Monday, August 27, 2012

Felidia

Felidia's $29.50 weekday lunch is a genuine bargain for this level of food. In an elegant townhouse on the Upper East Side in what was once the premier dining destination. The prix fixe lunch includes an appetizer, entree and dessert. The food here is ever evolving high end cuisine and every dish speaks volumes. Bread arrives with two rolls stuck in like lollipops ala Donatella & Burke. A raw pesto and cannelini beans is a tasty accompaniment. When I asked for sea salt it arrived promptly in a cute little bottle. Lots of servers answer your every dining whim. My appetizer of Maine Diver sea scallops in a fava bean puree was quite good. Even better was my friend's tagliatelle with beef, veal and pork ragu plated tableside and perfectly aldente, rich, complex and meaty. A good bottled beer selection and we went with the Lagunita which was very good. The salmon entree with mustard sauce was also quite good, but the grilled seafood($15 supplement) was quite astounding. Grilled lobster, shrimp, scallops, and razor clams with parmigiana had a Clams Casino flavor- this is a stellar dish. We finished with a palinchinko(Eastern European pancake) and housemade gelato with chocolate sauce. Best palinchinko I have ever tried and lucscious vanilla and strawberry gelato and rich chocolate sauce. Brava Felidia! GO! GO!

Tomasso's

Tomasso's is an uber charming old school restaurant in a formerly Itlalian restaurant heavy section of Brooklyn. Filled with family photos and momentos, Tomosso's makes you feel right at home. A piano and an opera singer add a lovely, nostalgic feel to the spot. The bread comes with lovely pesto and an arancini(rice ball) which was good. There is a three-course $27 prix fixe meal that includes an appetizer, entree and dessert. The appetizer I chose- stuffed artichoke was unavailable so I went with baked clams which were standard. The main of lasagna was an over-cooked mess with Polly-O tasting ricotta. The dessert of Italian cheesecake dusted with powdered sugar was a better choice and quite good. SLOW GO!