Del Posto

When Del Posto first opened we went many times over the first few years and then just sort of stopped.  Recently the NYTimes gave Del Posto five stars.  Wow.  Five stars, really?  I was intrigued and made a note to myself to get back to Del Posto.  When I asked Josh where he wanted to dine for his birthday dinner he didn't hesitate and fired back Del Posto.  Nice call. 

Josh's birthday happens to be Valentines Day so I suggested we have dinner there on the 13th and we eat at home on the 14th.  I will make whatever Josh wants and that seemed to be the perfect way to celebrate.  Bo Saam at home, Del Posto for the night out. 

The one thing about Del Posto that always throws me is the decor.  The second you step in the door you do not feel like you are in NYC.  Old school modern with dark colors and lighting in a big space.  I asked Josh about the decor and he agreed.  He said he felt like he was on vacation and not in his home town.  Maybe that is a good thing. 

We began the meal with the tasting from the chef.  The small cup is filled with the most intense chicken soup you have ever had.  Rich and buttery yet deep in flavor and not too heavy.  On the side was a cheesy risotto ball and an intense liver pate sandwich.  Divine way to start the meal. 

The service can be compared to a fine French restaurant although here it is Italian.  The basket of breads is a nice mixture and each bread is crispy out the outside and soft on the inside.  Served alongside with two butters, one lardo and the other I believe was just a simple cream. 

Your options are basically a 5 course or a 7 course menu.  The five course is smart.  One appetizer, one main, one dessert and two pastas for the table to share.  That is what we opted for.  My appetizer was the carne crudo.  Steak tartare mixed with a hint of truffled salsa and shavings of Parmesan on the top and two pieces of a shaved King Oyster mushroom on top.  What can I say?  Sublime.  Josh and I had the same thing and we were speechless. 

Fred had the artichoke which was also incredible.  Three small artichokes that had been spread apart and deep fried over a mixture of baby clams and farro with a slight hint of mint but a real spicy kick too. Emily had the roasted vegetables which I didn't taste and she didn't love them.  Max, Josh's friend, had the prosciutto which was amazing.

Pastas have always been top at Del Posto and they ruled last night too.  We tried two pastas.  The first one was Agnolotti stuffed with a lambrusco glassato.  Woah.  Each bite was savored.

The other pasta was amazing too.  Orchiette mixed with a lamb ragu and a little shaved Parmesan on top.  Another hit.  Rich, woodsy, full of flavor and total sophisticated comfort food.

For the main course I went with the duck.  Seared sliced medium rare duck with a little mixture of a thick nutty chutney.  I didn't love that part but Josh did and the duck was perfect.  Crispy skin, flavorful duck just cooked to perfection.

Two of us had the pork.  Wasn't as good as the duck but the preparation was beautiful with an interesting combo of flavors.

Birthday cake for Josh.  They cut it up and brought it back.  Chocolate cake with a killer chocolate cream frosting.  We probably could have bagged the desserts but hey on a night like this who's counting calories?

Fred and Max went for the cheese.  Smart.  They knew cake was going to come.  Soft gooey cheese on an eggplant crostini dribbled with a little bit of chocolate over the top.  Wow.

I had the butterscotch.  I honestly can't even remember what it was and at this point I had definitely hit the wall.

Oh…don't forget the cookie plate.  Orange biscottis, dark chocolate cookies and filled miniature tarts with chocolate cream and salt. 

The wrap up is that Del Posto absolutely deserves five stars, hands down.  The food, the service, the presentation, the vibe, the whole thing.  Definitely a place to go for something special.  Sit back, wear loose clothes, go crazy and enjoy the show.  Wow.  Nice pick Josh.