Scarpetta

Scarpetta was one of the best meals I had during my stay in NYC and that is saying a lot because I was lucky enough to indulge in many delicious meals. I've heard many great reviews about this place and my expectations were definitely met. I must not be the only one to want to head to Scarpetta because even on a Thursday night the only dinner reservation we could get was at 6 pm. The restaurant entrance is very subdued and one would not notice the sign unless you knew where to look. There was a small outdoor area but it was a bit too windy that night to dine outdoors. The restaurant is decorated in a chic and elegant manner. We got a lovely seat right by the window where we could people watch and catch a glimpse of the street.

The bread basket was glorious. It had focaccia along with a bread with cheese, ham, and vegetables wrapped inside. The bread was warm and fluffy. I love bread that is crusty outside and soft and warm on the inside. 

Creamy Polenta with Fricassee of Truffled Mushrooms
I absolutely adore eating polenta. It is so creamy and comforting and goes amazingly well with mushrooms, and obviously, truffles. Mushrooms and truffle are a match made in heaven and the addition of polenta just blew my mind. The polenta was rich, creamy, and smooth. The truffle flavor was strong and the mushrooms were cooked perfectly, not too soft. The texture of the mushrooms complimented the creaminess of the polenta perfectly. This is a dish I would hope to someday recreate.

Braised Short Rib of Beef with Vegetables and Farro Risotto 
The first thing that struck me with this dish was its beautiful presentation. The short ribs themselves melted in my mouth and the creamy risotto clung on to each bite. The sauce ladled on top of the dish was of perfect consistency and flavor. The fresh salad greens on the top completed the dish with a nice refreshing crunch. 

Short Rib and Bone Marrow Agnolotti with Garlic Chips and Fresh Horseradish
The pasta shell was extremely thin and wrapped around a small bite of flavorful meat filling. I felt that it may have lacked a bit of sauce but the dish was prepared exquisitely. One other thing that I felt this dish was lacking was the richness of the bone marrow. I am used to eating bone marrow from the bone with toasted bread and condiments, therefore I was expecting the incredibly rich and fatty texture of the bone marrow to be evident in the agnolotti yet I felt that I was unable to taste that. 

Duck and Foie Gras Ravioli with Marsala Reduction
I have the same complaint about this dish as I did for the short rib agnolotti. The pasta itself was made beautifully, the ravioli skin was delicate and thin and the filling was flavorful and meaty. Yet I did not taste the foie gras flavor and that was a disappointment for me. If it were just a duck ravioli it would have been a perfect dish, yet when the foie gras was mentioned I expected that rich foie flavor to be very evident in the pasta. Still an enjoyable dish though none the less.

Formaggi, choice of 3 cheese with crispy taralle 

Robiola Bosina with stewed figs, camomile, and honey
I love creamy cheese and the sweetness of the figs were even more concentrated by being roasted. Fruits and cheese are another divine combination. This cheese was creamy but still had a level of solidity. It had a mild flavor and the sweetness of the figs, camomile, and honey all danced together for a delicious symphony of flavors. 

Ricotta di Bufala with truffled honey
I am a total truffle junkie. Anything with truffle, truffle oil, truffle honey, you name it, I love it. The consistency of the ricotta cheese was not my favorite yet I had to order it since it had truffle honey on it. The flavor of the cheese was a little musky and salty but this was balanced by the decadent sweetness of the truffle honey. 

Quadrello di Bufala with beet compote
This plate was simple and delicious. The beet compote was not too sweet and maintained the fresh taste of beets, simple yet delicious. The color of beets are also very beautiful and this dark red contrasted with the creamy whiteness of the cheese resulted in a lovely presentation. 

Coconut Panna Cotta, guava soup, and caramelized pineapple
Panna Cotta is one of my favorite desserts (can you tell how many of my favorites I got to eat at this restaurant?). I love the creamy soft texture of the dessert and how a relatively simple dish can encompass the richness and flavor of cream and milk so perfectly. This one had a dash of coconut flavor which was refreshing. The guava soup on top gave the entire dish another exotic flavor. Each bite was a fruity and creamy explosion.

Scarpetta 

355 West 14th Street 

New York, NY 10014