189782 Sat Sep 09 00:00:04 -0700 2000 15 18 Manhattan 0 1013831 I passed by this restaurant on the northeast corner of 13th St. and Av. A while taking a walk yesterday. It looks like a moderately-priced serious Tuscan restaurant and, for whatever it's worth, it got a very good review from Grimes in the NY Times' Diner's Journal. Have any of you been there? What do you recommend: Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, all, none? Also, do any of you have any comments on some of the new places that have been cropping up on Av. B lately? Is Max better than older places like Frutti di Mare? What about the bar/restaurant that I think was on the southeast corner of B and 5th and seems to have a Louisiana influence? Also, there's another Italian restaurant across Av. A from Il Covo del Est. It got a mediocre review from Time Out NY, which they posted on their door in such a way as to discourage reading; I'm planning on skipping it. Finally, I was surprised to find while walking on 9th St. between A and 1st that my neighborhood apparently can now support a genuinely expensive Italian restaurant (about $20 per secondo), I Tre Coppi or I Coppi, which is on the south side of the street. I looked in at the elegant brickface walls and the traditional Italian ceramic pottery attached to the wall. Unless some of you think that it is a great restaurant, I won't go there. Is it great? Sat Sep 09 00:00:04 -0700 2000 0 Michael 1 1013842 Max is truly great, even the meatloaf, but just try getting a seat--it's tiny and it's mobbed. The Tuscan you mention on 13th Street is easy to get into (in spite of Grimes' review), but very expensive. There's a cheaper Italian joint right across the street that nobody I know has eaten in. For cheap Italian, I still like the ancient Foccaceria on 7th and 1st Avenue, a long existing Sicilian spot that, ten years ago, used to be where Brunetta's is now. For the stout of stomach, check out the spleen sandwich. Sat Sep 09 11:05:17 -0700 2000 1013831 0 Robert Sietsema 2 1013850 I have to issue a serious Downhill Alert about the Foccaceria: Had enjoyed it for years, went there recently and discovered that the red sauce was almost flavorless, not even much garlic not to mention herbs, the pasta was gloopy and overcooked and the mozzerella was no longer the real thing but resembled that "string cheese" stuff you can get at the supermarket. The spleen sandwich still has novelty value, but the bread isn't even good, which in this neighborhood is inexcusable. Pretty disgusting food - all things considered, and the last few times we've looked in no one from the family that own/owned it was in evidence. I Coppi is truly yummy and if you order pasta rather than meat, not so hideously expensive as all that. Great garden too. Sat Sep 09 14:52:49 -0700 2000 1013842 0 Elaine 3 1013895 What about that Casalinga place just north of 7th and 1st? Is it worth eating at? By the way, a tip: I went to Galapagos a couple of weeks ago and found its paella distinctly underwhelming - really, underseasoned. The restaurant is too expensive (I'd call it "moderate-priced") for me to want to go back for more. Tue Sep 12 01:10:59 -0700 2000 1013850 0 Michael 4 1013900 It's nearly ok for a quick take out/ delivery meal. But you could probably make better pasta at home. At first I thought you meant Colegno which is on 9th at 2nd ave. They have pretty good Itailian food, I'd go there 1st. Although, it maybe double the price. Tue Sep 12 08:54:42 -0700 2000 1013895 0 Michele 5 1013923 I had a very pleasant meal at Col Legno a couple or 3 months ago. It cost something close to $30, I think ($27 maybe, including tax+tip but no wine or dessert IIRC), which I wouldn't consider spending frequently on a meal anywhere. I will go back sometime, however. Wed Sep 13 04:40:23 -0700 2000 1013900 0 Michael 2 1013856 Even though this has nothing to do with food, I have to tell this story of when I was eating in Foccareria about 6 years ago there were 2 men at seperate tables sitting near me. They started talking and soon realized they were both leg amputees. One had lost his right leg, the other his left. By the end of their meals they decided to swap all of their extra shoes that they couldn't wear since they didn't have the appropriate foot to wear it on. ODD BUT TRUE STORY. Sat Sep 09 20:56:58 -0700 2000 1013842 0 Michele 1 1013879 I haven't been to I Coppi in a while, but the food was uniformly delicious the times I went, especially the pastas. Il Covo del Est I liked the one time I went in August. I had really bad jetlag, but I do recall a wonderful salad made of very fresh arugula and sphaghetti with extremely sweet baby clams. Warning-it is unbelievably noisy, exacerbated the night I was there by live music (we asked to have our table moved further from the musicians and management cheerfully complied). Mon Sep 11 12:44:15 -0700 2000 1013831 0 Martha Gehan 1 1013881 The "Louisiana like" place is called the Gould Finch and serves Creole cuisine.