Bite of the Best

One beautiful spring day recently, I convinced a friend to walk across the Williamsburg Bridge to accept a dinner invitation with me in a Northern Italian restaurant in that trendy part of Brooklyn just off Bedford Street.

The walk is easy: we simply started across the bridge around Delancy Street in Manhattan and basically just turned left when we reached the other side. Simple, although not magnificent views as the walk across Brooklyn Bridge.

After visiting shops and galleries, we walked up Bedford to North 6th Street to Osteria il Paiolo. We chose the white-tablecloth covered table closest to the street as I wanted to use the natural light for my food photographs.

Chef/ower Alex Palumbo greeted us warmly, shared the evening’s specials from hisNorthern Italian cuisine with some modern influences, and assisted us in selecting a wine from Coppo, his friend’s vineyard.  The Barbera D’ Asti L’avvocata” 2007 ($45) from the clay and chalky soils in Piedmont is a ripe berry fruit-forward, full-bodied wine that went perfectly with the food.

The service at Osteria il Paiolo is just as you want it – attentive, but not overly so and at the table as you needed something.

Polenta gnocco, one of the evening’s specials ($21.50), consisted of half-moons of baked polenta topped with white mushrooms in a delicate truffle reduction. The other, the evening’s only disappointment, was braised octopus and potato salad — Polipo E Patate ($16.50).  The octopus was moist and tender but with little flavor and a soft (not pleasing to me) texture. This dish made me realize that I prefer my octopus grilled.

Our light pasta course was pappardelle ($16.50)  — wide flat noodles — with shredded lamb, cherry tomatoes and arugula topped with fresh goat cheese. Unlike traditional southern Italian cooking, it not soaked in sauce.

The succulent veal in the Ossobucco Alla Milanese ($32.50) – our secondi – was so fork-tender, it fell right off the marrow-filled bone. That dish was accompanied by saffron risotto.

We did try their tiramisu and Italian cheesecake ($7.50 each), but by that time we were so full, we didn’t have room to finish either.

- bonnie
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Osteria Il Paiolo
106 N 6th St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 395-2083
ilpaiolonyc.com