Nathan recaps his business trip, including restaurant recommendations and thanks to all those he visited.
Posted on Feb 12, 2009
New York, New York
I just returned from a trip to New York and Providence, Rhode Island. It was great to see several of our producers at the Vino 2009 Grand Tasting at the Hilton New York. It was also a pleasure to meet with potential new clients and taste through some of our wines. Thank you to Chuck and Emidio at Mondo Vino of Baltimore, and Ray Lajoie at LaMessineo Distributors in Providence.
If ever you’re in New York craving Italian food, be sure to try Anima Italian Bistro in Brooklyn. Thanks to Francesco, a wine broker and friend in New York, we were able to visit Anima for dinner. Owned by Francesco’s brother Salvo, from Catania, Sicily, this restaurant offers excellent Italian cuisine at affordable prices. The same can be said for the wines, many of which can be found in our portfolio as well. Just across the Manhattan Bridge in Brooklyn, you won’t be disappointed by this out of the way gem. Thanks Francesco!
We were fortunate enough to visit Babbo while in New York as well. Mario Batali’s famed spot in Greenwich Village proved to be an excellent choice, even if a tad expensive. The prize here was the pasta, which reminded me of many meals in northern and central Italy. An amazing wine list with many choices by the glass and carafe, makes for a great dining experience in Manhattan.
Lastly, we stumbled upon a preparation of fried calamari which is evidently particular only to Rhode Island. It shouldn’t be. We had some of the best calamari at the Capital Grille in Providence, and found the preparation to be common to all restaurants in the area. We were later told that it was a Rhode Island tradition, and couldn’t help but wonder why the recipe hadn’t traveled. Much like calamari served in Italy, it came with no sauce, but simply served with a wedge of lemon. However, the simple addition of hot and sweet peppers made this the finest preparation of calamari we’ve had.
New York is always a fantastic place to visit, and Providence was no different. I can’t wait to go back, next time in warmer weather.
NPW