Scarpetta
(212) 691-0555
355 W 14th St
New York,
NY
10014
40.7405
-74.0039
Neighborhoods: West Village, Downtown
What People Are Saying About Scarpetta
The Editor
Jessica Allen
Citysearch
In Short
According to Conant (formerly of Alto and L'Impero), the word scarpetta roughly translates to "the bread you use to soak up the sauce left on the plate." This kind of earthy Italian dining contrasts with the sleek décor and elegant presentation of duck-and-fois gras ravioli, simple spaghetti with basil, tagliatelle with lamb ragu, and calamarata pasta. Although there isn't any tuck-your-napkin-into-your-collar, sauce-splattering indulgence happening here, the braised short rib starter has diners licking their lipswhen no one else is looking. More refined dishes like the raw yellowtail and creamy polenta are popular too.
User Reviews
246mag
February 18, 2009
I had dinner at the bar last week, AMAZING. I've always been a fan of the Chef, & this visit did not disappoint! the 'crudo' dishes are always at the top of my list, but the pasta, just unbelievable. A particular fave was some type of pasta, not sure, with rabbit & mint...just delightful. Service at the bar was great too, our bartender was knowledgeable & friendly. Can't wait to go bak!
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mberniker
December 19, 2008
I was a great fan of L'Impero so was eager to try this place. Sorry to say, I haven't been so disappointed in a restaurant in years. Part of it was truth in advertising: a "roasted beet and La Tur" salad should have been called a "Frisee and roasted beet salad" there was probably no more than 1/2 a teaspoon of cheese on the plate. One of my favorites at L'Impero was black pasta frutti di mare which was chock full of tiny sea urchins so when I saw "black pasta with sea urchin" on the menu I thought "even better." But the dish was 90% mussels; I could find only 2 tiny sea urchins on the plate. This might be understandable for a place trying to keep prices down during these hard times. But if I'm paying pre-recession prices I expect pre-recession ingredients. The baby goat was even more of a disaster. It was delivered to the table inedibly salty and cold. Also, the waiters seemed obsessed with clearing the table even when we clearly hadn't finished our dishes I wish I could recommend this place but the only recommendation I can make is "stay away."
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tadevosy
December 16, 2008
Yet another time, I fell from Frank Bruni's enthusiastic review in the NYTimes and walked out of there feeling disappointed. The space is nice, and it is definitely a good first date spot if you are after impressing your date and willing to leave half hungry. The food was unremarkable at its best and simply ill executed at its worst. I tried the foie gras ravioli and the scallops. The ravioli was a bit heavy for a primi plate but decent. The scallops were undercooked to the point of qualifying for sashimi and practically burned on the side that the chefs has ingeniously tucked into the bottom of the plate. It was served over some mixture of vegetables that looked (and tasted) like it had been eaten once before already. The desert was so bad that i could not get past the first spoon. My husband's hand-made pasta was so doughy that it would have satisfied anyone with a predilection of eating raw dough. The waiter brought us, by mistake, a bottle of wine that was about 600 dollars more expensive than the one we had ordered, which we did not realize at the time. We spoke to the manager, who took some of the price off after much negotiating, and then walked away with our bill and did not return until we finally flagged him down about 45 minutes later. His response? Oh, I forgot, sorry. I understand it is a hot place to go, but if you are interested in good food, I strongly suggest you pick another restaurant in the area.
read full reviewThe Details on Scarpetta
What to Drink:
Rosemary potato chips make a glass of barolo even better at the 100-plus-year old Mahogany bar, imported from France.
Where to Sit:
The dining room's fully retractable roof (!) lets in natural light, but the small outdoor patio and cafe area near the bar feel less staid, especially later, when the Meatpacking District really gets cooking.
When to Go:
Skip the trendsetters and scenesters by going early, when the bar area opens at 4pm. Nicely set spots, including placemats and silverware, mean the bartender won't get grumpy when you order food.
Category:
Restaurants, General Contractors
Payment Methods:
American Express, Discover, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Special Occasion Dining, Fine Dining, Outdoor Dining, Notable Chef, People Watching, Online Reservations, Date Spot, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene, Notable Wine List
General Info:
Cuisine:
Notable Chef:
Scott Conant
