Otto Enoteca Pizzeria

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: I hate revolving doors.

It is easy to pass by Otto that is located in the Village and close to the NYU campus. Besides the maroon awning, you could mistake it for a NYU administration building. Inside Otto is modeled to have a timeless yet suave look of a Euro train station that you can imagine if this was Roman Holiday and combined a traditional enoteca. Maybe add in a weird sewer stench (no doubt given the Euro Zone lately, the sanitation department is most likely on strike) and street urchins making passes at your pockets and it will be just like that!  Above the hostess stand is a faux timetable of “trains” destinations to major European cities, specifically cities in Italy. 
  


Bread and grissini- easy to stash for later



 A fresh freshman out to lunch with the parents, stated loudly that the faux schedule were names of bigger parties that were waiting to get seating and the city names were the last names of the parties. I do hope that private school education is put to good use Mom and Dad, and hope to god she is not going to be a poli sci major. However, if I am wrong, my apologizes to the Napoli family. Sarcasm aside, Otto feels to one of the most accessible restaurant in the Batali Empire and family friendly yet could pull of a respectable casual date here (I mean, if I went on dates this would be fine, right?). 

Bread

The bread comes out in a neatly wrapped parcel and a pack of grissini, I guess it adds to the “in motion” type of theme going on here at Otto. Note, they do not give you any olive oil or butter and if you want to, you must ask for it specifically. The bread crusty and springy and a nice sourness that I actually could have eaten on its own but not everyone is weird like me and since I was not dining solo for once, we got some olive oil which I believe they use at all the Batali restaurants. The olive oil is quite good, grassy and buttery and smooth throughout. The antipasti are a must at Otto especially the vegetables. I generally do not praise vegetables but the vegetables are a must get here at Otto. We opted to go for one of the constants, the cauliflower alla Siciliana and the season-like one the autumn corn with fregola, (bead-like pasta). Covering the USDA Dinner plate slot, we got the octopus, celery and lovage (herb).  Enough Bread! Food After the Jump!

Mille-Feuille NYC: Its a fun word to say

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: The French are Master Engineers of packaging...pastry packaging

Mille-feuille bakery is located on Laguardia Place by NYU and Washington Square and can easily be overlooked; the first time in search of this place, I actually walked by it, but the Subway nearby though was very noticeable. However to skip this place when you are having a sweet craving is a mistake. Mille-feuille bakery is a French pastry shop opened by Olivier Dessyn whose past experience has been at Pierre Hermé, pastry legend that would make the Pilsbury Dough Boy white with fear (well…whiter I guess). Pierre Hermé was making macarons before it was cool, giving him ultimate hipster street credibility. Dessyn’s former employment is reason enough for anyone in search of buttery French pastries. Sweets after the jump!

Amorino Gelato: wait...they are French?

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: Puttis freak me out

I have a feeling this is going to be a hot summer, given the rate that new ice cream and gelato places have been opening up in New York. One of the newest places to open up is Amorino gelato on University. Amorino is an French (yes this threw me off) gelato chain making their first United States debut in New York. I guess if the United States can export Mickey Ds and the Colonel’s chicken, Italy has to fight back and export gelato chains. Gelato places are sprouting up like Baskin Robbins and actually…there are probably more gelato places in the city than Baskin Robbins, someone should research that, not me of course, because I am too busy eating frozen confections. Amorino sets itself apart in which they allow you to have as many flavors as you want. No matter what size cone, cup you get you can get as many flavors as you please so for those indecisive people and abuse the ice cream sampling, this is going to be your downfall. 

Amorino spacious with a good amount of seats and has a coffee house vibe going on. For those “writers” out there that work on their “novels” in coffee shops, this could be a summer “office” space change for you. The only downside I personally see to Amorino is the décor which has the Romanticized Tuscany/Roma décor to it and a step above the Olive Garden. It has the aged looking marble and puttis everywhere. Puttis are those naked little baby cupid looking “things” prominent in Renaissance/Baroque art. Every time I see them, I cringle and shudder, I know they are suppose to be like little angel dudes, but they creep me out. However, I ignored my weird fear of puttis and forged through. 

