Location: 19 West 24th Street, New York, NY 10010
Cuisine: Italian/French
Best Dish: The polenta is amazing. The umami from the mushrooms and decadent smoothness of the heirloom polenta are a winning combination.
Cost: $$$
Overall: Italian and French cuisine that goes above and beyond the standard chicken parm and wine. Trattoria Italienne serves up Rustic cuisine with a modern flair and sumptuous flavors.
Two years ago chef Jared Sippel and General Manager James King opened Trattoria Italienne on NYC’s West Side. The eatery offers a selection of Northern Italian and Southern French dishes. The menu follows the traditional flavors of the regions and presents them in a modern way. Northern Italy is known for their creamy sauces, polenta, and meats. Southern France is the opposite of the spectrum with a focus on fresh seafood and olives. The combination of the two cuisines results in a well-rounded menu with something for every taste. We left our taste buds in the capable hands of the chef and indulged in theirs, Voyage Di’Italienne. The “Voyage” is a tasting of their seasonal dishes spread out over several courses.
Fougasse
Fougasse is a tasty flatbread from Southern France. This bread has been part of France since Roman times. Chef Jared makes this with squash blossoms and anchovies. Every other bite there is a punch of salty briny flavor from the anchovies that is surprising and delicious.
Dok Dall’Ava Proscuitto
This 24 and 36 months aged prosciutto is melt in your mouth delicious and served with housemade Grissini and European butter.
Electric Goat
This dish is made of tomato, roasted garlic hot peppers and goat cheese served with garlic crostini for dipping. The sauce is quite tasty!
Italian Chicory Salad
A salad is a smart way to cleanse the palate and get in your veggies between courses. The chicory salad is light and flavorful, made with chicory, artichoke potato, and black truffle vinaigrette.
Pappardelle
At Trattoria Italienne, the pasta is all made in-house for optimal flavor and freshness. The pappardelle is served with a Tuscan red wine and chicken liver ragu. The ragu had a beefy flavor with a slight hint of mineral taste from the livers. While the liver taste was evident it wasn’t off-putting. The dish was absolutely delicious.
Gnocchetti
If you’re lucky you’ll get to try the house Gnocchi. This fusion of potato and pasta is comfort food to the tenth power. The plate is served with a generous helping of woody chanterelle mushrooms in a light sauce
Anson Mills Blue Corn Polenta
At first glance, the eye immediately focuses on the bright purple polenta. The first thought of anything this color is that is will be sweet. It isn’t. It is a creamy savory dream on a plate. The polenta is served with a generous helping of sauteed mushrooms or Funghi Trifolati and a slow-cooked duck egg. The runny egg yolk intensified the creaminess creating a truly satisfying bite.
Coconut Cake
Dinner ended with a duo of tasty treats. The coconut cake is a beautiful confection, with salted caramel, almonds, and fresh coconut.
Gelato
In addition to its pasta Trattoria Italienne also makes its own gelato. This creamy treat is available in a variety of ever-changing flavors, including Latte, dark chocolate and Hazelnut Nutella.
Succession Cider
Trattoria has a fully stocked bar with a wide selection of spirits for consumption. Among the options is this crisp dry local brew from Descendent Cider, the first New York City Cider. The beverage is cool and refreshing with sharp apple flavor.
Cocozza Group
In addition to the local flavors, Trattoria Italienne also has a selection of specialty cocktails. The Cocozza Group is a hearty Bourbon Cocktail, with the flavors of a classic Old Fashioned.
Trattoria Italienne is a warm inviting restaurant with a large airy dining room. One of our favorite features is the Voyage D’Italienne. This Prix-fixe special gives the chef the opportunity to showcase his very best dishes and the consumer a fuss-free feast for the senses. Most of the dishes we enjoyed, we may not have ordered for ourselves. Having the chef choose gave us the opportunity to expand our horizons and delight our taste buds with something new.
DINNER
5:30PM – 11PM (Mon -Sat)
SUNDAY BRUNCH
11:30AM – 2:30PM
For more information, head over to italiennenyc.com.
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