FABULOUS FOOD AT SCARPETTA

Yellowtail Crudo

On Thursday of last week, I finally made my way to Scott Conant’s renowned Italian eatery, Scarpetta. My mother and I enjoyed the five-course Signature Tasting Menu with wine pairings, and the cuisine was absolutely perfect! However, the service, while friendly, was a little spotty, rushed, and disorganized at times and thus mildly tarnished the experience,

Dinner began with a flavor-packed punch in the mouth from a surprising source - crudo. Sliced raw yellowtail dressed with olio di zenzero (ginger oil), pickled red onions, and peperoncino oil (pepper oil) was topped with microgreens and a pinch of flaked sea salt. This was seriously the best dish I had all night, and had I left the restaurant at that moment, I would still have left satisfied. A glass of extra dry NV Cima da Conegliano Prosecco nicely complemented the flavorful fish dish.

Unfortunately, hiccups with the service began early on and continued throughout the meal. The staff was always kind and professional, but they seemed to have trouble with the logistics of serving a tasting menu. The first course arrived moments after the breadbasket was served, leaving us little time to taste the variety of breads and accouterments. The second course also came very quickly after the first. At that point, we felt rushed and worried about filling up too quickly. We mentioned this to the server, who was very receptive and asked the kitchen to slow the pace. (It seemed the kitchen had its own sense of timing that was disconnected from the guests’ needs.) The kitchen responded to our request and slowed the pace accordingly, however on the front-of-house end it seemed the bussers were always eager for you to finish your food so they could clear your plates.

Creamy Polenta with Tricassee of Truffled Mushrooms

Thankfully, the following course was so delicious it helped counter the early service troubles. Ever-so-savory creamy polenta with tricassee of truffled mushrooms (truffles…yum!) was served alongside moist braised short ribs of beef. Both were fantastic, and the simple cool-climate 2012 Lo Triolet Gamay D.O.C. paired nicely with both elements of the course. However, the wine pairing was brought out after the dish, which I’m not fond of. The wine should be served prior to the food so that it has time to breathe. I know it’s picky, but c’mon, this is a basic tenet of wine pairing service, and I expect more from Scarpetta.

Next up, the pasta course featured a duet of dishes: classic tomato basil spaghetti and a more-complex short rib and bone marrow angolotti. The spaghetti was perfectly cooked and tasty, and the agnolotti was even better—mouthwateringly delicious, to be precise! Unfortunately, there was another issue with the wine pairings – this time the server forgot the wine altogether and I had to ask for it after receiving the dishes. Grrr…

Short Rib and Bone Marrow Agnolotti

The following course was the protein course, and I had the option between a fish and meat dish—I opted for the moist-roasted capretto (goat). As far as I know, I’ve never eaten goat before, but it was truly divine. The flavor was similar to but a little lighter than lamb, and the texture was reminiscent of tender brisket. The wine selection was nice, and I’m pleased to say it was poured at the appropriate time.

All the food up to this point was outstanding, but surprisingly it was the dessert course that stole the show. My mother received a piece of raisinless carrot cake, and I was served chocolate peanut butter cake with a side of peanut butter gelato. They were both AMAZING. Everything about the carrot cake was light and fluffy whereas the chocolate peanut butter cake was devilishly rich. The only annoyance was that once again our server forgot the wine pairing, and I had to ask for it after the desserts had already arrived.  However, the fruit-forward 2012 Marchesi di Grésy Moscato d’Asti ‘La Serra’ ended up being quite lovely.

In sum, the food was awesome, the wines were very good, and the service, while polite and professional, needs better organization. I would return, and I recommend it others (with a disclaimer about the service hiccups), but I’d choose a place like Del Posto, which has flawless service, over Scarpetta any day of the week.

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