Photos: Briana Balducci
Love of Italian cuisine and culture spans generations at Ferdi, a new Italian restaurant in the West Village. Sibling partners Aida Scarpati and executive chef Fernando Scarpati are offering shareable plates and fresh pasta, alongside a curated cocktail and Italian wine program. Ferdi also boasts expansive outdoor seating inspired by Italian cafes.
The restaurant gets its name from their grandfather Ferdinando, nicknamed Ferdi, who was born and raised on the Italian island of Ponza. He came to the U.S. and opened Ferdi’s, a local favorite for decades on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx. Their father, Guiseppe, continued in his father’s footsteps to later become the Executive Chef of The Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center.
Ferdi pays homage to their grandfather with a menu featuring family recipes. Antipasti brings Fritto Misto with zucchini, fennel, calamari, and wild shrimp; and Abissi Marini, a cold seafood salad with little neck clams, mussels, wild shrimp, with roasted garlic, lemon and fresh herbs; among others.
Pastas abound with Ravioli Ferdi, homemade spinach ravioli stuffed with eggplant, pecorino and fresh herbs with tomato sauce and finished with ricotta salata; Spaghetti Puttanesca with capers, Italian olives, touch of marinara sauce and fresh herbs; and Capellini Frutta di Mare with clams, mussels, calamari, wild shrimp and scallops in a marinara seafood sauce.
Mains include Pollo Siciliano, pan-seared chicken breast with grilled eggplant, roasted peppers, olives, capers, and parmigiano cheese; Veal and Chicken Sofia stuffed with prosciutto and fontina cheese; Rack of Lamb and Shrimp Combo in a red wine reduction, served with a potato croquette, and Branzino Marechiaro cooked in a seafood sauce. For dessert, there is Gelato for Two, vanilla bean ice cream prepared tableside with liquid nitrogen and Ricotta Cheesecake with sweet and sour pears and huckleberry sauce.
Ferdi is located 15 7th Avenue South (between Carmine and Leroy Streets), New York, NY
For more information, visit www.ferdinyc.com
