Do dine at Il Gattopardo on West 54th Street. It’s got the whole package — good food, attentive service and well-spaced tables covered in fresh white linens. A rarity during COVID. They also have heaters.
We wanted a leisurely lunch as we hadn’t seen each other since the pandemic began. We asked if we could be served three separate courses with each dish split in half. They happily accommodated.
Enzo, our waiter, placed a bread basket filled with focaccia, sliced bread and breadsticks on the table. He then poured EVOO onto a plate and Pallagrello Nero/Casavecchia “Settimo” 2014 Alois ($16) into our glasses.
Next, he offered mini arancini filled with flavorful veal ragu, peas and mozzarella as a gift from the kitchen to tickle our palates.
All photos show the half portions the kitchen served.
The tender grilled octopus came with roasted fingerlings, celery hearts and Castelvetrano olives in a light lemony dressing ($24). Some of the best octopus I’ve eaten since COVID began. Yes, that good.
We cleared our palate with a salad of radicchio, frisée, fennel, rainbow carrots and radishes in a red wine vinaigrette ($18) before our pasta course. The homemade ribbon-like fettuccine came covered in a Corbara cherry tomato sauce topped with buffalo ricotta ($29). With each course, a waiter offered freshly ground pepper and with our pasta, he also offered freshly grated Parmigiana Reggiano cheese.
We were also given biscotti before our bill. A class act.
A must visit.
Il Gattopardo
Midtown
13-15 West 54th Street
New York, NY 10019
212.246.0412
www.ilgattopardonyc.com
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