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Liveblogging the First-Ever Lunch at Batali's Babbo

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Just a few minutes ago, Mario Batali's three-star gem Babbo opened its doors for lunch for the very first time, and Eater is on the scene. Here's an up-to-the-minute account of the inaugural lunch:
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[Krieger]12:00: Greeting from the host: "Good evening madam. Oh...I mean good afternoon. This is our first lunch."

12:02: Handshake from the GM. Always a nice touch.

12:03: Pre-lunch recon revealed the things to order include: the orecchiette with stinging nettles, the beef cheek ravioli (a classic that has been retooled slightly), and the brand new turkey porchetta.

12:05: Music starts flowing from the speakers. A burst of opera followed by some John Coltrane.

12:07: Lunch is only downstairs. Where are all the people?

12:10: Ordered: favas, cockles, beef cheeks, turkey.

12:15: Here's an Instagrammed pic of what the exterior looked like upon entry:

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12:20: Two more people just showed up, young couple.

12:23: Ratio of servers to customers: 10 to 1.

12:25: Okay, the favas with mint have arrived:

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12:28: Reservation booth really blowing up. At least one person constantly on the phone. Everyone else is milling around bored. Seriously people, get down here.

12:30: That fava dish was perfect. Ramps with cockles might be next...

12:31: Yes: confirmed. Ramps with cockles have been deployed:

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12:35: There's another couple here. Older lady, younger man.

12:36: Music update: still Coltrane. This is mellow Babbo.

12:40: And here's the turkey porchetta:

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12:42: So, the turkey porchetta includes turkey, fennel, and a pile of whole anchovies. Curious combo.

12:45: A server notes that the kitchen will be tweaking the menu for the next month. It's a work in progress.

12:49: How is the turkey porchetta different from regular porchetta? 1) It's made of turkey. 2) It has 1,000 percent more anchovies.

12:54: Still a mellow scene in the Babbo dining room. No Molto Mario, but that could change at any second.

12:58: Here are the almond cookies that finish the meal if you don't get dessert:
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12:59: Still a lotta smooth jazz going on. Eight customers in the dining room now, including two people who are wearing shorts.

1:00: On the way out, host said, "Thanks again, and I hope you have a great night."
1:05: Eater has left the building. But here's a look at one of the pasta dishes on the lunch menu:
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· All Coverage of Babbo [~ENY~]

Babbo

110 Waverly Place, Manhattan, NY 10011 (212) 777-0303 Visit Website