Morandi

After my mediocre review regarding Cherche Midi, I'm happy to say that I can now add one more of Keith McNally restaurants to my love list! Morandi is a popular Italian restaurant in the West Village and I can definitely see why! Y was visiting from SF which made this dinner even more enjoyable because I have not seen her for almost a year and I was definitely looking forward to some catching up over delicious food and wine. The space is quite large and very cozy, which matched the hearty and flavorful food offered.

Calamari alla Griglia - Grilled Squid with Peppers, Capers, Olives
I am usually partial to deep fried calamari so would not have ordered this if Y didn't pick it out. But thank goodness we did because this was absolutely divine! It may have been some of the most tender and brightly flavored calamari I've ever tasted. The texture of the squid was amazing, the peppers were sweet, and the capers and olives provided the perfect kick. I could eat this all day. 

Fritto Misto di Pesce - Fried Calamari, Shrimp, Fish
Yummm! A perfectly executed dish. All components were fried perfectly and not greasy at all. The shrimp was very generously sized and I also devoured the head. 

Burrata e Pachini - Burrata Cheese with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes “on the vine”
If you've been reading my blog religiously, you may have noticed that I've been having some bad burrata luck recently. Luckily this finally ended that streak of bad luck. The burrata was luxurious and creamy and the tomatoes and balsamic was the perfect simple accompaniment. 

Pici al Limone - Hand-rolled Spaghetti with Lemon and Parmesan
I heard amazing things about this pasta so it was on my must order list when I came here. This did not disappoint and I recommend everyone order it! It might sound a little strange but it was absolutely dreamy. The lemon flavor was distinct but not overpowering and very refreshing. the hand rolled spaghetti also had such and incredibly chewy texture. One of the most memorable pasta dishes ever! 

Polpettine alla Siciliana - Meatballs with Pinenuts and Raisins
This was probably our least favorite dish of the night. It was by no means bad, but just not as stand out as the other dishes. The meatballs were very hearty and I loved how the sauce was slightly sweet. But I felt that they were a bit dense and could be more tender. I also did not care for the raisons but that could be due to personal preference. 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts 
These were so tiny and cute! They may have been a tinssyyyyy bit too soft but still very good. 

I loved my meal here and would definitely return to try their other dishes and also re-order some of my favorites from this time! I also was eying the Veal Milanese but it looked humongous so that's definitely something to order when you have a larger group! 

Morandi 

411 Waverly Place

New York

NY 10014