Mulino a Vino opened on the west end of 14th Street about a year ago. Their new, young (only 23!) chef, Massimiliano Eandi started in kitchens at 14 and had worked in Michelin star restaurants. His cooking offers unusual flavors and textures that are sure to surprise even the most sophisticated palate. Combine that with a 100 wines by the glass kept fresh using the Coravin system allowing the wine to be served without removing the cork, and the highly knowledgeable adorable owner, Paolo Meregalli making this restaurant one not to be missed.
I like that they offer their unusual contemporary Italian fare in three size options for each dish. Other than the Pizza Gourmet al Tegamino, a small is a half portion, a medium a regular sized, large a double. I wish more restaurants did so.
As I was invited as their guest, I asked Laura our knowledgeable server to 
select or have Paolo choose wines to match our food.
Laura started us off with the owners Fiol Prosecco, Veneto ($13), an extra dry, elegant bubbly, nicely balanced with a bit of fruitiness. I sipped that as we looked over the menu and nibbled on the thinly sliced carrots, cucumber, radishes and red and yellow bell peppers sitting on basil ice, ready to be dipped 
in either a tomato-flavored or regular olive oil. What a nice healthy way to start a meal!
With the next three food selections, she served a glass of the sparkling Flor Prosecco Brut Rose, Bastianic, Friuli Venezia Giulia ($11), a rosy, light, florally bubbly. Our first dish was the San Danielle’s Miracle, a small sandwich on a homemade focaccia bun topped with a 
mountain of thinly sliced prosciutto plus tomato carpaccio, burrata and frico cheese chips all covered with microgreen sprouts ($10 / $18 / $34). The Garden of Eden salad included Italian mushroom and broccoli tempura with lots of fresh vegetables on baby romaine leaves with white “caviar” — that’s white truffles in the shape of caviar — on a slate plate coated with shavings of de-hyrdrated pea soup ($12 / $22 / $42). There’s so much going on in each art-like dish that I needed a few moments to take it all in.
Pizza Gourmet al Tegamino came next. It’s not an ordinary pizza, instead it’s a fluffy, bread-like 
6-inch pizza topped with buffalo mozzarella, more white truffle caviar and a fried quail egg, drizzled with liquid gorgonzola and garnished with crystallized basil and sage ($10 / $18 / $34). Pure decadence.
The smoking (literally) cured wild salmon arrived at the table under a glass dome that when removed emitted enticing fumes that made me salivate. It was glazed with a 2001 Amarone and topped with saffron “caviar” and microgreens accompanied by a tiny brioche ($12 / $22 / $42). Don’t miss.
Next I was served a glass of a ’83 Sassicaia Golgheri ($160), one of the many new wines added by the glass to bring their offerings to 100! Nice with the small pecorino and black pepper filled ravioli served in a martini glass on a green pea puree with proscuitto chips topped with pea 
sprouts. The latter two ingredients adding both a flavor and texture contrast ($14 / $26 / $50).
Not be be missed is their extraordinary Pasta + Pomodoro². A confit tomato filled with spaghettoni that’s rehydrated for five days with the juices of the tomato pulp before being baked, then topped with grana padano and garlic — we were told the garlic was slow-roasted for six weeks (that’s no typo!) but I couldn’t taste it. This tomato comes on frico of grana padano brushed with basil ($12 / $22 / $42).
Loved how the air filled with ginger when the server used an atomizer to spritz the pan-seared gnocchi pillows sitting on a bed of saffron and 
Italian sausage topped with zucchini chips and Parmigiano reggiano ($10 / $18 / $34).
I was full by the time the next two courses were served, but I couldn’t resist tasting the slow-roasted then pan-seared octopus with green beans on both a green bean puree and a pesto potato puree ($12 / $22 / $42). And — which turned out to be one of my favorites — the slow-roasted, beet-basted, spiced chicken served with a side of beets. The unusual spice combination on the oh-so-tender chicken just tickled my palate ($10 / $18 / $34). A glass of Giuseppe Sedilesu ‘Mamuthone’ Cannonau di Sardegna ($16) went wonderfully with these last two dishes.
Although we had no room for dessert, Paolo said we must sample their almond flavored ice over whipped cream garnished with a caramelized meringue and chopped pistachio ($13 / $22 / $33). He was so right, we did have room for this refreshing unusual dessert.
I can’t wait to go back. This may just well become my neighborhood go-to restaurant.
– bonnie
Mulino a Vino
337 W 14th St
New York, NY 10014
212-433-0818
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