Simply Red

The New York Times ^ | August 10, 2003 | MARK ROTELLA

[kitkat]

***
Southern Italian seems to be making something of a comeback***

PLEASE, God! Let the thick, red, spicy and sweet southern Italian sauce come back.

Today's watery sauce doesn't even cover the pasta.

[B-Chan]

I'm with you guys. ”Freeway Italian” is filth. We had a “red sauce” lunch yesterday (fettucine with pancetta in red sauce) and I'm still tasting it mentally. There are still a good many family Italian places around if you know where to look. There's a place in Yonkers that I dream about. The things they do to crab there... yum!

Next to Italy, the best place for real Italian food is at home. Although my wife and I are of the Kraut persuasion, we cook trad Italian as often as we can.

Everybody owes themselves a trip to Italy at least once in their lives. The friendliest people in Europe, fantastic eats, and (for you single fellows) the best-looking chicks on the Continent. Talk anout la dolce vita!

[B-Chan]

Have you seen The Big Night, starring Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub? If not, proceed directly to the video store and get it. It's a funny, beautfully written and directed tale of a red sauce restaurant struggling to survive a battle with the “anglofied” Italian restaurant next door. Great acting, superb cinematography, and some of the yummiest food scenes ever filmed make The Big Night one of the best food films ever. Don't watch while hungry!

[sarcasm]

Don't watch while hungry!

I was starving after reading this damned article - there aren't any Italian restaurants open at 10 AM.

[BluH2o]

... Zagat Survey guidebooks

NY Zagat restaurant guidebook was always (in my experience) a reliable guide to excellent restaurants that were off the beaten path ... many of them family owned Italian eateries.

[Hildy]

I've actually eaten at Bamonte's. I lived in Williamsburg before moving to San Diego. But there was a better restaurant, and I don't remember the name. It was on the way home from the subway station. It was actually someone's living room converted into a restaurant. Been there forever. Big fat Italian lady and she would have the B/W TV going while you were eating. It was the best Italian food I'd ever had. I have a terrific story about Williamsburg which, if pressed, I will tell: my friend and I rented the top of a house that was owned by a mafia guy. His girlfriend of 20 years lived below. It was GOODFELLAS. We lived there for three years. He ended up being arrested on his way to Argentina and it was front page headlines. We were interrogated by the FBI and alot of other bizarro things. Anyway, I miss those days and I think that it's probably not the same anymore.

[sarcasm]

The most interesting Mafia joint that I have eaten in was Ponte on Desbrosses St. - there was special seating for wiseguys in the kitchen. I believe that it's still there and run by the daughter of the founder - I think he's still in jail.

[Hildy]

What part of Brooklyn is that?

[jocon307]

Great post, great comments!

And let me praise my own fave Italian restaurant in Bayonne, NJ - Amici's. It has recently changed hands, and they've turned the ultimate red-sauce bar seating area into a martini bar, questionable, but, the food is still excellent. Also, the old hard-core wait staff is gone, but the service is still fine.

Get the lobster ravioli, entre, not appetizer, or the veal, really excellent last Thursday. God Bless Italians, they really love food!

[sarcasm]

Manhattan - just south of Houston Street.

[JimVT]

Right on the northwest corner of 85th and Northern.

Probably long gone by now but Tony took care of us 20-somethings when we needed a break.

My Hungarian landlady at 30-01 83rd used to bail us out with a big pan of goulash now and then.

Between goulash, pasta fazool and gin I got all my RDAs in those days...1958+++

[sarcasm]

Lobster Ravioli - I'm getting hungrier. There's a great place in Brooklyn - Margaret's Pasta on 86th Street and Avenue U which sells fresh Lobster Ravioli and a Lobster Vodka Sauce.

[MaryFromMichigan]

St. Julian's- Simply Red

When I saw the title, this came to mind.
(St. Julian is a great winery near my place)

[sarcasm]

I was a mere child in 1958. My favorite place when I was a kid was the Colony Kosher Deli on 82nd Street - great corned beef sandwiches.

[jocon307]

86th & Ave. U, darn, what is the name of that neighborhood? I lived for several years at Ocean Ave & Ave. P, that was Midwood, altho' to the Post Office it was bensonhurst.

Gosh, I love Brooklyn. Currently stuck in the middle in NJ. But seriously considering a return to BKLYN once we get the kid through High School.

Can we get rid of Bloomberg and the no smoking mania, I wonder?

[JimVT]

Back in Providence (in the 60s) I used to love to go up to Federal Hill and manga, manga.

In those days besides the great and inexpensive dishes (veal picatta, linguini with REAL Ro Dyland clams) you might get a glimpse of Ray Patriarca or one of his capos getting an order to take back to the Capo di tutti capi.

Last time I was in PrahVahDenz, all the restaurants were tourista joints.

[sarcasm]

It's Bensonhurst - some great food stores and restaurants there.

[sarcasm]

I'll pass on Providence. I spent a week there - involuntarily - during a blizzard in the 70's.

[carlo3b]

This is the recipe for the signature dish at Rio's.. it is wonderful but not exactly our typical red gravy, well worth the effort..  If anyone wants/needs any particular  red sauce pasta recipe, just ask.. enjoy!

 LEMON CHICKEN (POLLO AL LIMONE)

 

• 2 broiling chickens, 2 1/2 to 3 pounds each, halved
• Marinate (recipe follows)
• Lemon Sauce (recipe follows)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

             1. Preheat broiler for at least 15 minutes before using.

             2. Broil chicken halves, turning once, until skin is golden brown and juices run clear when bird is
             pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken from broiler, leaving broiler on. Using a very
             sharp knife, cut each half into about six pieces (leg, thigh, wing, and three small breast pieces).

             3. Place chicken on a baking sheet with raised sides. Pour lemon sauce over the chicken, and toss to
             coat well. If necessary, divide sauce in half, and do this in two batches.

             4. Return to broiler, and broil for 3 minutes. Turn each piece, and broil for an additional minute.
             Remove from broiler, and evenly portion chicken onto six warm serving plates.

             5. Pour sauce into a heavy saucepan, and stir in parsley. Place over high heat, and boil for 1 minute.
             Pour sauce over chicken, distributing it evenly among the six servings; serve with lots of crusty bread
             to absorb the sauce.

MARINATE
(minimum 6 hrs, better overnight)

• 1 cup fresh lemon juice Buy a big bag of these you'll need 12
• 1 cup pure olive oil
• 1/2 cup fresh rosemary
• 1 cup good full-bodied white wine
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 t ea salt, fresh ground pepper

 LEMON SAUCE

•  Makes approximately 3 1/4 cups
•  2 cups fresh lemon juice
•  1 cup olive oil
•  1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
•  1 1/2 teaspoons 4-5 cloves minced garlic
•  1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
•  1 cup fresh rosemary
• 1 more cup of that good wine
•  1 cup pure olive oil
•  Salt and pepper to taste

             Place all ingredients in a large bowl, and whisk together until well blended. Cover, and refrigerate
             until ready to use. Whisk or shake vigorously just before use.
 
 
 
 

[Ben Chad]

"verybody owes themselves a trip to Italy at least once in their lives. The friendliest people in Europe, fantastic eats, and (for you single fellows) the best-looking chicks on the Continent. Talk anout la dolce vita!"

Amen bro. Of all the pictures I took of Tuscany, the two that stand out are: 1) a chick in tight slacks, perfect figure, carrying briefcase down a narrow cobbled street, and 2) a chick in a black dress, molto exquisite, flirting with a young man in a Florence plaza. Now that's my kind of art.