379 Greenwich Street (at N Moore)
New York, NY 10013
212-925-3797
Rating: Mind Altering
Cuisine: Italian
Entree Price: $14-$26
Hours: M-F: 7AM-11PM; S&S: 5:30PM-11PM; Brunch begins Aug 1st
Most addictive dish: warm sheeps' milk ricotta with sea salt and herbs
Review
My eyes were rolling back in my head and the walls were melting mid meal at Locanda Verde, and I found myself wondering how the food could be this good. The answer is pretty simple – executive chef Andrew Carmellini. He’s worked at many of the trailblazing restaurants in the city such as Le Cirque and Lespinasse, so he’s got the chops. And with Spotted Pig guru Ken Friedman involved, LV was primed to be a foodie mecca.
The space is casual and open with simple wood tables and banquets. It’s a large restaurant with ample open air seating and plenty of dark wood and diffused light that set a low-key taverna feel. Up front, a curvy wine bar beckons a few scenesters, but don’t be fooled – Locanda Verde is a place for foodies.
The most sensational item on the menu is the warm sheep’s milk ricotta with sea salt and herbs. This was the appetizer that incited the aforementioned melting walls. This dish alone is reason enough to visit this miraculous restaurant. How do such simple ingredients deliver such richness and intensity? Astonishingly, everything on the menu qualifies as addictive – the lamb meatball sliders made me wonder why anything is made with cow anymore, and the robiolo raviolini with spring mushrooms and vermouth was so succulent and rich that I thought I might pass out.
Go there now.