Misi’s streamlined Italian is ideal for this pasta-obsessed city - Review - New York - The Infatuation
"You can’t talk about Misi without mentioning sister restaurant Lilia. Both Williamsburg spots were once impossible to get into, and they serve the same style of food: seasonal Italian from a Brooklyn point of view. But while Lilia fills out its menu with wood-fired proteins, the younger sibling sticks to pasta and vegetables. Open since 2018, Misi is still the cooler of two, a streamlined spinoff that hasn’t aged a day, with primi so good it makes secondi obsolete. Misi serves a total of 10 pastas, most of which outclass any NYC peers, even those at Lilia. Some will occasionally fall off the menu, but constants include the springy fettuccine spritzed with black pepper, delicate tortelli that ooze warm mascarpone, and ricotta-filled occhi with a euphoric hit of lemon zest. All of the above lean heavily on butter—but as far as notes go, that’s not a scathing one. photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte Pause Unmute Even in a pasta-obsessed city, it’s risky to forgo traditional mains, but Misi pulls it off, largely on the strength of its vegetable small plates. A few merit a visit on their own, including the butter beans blanketed with parm and, of course, the signature toast squiggled with ricotta that reads like marshmallow fluff and eats like gelato. photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte Pause Unmute Book one of the stools at the long counter where you can watch unfazed cooks prepping that ricotta toast 15 at a time. Those are, by far, the best seats in the house. Located in the bottom of a high-rise apartment building, Misi leans modern and slightly impersonal. But thanks to an open kitchen, it always feels alive. Lilia is big, bright, and SoCal coded. Misi is a dark, sultry machine, churning out artichokes and fettucine with impeccable mise en place. Both have their strengths, so you’ll have to figure out which fits with your personality. Misi is still the fresher of the two, and it has the edge on pasta. But it is worth noting that you can talk about Lilia without mentioning Misi. Just to be safe, put both on your list. RESERVE A TABLE Food Rundown Slow Cooked Butter Beans No matter how much you love pasta, never skip the vegetables at Misi. The firm, crumbly butter beans with kale and rosemary are essential. photo credit: Kate Previte Grilled Italian Broccoli Another strong order. Under those shards of provolone, you’ll find smoky broccoli absolutely soaked in a garlic vinaigrette. photo credit: Kate Previte Grilled Baby Artichokes Misi loves to grill vegetables then douse them in olive oil. It's a winning formula, especially when you introduce some mint and salsa verde. photo credit: Kate Previte Whipped Ricotta Crostini It’s a classic for a reason. Topped with coarse flakes of sea salt, the ricotta is cool, dense, and slightly sweet. You’ll also get some vegetables on the side, like vinegary trumpet mushrooms or charred peppers. photo credit: Kate Previte Fettuccine On the menu since 2018, the effortlessly charismatic fettuccine sits somewhere between a mild cacio e pepe and those buttered noodles you ate when you were six. photo credit: Kate Previte Occhi Summer, in pasta form. The dusting of bottarga is subtle. Mostly what you taste is lemon, warm ricotta, and, of course, an abundance of butter. photo credit: Kate Previte Gnocchi Sardi The springy Sardinian-style gnocchi with large crumbles of sausage is a second-tier choice, something to explore on follow-up visits. photo credit: Kate Previte Tortelli What makes this tortelli so immediately rewarding? Is it the housemade dough or silky mascarpone? Maybe. It could also be the lake of brown butter. Steak Remember when we said Misi doesn’t serve larger proteins? That’s not entirely true. There’s usually a dry-aged Florentine steak on special for around $180. It’s an impressive hunk of meat that arrives almost completely rare and caked in an overwhelming amount of fennel pollen. Unless you’re iron deficient, skip it." - Bryan Kim
