am not a
huge scallop fan but all and all not too bad.
For
dessert I got the lemon cheesecake, again as per Mr. Wells recommendation and
my brother got the chocolate cake. The lemon cheesecake was okay it was light
but rich at the same time. Cheesecake is one of my favorite things and I should
know better than to try it too many times. More often than not I am not in love.
Here I was just in like. The chocolate looked good but also tasted moderately
delicious.
For
those of you wondering what the best part of the meal was, here it is: the
bread. Yep the bread and toppings that comes on every table. They were other
worldly and I had eaten my fair share of bread so I know what I am taking
about. There was a pizza version, plain bread, and pieces of garlic toast that
would be similar to the croutons in my salad. My God was that toast good! I
would go back just for that and maybe you know something with red sauce.
Lastly
I want to mention the service. I wasn’t impressed. Honestly the last time I
went out for a big dinner was when I was in Pittsburgh (blog coming next week)
to Hyde Park Steakhouse. They were certainly memorable, here too but for a
different reason.
I
know this restaurant has a signature look and attitude. Even though I know it
was all done on purpose but i could have done with less schitck because it came
off rude and not charming. Even the hostess could have feigned politeness.
I
am almost tempted to ask Pete Wells where he ate dinner. I felt like i was in
an old boys club, a real Italian atmosphere indeed. It brought back visions of
similar scenes happening in many homes I know of with older, now deceased
members, generations of my family.
Overall,
I am always satisfied after being able to cross something off my to do list and
in this case that comes from fresh from my 2014/2015 to do list.
Despite
the seeming stark review I present, I was really excited to go. I guess the
irony is I wanted to tell it like it was too, just like Mr. Pete Wells.
For
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Well done..
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