It's so easy for Italian food to be awful and overpriced. But this is one of the best I've been to. I'd say it was up there with Supper for affordable Italian. The location is a little inconvenient... More

It's so easy for Italian food to be awful and overpriced. But this is one of the best I've been to. I'd say it was up there with Supper for affordable Italian. The location is a little inconvenient but at least there aren't a bunch of downtown D-Bs crowding the place. Pros: Friendly waiters, delcious food and Lambrusco Cons: Seriously none
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This is a place serving food with alot of love. The prices and quality are well matched and the wine list is well priced. The Cabernet Franc is the best wine on the menu. Pros: Easy to get... More

This is a place serving food with alot of love. The prices and quality are well matched and the wine list is well priced. The Cabernet Franc is the best wine on the menu. Pros: Easy to get into on the weekend - good food and wine Cons: Service could be kicked up a notch
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New restaurant focused on cuisine in the Modena region of Italy. Start with the Lambrusco "champagne" as an apertif it is unusual and tasty. The lambrusco goes well with Gnocco fritto and... More

New restaurant focused on cuisine in the Modena region of Italy. Start with the Lambrusco "champagne" as an apertif it is unusual and tasty. The lambrusco goes well with Gnocco fritto and prosciutto di parma. We also tried the eggplant and goat cheese which was good. Wine list is short (with all available by the glass) and also focused on Modena and solid. They do a good job of letting you sample a number of wines to figure out what you like and we ended up with a nice sangiovese. Appetizers were tried were good and then focus on the pastas which is what they are known for. I had the tortelloni di pollo (truffle olive oil and chicken and wild mushrooms) and my wife had a pork ravioli that was quite nice. Chef/owner stopped by to say hello and provide some background on certain dishes. An enjoyable slide of Modena at a very reasonable price.
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Had dinner here for a friend's birthday last night. Restaurant was quite empty upon arrival, but quickly filled. The wait staff were extremely friendly and attentive. Lambrusco was very tasty and... More

Had dinner here for a friend's birthday last night. Restaurant was quite empty upon arrival, but quickly filled. The wait staff were extremely friendly and attentive. Lambrusco was very tasty and at only $30/bottle, can't be beat. Had the fritters and meat for an appetizer...fried pieces of heaven with thin sliced meats. Fresh pasta for the main course, and the profiteroles for dessert. Took our time finishing the wine, and never felt rushed Every aspect of this venue was great - including the old school Italy pictures on the walls, and the locked case of balsamic vinegars. Definitely going back. Pros: pasta, wine, staff
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When is the bar/lounge area of a restaurant McDonald?s Happyland for toddlers? Only yuppie parents know for sure. Visited this place last week for their very good and reasonably priced... More

When is the bar/lounge area of a restaurant McDonald?s Happyland for toddlers? Only yuppie parents know for sure. Visited this place last week for their very good and reasonably priced tortelloni and some Lambrusco. Specifically chose a seat 1) on the other side of the restaurant from a yuppie family with toddler and 2) right next to the bar/lounge area. But the plan for a relaxing dinner was foiled when yuppie parents decided to deal with toddler?s boredom by trotting back and forth with her throughout the length of the restaurant, and playing with her in the bar/lounge area right next to our table. Skipped dessert and left.
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went for lunch closer to 2pm. hostess/waitress was unfriendly and uninterested. she had marginal english skills that she didn't compensate with better service or care. she walked away after... More

went for lunch closer to 2pm. hostess/waitress was unfriendly and uninterested. she had marginal english skills that she didn't compensate with better service or care. she walked away after taking only two of the four drink orders. didn't return with the drinks or water for more than the usual wait, the young male server although he tried, spilled the frutta de mare on my mother. the salmon on a bed of spinach was edible nothing exciting, the goat cheese ravioli was delicious, my tagliolini with sundried toms, chix and pignoli nuts was passable. the pasta was fresh which was enjoyable, the seasonings were mild at best and overall unmemorable. when the male server cleared the table he dropped mussel shells on my sister (a mere accident). it was a chore to get water, napkins and a bit more bread. the floor were unpleasant even though it was after the lunch rush it wasn't a very inviting space to dine. when the bathrooms are more memorable than the meal or the service, it's probably one you want to pass on. i am the forgiving type and will apply the 'must be an off day' but this day's visit wasn't the case. Pros: inexpensive, good lambrusco choices Cons: poor service, boring atmosphere
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For the price and quality of food, i would recommend this place. I tried the Tortelloni and it's very good. Also tried their tuna pasta special at evening. Althought the tuna was a bit on the fishy... More

For the price and quality of food, i would recommend this place. I tried the Tortelloni and it's very good. Also tried their tuna pasta special at evening. Althought the tuna was a bit on the fishy side, the pasta and sauce made up for it--it was really good. It's tasty but still light, not heavy like a lot of other Italian restaurants. Service is friendly. It may have been because of a weekday dinner, but it was relaxing and I didn't feel rushed at all. Don't expect to feel like "fine" dining but i think it's great for a casual night out. I would definitely go back. Pros: Price, food
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New location is much nicer than the old one and you get an overall decent meal for the money. I've not had anything here that would make me think specifically of coming back, but if I'm in the... More

New location is much nicer than the old one and you get an overall decent meal for the money. I've not had anything here that would make me think specifically of coming back, but if I'm in the neighborhood and hungry for Italian, I'd go back. The borlengo appetizer was particularly good and we liked the lasagna (which is supposedly the signature dish), though it's oddly prepared -- it's a big square but only about an inch thick and there's not quite as much as you'd expect for the price. A bit worrisome was the slow service. The restaurant was not full, but our hurried-looking waitress was often nowhere to be found and the food took about one hour to arrive after ordering. She apologized for how "incredibly busy" she was, but I'll reiterate that the restaurant was not even full. God only knows how slow the service is when the place *is* full!
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VIA EMILIA IS NOT CLOSED! It just moved around the corner to 47 East 21st Street between Broadway and Park Avenue South. To die for: Lasagna, gnocco fritto and several choices of Lambrusco. And... More

VIA EMILIA IS NOT CLOSED! It just moved around the corner to 47 East 21st Street between Broadway and Park Avenue South. To die for: Lasagna, gnocco fritto and several choices of Lambrusco. And a terrific value too. Great for meeting friends for lunch or on a lovely summer evening.
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I met a friend at the restaurant Sat. night at 8 p.m. My friend had already been seated and I promptly joined her. We had met each other only recently, so we had gotten into a lengthy conversation... More

I met a friend at the restaurant Sat. night at 8 p.m. My friend had already been seated and I promptly joined her. We had met each other only recently, so we had gotten into a lengthy conversation before even looking at the menu. The waitress came back a couple of times to check on us (and was not annoyed). Finally, we ordered. I had the chicken tortollini with mushrooms and it was outstanding. Subtle flavors inside and handmade pasta. My friend had the pumpkin tortollini, which was also outstanding. The wine was good. You can carry on a conversation with your party. All-in-all, it was pleasant, enjoyable and a great meal. Would make a nice date place as well. I would go back.
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