The Early Word on Bar Stuzzichini Offshoot Stuzzicheria

Stuzzicheria, the Tribeca offshoot of Bar Stuzzichini, opened to the public last Friday. It's a small place with laid back vibe and a simple, rustic decor, not unlike its older sibling. It may have only been open for a week but there's already some reviews from early goers. To the early word:

The "Fantastically Good" News: Yelper Bartholomew K. files an overwhelmingly positive review, leaving no aspect uncovered. "It was HOT! Bar seats were super comfy, Max worked the bar and couldn't have been nicer and the food blew us away. At one point, we thought we got our own version of Italian Boqueria on our very corner now." Speaking of the food, he was a fan of the salami, the olives, and their pastas whose sauces were "so rich but not too heavy, so full of flavor." [Yelp]

The "Starved for Something Good" News: Yelper James D., having worked in Tribeca for several years now, is extremely pleased with the newest entry in his neighborhood. "Stuzzicheria comes along in late August, and they are offering small plates in addition simple primi, and secondi. They're pleasant, friendly, helpful, and their food speaks for itself. They're not trying to go over the top. I'd much rather eat at a place such as this one, because i can understand the menu, and i know that the food is simple." [Yelp]

The "Clearly Impressed" News: Blogger Tribeca Citizen files a first impression and it sounds like they're impressed. "The food was a hit. Traditional entrées are available, but we liked sharing a bunch of smaller options (which was more in line with our eat-only-a-little-meat diet): a mild pecorino, finochietta salami, fried peperoncini, pane panelle sliders (made with chickpea fritters and ricotta, pictured at top), clams in a bacon broth, and tagliolini in a creamy lemon-pistachio sauce (which, as you can see from the photo below, went over very well.) Wine is sold in quartini instead of by the glass, and fairly priced. Everything was, actually, except maybe the $7 salami—it was delicious and sliced whisper-thin, but stacked it would’ve measured maybe a quarter of an inch." [Tribeca Citizen]

The "Good Food, Inadequate A/C" News: Commenting on the Tribeca Citizen blog's review is Kellee who's already made two visits in the short time it's been open. She's a fan of the food as well, singling out the zeppole as one that "should not be missed." Her one complaint has to do with adequate cooling - "the A/C does seem to have a tough time keeping up but that seems be the case in many NY restaurants this summer." [Tribeca Citizen]

The "Noisy But Good Food" News: Blogger Jen Woo of Food Comas files her report and her only complaint? The noise. "Patrons huddle close around the dark wooden tables under the faint lighting of hanging old-school Edison lightbulbs; the walls are adorned with photographs of modern day Italian cities. I say “huddle close” to not only evoke an intimate setting, but also to comment on the acoustics of the space. It was quite noisy in the restaurant, and my party of 4 people all had to lean in close to hear each other speak." Otherwise, it sounds like she had a really good time, especially when it came to the ricotta. "This was true comfort food that tingled our taste buds and left us (and our wallets) very content. Stand out dishes for me included the Ricotta & Honey Crostini, Pane Panelle Sliders, ‘Two Ricotta’ Crespelle, and Short Rib Braciole. This place is ideal for ricotta lovers." [food comas]
—Gary Wong