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Second time for dinner at this superb restaurant where I remember having the tastiest pancakes of New York and some unique pasta. Arriving at 10 pm, we were welcomed at the bar, served dinner and drinks in a restaurant loaded with people. I love it here, the mood, the vibes... the food was way better! What happened?
Inspired by the rustic cuisine of Rome’s distinct neighborhoods, Maialino is a trattoria reimagined for present day New York City, overlooking Gramercy Park. Chef Jason Pfeifer’s thoughtful Italian cuisine blends his passion for the Roman food tradition with a commitment to our local family of farmers and purveyors.
Seated at the bar facing all the restaurant, I enjoyed watching people smile. After a long day on planes from Beirut to New York, this was my first meal. Maialino is much more than a restaurant, it’s an experience.
Prosecco was the choice of drinks, sparkling white wine from Italy, La Civetta is light-bodied, fruity and aromatic. Don’t order bread, it spoils the experience, hard and chewy; not the first impression I expected.
Food is way below expectations:
- The burrata is too salty to be edible, a creamy ball served with a side of chewy bread. There is nothing exceptional about it and not worth trying.
- The Uova salad looks nice, a poached egg on a bed of bottarga and asparagus. Strongly lemony and extremely salty, the salad would have been good without the salt. Don’t they taste their food in this kitchen?
- I’m not sure what the problem is with salt! I was so hungry and couldn’t eat the carbonara. Extremely salty and extremely spicy, the carbonara is shocking! Crunchy pork bits, pasta cooked aldente but this salt!
- Black pepper and pecorino thick spaghetti; not bad but nothing exceptional to write about.
Bizarrely deceiving; did they change the chef? Bad bread, salty food and not the most attentive of service!
