Gianfranco we missed you!
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A restaurant where mozzarella is the focus of the menu?
In tandem with Italian wine?
Our friends Gianfranco Sorrentino and Vito Gnazzo, host and executive chef respectively, co-owners, have earned their "triple crown" with their restaurant newest to us: Mozzarella e Vino.
You know them from Il Gattopardo:
and The Leopard at des Artistes:
"Our idea is to evoke the spirit of a high caliber meal at a quicker pace catering to those that go to shows; we are a wine bar that is enhanced by a bespoke mozzarella producer," Vito Gnazzo, Executive Chef and Owner tells Peachy.
This is no ordinary restaurant. But SINCE WHEN have we been interested in ORDINARY?
Mozzarella & Vino has brilliantly invested in the
ABC Mozzarella di Bufala Campana Coop Allevatori Bufalini Casertani. If you didn't understand that because you cannot speak Italian either (Peachy can only say her name, pleased to meet you and I love Italian shoes) it means that they are part owners in this bespoke mozzarella brand in Italy, and it doesn't get more direct and fresh than that. Of course, it is even more extraordinary when you add the Italian wine.
The Mozzarella & Vino space is where Il Gattopardo used to be, and now Il Gattopardo is on the same block a bit down the street. You know it got its name from the Italian movie
THE LEOPARD and we seem to be putting movies and dinner together a lot these days-stay tuned for Sony's latest and greatest which we are about to tell you about.
There is Peachy with her inaugural glass of vino on the inaugural review of Mozzarella & Vino.
We have a feeling it could be picked again & again.
Peachy's first glass was the fabulous Supertuscan 2013 Il Bruciato Bolgheri, which proved to be a smashing start of rich red Italian ripeness: a blend of cabernet, merlot and syrah in perfect proportion. All evening Peachy was in red italian wine glory. It is not too often where we can find a place that knows exactly what we would like before we know it ourselves, but these guys have known us a long time and their wine list reads like a bible.
Seafood ecstasy awaits you with the Insalate section's winner: Calamari, mussels and shrimp salad over organic frisee, arugula and oven-dried cherry tomatoes. These cherry tomatoes are especially triumphant in flavor and the seafood is tremendously fresh.
Pierless is the source of the wonders of the sea at Mozzarella & Vino. We loved this salad and predict it has a big summer ahead in popularity.
The atmosphere of Mozzarella & Vino is in a word gorgeous, so dress to match it!
The difference between good and great is that people that are great exceed our expectations. The only thing we were sad about here was not seeing Gianfranco this night but Vito was of course here as you see. Great people make accurate suggestions that enhance our meal, and Vito personally wanted us to try this salad: Citrus and avocado with fennel and gaeta olives with a fresh mint dressing. The blood orange grapefruit was to-die-for in it. They have a stunning salad selection at Mozzarella & Vino.
Now that angelic Peachy has eaten her vegetables, she next visited the Antipasti section of the menu with the AMAZING classic Burrata Pugliese. At Mozzarella & Vino, Burrata Pugliese is scented with basil oil and served with cherry tomatoes and toasted bread.
It is an absolute dream:
We would encourage you to delicately devour your new best friend.
Next in the batting order for Peachy was the Nebbiolo delle Langhe 2011 Oddero, another winner.
The "from our dry-aging room" section is also a must-visit from the menu: from the Sopressata/Veneto (Venice!) A blend of hog's shoulder and leg brings some spicy to your meal as well as red wine, salt and a spice mix encased and aged up to a year. It paired so well with the next Brunello.
Under the entrees: "Pesce & Carne", you will find some solid choices for your dinner focus. Peachy enjoyed the fragrant, fresh "Insalata di pollo": grilled thin sliced chicken breast over radicchio, celery and frisee, topped with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano and cherry tomatoes with olive oil and balsamic dressing. Delicious!
Our esteemed panelist adds:
What do you get when you have investors who own cheese factories in Italy? The best, freshest selection of the most delectable cheeses, in inventive recipes, accompanied by a brilliant selection of choice wines.
Mozzarella e Vino ( Mozzarella and Wine) is a restaurant that sits directly across from MOMA in Manhattan. You'll have to visit both of course, so make this restaurant a destination, and MOMA a cultural infusion for the day. While you're absorbing the many facets of the menu, treat yourself to a post-art cocktail.
We tried the "Tramonto", made with Prosecco ( Ilsogno), St. Germaine and a touch of Chambord. Served in a tall flute with a lemon peel it's a refreshing finish to an afternoon, or a delightful beginning to the evening at hand.
If it happens to be lunchtime, check to see if the "Panzanella" is on the menu. Have this instead of a tuna sandwich, with its savory dressing drizzled over cubes of bread, fresh tomatoes, and poached tuna.
Every region in Italy has its own version of the panzanella, and at Mozzarella e Vino, their version is geared to the NY palate. A generous portion of tuna, cherry tomatoes for flavor, with a hint of fennel and citrus to top it off. The accompanying wine was a lustrous Rose: Garda Classico Chiaretto 2014.
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