When Frank Sinatra lists your restaurant as his favorite in New York City, generally that means you have something good going on. This particular dynamite location is Patsy’s Italian Restaurant, located in the heart of midtown Manhattan on 56th Street between 8th and Broadway. After penning an article about National Pasta Day earlier this week for them, I decided to head there myself to see what all the fuss was about. Boy was I glad that I went.
Patsy’s Italian Restaurant has been an institution in Manhattan for over seventy years now, with only 3, yes, 3 owners since inception. They are- the late Patsy himself, his son Joe Scognamillo and Joe’s son Sal Scognamillo, who has been manning the kitchen for the past 29 years. I had the pleasure of getting to know Sal, who has penned 2 amazing cookbooks, been on the “Today” show a bunch of times, and overall has an effervescent personality about him that is charming and fantastic to be around. His pride for Patsy’s is booming with everything he says about it, and he has every right to feel that way about his grandfather’s restaurant.
Patsy’s location reads just like an Italian restaurant should. Two elegant floors with fine dining services, glass walls, and mood lighting that really enhanced the overall experience. What I loved too when I received the menu was that there wasn’t anything over complicated, words I didn’t know what they were in terms of food, or too robust as in way too many options. Patsy’s Italian Restaurant’s menu features classic and delicious options to divulge in, from start to finish.
Me and my friend enjoyed a couple of glasses of their white wine while determining what we should get. The obvious first choices are their Antipasto Classico and Burrata Cheese. When you want a sampling of tasty Italian starters, the Antipasto is your best bet. This comes with Roasted peppers, mozzarella, provolone, prosciutto di Parma, and cacciatorina soppressato. Absolute perfection on a plate, where even the pickiest of eaters can find something within it to satisfy their palate.
The Burrata Cheese, a creamier type of cheese, blended incredibly well with the fresh tomatoes, roasted red peppers and greens to come together and make a great starter dish. I am not the biggest Burrata fan, however they prepared it very well and it is a dish that i would highly recommend getting.
For the entrees, me and my friend kept it classic in the best way possible. Because, why the hell not? I opted for their world famous Spaghetti and Meatballs– veal meatballs seasoned with garlic and cheese, served with a tomato basil sauce. Minimal amount of ingredients with maximal execution on flavor, depth, and taste. Amazing.
My friend tried the Fettuccine Alfredo, with chicken and shrimp. The dish was Fresh homemade egg noodles served with a sauce of butter, cream and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Rich, creamy, decadent and just a couple of words to describe this dish. Heavenly is another one. If you are in the mood for something heartier, this would be a great option.
The meal ended with a nice drink of Limoncello to liven up the taste buds, and a dessert tray that came with all the fixings including Chocolate Mousse Cake, Carrot Cake and more. Definitely a place you want to go to, whether you are heading to see a show on Broadway, craving Italian food, or just want to immerse yourself in some really amazing cuisine.
For more information on Patsy’s Italian Restaurant, check out their official site.