After coming from A Taste of… in celebration of Scotland week, I was meeting a friend for dinner, then 
heading the opening of Nobody is Perfect, a new East Village Italian restaurant.
And so, we decided to share a couple items at Osteria Morini, one of the Altamarea Group (Ai Fiori Marea, and Bedford Post Inn).
We ordered the Ligurian Vermentino ‘Il Bianco’ | Il Torchio, 2015, ($52,) rich enough to stand up to our meat dishes and light enough for the salad.
Inspired by the classic Italian pasta, Osteria Morini’s cacio e pepe (cheese 
and pepper) salad ($14) features romaine with an anchovy dressing, topped with garlic breadcrumbs, Parmigiano Reggiano and crunchy capers. It was deliciously crisp at first, then not so as the lettuce warmed from the hot plates we were given for the salad.
The kitchen sent out two deep-fried arancini (filled rice 
balls) that were wonderfully crispy, hot and creamy. A fav for sure.
So was the hearty fusilli combined with a tender ragù containing chunks of pork topped with shreds of robiola cheese ($23).
As we sliced the large veal chop ($39), we noticed it was cooked to perfection, medium rare as requested. It arrived atop a veggie puree with black trumpet mushrooms and dandelion greens. Cooked to perfection, but not very enjoyable.
With the veal’s texture mushy, we concluded that the chop had been sous vide.
That’s a process that the Altamarea Group uses, where the food, sealed in plastic, is submerged in a heat-controlled liquid to precook. The resulting texture isn’t the same; something that is generally offset by searing the meat; really searing it. We chatted with the waitstaff, asking about that; they were utterly clueless! Sadly, we left most of the chop.
We then skipped dessert and headed off to the Alphabet-City restaurant opening. Knowing the quality of the Altamarea Group, I’ll try again.
– bonnie
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Osteria Morini
Soho
218 Lafayette Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 965-8777
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