Sooo I admit that I am terrible about keeping up with this….but when you sit at a computer all day the last thing you want to do when you get home is type. BUT I ate at two great restaurants recently, and I believe that my avid reader fans (2 people) deserve to hear it.
I have to give credit to Sonia Evers for encouraging me to try Malatesta. She talks about it all the time, but honestly, the name reminds me of some kind of illness of the testes. Still, Sonia is a great fan of food as well so I trust her judgment, and it’s just down the street from my place so I couldn’t pass it up.
This place was honestly amazing – in terms of ambiance, service, prices, and most importantly deliciousness. With a hand written menu on brown paper, a dark but airy setting, and native Italian waiters providing unobtrusive service, Malatesta truly brought me to the streets of Europe. Per Sonia’s recommendation, I had the house made spinach gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce. The potato dumplings had a perfectly soft consistency and the cheese sauce was mild enough to taste their homemade goodness. The portion was huge (easily could feed two people) and it was under $10. I also tried a pasta listed on the hand-written specials board: homemade thick parpadelle noodles tossed with large chunks of tomatoes and crab. Although there were no significant portions of crab meat, the overall flavor was stellar and the big, rustic pieces of tomatoes added that depth of texture. Most notable about the pasta dishes was that they both came out piping hot. I ended with a fresh artichoke salad which was also simple, but consistently delicious. Along with a carafe of wine, the tab came out to only $50.
If you don’t go for the food (but you should!), go for the ambiance. You’ll be surrounded by Europeans (or people who look and act like them) and you will feel as if you are countries away from New York City. Love it! Thanks for the rec Sonia!
