New Year's, crap shoot that it is, can go either way. So we asked a well-placed correspondent to suss things out at Molto Mario's shindig. LeBernbabybern came back with mostly great things to say. Got a good report of your own on a high-end New Year's Eve? bring it.
SLNYDaddy: del posto new year's report, please
LeBernBabyBern: valet parked the car
LeBernBabyBern: (ridiculous - $29)
LeBernBabyBern: only b/c we couldn't find a spot on the street and splurged
LeBernBabyBern: walking in, i loved the room, loved the expansiveness of it
LeBernBabyBern: the black/cream colors, the height, the staircase
LeBernBabyBern: (my only problem were the gold accents - he should have known to go matte gunmetal...)
LeBernBabyBern: we sidled up to the bar
LeBernBabyBern: and started a round of prosecco
LeBernBabyBern: it did not stop until 3 a.m.
LeBernBabyBern: it was, by far, the best p i've ever tasted
LeBernBabyBern: perfection
LeBernBabyBern: here's the only problem:
LeBernBabyBern: they kept us waiting for AN HOUR at the bar
LeBernBabyBern: we weren't seated until 10:45 for a 9:30 resy
LeBernBabyBern: inexcusable
LeBernBabyBern: they said it was b/c no one wanted to leave their table
LeBernBabyBern: since we were enjoying the bar, it was fine - but not good form
LeBernBabyBern: loved the leather seating at the bar
LeBernBabyBern: the high backed chairs and the lower loveseats
LeBernBabyBern: very cozy and elegant
LeBernBabyBern: enjoyed the sugar-coated hazelnuts at the bar
LeBernBabyBern: once we were seated, the service was impeccable
LeBernBabyBern: their timing was perfect
LeBernBabyBern: b/c they kept us waiting, they bought us a round of prosec
SLNYDaddy: food?
LeBernBabyBern: i ordered well, luckily
LeBernBabyBern: my friend gina did not - she chose the greens to start and the gnocchi
LeBernBabyBern: neither one was really gangbusters
LeBernBabyBern: just adequate
LeBernBabyBern: i ordered the cauliflower sformato w/citrus and skate
LeBernBabyBern: it was fantastic
LeBernBabyBern: the texture of the sformato was creamy and decadent, perfectly offset by the small grapefruit slices and delicate skate
LeBernBabyBern: i ordered the tagliatelle bolognese
LeBernBabyBern: again, perfect -- al dente and hearty
LeBernBabyBern: the garlicky spaghetti w/crab was the other hit
SLNYDaddy: so far, i'm reading a rave here
SLNYDaddy: four star kind of language
LeBernBabyBern: well, we stopped at pasta b/c we were well lit and stuffed
LeBernBabyBern: so we went to dessert, which was THREE courses
LeBernBabyBern: here were our desserts: crostada di cioccolato (chocolate tart - rather functional but the dark chocolate filling was strong); spumone al caffe e cioccolato (coffee and chocolate cream in a bowl a la tiramisu w/an amaretto crumb bottom which was other people's highlight, not mine); apricot cassata di gelato (their equivalent of baked alaska - almond cake w/a meringue topping drizzled w/apricot-moscato) and the surprise payoff - the concord grape sorbet...which was out of this world...so refreshing, deep flavor, so genuine...very surprising...
LeBernBabyBern: ridiculous
LeBernBabyBern: their version of the baked alaska was extraordinary
LeBernBabyBern: oh - and we had the chocolate course
LeBernBabyBern: which was one of those moving tray deals
LeBernBabyBern: the guy told us all about the five chocolates we could choose from and their respective rums
LeBernBabyBern: and then jessica just chose since she was closest to the man w/the cart
LeBernBabyBern: i loved watching him hack away at the chocolate w/the machete
SLNYDaddy: so you're telling me there was no meat had?
LeBernBabyBern: nope
LeBernBabyBern: it was all about the prosecco -- better than i've ever had
LeBernBabyBern: i gotta find out what kind it was and then load up my fridge
SLNYDaddy: case loads
SLNYDaddy: as orchestrated as alain ducasse?
LeBernBabyBern: more comfortable somehow
LeBernBabyBern: i think it was just b/c there was simply more room
LeBernBabyBern: an openness as opposed to the stuffy nature of ad
SLNYDaddy: right
SLNYDaddy: food? decor? service?
LeBernBabyBern: i'd say 9's across the board
LeBernBabyBern: i dunno any 10's besides Le Bern
LeBernBabyBern: we wanted a table of more than 6
LeBernBabyBern: and called the restaurant several times to try to make it happen
LeBernBabyBern: they absolutely wouldn't allow it unless we took a table upstairs
SLNYDaddy: right
LeBernBabyBern: the kicker:
LeBernBabyBern: there was MORE than enough space for 8 at the table
LeBernBabyBern: a crime, i say
SLNYDaddy: or is it genius?
LeBernBabyBern: excellent question
LeBernBabyBern: b/c one of the things i LOVED about that joint was that it was so open
LeBernBabyBern: and i so enjoyed the freedom of it
SLNYDaddy: freedom at what price?
LeBernBabyBern: we got outta there for around 90 pp - only b/c we didn't have mains. we were surprised to get out so easy, honestly...
LeBernBabyBern: he wins with this place, that's for sure
LeBernBabyBern: i really, really enjoyed it
· Del Posto Train: On the Menu [~E~]
· Eater Inside Special Edition: Del Posto [~E~]
