I sapori e la bellezza di Venezia in New York
Are you ready for an endless adventure in taste?
"In the mood for a delicious, old-fashioned Italian dinner in a romantic
setting, go west young men, way west. Antica Venezia, on West 10th Street at
the West Side Highway, is only five months old. But inside, the restaurant feels
like it's been around forever: The interior features brick walls, high ceilings
and a fireplace. Despite the tall windows, one barely notices the highway outside.
It's a comfy place to while away a couple of hours or three. While the service
is very attentive, it's also rather leisurely. Antica Venezia aims for a relaxed,
European-style dining experience rather than a rushed pre-theater meal.
Fortunately, my friend Chris and I had time to linger and enjoy
the well-prepared food. Our waiter offered us several specials,
of which we sampled only one: an appetizer of scallops and shrimp
over spinach with a lobster sauce ($12-95). Beautifully presented,
it tasted as good as it looked. I chose the roasted artichoke filled
with lump crabmeat in a garlic herb sauce ($10-95), partly because
I wanted to see how they filled an artichoke with crab meat. However
they managed to, it melted in my mouth.
We weren't planning to have pasta, but our waiter suggested we
have a sampling before our main courses. Not only was the pasta
fresh and tasty, but it was sautéed tableside on a wheeled
trolley. Of the three pastas, the rich papardelle with mushrooms
was the standout.
Our solicitous waiter then offered us complimentary sorbet to cleanse
the palate before our main courses. Who were we to refuse? I then
had the sautéed veal with artichoke hearts, shiitake mushrooms
and sundried tomatoes ($18-95). It was an ample portion, and all
the ingredients melded perfectly. Chris had the jumbo shrimp sautéed
in a spicy marinara sauce ($17.95). The shrimp were indeed jumbo,
but I preferred my veal (no matter how politically incorrect).
Somehow we still had room for dessert. The hefty hunk of homemade
tiramisu ($7) was moist and creamy. Our waiter also recommended
the fruit sampling ($16 for two), consisting of bananas, peaches
and strawberries flamb6ed tableside. For dramatic effect as well
as flavor, the waiter doused the pan with liqueur so that flames
shot up a few feet. The dish was as yummy as it was theatrical.
One more trolley came to our table-the grappa bar. Apparently everyone
is offered a home- made aperitif, which is generous. Despite the
excellent service and well-prepared food, the prices at Antica
Venezia are quite reasonable. It's a special-occasion restaurant
at neighborhood- restaurant prices. Just be sure to leave time
to savor the experience-and you might want to eat a light lunch
beforehand."
-Bill Stevenson
Antica Venezia. 396 West St at 10th St, 212-229-0606, $$ |
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