“L’arte di mangiare bene” is the slogan of the sister restaurant to dell’Anima. Chefs and owners Gabe Thompson and Joe Campanele opened the 110 seat, dark navy-grey, white and coral, almost nautical themed L’Artusi in the end of 2008. The plain, small outside front in the West Village is rather easy to miss. In contrast, the inside is completely unexpected with four distinct dining areas: the long bar which goes into the open kitchen, the ground floor, the second floor, and the private dining room on the second floor. I had requested a quieter, spacious table for six for our post-work business dinner with our team from China and we got just that. The table right by the stairs is possibly the best table in the house because we were able to enjoy great conversation as well as the view of everything going on around us.
Our table was the one right before the stairs.
Our host, Natalie was just as sweet as the general manager, Amelia who greeted us at the door. She helped answer any questions that we had throughout our meal and always responded with a charming smile regardless of how increasingly busy the restaurant became. We started with a bottle of the J. Hofstatter Bianco, a dry white wine that was fruity, bright and full-bodied with a clean finish, which we enjoyed with fresh Italian bread and olive oil. We all ordered starters, tasty, small plates that really got us excited for dinner. The dishes included: Hamachi Tartare (with ginger, lemon and chives), Butter Lettuce Salad (with lemon crema, gorgonzola, hazelnuts, olives), Fluke Ceviche (with pineapple, chilies, lime), Roasted Mushrooms (with fried egg, pancetta, ricotta salata), and Roasted Beets (with watercress, yogurt, pistachios). The flavors and presentation of each was equally beautiful. The Roasted Mushrooms, which I tasted without the pancetta, was my favorite, with bold, juicy flavors and a tangy, spicy finish that left me craving more.
Left Column: Bread and Olive Oil, Roasted Beets; Right Column: Butter Lettuce Salad, Roasted Mushrooms
There was a tiny bit of a wait in between the first and main course, which added to the relaxed pace of our dinner. The dishes included: two of the Tajarin (the pasta special for the night, a thin fettuccini in a parmesan reduction and mushrooms), Bucatini (with tomato, pancetta, pecorino), Tagliatelle (with bolognese bianco), Garganelli (with mushroom ragu), Dayboat Halibut (the fish special), and Branzino (with roasted lemon, olives, honey). One of the pastas came out before all of the others because his person had also ordered fish, which came out as her main course. There were mmm’s and “you have to try this” upon the first bites. All of the pastas were cooked perfectly al dente. Each pasta is freshly homemade expect the spaghetti and the bucatini because of the longer drying process required for both. Everyone was extremely satisfied with their dish and also enjoyed tasting each other’s. I loved the almost smoky texture to my Garganelli recommended by Natalie (it’s her favorite vegetarian pasta); it was unlike any other pasta dish I’d ever had. The table favorite was the Tajarin which was rich and wonderfully creamy. I was told that the fish was ideally cooked and seasoned. Even though the portions were filling, I could have had many more servings of the pasta.
Left Column: Tagliatelle, Dayboat Halibut, Branzino; Right Column: Tajarin, Bucatini, Garganelli
We completed our savory dinner with four desserts, as we finished a second bottle of wine. The desserts included: Bittersweet Chocolate Budino (with vanilla cream, chocolate-honey crisp), Gelato Sampler (with mint, straciatella gelato), Olive Oil Cake (with raisin marmelatta, vin santo, creme fraiche mousse), and Crème Fraiche Panna Cotta (with peach-moscato granita, blueberry compote). Each was delectable, though the smooth panna cotta was my favorite; the peach-mascato granita really added the special touch. The olive cake was also a hit because of its moist and light consistency. The bodino, though it was good, seemed more like a mousse than a bodino. Nonetheless, its bittersweet finish was a good balance to the other, sweeter dishes. Nothing from the menu was a disappointment.
Clockwise: Gelato, Olive Oil Cake, Budino, Panna Cotta
Recap: Excellent service and amazing food; fantastic pastas. Filling portions, ample vegetarian options. Lots of space and seating and a wonderful, cozy atmosphere. Simple, polished décor. Not overpriced but definitely not cheap. Make reservations in advance.
Food Tally: J. Hofstatter Bianco (2), $72 each plus two glasses, $17 each; Hamachi Tartare, $15; Butter Lettuce Salad, $12; Fluke Ceviche, $14; Roasted Mushrooms, $16; Roasted Beets, 12; Tajarin (2), $17 each; Bucatini, $17; Tagliatelle, $18; Garganelli,$16; Dayboat Halibut, $28; Branzino, $20; dessert was $10 each. Total for an superb meal: $460.82 (with tax)+tip.
Score: 4.5/5
Address: 228 West 10th Street, between Bleecker and Hudson Street, New York City; www.lartusi.com
