#InauguralReview Introducing #Angeletto Since 2018 by #ExecutiveChef #DavidBrungoli and #AustinBrahj 890 Second Avenue between 47th and 48th For World Leaders, and YOU!
A must as the temperature heats up Manhattan: Risotto Ai Frutti Di Mare!
Owners and Founders Executive Chef David Brungoli and Host Austin Brahj, and David with the Tagliata Di Angus below
You don't have to be President of France to dine at Angeletto!
But it is nice to know that world leaders like Emmanuel Macron agree with us.
In 2019, 25 Presidents, Prime Ministers and World Leaders dined at Angeletto and once you have familiarized yourself with their elegant, delicious Italian cuisine it will be obvious to you why this is the case. A month ago the President of Malta was here, and you should know you are most definitely treated just as well as any dignitary and on our first visit we are confident in their classy hospitality skills.
It's not who you know and it never has been.
It's WHOM YOU KNOW and we are thrilled to tell you today about Angeletto, the first venture of Executive Chef David Brungoli and Austin Brahj. It began on June 3, 2018 and it's located right near the United Nations, seating 150 inside.
Earlier this year on Whom You Know, we featured L'Angeletto in its inaugural review, and you should know Angeletto is the "older restaurant sibling." It is equally impressive and much larger.
Some days we eat Culatta with Gianfranco but this day we ate Prosciutto Crudo Di Parma Con Melone with David and Austin. It was a beacon of freshness as summer begins soon and it was the ultimate in refreshing, setting the tone for a fresh delicious start.
As you might expect, the wine list at Angeletto is predominantly Italian as it should be, and there are also some selections from France and California. Owner Austin Brahj suggested this bright, welcoming white to go with our first edible selection, a spot-on suggestion. Hailing from Durres, Albania, Austin precociously began his career at age 14 in Italy at Cipriani where he stayed until 1996, and then from 1996 to 2001 he came to Cipriani New York near the Plaza Hotel at Harry's Bar, and also was at Cipriani 42nd Street and the Soho Cipriani on West Broadway. From 2001 to 2017, Austin worked at The Waldorf=Astoria at The Bull and Bear and Peacock Alley, both of which were Peachy's Picks along with Oscar's. Sadly, everyone's days at The Waldorf=Astoria are over but your days at Angeletto are just beginning! (...and P.S. everyone knows that there is supposed to be an equals sign there: Conrad Hilton's idea....and stay tuned for an even better idea: reading his great-granddaughter Paris's book!)
The map of Italy in the binder of wine selections is testament to Angeletto's commitment to quality wine: actions speak louder than words. We almost felt like we were at a Gruppo Italiano event!
After going to Angeletto, you are going to think everyone else's Bruschetta is boring!
An Antipasti not to be ignored is undoubtedly the Bruschetta Platter, particularly attractive this time of year. The traditional tomato is of course a staple that is featured, but Angeletto steps it up with an Anchovy Avocado edition as well as a Smoked Salmon winner, which was our favorite. Again, freshness is the gospel spoken here.
...and with a fairydusting of pepper it is even better!
There are five salad choices at Angeletto, which we applaud! We are always proponents of green salads at every meal. Insalata Di Rucola graces your presence above: arugula, cherry tomatoes and grana padano cheese were a wonderful beacon of spring and we reveled in the simplicity. Below, the Insalata Di Ricciolina teamed up with avocado and fontina and note that our picky one at Whom You Know does not like salad dressing but normally these come dressed! At Angeletto, they listen carefully to how you order!
Ordinary places have one section of pasta on the menu.
Extraordinary places like Angeletto have two: Pasta, and Traditional Roman Pasta!
From the first Pasta section, we started with the Lasagna with Broccoli and Italian sausage. Exquisitely layered with ingredients in perfect proportion, this carnivorous endeavor absolutely hit the spot from flavor nuances to sauce to meat to cheese to vegetable to of course pasta! From the illustrious wine list, Peachy chose her friend Barolo.
Under the Risotto section, the Risotto Ai Frutti Di Mare is a homerun in your stomach that the Yankees wish they achieved recently as they lost a doubleheader to the Red Sox (do you know who once wrote professionally for Boston Baseball prior to ever writing on dinner...and the last time the Yankees lost a doubleheader in this series we hear was in 1976, a very good year. 1975 is also good, Austin!) This killer excellent risotto boasts mussels, clams, calamari and shrimp and is exemplary and fresh. We surmise the dawn of a cult following of this dish and its own fan club.
Note: this is a restaurant that knows to serve a seafood fork with this dish without you having to ask.
Actions speak louder than words.
RIGATONI ALLA CARBONARA IS THE BEST EDIBLE EVER AT ANGELETTO SAYS PEACHY DEEGAN! Words cannot begin to convey how absolutely amazing this dish really is, but we shall try. We're glad to say it is not a one-hit-wonder because we did have it at L'Angeletto also earlier, and the egg yolk, pecorino romano and smoked pancetta confirm in rigatoni that this is no sophomoric effort: it is 110 percent winning. Smelling it is totally intoxicating and eating it is even better. It quite literally will put you in a trance and will silence the best of conversations!
Carbonara glamour shots:
Spaghetti Alle Vongole is super for spring with its clams in white wine sauce. From the regular pasta section, this succulent seafood is flavored with just the right nuance to achieve a resounding round of applause from your stomach.
From every angle, it is evident that the Branzino Alla Livornese is a champion.
The entree selection is extensive and we count ten choices! We narrowed it down to the gorgeous Branzino Alla Lovornese, above and the Tagliata Di Angus, below with David. As always, the pictures in this review are unedited: you excel like David and Austin or we do not publish. All pictures are exactly true to real life. From the olives to the cherry tomatoes to the capers and fresh vegetables all enlightening the superstar Branzino to the Sliced Angus Ribeye presented perfectly medium rare as ordered, the level of pristine refinement in each entree bite evidences David's culinary background in Rome, Italy and the Pear al chocolata reconfirms this. The bosc pear cooked in chardonnay, sugar and cinnamon enhanced with blueberries, strawberries and mint is the perfect conclusion.
Angeletto impressed us on our first visit; we look forward to seeing what they do next!
