Trattoria dell' Arte

Mom and Dad were on a mission last weekend to see the Van Gogh exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. After several hours of strolling around the city, they ended up at the other Met instead. They saw La Boheme and decided to stay in the city for dinner. When I got the phone call at work asking if I wanted to meet them at Trattoria dell' Arte I didn't think twice about it. Did I mention they took Swimster and I to the Brooklyn Diner (it's my 3rd time and it only gets better) that same morning? Two meals in one day on Mom and Dad was certainly a generous and unexpected treat. To top it off, my coworker treated the staff to a grand ole' pizza lunch. It should come as no surprise that I solidified my decision to train for next year's NYC Marathon that night.

Mom admits she's a country bumpkin and every time she comes into New York is awed and impressed that I can live in the rush of buses and taxis and honks and people. Dad is the opposite. He comes in whenever he can, whether it's for business or pleasure, and one of his favorite areas (out of convenience or preference I'm not so sure) seems to be midtown. Hence a few of the family hotspots: Baldoria, Trattoria dell'Arte, Ralphs, Brooklyn Diner, and Norma's. When in doubt, Dad goes midtown.

This was not my first time at Trattoria. We had eaten here once after a Yankee game and it was as bustling and crowded as it was then. Only, during the summertime it was nice enough to sit outside. You walk in to Trattoria to find a boisterous front section with tables and booths off the large front windows and a larger dining room towards the back. The two sections are separated by a large antipasta (ahnt-eee-PAHST) bar, filled with seafood and vegetables on ice of all shapes and sizes. Crustaceans looked at me when I walked by screaming "Eat me! Eat me!" Downstairs was loud and chaotic, with barely enough room to stand and wait for a table with all the huge platters swinging off the limbs of servers and busboys. Trattoria has a loud atmosphere, great for big parties, but not so great for conversation or the softspoken. Note they have some beautiful looking private rooms for parties that are worth checking out.

The hostess brought us to our 4-top on the second level and I felt I had just walked into the mini-house Geico commercial. The ceilings were very low in this annex of the restaurant. If you make reservations, make sure to ask for downstairs.

Our server was very friendly and brought water to the table right away. Had we known that was the only glass we'd see for the next half hour we might not have guzzled it down so quickly. Our waitress was not very attentive that evening, and not for lack of caring, but because she was "in the weeds" (restaurant talk for being overly swamped with tables). And she repeatedly came to the table apologizing for her absence, which we all appreciated and understood. Thanks to some years on her side of the table, I have patience for restaurant service gone awry and it rubbed off on my parents.

Menu memorables: Dad went right for the gusto and started us all with a margherita pizza with sliced prosciutto. It came out the size of a mini football field. The crust was crispy and well-done and the cheese was light enough that it didn't make the pizza soggy. The prosciutto was cut razor thin and added a nice chewy texture to the pie. Dad ordered the pasta pomodoro (you can choose from a small/large portion). I didn't get a taste but Mom tried it and said it was the best dish on the table-simple, thick, and flavorful. Mom went with the pesce scada calabrese, or swordfish with capers, olives and tomatoes. I liked the saltiness of the vegetables with the swordfish. The steak itself, however, was a little on the flat side. I prefer the thicker cuts and I think Mom agreed too. I chose the filetto di tono, served with an artichoke lentil salad. They were very generous with the tuna steak. It was thick and bulky and cooked rare as I requested. The tuna rested on a sweet mixture of artichokes and lentils. To my disappointment the artichokes were slightly undercooked and I caught a few sharp leaf edges. And normally I'd have to say I'm not a huge lentil person but they worked well with the tuna. Swimster chose the strozzapreti carbonara con aragosta, or hand rolled ribbon pasta with lobster, asparagus, and pancetta. Besides my tuna and the pizza, this was my favorite dish on the table. The pasta tasted homemade and was cooked al dente. The pasta oozed in a light cream sauce that wrapped up the lobster-asparagus-pasta into one great bite.

I think the moral of the story here is stick with the pizza and pasta dishes at Trattoria. That's what they do best. And if you're a stickler for punctual service, try going on a weeknight, when crowds might not be so heavy. I think it'd be better named Zoo dell'Arte.

900 7th Avenue, b/t 56th and 57th Streets
212-245-9800