Finally, a bookend to birthday celebrations; dinner at Batali’s Del Posto with my father.
According to a bartender at Del Posto, Batali’s mission for Del Posto is serving food that hasn’t been available since the 50s and 60s in Italy. Since I have no idea what that is, I’ll assume Batali has succeeded.
The restaurant, by New York standards, is large and spacious. Dining there was comfortable. Before I comment on the food, the service at Del Posto maybe the shining star. I believe I would be challenged to find better service at this level of a restaurant. We had a great time.
The food. Ah, the food. I should note that I am experiencing something of a burnout for traditional Italian food. Sometimes, it even goes as far as a distaste. While Del Posto maybe traditional to Italians, it’s definitely not traditional by American standards. Before we even ordered food, we were served with a small antipasto sampling and a divine breadbasket served with herb butter and whipped pork fat. That’s right, pork fat. Whipped. Bueno appetito.
I then ordered an appetizer with seared fois gras and sweetbreads, ricotta and chipotle Nudi for the pasta course and an amazing seafood spread titled Misto di Mare, shared with my father for the entree. Normally, I’d shy from ordering seafood on a Monday per instructions from Kitchen Confidential. However, Del Posto is conveniently located across the street from Chelsea Market with a top New York seafood purveyor a stone’s throw away. I’m sure if they couldn’t get a Monday delivery, someone could go pick it up.
For me, Mario Batali certainly earned the respect he receives as the New York chef and restaurateur. I can’t say I would eat this food often or even once in a while but I feel fortunate for the experience on my pallete. This is a fine restaurant.
I was just listening to Death From Above 1979 - Little Girl