Restaurants in metropolises, such as NYC, stand out for two reasons. First, you're guaranteed to find a business that can construct an entire menu around a supposedly tertiary item. Second, you're more likely to encounter slightly less ubiquitous cuisine than Chinese, Indian, or Italian. An exceptional instance of the first reason I mentioned is an establishment I've sung praises of in the past, Risottoria Melotti. Located near Fifth Street in Manhattan's East Village, this quaint little eatery specializes in risotto. This dish would typically play second fiddle to other pasta dishes at your traditional trattoria, making it the menu's centerpiece. Melotti takes the basic risotto and introduces a unique array of items, combining it with other traditional Italian favorites such as Amatriciana. As an establishment specializing in rice, it fosters a welcoming environment for those with celiac disease and similar gluten intolerances.
Melotti isn't exactly spacious, and for that reason, they heavily encourage customers to pack it up after about an hour, but with that crampedness comes a distinct coziness, the line, in both senses of the word, between the kitchen and the dining room is blurred leading to an increased sense of community. Upon entering this tiny establishment, one can quickly take note of how this little establishment wears its pride on its sleeve. Jerseys and other sports-related paraphernalia from regional teams adorn the walls, and a video showcasing the harvesting process of their brand of Arborio plays on a constant loop. My experience this time around was at lunch with a few friends and family. The dinner rush hasn't begun yet, and the lull in activity gives us free reign over where we may dine. Upon being seated, I'm instantly scanning the menu up and down, recalling past favorites and debating whether or not to broaden my horizons. Eventually, I decided to do just that.
While I remembered how enjoyable my previous meal here was, risotto Al Amatriciana complete with unctuous bites of guanciale, I settled on something new but no less compelling. But first, some appetizers are traditional favorites with a unique twist. A smooth globule of Burratta placed atop a bed of tomatoes and rice chips. We break into the cheese with relish, and it delicately spills onto the plate for our in-house rice wafers and bread to mop up. Next, the calamari, a contemporary Italian staple, has been dredged in rice flour instead of the traditional panko. No sooner have we finished polishing off the appetizers than the entrees arrive. It is an assortment of textures, flavors, and colors, and it isn't long before we're sticking out forks and spoons in each other's dishes to taste as much as possible.
A newfound favorite is the Limone E Gamberi, a simple yet delightful combination of tender shrimp and a zesty lemon juice and white wine sauce to doll up the Arborio. My dish of choice is the Amarione e Monte Veronese, risotto prepared in Amarone wine and served atop a crisp of Grana Padano cheese. Each bite of this concoction is so rich that almost find myself in some kind of stupor, which is no doubt aided by the typical hazy nature of a manhattan midsummer. Each grain of rice, coated in the Amarone, gives less of an impression that I am eating rice and more the seeds of some exotic fruit, a notion no doubt supported by the deep velvet hue of each grain. Once almost everything has been engorged, including the crisp, we sit around our empty plates musing about the future. Still, my mind has already been carried off elsewhere courtesy of my lunch at Melotti. This burgeoning business is one of many that I hope makes it far in the Big Apple.
Comments
Post a Comment