Pizzichi di Farro Al Forno (Farro pasta w/ porcini & prosciutto ragu baked in the brick oven)

by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
February 11, 2006

BELLAVITAE
24 Minetta Ln
(6th Ave & MacDougal St)
New York, NY 10012
212-473-5121

Bellavitae is a hidden treasure. Located on the small side street, Minetta Lane, between Sixth Avenue and MacDougal Street in the Village, the restaurant is inconspicuous and easy to miss, if you are not looking. Since it opened last January, I’ve passed it numerous times but I just assumed that it was an old-school restaurant that has been there for ages and never bothered to check. Guess I’ve really been missing out.

Since it’s an Italian restaurant that changes its menu frequently based on seasonal produce, you might ask how it’s different than a handful of other Italian restaurants in the City with the same premise? Well, for starters, with the focus on the ingredients and not a fancy chef showmanship, the menu is not fussy but rather traditional and ordinary. This is a compliment by all means, as it’s hard to find simple dishes that are not overly manipulated these days. But Bellavitae’s cuisine is hearty and downright good. Other key distinctions are that it’s not an annoyingly high-profile restaurant where it’s impossible to get a seat or reservations, and the prices are beyond reasonable for what you get. This is a place to which I would like to take my parents. Are you convinced yet?

Sitting at the bar at the back of the restaurant in front of the kitchen and brick oven, my friends and I got to see the preparation of most dishes. Again, there’s nothing showy about this open kitchen — nothing is meant to “wow” you for the purpose of wowing you. The chef is cheerfully and dutifully preparing each dish, and we just happen to be privy to watching this while it takes place. Bellavitae possesses a very warm, cozy atmosphere, a place where you can hang out and feel at ease. At the same time, its personality is bright and cheerful.

I’ve digressed too much, as I really want to talk about the food. There are four different types of crostini on the menu. We tried the baked Gorgonzola drizzled with chestnut honey from Lake Como. I’m not the biggest fan of Gorgonzola, but the pairing with the chestnut honey provided great balance.

The three starters we shared were all phenomenal: Cabolfiore ‘Anna’ (Sicilian style cauliflower with pignoli and currants), Insalata Italiana (Italian greens flown in from Treviso with balsamic dressing and pomegranate) and Puntarelle come a Roma (puntarelle flown in from Rome with lemon, garlic and anchovy). The cauliflower is sautéed and so smooth and sweet that it tastes as if it’s caramelized, but it’s the combination of pine nuts and currants that give it that sweetness. The salad is a knock-out featuring the Treviso radicchio, which looks more white with dashes of burgundy compared to local radicchio, and it’s not as bitter as the one we are accustomed to eating. Adding pomegranate and balsamic creates an entirely refreshing salad that makes you wonder why can’t all salads taste as good as this? I love puntarelle, which is a chicory shoot. You can buy puntarelle at the markets in Rome already picked, cleaned and shredded. The puntarelle flown in from Rome was so fresh that it spoke for itself with the simple dressing of lemon garlic and anchovy, a common Roman dish that’s simply delicious.

We tried five pastas. Most notable were the faro pasta with porcini and prosciutto ragu baked in the brick oven and the paccheri stuffed with ricotta and spinach. The richness of the porcini, the texture of the faro pasta and the flavorful yet delicate ragu — topped with a bit of parmesan that turns crispy when baked — is on the heavier side but a wonderful combination of flavors that’s not to be missed. The literal Italian translation of “paccheri” is “to slap.” These little pockets filled with creamy ricotta and spinach are baked and so shockingly good that you don’t know what hit you. One main meat dish we tried was the sliced steak with salsa verde, which was very nice, but I think the pastas are what will keep me coming back to Bellavitae.

The desserts were less spectacular, so even though we tried three, I will skip over them. Knowing this now, next time I will focus on sampling more savory goods. You are probably wondering how I could eat any more than four starters, five pastas, steak and three desserts. Well, of course my party of five shared everything, but I’m sure we could have had more. ;) I think this might be my new favorite neighborhood restaurant. I just wish it were a couple of blocks closer to me, but then again, part of its charm is how hidden it is.

Also in Greenwich Village, Italian, Pasta