December 30th, 2018 Update:
Happy New Year!
How did Via Carota become the most perfect restaurant in nyc? Very simple. They stick to their guns and they deliver. Their menu hasn’t changed much over the years and may even seem boring to some. But its well balanced, and the execution is consistently flawless. It slowly developed into one of my safest recommendations. And the fact that they don’t take reservations made it into an approachable but busy neighborhood darling. Otherwise it could easily turn into another Lilia.
It’s almost fitting that it’s signature dish is something so widely available below 14th, the Cacio e Pepe. It’s amazing how such a simple dish can generate this level of craving. I get asked about it often on my tours. To avoid World War Z last time with the family, I ordered two of them. But for a while it looked like the signature might be the beefy Svizzerina, a lightly seared bunless burger. Its delicious, and may be the most unique item on the menu. But you will want to eat it quickly, before the outer sear cools off.
Other recent highlights include a moister the moist zesty chicken. A perfectly cooked Skate wing with brown butter and capers (seems like all skates are cooked this way but I can’t complain). Succulent Arancini with just enough porky ‘nduja to satisfy the palate. And a Brussels Sprouts salad that will make you like Brussels Sprouts. This Carrot Road, that seems to have no potholes, earns a third star.
March 18, 2017 Post:
When I’m wrong, I’m wrong. When I make a mistake, its usually a big one. After all, I am human, and I need to be loved just like everyone else (as the great Morrisey once put it). Its a rarity for me to come back to a place I didnt love initially, and thankfully it was only a year in this case. Thanks to the power of social media, and foodies whose opinions speak much more volume than the rest of the media, we can now make New York Italian great again.
Another rarity: I’m writing about a place I’ve only dined at solo. When an Italian restaurant with this caliber opens in NYC offering the same great menu all day long, one needs to take advantage during the day. One of the biggest differences between eating in Italy and the US is the disparity between lunches. In Italy, lunch is taken almost as seriously as dinner and in many cases there are no separate menus between lunch and dinner. Since I eat mostly out during lunch, you get extra brownie points for this kind of menu.
But something tells me Rita Sodi and Jody Williams know a lot more about Brownies than I do. Even prior to this at I Sodi and Buvette, they proved they can flat out cook. Mario Batali is a fan. At Via Catota they created the type of corner eatery where you meet your friend for lunch after a long trip in Thailand. The initial hype stemmed from the names involved, was probably unfair for a place like this, but many Villagers took advantage early on. Today, dont be surprised to see the place full during lunch.
Its worth coming back here just for the Funghi. I love a good Mushroom dish, but very rarely I get a dish that speaks to me in this kind of language, Yiddish. Oyster, Maitake, Trumpet and one more I didn’t recognize perfectly grilled with all that wonderful earthiness, on top of smoked grilled Scamorza, with shallot, garlic, and olive oil vinaigrette. A mishegas combination that works oh so beautifully. It could be NYC’s mushroom dish to beat.
Yesterday the Rabbit tasted like a mighty fine fried chicken, with wonderful herby notes throughout. Nicely done, but with the caveat that it may taste very much like chicken when its fried like that. The Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe here is as legit as it gets west of Rome. I preferred it over the popular Pappardelle with wild boar ragu which tasted very average to me on the first visit. Another interesting dish is the fagioli all’ucceletto, a tomatoee stew of beans and sausages.
The rest of the menu is a a vegetarian delight, ranging from the very Tuscan Ribolita to what seems like “best of market” veggies. Regulars pay attention to the rotating array of specials which doesnt leave much room for menu criticism (pasta offerings may seem light at first glance). The most famous dish here is perhaps the Svizzerina, a cross between steak tartare and a rare bunless burger. Will be back with family or friends to this one sooner than later
Via Carota
51 Grove St
Rating: Three Z’s (out of 4)
Stars range from Good to Exceptional. Simple as that
Recommended Dishes: Funghi, Rabbit, Tonnarelli, Fagioli, Svizzerina, Chicken, Arancini, Brussels Sprouts
Corner Slice, the Ivan Ramen backed, much anticipated pizza quicky in Gotham West Market taking over the Blue Bottle Coffee space finally opened. The thin square pizza slices are cooked in fancy electric ovens, as I imagine the only allowable method in the building. Dough ferments for a long time, and just about every ingredient made in house. My first slice was a simple mozzarella, tomato, basil. Slightly on the greasy side, but nice and pungent tomato sauce. But the other day my Sopressata was a little overcooked and overpriced. They have their reasons I’m sure but one measly Soppressata slice the size of pepperoni doesnt warrant $4. Another nice addition to GWM, though I would have loved to see something a little more interesting
Pressed for time a little bit today so I will just cut to the chase. Visiting colleges (in case my new career doesnt go as planned) was first priority, but snuck in a few good ones, and some mehs…
Boy meets girl on Jdate. They quickly fall for each other, get married and live together for 7 years until the eventual breakup due to rent increase. Or, boy meets girl, and within 20 minutes they cant stand each other and know this is not gonna work. Or, boy meets girl, and he is simply not sure. She seems attractive, potential is definitely there. She got this sexy British Indian accent but the personality is just not a slam dunk match. Perhaps more suited for a friends with benefits role. Indian Accent, the Melania Trump of Indian dining in NYC today, falls closer to that last category. But instead of meeting Melania, you meet Bernadette from Big Bang Theory. There’s potential, but false advertised.
‘Twas the night before Sushi. I was shaving. That’s when I usually do most of my deep thinking. Like when was my last pizza. Where did I park the car. And how does Sugarfish handle the huge service demands of an Omakase for an entire house. How do they serve a house full of people, an 8 course meal and/or whatever else people ordered. 30 minutes into my meal in the Iphone section (aka counter area) of this new Sushi sensation, I found my answer. They manage to do it by making a lot of mistakes.
Love is in the air on EWZ, and inside the latest KTCHLST, the mini zine inside the big zine (you see what I did there, Hebrew speakers?). The big zine is W42st, Hells Kitchen’s own magazine. And if you cant find it, you are either not looking hard enough or not deep enough (Like I said, love is in the air). This month on KTCHLST, I list 5 Unconventional pre-theater Picks. Well, just about all my HK picks are pretty unconventional, but these 5 have a certain Je ne sais quoi. Ok, one of them has dildos on display, so I can explain that one. Description are kept short in order to fit inside mini zine
This is not a drill. A big update to that Provo eating itinerary you’ve been so anxiously waiting for. We keep trying new places with mixed results. And while Provo can use a few more cheap options near the resorts, there’s still no shortage. At least not until they sell Caicos Cafe or Le Bouchon. Those Islanders can get restless sometimes, and decide to move on on a whim, a la Seaside Cafe which closed last fall. The talented Francois is dishing them out in Opus these days, which means its to revisit soon. Until next time.
Just like a mom balancing work and being a mom, a tourist in NYC needs to find the right balance between being a tourist and unleashing that inner Ziggy. After meeting so many of you on 
Eating With Ziggy 