La Resdora Reggio Emilia

Rezdora in Flatiron Offers a Seductive Selection of Italian Cooking | Eater NY

"Tucked into Flatiron, I found Rezdora, whose name means “grandmother” in the Modenese dialect, and which is helmed by Stefano Secchi (who worked at three‑star Osteria Francescana under Massimo Bottura) with Mark Coleman as chef de cuisine. The slightly below‑street‑level, narrow, brick‑walled room is plain but cozy, with a comfortable marble bar on plush stools, a leather banquette opposite small tables, a kitchen down a few steps, and two tiny dining rooms up a few steps with high windows and lush greenery. The menu is firmly anchored in Emilia‑Romagna and concentrates on pastas (seven choices) over secondi (four), and I loved how regional specialties and poetry coexist: a stunning gnocco fritto ($12) arrives as just‑fried pillows of dough draped with prosciutto di Parma, mortadella from Bologna, and fennel‑laced salami, the heat releasing divine cured‑meat aromas. Starters I tried include a cold‑cut plate and a stracciatella with raw white asparagus (I wanted a bit more asparagus), and I recommend starting with fett’unta ($5) — grilled bread and olive oil — but save some for sopping up sauces. The pastas are outstanding: tagliolini al ragu ($23) from Modena (slender noodles in a delicate orange minced‑beef sauce) and maccheroni al pettine ($22) with hearty duck ragu are both beyond excellent; cappelletti verde, stuffed with leeks and spring peas in a mushroom purée and nicknamed “grandma walking through forest in Emilia,” is another poetic highlight, while strozzapreti with rock shrimp and spaghetti with Rimini clams are on the menu though I have yet to try them. Among the secondi, guanciale di vitello ($26) is a boiled young‑cow jaw served in a light gravy (a medieval‑style preparation), and “cow grazing in Emilia Romagna” pairs rare, well‑seared sirloin with an herb salad; the spare but treasure‑filled Italian wine list includes a rosso di Montalcino available by the quartino ($22). My two meals here in the restaurant’s first weeks have been some of my favorite dining experiences this year, and the steadily growing crowds suggest many diners agree." - Robert Sietsema