Tarallucci

Occasion: Pre-movie (Invention of Lying) dinner with Elizabeth and Mamie
Location: Tarallucci e Vino on 18th between B'way and 5th, one of three NYC locations (taralluccievino.net)
Edibles: panzerotti alla mozzarella a cotto alle erbe (fried dough stuffed with mozzarella and rosemary ham) and fregnacce al sugo di papera (sheets of pasta with a duck sauce) for me; Elizabeth shared a cheese plate with Mamie and had the eggplant and mozzarella bruschetta for her main; Mamie had a fish dish with shrimp and scallops

Musings: I really appreciated that they were able to seat us right away and without a reservation on a Friday night. (We had tried to go to Vintage Irving and were told that the place was completely booked, even though it was half-empty at the time. The host also gave me some totally unwarranted attitude.)

I liked the vibe of Tarallucci. It was intimately dim (i.e. good date lighting!) and the noise level was chattery but not loud. The friendly wine steward recommended a nice bottle of South African white, and later brought over some tastings of dessert wines.

My app was wonderful. (I mean, fried bread, melted cheese and ham - how bad can THAT be?) The pasta dish was also good, but I think it needed more pasta to stay in proportion with the very generous amount of sauce. And this coming from a person who's been known to sit down with a bowl of homemade spaghetti sauce with no pasta at all. My dining companions likewise reported that their mains were very good. (I had a bite of one of Mamie's scallops and it was plump and tender.)

I think the reason this place isn't packed is because of its prices. The food is good and all but $60+ is what I pay for "fancy, special dinners." Tarallucci is not that. There are plenty of places where you can get a comparable meal and experience for fifteen or twenty dollars less. I'd probably eat here again, but it'd be a "definitely" if their prices were 15% lower.