It takes an out-of-towner to introduce me to a neighborhood spot. In the mood for Italian food, my friend suggested we grab lunch at La Carbonara on 14th Street in the West Village, where she’d eaten years ago.

I had never noticed this place on the south side of the street; I laughed, as when I walk west on 14th, I stay on the north side. Glad I crossed over. La Carbonara in an adorable place with  friendly service of good food at reasonable prices.

We started with the special app of oozing burrata, drizzled with balsamic and served with fresh arugula, grape tomatoes and prosciutto ($17). One of our group ordered the prix-fix ($8.95) lunch special of  a small Caesar salad, followed by rigatoni cooked al dente and tossed with sweet sausage and a light spicy tomato cream sauce. I’d go back for that as I would for the namesake spaghetti carbonara ($13) simply made with eggs, pancetta and pecorino romano. With that, we sipped on a glass of the full bodied, berry-flavored Montepulciano D’Abruzzo ($10).

My friends shared the ricotto cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream ($9) and the friendly management poured each of us a complementary limoncello.

I’m planning to return to this friendly casual Italian spot, and to learn to take the side not walked.

– bonnie
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La Carbonara
West Village
202 West 14th Street
(at Seventh Avenue)
New York, NY 10011
(212) 255-2060
La Carbonara Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato