Montebello
Photo: Cititour.com
Contact Info:
Address: 120 East 56th Street
City: New York, NY
Zip: 10022
map: View the Map
Phone: 212-753-1447
Food Info:
Cuisine:
Italian
Cititour Review:
If you’re tired of restaurants where you wait an hour for a table, even if you have a reservation, service that depends on your ranking in the celebrity food chain, and where having a quiet conversation with your dining companions is close to impossible – and who isn’t tired of these places – the time has come to return to restaurants like Montebello. For fifteen years, owner Joseph Bozic – who runs this Midtown spot with his son (and executive chef) Daniel – has provided a warm, comfortable, even pampering setting for his clientele, who return over and over for well-prepared Italian cuisine. A too-tempting bread basket and a lovely piece of bruschetta begin the proceedings here, after which over 15 appetizers and salads beckon. A trio of perfectly seared firm jumbo seared scallops arrives in a tasty sauce of brandy, saffron and herbs, while an enormous chunk of fresh buffalo mozzarella – accompanied by disappointing tomatoes, a nice slice of red pepper, and an oil and balsamic vinegar dressing made to order – is large enough for two to split. The house also offers about a dozen pastas, which are available in both appetizer and entrée portions. Either way, you might want to dig in hearty ravioli stuffed with veal and spinach in a lovely veal-flecked sauce. Malfati – spinach-and-ricotta flecked gnocchi – are a little heavier than ideal, but they’re bathed in an irresistible creamy truffle sauce that proves hard to stop eating. Fish fanciers will be over the moon if they order the delicious branzino, which is filleted tableside and then dressed with a fine garlic sauce. And while “anatra,” is essentially a first-rate version of the classic French duck a l’orange, the chef gives the dish a slightly Italian accent by throwing a few black olives in the sauce and setting the fowl over a mound of broccoli rabe. Desserts, on the other hand, are Italian through and through, including a fine homemade tiramisu where you can really taste the ladyfingers, and a beautifully presented plate of tartufo, a ball of chocolate and vanilla ice cream dipped in dark chocolate, then sliced. And leave just a little room to taste the kitchen’s homemade cookies and biscotti. These sweet treats provide just the right grace note to this pleasantly old-fashioned dining experience.
Review By: Brian Scott Lipton
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