Peachy Picks Valbella Our Coverage Sponsored by Cosmopolitan Dental, Official Dentist of Whom You Know

A proper start to a phenomenal Valbella experience!

The Best Dentist in Manhattan 

&

Official Dentist of Whom You Know:

http://cosmopolitandental.com/

30 E. 40th Suite 1001

212 683 1960

Dr. Garo Nazarian is a Mover and Shaker:

http://www.whomyouknow.com/2009/01/movers-and-shakers-dr-garo-nazarian-of.html

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We've just discovered the best-kept secret in midtown and its name is Valbella!  

If you were walking down 53rd street between Fifth and Madison and were in a huge hurry and didn't stop to see what is set back from the sidewalk in a lovely nook on the north side of the street, our heart bleeds for you but our stomach does more. Started in Greenwich, Connecticut originally twenty years ago by a woman named Valerie, Valbella has a new spot in town on 11 East 53rd Street! As soon as we arrived, manager Ralph Malfetano greeted us and we nibbled on some fantastic parmesean and prosciutto. The atmosphere was fresh and modern yet the cuisine was classic and comforting. 
It was first featured in Tasty Tidbits:
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2012/04/tasty-tidbits-valbella-midtown.html
and we are pleased to announce it has graduated to Peachy's Picks.

You can see from the lighting how lovely the rose-violet lights warm the room.  

And, they are modern.  This is a culinary experience for 2012~!

However, we wanted to put the flash on so you can appreciate how tops these fruits of the sea are! This winner is called the seafood combination platter: jumbo shrimp, lump crabmeat, and lobster meat. To us this is the holy trinity of seafood and guess who was blessing herself straightaway! Anyone would be blessed to taste the freshness of this platter which would be outstanding any time of year but is truly ideal for the current spring and summer weather upcoming. Traditional cocktail sauce and a creamy dijon sauce each compliment each of the three components splendidly-they have tremendous flavor without being overwhelming.

There are not words to describe how highly this dish ranks on our all-time favorite stars of pasta that have graced our palate.   This dish goes by the name of trenette (similar to fettuccine) with truffle cream sauce of white truffle paste and black marinated truffles.  All we can say is that it tastes like heaven, if we could imagine what one would eat in heaven.  

This is Raymond Diaz's favorite dish. As our waiter, Raymond provided spot-on suggestions such as this and immaculate service. Also note to our opera enthusiasts like Mover and Shaker Ellen Christine- he is on his way to opera stardom. 

The Dover Sole was served with a lemon white wine butter sauce that also proves that less is more. Asparagus crispily joined the party! The meuniere sauce allowed the fresh flavor of the poisson to shine through in its glory! Ralph you are correct this has got to be one of the stars of the menu.   Every dessert we tasted was as high quality as the previous components of the menu and those at Valbella certainly must be reading as it is known that chocolate to us is one of the four food groups.

Everyone knows Peachy talks about the chocolate souffle at 1007 Lexington and orders it everytime she is there, so she had to do the taste test of others in the city.  This one was just as good and remember the dish is hot-touch the souffle-not the dish!  Light, fluffy and chocolate, this would be the dessert we'd say to order if you pick just one.  However, we had the pleasure of also tasting the chocolate lava cake which was also a total dream.  Had we known how strong Valbella is in dessert we might have started here!

A signature is their Napoleon cake which was delightful:

And 40-year old port was like the cherry on top of the outstanding Valbella experience:

Our esteemed panelist adds:

Nestled on East 53rd Street between 5th and Madison, Valbella is easy to miss if you're rushing along at the pace typical of most New Yorkers. However, once you've tasted a meal there, you'll never pass by again without slowing down to gaze in and long for the next time you'll dine there. I had my first Valbella experience a few evenings ago, and I still find myself "mmmm"-ing quietly whenever I think of the delectable meal I enjoyed. From the second I entered the restaurant, I was impressed by the unique, innovative lighting and design - it was at once modern, sophisticated, unfussy, and undeniably fun! As we perused the menu, we nibbled on the salumi, hard Italian cheese, bread and olive oil that were on the table...and I was in heaven already! Our waiter, Raymond, was charming, friendly, and knowledgeable, and with his guidance, we finally made our selections. 

For my first course, I had the burrata, which was one of the specials that evening. This creamy, fresh, mozzarella and cream cheese was served with prosciutto, artichoke, and tomatoes, and was out of this world! It was beautiful to look at, and tasted even better! Next, Peachy and I split the pasta special for the night, which is one of my favorite things I've eaten in recent memory. Made with trenette pasta (similar to fettuccini), white truffle paste, and black truffles, this dish was otherworldly in its deliciousness! My only regret was that I needed to save room for my main course, so I couldn't finish the entire plate! 

For my main course, I chose the Pollo Rucola - strips of chicken, shrimp, roasted peppers, cherry tomatoes and arugula served in a white wine and garlic sauce infused with lemon curd. This, too, was expertly prepared, and beautifully presented. The chicken was perfectly tender, and the shrimp was fantastic! All of the flavors played off each other incredibly well, and it was a thoroughly enjoyable dish. I chose to accompany my meal with a lovely Pinot Grigio, which was a delightfully refreshing complement to the food, without being overpowering. 

For dessert, we had the joy of sampling three of Valbella's most popular sweets: the Napoleon, the chocolate soufflé, and the chocolate lava cake. The Napoleon was a feast for the eyes, as well as the taste buds. Layers of light, flaky crust, cream filling, and almonds mingled with each other and made for a surprisingly light sweet treat! 

The chocolate soufflé was about as perfect as a chocolate soufflé can be - light and airy texture, with a rich and decadent flavor. And the chocolate lave cake - oh, my! The cake itself was terrific, but the warm, liquid chocolate center was the true star of the show. To accompany our dessert, we were served a remarkable 41-year old port. Sweet and warming, with hints of maple syrup, the port was a fantastic addition to an already incredible meal. Overall, a truly outstanding experience - Valbella is definitely a "must" for any New Yorker who is serious about their food! 

http://www.valbellamidtown.com/

Peachy Picks Valbella!

Valbella is Highly Recommended by Whom You Know.