Eataly’s Il Pesce

by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
September 10, 2010

CRUDO
200 5th Ave
@ 23rd St
New York, NY 10010

Ceila Cheng

When my friend Lita Talarico traveled to Torino, Italy, a few years ago, the souvenirs she brought for me were fantastic stories about a mega food emporium called “Eataly” that she knew I would love. I’ve been intrigued ever since. It sounded like the stuff of dreams, a food and design wonderland — part gourmet food store (selling every kind of Italian food from cheeses to meats, pastas, pastry and more) and part restaurant, with a delightful assortment of different eating stations/mini-restaurants. I imagined spending a whole day there, shopping and eating, dazzled by all the gastronomic possibilities. While I had just added Torino’s Eataly to my long list of places to visit, news soon broke that Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich and friends were bringing Eataly stateside. Eataly in New York? What would that be like?

I decided to go for lunch on a weekday, hoping to avoid the peak-hour and grand-opening crowds. Despite that, it was positively packed. For as large as the space is —multi-floored, 50,000 square feet — there was hardly a corner in which to breathe. Lines formed at every counter, and at all the crudo, pasta and vegetable restaurants.

So what exactly is Eataly? Think of a gourmet food store (on the scale of something like Julius Meinl in Vienna) multi-leveled and stocked with gourmet goodies. While Eataly does focus on Italian food, its fresh produce is predominantly American. Eataly promotes high-quality local and Italian products. If you like one of the dishes you try at one of the mini-restaurants, you can purchase all of its ingredients in the gourmet shops and then recreate the dish in your own kitchen at home. In keeping with the Slow Food movement, Eataly puts gourmet quality within reach.

Eataly is like Disneyland for foodies. It’s easy to get sidetracked with so many attractions all around, so I knew I needed a plan. I set my sights on Dave Pasternack’s fish restaurant and crudo bar, Il Pesce, though there were plenty of temptations along the way. Despite my passion for pasta, I managed to resist the panoply of options. And there is the Piazza where you can stand and enjoy cheeses and salumi with wines, just like at the bar at Otto.

Celia Cheng

I reveled in all these distractions, but still managed to make it to Il Pesce with my appetite intact. Naturally, Dave was there, working hard to ensure that this miniature version of Esca has the same quality standards. I ordered the crudo trio (a taste of fluke, halibut and yellowtail) as well as the chef’s selection of grilled shrimp and lobster. Lunch was such a glorious treat: two glasses of wine, all that delicious seafood, and the wonderful company of other enthusiastic food lovers at the bar.

Given the number of people trying to have a meal and make purchases, there is definitely an air of chaos at Eataly. For example, the queuing-up protocol is a little haphazard. Some restaurants require waiting in line, while at others you can just claim your own table. At Il Pesce, the frazzled maître d’ struggled to arrange waiting customers into a complex system of lines — one to give their names, and the other to wait for their names to be called. That said, this was just the second week, so I’m sure all this confusion will be cleared up soon and the place will be running like clockwork. But I don’t foresee the lines dying down much.

Celia Cheng

Co-owners Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali are maintaining a consistent presence to guarantee a smooth opening for Eataly. During my lunch at the bar, I overheard Joe mention to Mario the prospect of a “Vegas Eataly.” It’s clear that the New York gourmet megastore is needed and welcomed, and it seems to be a good harbinger for the continued expansion of the Eatal-ian empire.

Also in Cheese, Flat Iron District, Italian, Madison Square, Meat, Pasta, Seafood