102 East 22nd Street, between Lexington and Park Avenue South
Championing a masterful approach to the culinary refinment of contemporary Piedmontese cuisine in a setting of understated elegance that is achieved through ecru walls and soft lighting, Novita’ is among Gramercy Park’s top destinations for a romantic evening or a relaxed business meeting. The fact that it stands in a neighborhood that is densly populated with five star restaurants, and celebrity chef establishments, does not tamper with Novita’s inherent appeal nor its robust popularity (it’s buzzing every night of the week). A great part of Novita’s charm is attributable to the fact that it is sophisticated without pretense.
The food is honest and authentic. The seasonal antipasti exhibit triumphantly tasteful and inventive combinations and the pastas are fresh and plentiful and deliver harmonious fulfillment without any annyoing nouveau-type embellishments. The tagilioni with truffle are creamy, aromatic and in a word, transcendental! The tagliolini all’ aragosta (lobster tagliolini) represent an intrepretive twist to Piedmontese cuisine but embody a characterful celebration of textures, colors and flavors. For a place as elegant as Novita’, the portions are felicitously generous. Adding to the warmth of Novita’ is its endearing, mostly Italian waitstaff, which is also competent and unafraid to make suggestions. And most of them are right on the money.
Unlike many restuarants of Italian contemporary cuisine, that adopt fusionist tendencies, Novita’ is markedly purist in its culinary identity and expresses it victoriously. Thus all pastas and meat and fish main dishes are prepared with sauces, condiments, side dishes and herbal garnishes and accessories that do not fall outside of the Italian palatal confines of artichokes, asparagus, parmesan, basil and tomatoe. Therefore, no ginger, cilantro chutneys will be made to intersect with your branzino here. Nor will you find your food be framed or encircled by annoying nouvelle-cuisine type- embellishments. Novita’s approach that elemental flavors should be made to stand on their own. And for the most part they do here.
The desserts are also richly satisfying (and warrant sharing), although the cake part of the tortino al cioccolato was surprisingly disappointing (flat during my last visit. The mostly Italian winelist is quite extensive and features a nice aglianico, or what Asimov has recently called a worthy ”comeback kid” in Southern Italian reds.
All in all, Novita’ delivers an elegant, pleasureable and justly-priced dinner, with average pastas priced at $20 and the average main course priced at $25.
Another great cappuccino in town is at a little restaurant in Tribeca called Pecan. They consistently deliver a mix of expresso and velvety foam in perfect measure. They are a busy lunch place across from the Franklin stop, but in the middle of the hustle and bustle, they will give you a perfect “cap” and deliver up the froth swirled like a work of art.