(don't call it Cajun)I've only been once and the prices are reasonable and the gumbo pretty tasty. I was seated outside but the interior is really New Orleans funky! Can't give it the full stamp of approval just yet, but am curious if anyone else has been... Mon Sep 11 13:01:37 -0700 2000 1013831 0 SLAP 2 1013887 The interior I love. The food was extremely disappointing. Gumbo tasted like it was mixed with sawdust. Whatever we had were so forgettable. Maybe it has improved slightly?? Mon Sep 11 15:43:57 -0700 2000 1013881 0 Gary Cheong 3 1014041 Ugh. I ate at La Gould Finch for the first time last night. The decor was fantastic shabby/luxe, the staff charming and friendly, but the meal was truly one of the worst I've ever had in a NYC restaurant. The barbecued shrimp appetizer was mealy and nastily thawed with a truly vominous vinagrette dressing on the side. The unmemorable cornbread was served with a gloppy zucchini spread that was only vaguely more appealing than green paper maiche. The gumbo (shrimp and sausage) was passable, but only a step more zesty than a Campbell's soup. My dining companion and I walked for blocks afterwards in a half-hearted attempt to stave off the impending quease, but the damage was done. Best saved for a glass of wine at the lovely bar. Hopefully there's not anything they can do to screw that up. Kat Fri Sep 15 16:59:11 -0700 2000 1013887 0 Kat Kinsman 4 1014052 Well, I guess it has not improved after all. My experience there was very similar to yours. Sat Sep 16 01:04:56 -0700 2000 1014041 0 Gary Cheong 5 1014389 Actually I was there about a year and a half ago and I think they may have improved slightly. I will admit that the menu is sparse for many and you must be very careful with what you order. My date at the time hads a horrible meal and he was very upset. He also could not get the drink he craved because they were out of the Liquor needed at the time. I do recall the paste they served with the cornbread but I don't think it was that bad anymore. My meal on the other hand was interesting and very good to be truthful. The staff was useless though and we had to beg for our check so we could leave Thu Aug 14 14:09:56 -0700 2003 1014052 0 Melanie 1 1013902 Due to friends' decision, we ate at newish French joint Casimir last night, on Avenue B and 7th, I think. Used to be Hotel Galvez. We'd intended to go to Briam but it was closed, so I was a little disappointed to start. And at this late date, all this wall-to-wall expensive fabulousness in the area is still depressing, but that's another rant. Casimir looks GREAT but the food was only so-so. Beer (bottled Duvel) wasn't quite right either. If, due to some unforseen reason, I had to go back, I'd just get snacks and drinks in the handsome loungey area. Tue Sep 12 10:06:54 -0700 2000 1013831 0 karen 1 1013953 Had a lackluster and for the quality and quantity expensive meal at I Copi sometime in August. Went with a group of 6 woman. I had gnocci with gorgonzola sauce which when done well is simple and delicious (there's a great expensive Italian restaurant on Metropolitan Avenue near Forest Hills Gardens called Albertos which does it perfectly) Anyway the gorgonzola had legs it was so strong. Now yes blue cheese is strong, but gorgonzola is a sweeter and milder version - not in this case it was way overripe and quite yucky. Wed Sep 13 18:32:39 -0700 2000 1013831 0 Lisa 1 1014390 I've only been to Il Cove Del Est one time but... I thought it was great, the atmosphere is nothing special, but the food rocks. Get the beef stew if you go, it is amazing. The person I went with also thought it was fantastic, but can't recall what she had. It is a bit expensive, but if you order the right stuff you'll be ok with that. Nearby is Esperanto, a sort of pan-latin restuarant that is quite nice. It is on Ave C and 9th. Best in the summer because you can sit outside. They also have live music on occasion. If you are down by C and 9th be sure to pop into Louis' Bar (as in Louis Armstrong, the jax trumpet player), which is on 9th St close to Ave C (a block or so north of Zum Schneider, also a great bar). They have a great selection of wine and good jazz on. The atmosphere is great and the place is cozy. If you're lucky there will be a live band playing in the front (there are certain nights for live music there but I can't recall which). Sa hello to the dog that hangs out in there, which goes by the name of...Louis. Sun Feb 08 17:55:44 -0800 2004 1013831 0 Chris