If you have ever watched the Food Network you have most likely come across a show with Mario Batali, the venerable chef of all things simple and Italian. Mario has been an integral part of shapping food culture in America with his restaurants, Food Network shows, cookbooks, cookware, and even shoes. I have been a big fan of Mario Batali since college and I have always wanted to dine at Babbo, his 3 Star (NYT rating) restaurant.
I must preface this "review" with the fact that Shauna and I were not in the best of places for such a rich meal. After walking ALL day through various parts of Brooklyn (Williamburg, Park Slope, and Brooklyn Heights) and being in a food coma from the night before we were ill prepared for our dinner. That said, I look forward to going back and getting the full experience.
Babbo is a fun place. As Tom Petty blasted, servers rushed throughout the busy dining room to fill water, pour wine and serve food at the frenzied pace of a great soccer match but graceful like a ballet. It was chaotic but it worked. Everything was top notch, our server guided us through the menu effortlessly and helped us create a pasta menu that would hit the highlights of the restaurant.
Each dish was fresh, clean and simple. The flavors all present, intense, and balanced in a harmony that is rare in most restaurants but is the norm at Babbo. Here is a list of what we tried:
- Bucatiniall' Amatriciana with Guanciale, hot pepper and Pecorino
- Sauted Soft-Shelled crab with olive oil, lemon and basil
- Homemade Orecchiette with sweet sausage and Rapini
- Beef Cheek Ravioli with crushed squab liver and black truffles
For wine we went simple. We started with Le Cretes Pinot Bianco from Valle d' Aosta (a very small region in northwest Italy). It is a lovely wine with green apple hints and asian pear with a kiss of minerality and bright acidity. We then had a carafe of the Massolino Barolo 2000. As 2000 is a good but hot vintage the wine was rich and opulent with gobs of cherry cola and crushed black berries. I still will always prefer 1999 or 2001 reds from Piedmonte, but with the Beef Cheek Ravioli the wine was a knock out! So there you have it, a "small" dinner at Babbo. I look forward to coming back and truly experiencing Babbo at a full throttled experience of the Chef's menu with wine pairings.
Great post, Jeff - I felt like I was in the restaurant with you, food coma and all...
-dc
Posted by: David C | 19 June 2007 at 01:51 AM