The Citiblog

Harold Dieterle's Seafood Destination Il Totano Arrives in the West Village
May 16, 2024, 7:23.33 pm ET

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Photos: Il Totano

Get ready to be whisked away to the Amalfi Coast at Il Totano in the West Village. Chef/owner Harold Dieterle (above), winner of Bravo’s Top Chef first season, and restaurateur Alexandra Shapiro (Flex Mussels, Hoexter’s) are paying tribute to the vibrant cuisine of Southern Italy. Located at 154 West 13 Street, the focus is on aged seafood, something Dieterle became familiar with during the pandemic. “Dry aging fish improves its flavor and texture while also increasing shelf-life,” said Dieterle. “The final product also has a wonderfully crisp skin.”

The process is front and center in dishes like Dry Aged Bluefin Tuna, Sicilian caponata with fried capers and fig leaf oil; and Grilled Dry Aged Branzino with blistered Sicilian green beans, olives and tuna collar sauce. Guests can see the dry-aging process firsthand in a passageway to the main dining room where the latest offerings can be found on display.

Also on the menu, Grilled Royal Red Shrimp with red pepperoncini butter and Sicilian lemon; Coal Kissed Arctic Char with celery vinaigrette, crispy serrano chilis and volcanic sea salt; Spicy Duck Meatballs & Mint Cavatelli with arrowhead spinach and quail eggs; Spaghetti & Dungeness Crab Sauce made with San Marzano tomatoes & chili crumbs; and Crispy Pork Chop Cotolette with bitter greens, white anchovies and Calabrian chili dressing.

For dessert, there is a cheekily named Fake Affogato Float made with Fiore di Latte ice cream in a bath of Manhattan Special espresso soda, and Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Averna stewed stone fruit and whipped mascarpone.

Dreams of the Amalfi Coast also drift into Il Totano’s cocktails with the Bitter Guiseppi, a mix of Chaparral liqueur, orange, and grapefruit; Capri made with Probitas Rum, Blackpool Spiced Rum, J.M. Creole Shrubb, Orchard Amaro, lemon, and mint; and Colpisci il Muro made with vodka, pineapple, lemon, saffron, absinthe and tarragon.

Inspired by the sea, designer Sasha Bikoff relies on a blue and white color palette, and ceramic nautilus sconces, to bring the shore into the space, while the deco bar’s use of dark walnuts evokes a sleek Riva boat zipping through the pristine waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea.


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