Phil C.
Yelp
Better than Italian.
You'll have to read my entire review to understand what I mean by the title. Caveat, we are foodies, and we travel the world to eat the best food we can find, many countries, many cities, including cooking classes at Michelin Restaurants, yes we are obsessed with good food, and wine.
I imagine most people stumbling in to Osteria Morini are not aware of the pedigree, but I am. Chef Michael White and his group are responsible for about 15 restaurants worldwide, several in New York but also in Hong Kong, Istanbul, Dubai. He was responsible for earning two Michelin Stars for one of his restaurants and one star for another. My only hesitation was with 15 restaurants he can't be there often if at all, and this is one of the most casual ones, so how good could it be. Answer: Great!
As foodies, we don't order like normal people, the two of us usually order at least eight dishes so we can have a better idea of what the menu offers, and it's fun. You can browse the photos and descriptions of what we ate on our first visit (many more visits to come) but I have to tell you each dish was outstanding. And we're hard to please.
I could tell you about each dish but they ranged from great to amazing. If you like tartare you will enjoy the tartare Piemontese. If you enjoy meatballs the Polpettini will blow you away. If you like tortellini or ravioli the Cappelletti will knock your socks off. And I've never had better duck before, the pistachio crusted dry-aged duck breast was memorable. Even the mushroom Marsala side dish was sublime.
Listen, it's hard to hit it out of the park on every dish, and every diner has different preferences and will interpret things differently based on their tastes. I would say the dessert, the Olive Oil Cake (Torta) was just very good, whereas everything else was close to sensational.
The wine list is all Italian except for Champagne, so if you don't like Italian wines you're out of luck unless you bring something and pay corkage, $35. But saying you don't like Italian wines means you have not tried the incredible variety that Italy offers. It's a well chosen Italian list, with a focus on small and sustainable wine producers. There is a Morini Sangiovese on draft at $11 per glass or $50 per bottle and everything from Nerello Mascalese from the volcanic soils of Mount Aetna to Barolos, Barbarescos Primativos, Super Tuscans, Amarones, etc.
OK, if you've read this far you're either a food and wine geek like me or you're obsessive compulsive. Here is what I mean by the title "Better than Italian". If you've travelled throughout Italy and dined outside of the tourist areas you will understand that Italians are a people of strong traditions, do's and don'ts, unlike Americans where anything goes from a culinary point of view. It is virtually a crime in Italy to ask for cheese on seafood pasta, overcook your pasta (like many Americans eat it), even asking from Capuccino in the evening, while tolerated would never be done by an Italian, there are many, many culinary traditions, and certain deviations are frowned upon. Chef White takes Italian concepts and takes them to a different level, combining ingredients in a way that makes them better, in my humble Italian American opinion. I discussed the Morini menu with an Italian acquaintance of mine who is familiar with the menu and I said I'm sure you think this is not real Italian food. His reply was Yes, it is not, but it is good food. Well, Morini, if you can get that response from an Italian from Italy, not just an Italian American like me, that is a triumph. Bravo Morini!