Panini @ Alidoro

105 Sullivan Street, New York, NY

Alidoro is all about panini in the typical Italian tradition. This means that the high quality and tasty combination of the ingredients does not require greasy-sweet-spicy sauces as flavor enhancers.

The “Dino” is the perfect representation of this concept. Every bite is an addictive combination of flavor and textures. Bitter and fresh arugula, sweet tomatoes, soft and smokey mozzarella, lean and savory ham dance in your mouth and please your palate.

The “Melody” has a traditional combination of tuna, arugula and artichokes, with the creative touch of balsamic vinegar used as dressing for the arugula.

These two sandwiches are a small but representative sample of the thirty-plus options available in the menu. They can be enjoyed also on site, if you like the ultra-vintage almost tumbledown and 100% NY inspired decor of the store.

 

Pizza @ L’Asso

192 Mott Street, New York, NY

The sight of a wood fired pizza oven is an unexpected and pleasant surprise on Mott Street. Even more pleasant is the actual experience with the pizza.

The pizza is thin, with a thick and soft border. There is a wide choice of toppings, from traditional recipes to more creative concepts with ingredients such as Brussel sprouts, pistachios and home made chips (not all on the same pizza, obviously). 

As usual, the “Margherita D.O.C.” is the fundamental quality test. The crust has a peculiar style: relatively thin in the center with a thicker, soft border. The mozzarella is properly melted and integrated with the lightly sweet tomato sauce. After finishing the pizza, I would like to have more of it. The test is successfully passed. The other half of the 21″ pizza confirms the experience with Margherita, and provides an opportunity to enjoy the quality of the toppings. The mushrooms with smoked mozzarella and truffle oil invite you to quickly empty the tray.

“Asso” means “ace” in Italia. This place deserves its name: the pizzaiolo is an “ace of pizzas”.

Frozen Yogurt @ Yogorino [CLOSED]

193 Bleecker Street, New York, NY

A surge of frozen yogurt flooded New York City in the recent years. Frozen yogurt now comes in many different flavors, from pomegranate to the omnipresent sea salt caramel. It is served in stores that combine white tiles with another dominant color – green, orange, blue – depending on the brand of the chain.

In my opinion there is only one flavor (plain) and only one place to go: Yogorino.

At Yogorino there is no choice dilemma as far as the frozen yogurt is concerned. They make only plain frozen yogurt, and it is the best. The delicious tart flavor and soft and creamy texture make this yogurt delightful hybrid of gelato, yogurt and frozen dessert. The mouthwatering toppings offer the opportunity to create more complex flavors and textures. My favorite is a combination of (real) pistachio syrup and ground hazelnuts.

Some customers are initially confused by the lack of yogurt flavors. A few of them leave the store disappointed because they cannot have their chocolate-hazelnut-pomegrante-vanilla frozen yogurt. Those who are either brave, wise and or lucky enough to try it, will enter a new, higher dimension of frozen yogurt experience. And this is a point of no return. After tasting this frozen yogurt there will be two distinct experiences, Yogorino and the rest of the pack.