La Rivista Ristorante and Wine Bar: 20 Years and Counting

Our last dinner for this NYC trip - sad, but at least we had a really good Italian meal. After foraging the American Museum of Natural History for four and a half hours (and still not seeing everything) and then having a trying experience at Bloomingdale's (the shoe department customer service has gone caput - and I told them Nordstrom would have found those shoes and mailed them to me!), we were beyond tired and very hungry. We wanted something not far from the hotel, so we could stagger back after dinner. Though we had dined on Italian the previous night, Nikki and I had no problem choosing this cuisine again, and had made it back to Restaurant Row. It is one of our favorites. We were greeted by the owner's son and I overheard him tell another diner the restaurant had been there about twenty years. Sounded like a promising meal. La Rivista had relaxing lighting and a very appetizing menu. Nikki and I started with Crostini Di Polenta Con Funghi (roasted polenta with mushrooms ragu) and it was phenomenal. It was a larger portion, so ample to share. I ordered the Ravioli Alla Salvia (goat cheese ravioli with cream and sage). I wanted something with cream and this dish hit the spot. The ravioli was homemade and the sage was not too heavy. A little of that spice goes a long way. Nikki ordered Fettuccine Fresche Al Ragu Bolognese (fresh fettuccine with bolognese meat sauce) and was equally pleased. I sampled hers and agreed. A lot of meat in the sauce and more fresh, homemade pasta. To top it off, we ordered the chocolate mousse cake and it was the perfect ending to a great meal. Very rich, but that's exactly how I like most things. The portions were generous and the prices reasonable.

If you are in Midtown, I definitely recommend La Rivista Ristorante, located at 313 W 46th Street, between 8th & 9th, for lunch or dinner Monday through Saturday.

~Alex

Click Here to view the Menu

Da Rosina: A First Glimpse of Restaurant Row

After our afternoon break, we strolled around a bit and then headed to dinner. I had been down 46th Street the night before and hawked a few restaurants, so Nikki and I decided they were worth a try. 46th Street is also known as Restaurant Row, which has quite a few restaurants, Italian, Brazilian, sushi, Tuscan steak and something called Bourbon Street that I would recommend staying away from. It looked very touristy and was super noisy. 46th Street reminds me of Little Italy in NYC and Little Italy in San Francisco, where restaurateurs greet you on the street to sell you on their particular locale. We approved of Da Rosina's menu and headed inside. I started with Mozzarella Caprese and Nikki had the Insalata Cesare. She was very pleased with her salad. The mozzarella was great, but the tomato was a little bland. For my entree, I ordered the Tortellini alla Panna (homemade tortellini filled with ricotta cheese in cream sauce), which was very good. I actually chose pesto sauce over the cream sauce, which ended up being a great choice. The pasta being homemade makes a big difference. Nikki ordered the Linguine alle Vongole (linguine with fresh clams in white sauce). She said it was a little watery and she prefers the clams diced in the pasta, rather than in the shell. She was not disappointed, but prefers her way of making it. Lastly, for dessert, I ordered the Chocolate Mousse cake and Nikki had the Tiramisu. Both desserts were excellent and homemade. We must have had four waiters after the host seated us. We noticed this in a few restaurants. A lot of help and service. Da Rosina was a very tightly run operation and everyone was exquisitely friendly and helpful. A good Italian meal in a nice atmosphere...there is not much better in regards to dining out. Da Rosina is located at 342 W. 46th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10036 serving lunch and dinner daily.

~Alex

http://www.darosina.com/

Algonquin Hotel: A Taste of Midtown Manhattan's Social Life circa 1902

Sunday afternoon, we saw 33 Variations with Jane Fonda and Colin Hanks. Great play about a Dr. (**) (Fonda) who struggles to write her last monograph about Beethoven's thirty-three variations on **'s waltz while dealing with the unavoidable complications and demise of ALS. Hanks plays the love interest of Fonda's only daughter. I highly recommend this show. After the play, Nikki and I decided to have a drink and an afternoon snack at The Algonquin Hotel. Opened in 1902, The Algonquin became the social scene as 'New York’s social life was moving from downtown ballrooms to what has become today’s soaring Midtown'. Famous literary figures, cabaret singers and other celebrities and socialites have made this hotel historical. Nikki ordered a gin martini up with a twist, of course. She is against anything 'light' or faddish when it comes to drinks - no fruity drinks for this connoisseur. I ordered the black and white cake. It was smooth and creamy with just the right amount of everything. Their appetizer menu in the lobby lounge area also included lobster macaroni and cheese. I have made a note that I have to order that during my next visit. If we had not been planning on dinner soon, I surely would have jumped on it. Not that the cake was logical, but I had to have something there. It is a great place to sit, have a drink, snack and/or dinner and relax. The hotel is beautiful and in that old, classic way. I would like to stay there for a visit as well. The Algonquin is located at 59 W 44th Street, New York, NY 10036 and has two dining rooms, a bar and the lounge. The Oak Room Supper Club serves dinner and often has entertainment (Jazz Brunch on Sundays!). The Round Table serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Blue Bar offers bar fare and lots of drinks from 11:30am - 1am daily. Lastly, The Lounge, the restored Algonquin Lobby, with writing desks and Edwardian furniture in deep jewel tones, serves tea, coffee, cocktails and lighter fare from noon until 4pm and continues cocktails into the evening. Definitely visit The Algonquin Hotel during your next Manhattan visit.

~Alex

http://www.algonquinhotel.com/