Watching Charlie Rose’s PBS show, I first heard of Carbone, the Italian-American restaurant in Greenwich Village in the old Rocco space from Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi and Jeff Zalaznick.

Torrisi was one of his guests.

During the interview, Charlie read a review saying that reservations there were “only slightly less difficult than getting an audience with the new Pope.” How could I have missed that hype?

So when a friend asked for my current want-to-dine places (I was still celebrating my big birthday), it was on my list. We easily got a reservation a week before we wanted to dine, albeit quite early.

The meal at this truly retro red-sauce Italian restaurant began with a small chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano served  from a large wheel. Next came a couple of slices of American smoked ham and “Grandma bread,” better known as focaccia.

We started with the overpriced octopus pizzaiolo ($25). Tthe dish contained only three pieces of grilled braised Spanish octopus over lots of stewed peppers, topped with crisp garlic chips. (Check out my review of Anassa Taverna’s abundant and tender octopus.)

The waiter-touted calamarata calamari ($23), or ring-shaped pasta to look like the squid tossed with broccoli rabe and calamari & pepperoni ragu, so we ordered it. Calamari over cooked; broccoli-rabe almost non existent.

Next we sampled the much written about veal parmesan ($50). Our waiter said it was organic veal from Pennsylvania first pounded thin, breaded and fried, then finished in the oven after being topped with Italian buffalo mozzarella and tomato sauce.

The veal was plentiful for sure, but good?  Not exactly, as it was dried-out and overcooked (other than the fatty bone).

I say this as a truffle lover — the grilled buttery corn with summer truffles had an overpoweringly unpleasant truffle flavor. To be fair, they took it off the bill.

So what is the draw of Carbones? A desire for a step back in time to seemingly simpler times with waiters dressed up in coats and starchy white linen? Or is it just media hype perpetuated by Charlie Rose?

While pondering this, I recalled reading about their house-made limoncello. I asked Louis — our attentive waiter — about it and two glassed full of the sweet lemony libation were in front of us. A perfect ending to a break-the-bank not-so-perfect meal.

 

– bonnie

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Carbone
181 Thompson St
New York, NY 10012
(212) 254-3000

Carbone on Urbanspoon