La Masseria La Masseria

La Masseria

235 W. 48th St. (Broadway & Eighth Ave.)
New York, NY 10036
Map
Cuisine: Italian
Superior Italian cuisine, gracious service, excellent wine list.
Openings: Lunch & Dinner daily

Features


La Masseria Restaurant Review:


If you don't find chef Pino Coladonato and partners Peppe Iuele and Enzo Ruggiero on the premises whenever La Masseria is open, you've probably gone to the wrong address. Their commitment shows in every detail, from the charming rusticity of the farmhouse-themed room to the cordial greetings and amiable service – an oasis in busy midtown. Windows in the front bar overlook the street, and the main dining room leads to a smaller party room. Do not pass up the extensive antipasti that include delicately seasoned grilled sea scallops and artichoke hearts, and meatballs with tomato and basil. The myriad pastas include house-made fettuccine with fresh lobster and light tomato sauce; caciotta cheese-stuffed ravioli; and orecchiette with broccoli rabe and Italian sausage. Be sure to try some of the fried items – crisp zucchini and seafood – all impeccably golden and light. As for main dishes, go for a breaded, buttery costoletta di vitello alla Milanese, or a grilled veal T-bone. Whole grilled fish is served with a gloss of olive oil and lemon on the side. Flourless chocolate almond cake with vanilla ice cream is just gilding the lily, but that's certainly not a problem. Light vanilla-scented ricotta cheesecake is a choice, too. The wine list is first-rate, with fair prices in all categories, strongest in Italian reds. Don't leave without having a sip or two of that Caprese original, the intensely tangy-sweet limoncello liqueur.