Terrific Takeout: Mozzarella e Vino Summer 2016 Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins
From the Seafood Salad above to the Bean Salad below, Mozzarella e Vino offers a stellar selection of summer refreshments that are both delicious and healthy for the discriminating diner
Do not miss the Panini section!
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"Summer is a moment for us where we showcase the best Italian products: the vegetables, the fish, and of course the pasta and the mozzarella which is best in the summer."
-Gianfranco Sorrentino, Owner of Mozzarella e Vino
Gianfranco Sorrentino and Vito Gnazzo are some of the most accomplished restaurateurs that grace Manhattan today with their trifecta of excellence: Il Gattopardo (last featured in 2015), The Leopard at des Artistes (most recently featured Spring 2016) and the youngest of the three, Mozzarella e Vino! Just like any younger sibling, Mozzarella e Vino benefits from the accomplishments of its two older siblings and sailed into Peachy's Picks via grandfathering, and was not subject to the initial takeout review because Vito and Gianfranco have been impressing us since we first met them in 2010 when The Leopard was three weeks old. Peachy has a Leopard dress for the other two venues and tried on a cow print dress recently because she thought Mozzarella e Vino needed its own dress (unfortunately, the cow print dress was not cut well nor was it made in Italy or anywhere else that impresses us) so we are still in search of one.
So what does it take to impress us and get us to dress to match your restaurant?
One thing they do that not everyone does is completely overhaul their menu and become innovative with the fresh flavors of the season. Is there anything better than drinking wine and eating mozzarella in summer? We don't think so, but we thought we'd angelically begin with salad, and these are some of the best we've seen this summer. And, they go way beyond the cheese and wine here although those are each highly commendable.
We began with the summer salad of beans, asparagus tips, potatoes and plum tomatoes; Gianfrano tells us the vegetables are organic. The assortment combined is an amazing collection of summer flavors that dance in evoo from Tuscany; the potatoes in particular are divine.
Mozzarella e Vino was Highly Recommended earlier this year:
Less is often more, and we reveled in this opening simplicity.
The citrus and avocado salad was suggested to us, and it is also high-quality and representative of contrasting notes of citrus, avocado, fennel and gaeta olives, all of which are artfully presented in a fresh mint dressing. The citrus in particular is highly laudable here.
We applaud Mozzarella e Vino for their salad depth; there are six choices. There's no doubt in our mind that the Lord of the Salad at Mozzarella e Vino is the seafood salad: Calamari, mussels and shrimp waltz over organic frisee, arugula and oven-dried cherry tomatoes and smashing scallions. This is light fresh perfection in the heat of the season and the evoo, lemon and parsley dressing is a homage to classic Italian culinary design. You'll be ecstatic with the succulent waves of seafood swimming among the vegetables.
The best gazpacho we've had this summer is at Mozzarella e Vino!
Cold tomato soup with cucumber, green peppers and celery is going to flatter your bathing suit figure this summer; it is the vegetables that are chunky, not you! The rich, flavorful concoction skips nothing in terms of taste. Gianfranco said we also must try the "Pappa al Pomodoro":
Initially we were not too sure about hot tomato soup on a summer day, but of course he was right. The Tuscan tomato (it is Tuscan because of the breadcrumbs) enhanced by organic basil and celery is a surprising hit as well. You would be remiss to not let the delicious bread not take a dip. It is not piping hot but just right for goldilocks Peachy.
You can't visit without at least a bit of mozzarella; under appetizers, a winner to be discovered is the superb Prosciutto di Parma with smoked mozzarella and grilled zucchini. Even in the concrete jungle of Manhattan, you'll feel these must have been roasted on your own personal bonfire under the firework talents of Vito and Gianfranco. It arrived in a lovely arrangement, as is characteristic of all dishes at their three venues.
When is a sandwich not just a sandwich? When Vito made it!
Ooh la la the panini section is just wonderful and the Prosciutto San Daniele on ciabatta with the creamy ecstasy of their robiola cheese and healthy grilled eggplant resulted in this dish being the most short-lived of the night and won the race to Peachy Deegan's stomach.
Yes, we absolutely loved it!
You will also fall in love with the Ravioli del giorno (of the day) which was Ricotta and Basil the day we visited. This superlative dish filled with spinach, garlic, and ricotta did its best Phelps to our tastebuds in this buildup to a crescendo in the meal. This is no ordinary ravioli!
And finally, just to illustrate that this is the wine bar to beat and that this is absolutely not a sandwich place, take a look at this majestic entree which is not even from Italy because Gianfranco and Vito boast depth in their menu: the Sauteed Scottish Salmon arrives from Scotland via Pierless every other day fresh and is another triumph of the menu. Sauteed and poached in olive oil and fresh herbs to give it an amazing moist interior, this poisson announces how this is where you should be eating this summer and the braised seasonal greens, sauteed spinach with just the right amount of garlic in our case, echos the sentiment.
You know you'd be remiss to not order dessert and the fruit tart is made fresh daily and we even detected a peach in it!!! Extra points for peachy anything. Melon, pineapple, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries also came to the party in vanilla custard.
Mozzarella & Vino continues to be Highly Recommended by Whom You Know.
