D A Andrea Restaurant

03/08/09

Lost in the move

by henry01

The review I hoped not to write. My Italian wife and I frequented Da Andrea as our neighborhood Italian joint. Good food, nice service, pleasant ambiance back then. So, we made the trek yesterday to Da Andrea's new location on 13th Street, excited to see our old friends and settle into a good meal. Sorry to say, somewhere between Hudson Street and 13th, they lost their way. The new space is noisy with music ringing from the stereo, chaotic with tables (no longer with tablecloths) scattered randomly, the service surly. Still, the meal started well with fresh bread and the mussels in red sauce appetizer. However, the main courses were abysmal. The zuppe di pesce looked and tasted like a boiled, lackluster and random bowl of seafood overwhelmed by salt and a strong bitter note (perhaps due to dried versus fresh herbs). The tagliolini was clumped together in short pieces, making it very chewy, the sauce bitter and overwhelming and the clams unappealingly thrown all over the bowl. Looking around the restaurant, meals appeared over sauced and over oiled, not at all characteristic of authentic Italian cooking or the old Da Andrea. Our waiter (new to this location?) acted aloof and surly, and hardly made us feel welcome (though we were warmly greeted by holdovers from the Hudson Street locale). The search for a new, authentic Italian joint starts anew.

• Pros: Proxmity to Quad Cinema, good bread
• Cons: Poor food, chaotic ambiance, impersonal service

10/07/08

La cucina italiana autentico

by Zimpione

Unfortunately really fine and authentic Italian cuisine is wasted on one particular segment of the population. A previous reviewer referred to this restaurant as "hum drum" and "without people watching". Well, if that's the priority, you're obviously not serious about food - especially Italian. It's a small, personable, comfortable place with the most wonderful italian food I've eaten since my last trip to Italy - and I ate with my family there.

Perhaps Da Andrea wasted it's time on you. Move on to someplace that suits your character - shallow, superficial, pretty people watching, substandard food with plenty of minute portioned food.

Bravo Gianpietro!! Grazie per tutti!!

• Pros: food, service, atmosphere
• Cons: Niente

10/03/08

hum drum

by girldowntown

nothing to write home about. not bad, its an ok casual place. no atmosphere,no people watching. very hum drum. there are so many other italian restaurants that are much better and fun.