Convivio [Closed]

45 Tudor City Place

New York, NY 10017

tel + 1 (212) 599-5045

Convivio is another of the fabulous restaurants in the Chris Cannon-Michael White empire. Tucked away in Tudor City, Convivio seems to get less mention than Alto or Marea, Cannon and White’s other two Manhattan restauraunts, but the food is equally brilliant and well worth a visit. Even better, prices are more modest than at either Alto or Marea. The menu at Convivio is based on the bold flavors of southern Italy and is offered either as a four course prix-fixe for $62 or a a la carte.

We started with an assortment of sfizi, small vegetable and meat dishes served family-style. The pastas were among the many highlights of this incredible dinner and showcased White’s penchant for intense flavors to the fullest. The squid ink pappardelle were delicious. The malloredus (Sardinian-inspired saffron gnochetti) boasted perfect texture and beautifully-articulated, racy flavors. The tortelli were literally bursting with character. The fish main courses were just as tasty, but there was something intimately comforting about the pastas that was hard to beat. Executive Pastry Chef Heather Bertinetti’s desserts were bold and explosive, but not for those on a diet! Still, all of our choices were delicious, especially the bomboloni. I imagine that a taste of any of these desserts is probably enough to satisfy just about anyone’s sweet tooth.

Sommelier Levi Dalton has put together one of the most intriguing wine lists in New York City. Convivio is the perfect place to explore some of Italy’s hard to find cult wines. Diners will find a broad selection of whites from the school that favors extended skin contact, as well as a number of important reds from Campania and Sicily that pair beautifully with the food. Even better, the list is very reasonably priced, as the vast majority of the wines from these regions remain less well known than those of Tuscany and Piedmont. The wine list alone offers more than enough compelling choices to merit a visit.

I loved Terredora di Paolo’s 2008 Greco di Tufo Loggia della Serra for its perfumed aromatics and clean, zesty flavors. It was a perfect wine with which to start the dinner. I was initially less enthused with this bottle of Vestini Campagnano’s 2006 Pallagrello Bianco Le Òrtole, which wasn’t as expressive as I had hoped. Some of the varietal character seemed obscured, but I have to say the wine’s textural richness worked beautifully to balance some of the richer flavors in the pastas, like the saffron in the malloredus and the guanciale and cracked black pepper in the tortelli. The 2007 Passopisciaro, Nerello Mascalese from Sicily’s cold-climate Mount Etna district, was simply gorgeous. This relatively mid-weight, floral red emerged from the glass with a level of sensual beauty that was remarkable, bringing to mind varities such as Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo, but with an unmistakeable sense of the Etna. Refined and silky throughout, it was an ideal wine to enjoy alongside our main courses.

Food:

Sfizi

Pappardelle al Nero di Seppia; squid ink pasta ribbons, seppia, mussels, swordfish polpettine

Malloreddus; Sardinian saffron gnocchetti, crab, sea urchin

Tortelli di Amatrice; Tomato, guanciale, cacio e pepe sauce

Cernia Arrosto; black sea bass, grappa-soaked raisins, salami, manilla clams, broccoli rabe, tomato brodo

Dentice agli Agrumi; red snapper, red pepper puree, puntarelle potatoes, winter citrus vinaigrette

Roasted Turbot

Bomboloni; Chocolate custard filled Italain doughnuts, white chocolate dipping sauce

Budino; Warm dark chocolat, hazelnut gelato, candied hazelnuts

Apple tart

Wine:                       

2008	Terredora di Paolo Greco di Tufo Loggia della Serra	90
2006	Vestini Campagnano Pallagrello Bianco Le Òrtole	90
2007	Passopisciaro Passopisciaro	92

--Antonio Galloni