Stuck on Stecchino

Stecchino is Italian for “toothpick,” and while nothing on the menu includes these little wooden sticks, you will definitely need one after your meal. Especially if the soup of the day is red onion ($6), a luscious, Italian version of French onion soup with a strong burst of oregano. Every day the homemade soup changes, so I can’t promise they will serve it next time. If whatever they serve is half as good as the red onion, though, you will be in for a treat. Read more

DINING DEAL

Throughout February, the Italian eatery Carmine’s, on Broadway and West 91st Street, is celebrating its upcoming 20th anniversary by offering a $20 menu.

On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at lunch and dinner, guests may choose from a selection of dishes, each of which costs $20 and can easily feed up to four people, according to the restaurant.

The menu consists mainly of pasta and chicken dishes, including penne à la vodka, rigatoni broccoli, chicken parmigiana and chicken marsala. The restaurant’s private label red and white wines are also available. The offer is available only at Carmine’s Upper West Side location (there is an outpost in the Theater District, as well as in Washington, D.C., Atlantic City, N.J., and the Bahamas).

Fork Meets Pork

When you enter Accademia di Vino, it is like stepping into the coziest Italian wine cellar that, just for a moment, feels as if it’s all yours. Since the restaurant boasts an 800-bottle collection, you can never run out of options. And a book-like wine list highlights bottles from each region of Italy, broken down by type, color and area. It reads like a well-loved novel and includes a glossary of grape varieties.

After careful deliberation, we chose a bottle of the Eugenio Bocchino Barbera d’Alba ($47), a full and meaty wine that worked swimmingly with the heady Italian fare Accademia di Vino offers. Read more

A Multi-Layered Meal

Don’t let the name fool you—Angelina Pizza Bar offers more then just pizza. This family-friendly restaurant near West 105th Street not only has extensive Italian fare and a decent wine list but Chef Giancarlo Delanzo cooks his crazy creations in a brick oven with a rotating floor. As pies like the Bella Angelina (with zucchini flowers, smoked salmon and goat cheese, $18 or $24) or the Bianco Forte (with garlic, ricotta, mozzarella, spicy sausage and hot peppers, $16 or $22) circle the fire, Delanzo dishes up small bowls with various meats, cheese and vegetables. Read more

REVIVED NORTHERN ITALIAN

There are so many good restaurants in Midtown that it’s all too easy to overlook the less showy ones, and there are so many good Italian restaurants in this city that the same is true of them. You seldom hear of Italian restaurants going under, and there are many good reasons for that, including the restaurants’ all-around cost effectiveness. But it’s mostly due to the intense popularity of the cuisine—who doesn’t like Italian food?
Even though it’s been on a popular block a few doors east of the City Center for 15 years, I didn’t really know that Giovanni existed. But two months ago, a new chef was brought in by owner Giovanni Francescotti. Read more

ONE-STOP ITALIAN NOSHING

Arte Around the Corner is exactly the kind of place I wish were around the corner, from me, that is. Unpretentious, with wood chairs and small marble tables, Arte offers one-stop, all-day Italian noshing. You can start your morning here with espresso and bakery items and end your day with organic wines and a light Mediterranean supper. Or, you can stop in for an afternoon snack, as I did. Read more