Having just spent more than an hour trying to soften lentils to no avail, I understand that cooking can be hard, but for Keith McNally and Jody Williams two restaurant veterans, this should not be so. MORANDI's arrival on Waverly Place was talked about among the food world much like a Spielberg film in the movie world. Who would take the starring role? Jody Williams. What has she done recently? Gusto Ristorante. What would be the theme? Italian. Oh, and how the world responded to the news it would be Italian: McNally is trying a whole new approach!
Well he is and he isn't. Yes, the ambiance is quite rustic and the menu as well as the servers are Italian but unfortunately, Morandi seems to be the older cousin--I say "older" because it is more dimly lit, a little quieter and, quite frankly, the waiters are older -- to Pastis.
The meal started out quite well with a sampling of the different fritti (fried) options including fried artichokes, fried seafood assortment and fried stuffed olives (I am starting the south beach diet very soon). Everything that was fried was done expertly so with a thin coat of breading that you could actually realize was breadcrumbs rather than the tomb-like encasing that some restaurants showcase. While the fish was some of the best fried fish I've had in awhile--not soggy and very fresh--the clear standout was the artichoke dish. Quite literally I could have choked as a result of the rapidity with which I enhaled those mini heads. The leaves were so delicate and sweet, imagine the texture of the caramalized part of a creme brulee, and yet I still found my normal excitement when I got to the heart. If I were an artichoke I would most certainly want to be this one--no fussing with the annoying leaves and butter sauce to get to the good part-- desirable both inside and out!
Moving on to the main courses. A friend's seabream appeared at the table looking as though it had been hit by a tomato, olive, and potato hurricane and no one had been able to clear the wreckage. Granted, this type of fish should use flavoring but this "braise" was just unkind. Another friend got the octopus (this is starter but she tried it as her main) and she remarked that it was over-peppered and when I bit into it I also found it over saturated in olive oil--quite a disappointment as the fish itself I felt had promise. In the midst of all of the overdressed and over garnished fish, though, was my delicious branzino. The whole fish was simply grilled and served with radicchio (over-peppered but I wont get into this again) and simply a summer delight. Light, moist and with a hint of lemon I would recommend it to any and all visitors.
The pasta, tortellini with guinea hen and porcini mushrooms, pulled my party back into disappointment--mushy inside and too much butter-- and the risotto with mushroom,sage and blueberries and the meatballs resuscitated us but not in a let's-go-back-again way.
The highlight in the dessert area were the gelato crepes with berries. I liked that the berries were present in conjunction with a berry type syrup which flavored the crepe and gave the crepe/gelato combo a little more oomph.
So, here we are with a new McNally restaurant that is mediocre on food, high on ambiance and most definitely destined for success--Pastis's cousin indeed.
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