Adrienne's Review - Broad Channel - New York - The Infatuation
"Adrienne’s is tucked away in Broad Channel—a tiny island community between the Rockaways and the mainland—on a side street with minimal parking, but an abundance of MTA dump trucks and snowplows. Don’t be deterred. As you're about to find out, there’s something magical about this place, especially the back deck with dreamy waterfront views of Jamaica Bay. It’s like finding yourself at the end of the world, only to discover that they make excellent pastas out there. Adrienne’s namesake is Adrienne Guttieri, a Broad Channel native and chef whose family opened the restaurant after her untimely passing at 33. Chef A’s Rigatoni Bolognese is a must-order, with a fat, creamy blob of whipped ricotta and a generous drizzle of this-is-the-good-stuff olive oil. An impeccably piped ricotta toast may be even tastier than it is beautiful. And there’s no false advertising around the “crispy calamari,” thanks to its light, delicate breading. photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte Outside, diners sit beneath cheerful, orange striped umbrellas—the exact shade created by Università di Padova scientists to stimulate the human brain to order Aperol, probably. The menu has a dedicated spritz section of course, as must be required by international maritime law. There are also several boat slips at Adrienne’s, an obvious practical benefit for those looking for a spot to park their pleasure craft—but also fantasy fodder for everyone else, daydreaming about captaining personal waterborne bolognese acquisition vehicles of their own. Food Rundown photo credit: Kate Previte Frozen Drinks The Spritz-Ish has a nice bitterness, thanks to what tastes like a generous pour of Aperol, but the move here is really the Watermelon Marg—a Trojan horse for a powerfully summery hit of basil. photo credit: Kate Previte Crispy Calamari The calamari is perfectly executed, and so is the sauce that comes with it: an anchovy-spiked arrabbiata with a decadent aioli floater. photo credit: Kate Previte Ricotta Toast Fluffy whipped ricotta—upgraded along multiple flavor axes thanks to orange zest, black pepper, and burnt honey—is piped onto golden-crusted rosemary focaccia breadsticks. If a Butterscotch Krimpet who always dreamed of being savory lives a true and virtuous life, this is how it will be reincarnated. photo credit: Kate Previte Chef A’s Rigatoni Bolognese Bolognese is the kind of classic dish that’s almost always good, but rarely is a rendition so exceptional that you’d tell anyone and everyone they must order it. But the rigatoni bolognese at Adrienne’s—in a peppery sauce that tastes rich but eats light—is exactly that exceptional. OG Spaghetti & Clams A rare miss. This pasta is almost delicious (and the clams themselves are sweet little gems), but it’s overpowered by preserved lemon. Even super-savory ’nduja butter can’t counteract all that acid. photo credit: Kate Previte Pistachio Pesto Ravioli The name of this dish arguably buries the lede. The complex and herby pesto is wonderful (you’ll know how delicious it is the moment you smell it, even from all the way across the deck), but the tiny crispy chunks of mortadella floating in the sauce and embedded inside the ravioli would like to have a word. photo credit: Kate Previte Aunt Coll’s Cheesecake A light, moist, barely sweet Italian cheesecake is the perfect canvas for a fragrant quenelle of pale-green whipped pistachio cream, as well as a sea-salted praline sauce, which in the wrong context would detonate like a sugar bomb." - Molly Fitzpatrick
