La Foccaceria Is Back
As we know, Vinnie Bondi retired to Florida and closed La Foccaceria on 1st Ave. between 7th and St. Marks.
The great news is that he gave the name, recipes and style to his Mexican waitress and cook, and they've reopened on the west side of First Avenue one door above 13th Street. (This is not the same as another Vinnie's a few doors up.)
I was there on Saturday, and everything is as it was, except the room is a little larger and they have a full bar, plus the cook as added a Hispanic menu.
The lima bean soup was still rich and deeply flavored, with a splash of excellent olive oil. The beef pizaioula still floated an inch off the plate on garlic fumes. The linguini with garlic and erl is still the paradigm. They still offer vasteddi, and though I didn't see the insulata di mare, the menu seems to have all of Vinnie's other dishes on it, plus his low, low prices.
We 'hounds need to support this place, which IMHO is the best Sicilian place in town. (Fernando's in Brooklyn is also good, but the prices are 50% more, with smaller portions.)
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sing me a bar
Jan 8, 2007 11:25 PM
I met someone at Sapporo who knew the ex waitress who was running El Girasol with the combination of Mexican food and Vinnie's Italian recipes. I've been hoping someone knew where she went when the place (on 1st Ave.) closed. Is there no hope that she'll start up somewhere else? I can't believe not one 'Hound is friends with her!
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I think it's completely gone. I think Joe's of Avenue U might have the best reputation for Sicilian foccacieria food if you're willing to go to Brooklyn. I believe it's right near the F train.
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sing me a bar
Oct 31, 2006 03:46 PM
Rancho El Girasol on First Ave. is closed, with no sign as to where the chef has gone. This was a lesson for me that if you want a place to survive, you have to patronize it. The Focacceria in the Village has no relationship to the original, as I understand it.
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