After paying, you give your receipt to one of the…wait is there a name for the gelato people scoopers? I feel there is a cool name for them, if anyone knows let me know. Anyways, I opted for a medium cup and I decided to only go for 4 flavors. Sure by theory I could have gone with a scoop of each but I was not in a mean mood and there is a point of diminishing returns if you load up on too many flavors. I think the 4 range was a good balance for the medium and if you go larger, 6 flavors should be where you limit yourself.  Amorino has a vast array of flavors and had the most selections of chocolate gelatos. I went for the salted caramel, the pistachios, amoretto and speculoos which are one of the most awesome flavors/treats that people need to be made aware of. Speculoos is a gingerbread-like spiced shortbread cookie originating from the Netherlands and are a delectable treat. Amorino is also known for; according to their website is making petals with your ice cream so that your cone or cup looks like a budding rose. As you can see from the picture, although the gelato is a bit neater in presentation, it does not look like a budding flower of any sort maybe I needed to get it in a cone or I got a gelato scooper person that was still learning? However, I was more interested in how the gelato tasted rather than if it looked like a flower. 

Does not look like a flower...but it is tasty

Overall, the gelato at Amorino was the creamiest gelato I have ate by far. Although it was creamy, the flavors were still distinct and clean. The salted caramel had right sugary depth, but I did not really have the saltiness I was looking for. The pistachio flavors were subtle and I would have liked a bit more of the nuttiness to come through. The Amoretto was packed with almond goodness but I personally thought it was a bit too sweet. The Speculoos though lived up to the expectations and tasted like speculoos spread (love peanut butter but speculoos spread is in another league). Sprinkled with bits of speculoos cookie, the gelato had a hint of ginger to it and the warm speculoos spices and tasted exactly like speculoos. Despite the décor and the lack of flowering gelato, Amorino is a solid competitor with its multiple gelato flavors. I heard that their ice cream sandwich with brioche is quiet good and served warm, bread and gelato, two of my favorite things together? Of course I will be back!

Amorino
 60 University Pl.
New York, NY 10003
http://www.amorino.com/en/

Sullivan Street Tea & Spice Co.

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: You can never have enough peppercorns

Sullivan Street Tea & Spice Company has an interesting history. It is not because of the stuff they are selling but it is actually the space they are occupying. Before it was transformed into a gourmet tea and spice shop, it was originally the Triangle Social Club, a stronghold for the mafia back in the knee-capping and cement shoes days. Showing how much New York has changed, what was once a spot for illegal activity is now a place where you can pick up a couple of ounces of a nice proprietary blend of an English breakfast tea. Plus Starbucks is apparently the new place for illegal activity and espionage because caramel frappes are the perfect drink to have while committing high treason.

Not only do I like eating, I do like cooking and stuff because it is fun, tasty, a required life skill and an easy way to impress girls. I am always on the lookout for spices and although I am not a avid hardcore tea drinker, I do like tea and I am also on the look out for new teas. Walking into the Sullivan Street Tea & Spice I am reminded of an apothecary and I have the sudden urge to make a potion of some sort. The walls and shelves are just lined with jars of spices and teas. The space is open and the walls are white making it comfortable as you browse through the jars. The store is basically split down the middle and half the store is teas and the half the store is spices. They have a good range of spices that range on the basics and a surprising amount of whole peppercorns. Not only do they have spices but they have spice blends such as jerk seasons or Herb de Provence which I picked up an ounce of. Their Herb de Provence blend is fragrant and robust and would be a great addition to a rub or as i used it on foccaccia. They have a good selection of salts which is something I did not really get a good look at but when I need a salt refill I will most definitely come here in restocking salt.

The tea selections is ample and not only do they blends and your basics, they have a selection of floral teas such as hibiscus and chrysanthemum tea. They are more than eager to help you out and answer any questions you might have. The spices and teas as sold by the ounce, which mean that you can buy as much or as little as you want and not be stuck with 10 ounces of dried parsley, I mean seriously McCormick, how much parsley does one person need?

Sullivan Street Tea & Spice Company

208 Sullivan St 

New York, NY 10012