Thursday, April 8, 2010

Night Out in NYC: Babbo


It's not hard to spend two hours and drop $200 at Celeb-chef Mario Batali's hip downtown restaurant Babbo. On trendy Wavery Place, walking into Babbo is like walking into a little corner of Italy. You had better make a reservation early though -- the restaurant fills up weeks in advance. The late-night walk ins can score a seat at the fun bar, but seating is limited and timing is critical. Securing two seats at the bar may be ruthless, but it is well worth it to be within an arm's reach of the
Prosecco. While seated at the bar there is also a good chance (if you are the only one in sight drinking said Prosecco) that the bartender will keep you topped off constantly and may not charge you for every single drink it adds up to...).

The menu is so superb that you really could not possibly go wrong -- unless you only order one course, however. Be prepared for a serious dinner. This is the business of Italian cuisine, might you remember. A short list of Antipasti not to be missed include the grilled octopus, the finocchiona and lamb prosciutto, and the wild baby arugula. All of the pastas are fabulous as listed under the first course, especially the fettuccine with house-made pancetta and asparagus and linguine with clams, pancetta and hot chiles. For the adventurous eater the squab and the quail are must-haves. The rabbit and barbecued skirt-steak are also incredible. To clean the palate after such an incredible meal the best dessert option is the assortment of gelati and sorbetti.

Babbo is located at 110 Waverly Place in Greenwich Village.

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