I had walked past Olio e Più on the corner of Greenwich Avenue and Avenue of Americas many times noticing the abundance of outdoor dining space, something often scarce when the weather cooperates.
I was a guest at the 24-hour tratoria and enoteca in the West Village and tried to sample as lots of the menu. The ricotta bruschetta ($9) was a disappointment as the bread, which should have been crisp, way too thick. With only a third of the bread, the flavor of the ricotta purportedly topped truffle oil and sea salt might have come through. Sadly ordinary and skippable.
What was wonderful though was the melanzane alla Parmigiana ($ 10) multi-layered paper-thin slices of eggplant not smothered in sauce. That plus a salad would make a satisfying light meal. Also not to be missed are their pizzas. I recommend trying Campagnola ($21) topped with fior di late (mozzarella), parma ham, arugula and parmesan. The dark Sicilian Nero D’Avola Tenuta Rapitala “Alto” 2009 ($60) a berry and slight almond flavor complemented these and our other foods wonderfully.
Other disappointments were the Insalata Caprese with hard flavorless tomatoes at the height of tomato season (late August), with a creamy burrata, missing the menu-promised basil oil, but drizzled with a balsamic glaze ($15) and the Fiorentina salad or arugula, grilled veggies (zucchini, eggplant, portobello) and mozzarella ($12). Sadly the veggies were drowned in a gloppy balsamic dressing.
I would recommend the spaghetti ai frutta di mare ($19) with clams, mussels, and shrimp in a white wine spiced red sauce, the boneless branzino in Padella with spring market vegetables (although missing the menu-mentioned Swiss chard ($29), the side of cavolfiore ($8) roasted cauliflower, with toasted capers, chili and lemon and the decadent for-chocolate-lovers gooey molten chocolate cake with vanilla gelato
– bonnie
Olio e Più
West Village
3 Greenwich Avenue
New York, NY
(212) 243-6546
Leave A Comment