Eataly Front
Great idea…but needs a lot of work.
SILVIA’S STATISTICS:
Ambiance…………….4/5
Waitstaff………………5/10
Table Setting………..3/5
Menu Selections…..7/10
Food Presentation…7/10
Food Quality………..20/20
Price……………………$$$$
GRADE: B
The whole idea of Eataly, I think, is to bring the atmosphere of an Italian market square to the middle of Manhattan. The whole establishment (it’s not really restaurant but not fully market) takes up a nice corner of 5th and 23rd just outside of Union Square. Before going to Eataly, I had watched the TV special “Lidia’s Empire: From Italy to Eataly” and was intrigued. I mean, really…Lidia Bastianich and Mario Batali? It sounded too good to be true. Lidia Bastianich is like the Mother of Italian-American cooking and TV shows. Her knowledge and talent is unquestionable and also, more importantly, less tarnished by the media than most other serial TV chefs. Mario Batali’s unique, creative, and backcountry recipes with Lidia’s more traditional interpretations should bring out the best of Italian cuisine.
Notice, I said “should.” Let me explain. I am not a typical “city girl” though I live in it, which many people who see the city every single day, day in and day out, nonstop might feel like. Many of these places, especially in touristy spots like Union Square, are very much for tourists and not residents. I can’t help but feel like an outsider every time I’m in one of those places. Why are they trying to sell themselves so much? Sigh..
On to my experience. I met up with one of my friends (who also has his own food blog Preculinary) and as we sipped our teas at the Starbucks across the street, I almost didn’t notice that Eataly was right in front of my face. It did not look like a place to eat at all. Rather, it looked like a jewelry store. Big banner, high windows, high arches. The only thing that made it look like a place to eat was the bread that was lightly positioned on the bottom of the banner. And the slogan “You are what you Eataly?” Come on…that is nothing but corny. I’m sure it deserves so much more than that.
Eataly's Prosciutto Bar
Part of the “charm” of the place is that you need a map to figure out where to go. Which they give, apparently. I couldn’t snap a picture of all the stations because, yes, I was busy eating. When you first enter, you are greeted with a bunch of baskets filled with produce that you don’t see on a regular basis, like teeny orange tomatoes and striped purple-and-white eggplants. The ceilings were very high, making it feel like you are entering another square instead of a store. After the array of produce, Eataly begins to bring you on a chronological dining experience. The first intersection is full of high cocktail tables in the middle of a wine station, cured meat bar, seafood, and cheeses. Very appropriate and impressive.
Eataly Clam Shelf
The seafood was especially enticing. So was the salumi. And the cheeses. But the prices? O who am I kidding…was I expecting cheap? Of course not. If you hang a right past the appetizers, you’ll get to the cookies, candies, chocolates, and gelati. I had to try the ice cream, of course. When trying to see if a new gelateria is good, I always say try three main flavors: nocciola (hazelnut), fragola (strawberry), and stracciatella (vanilla with chocolate chips). These three are the royalty of gelato and if they are good, chances are the rest of the flavors are great.
The cookies and chocolates took up shelves and shelves of imported packets and bags. Yet, I did not see any that I recognized. I owe it to the fact that my trips to Italy are not in the most glorious or culturally fashionable of places and wouldn’t have those brands anyway. They looked delicious, though. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. Delicata.
Eataly Butcher Counter
On the other side of the main intersection was the butcher station that was perfectly nestled next to the pasta shelves and spices. Again, meant to go together. This was where I thought of Batali. When watching his shows, I remember seeing him use all types of meat, especially offal: tongue, liver, cheeks. But there was one beautiful piece of meat that I had to take a picture of:
Eataly Rabbit
O yes. Rabbit. Yum-ee. Of course I can find a nice pair of rabbits in the Bronx for way less than $14.20 a pound, but it was a nice to see. Brownie Point. (For those that are unfamiliar with my rabbit story, click here)
After waiting (and meandering) for about a half hour, we finally got a table in the Pizza and Pasta section. We decided it was best to get something from each menu and see how it turns out. He got the pizza, I got the pasta. But not before the antipasti. The hanging meats were calling my name since I saw them first, so I had to get a plate.
Eataly Salumi Misti
The meats were nicely spiced and very well cured. I’ve been to places where all the meats looked different but tasted the same. Not the case for this one. I enjoyed. They also rotate different meats by the day, which allows one to go and experience something different every time they order a mixed dish or appetizer.
But on to the pasta. I ordered Bucatini all’Amatriciana. It came very al dente, but since it was a thicker spaghetti anyway, I didn’t mind. The sauce was very good, but too sweet for my taste. The red onions should have been enough to sweeten the sauce, but I sensed a bit of sugar as well. And sugar in tomato sauce, for me especially, is one of those cardinal sins. The guanciale gave it a great smokey flavor, however. And before I knew it, we cleaned off that plate real quick.
Eataly Bucatini all'Amatriciana
The pizza was a bit less satisfying. As with all pizza, I have high expectations. A solid, almost burnt crust. Not too much cheese. And a soft, yet crunchy and cooked, crust. The Pizza Verduretta came with zuchinni, red peppers, mozzarella cheese, and eggplant. It looked gorgeous, but upon picking it up, a whole slice flopped. Now, I understand the two schools of thought. Mine, which is where pizza should be able to be eaten with the hands, and Others, where there are different levels of pizza and some are just made to eat with a fork and knife. Perhaps this was meant to be a fork-and-knife pizza. If it was, then it did a great job. The dough, though, I think I can speak for both schools of thought when I say that it needed to be cooked way more than it was. Gummy dough is a no-no. O look, it rhymes. In any case, the flavors were wonderful. It wasn’t too salty and the aroma of the vegetables was great. Each bite really packed a punch.
Eataly Pizza Verduretta
But enough about food, shall we? Let’s talk service. Was there any? Yes. Was it good? Well, that depends. If you are going to Eataly expecting it to be a restaurant (or a conglomerate of restaurants as it’s made to be), expect to be a little disappointed. If you are going expecting it to be more of a group of sampling stations, then it was fabulous. Eataly seems to be right in the middle. The more I took in, the more I understood what the place seemed to be going for. If anyone has ever been to a European market, and has frequented vendors that have their own stools and tables amidst everyone else’s, then this is it. A little pit-stop to eat on your way to the butcher, or the fishmonger, or the breadmaker, who all have their own stools and tables if you so wish to eat as you buy. Except in Manhattan, it doesn’t really work. Waiting 1 – 2 hours for one part of a restaurant to sample one part of a cuisine seems ridiculous to me. The traffic flow…well there is none. Which is why at times there are lines around the block to get in. And once you are in…O no, where to go?! And once you sit down (yes!), you eat and talk about everything you saw until its over and before you get up and put your coat on, the busboy is already clearing your table. Tisk tisk. It could be so much better.
As a business venture, how brilliant. Kudos to whoever thought of the idea to dissect a restaurant into different parts of a menu, where if you really wanted to you could spend the whole night there for a full-course meal, and encourage shopping and sampling while you wait. The revenue must be out of this world.
So if you are ever on 5th and want to stop by, I suggest going for lunch or early dinner during the week. That way you can actually see everything. I would also suggest looking at their menus at their website first, choose your station, and upon entering go straight to the hostess and put your name down. Chances are you’ll get a half-hour to 45 minutes wait, perfect time to browse the entire place and maybe have dessert first like I did, or you might even be seated, leaving the browsing up to later when you have nothing but time and a full stomach to burn.
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