304311 Sat Jun 24 21:25:24 -0700 2006 8 18 Manhattan 0 1710473 Has anyone tried Enoteca Barbone which just opened on Ave B in the East Village? I've heard good things, but I can't find any menu or price information. Thanks. Sat Jun 24 21:25:24 -0700 2006 11395 keith 1 1715152 Well, I ended up eating there and it was reasonably priced with pretty good food. Apps $5-10. Pasta's $11-16. Entree's around $15-25. I believe the owner said that the chef was formerly of Babbo, and you could see some similarities (i.e. Chicken Liver Ravioli in brown butter balsamic sauce), but nowhere near the level of execution. The Asparagus Fries with Pancetta Aioli was quite good though. Overall, I'd recommend this for a relatively inexpensive neighborhood italian with laudable aspirations. I would not, however, go out of my way for it. Also, as an Enoteca, there was of course a nice regional italian wine list. Tue Jun 27 19:37:52 -0700 2006 1710473 11395 keith 1 1720614 Not really the same, but small, quiet, elegant with an unreal wine list...Veritas on W, 20th St Fri Jun 30 12:05:27 -0700 2006 1710473 15116 manic2 1 1869222 I loved this spot! It's casual, so are the prices, but they take both the food and wining very seriously. The chef, John Baron, was the wizard behind the pasta at Babbo, Lupa, Po, so you can't eat here and skip out on the carbs! There's an amazing backyard patio and some really adventurous off-beat wines. I wrote a review on Restaurant Girl at: http://www.restaurantgirl.com/restaurantgirl/2006/06/enoteca_barboun.html Mon Sep 11 20:28:15 -0700 2006 1710473 23900 therestaurantgirl 1 1869239 Even though the restaruant girl ONLY publishes flattering reviews (no kidding, she says so right on "about me" part of her website) I agree with her on this one. I had a very good, modestly priced meal at barbone a few weeks ago, and I'm not a giant fan of the sea of Italian mediocrity in New York (or worse, Hoboken, where the best Italian restaurant just closed) Mon Sep 11 20:35:24 -0700 2006 1710473 11928 xavier 1 1917629 One of the worst meals i have had in a long time. Tried a pasta as a starter which had corn and tomatoes and tasted like it came out of a ragu jar. had heard a lot about the chef and he certainly has a good pedigree. the next table over had the same pasta and she left the whole thing. the main dishes were odd -- i had a fried bass entree which i thought would be pan-seared not fried. the short ribs were just plain bad -- bad flavor and fatty and tough and gravy was gelatinous. the garden outback is pleasant enough. we go to a lot of italian restaurants including silvanos, cantinori, da umberto, lupa, sant ambroeus and this was way below par. Mon Oct 02 23:20:58 -0700 2006 1710473 40957 ssy 1 1919045 So sorry to hear about your meal at Enoteca Barbone. I've eaten there numerous times and luckily, had splendid food. As for posting only positive reviews, I've recently decided to post both positive and negative reviews, for better or worse. Restaurant Girl Tue Oct 03 16:25:54 -0700 2006 1710473 23900 therestaurantgirl 1 2696968 I live right around the corner and go here all the time. I've never been disappointed. No, it's not Babbo, but the food is definitely a step-up from your typical under-$15-entree East Village Italian joint. Though, then again, the prices are a little more than $15 for an entree. But still not expensive. Put simply, I love this place because the food is consistently good, the atmosphere warm and quietly elegant (have taken girlfriend and parents here) and the service is excellent (every time I've eaten there the Chef/Owner has come over and said hi to our table). On the "pleasant dining experience" scale, this place is a 10. Tue Jun 26 15:23:06 -0700 2007 1710473 108178 clements88 1 2698986 I want to like this place so much because I really like the back garden, but both meals I have had here have been truly disappointing. Of course it's not Babbo - that's a crazy comparison, but it's certainly not Lupa either. IMHO there are far better Italian restaurants for the price in the hood including Gnocco right around the corner (though it is not nearly as good as it used to be) and the old standbys Perbacco and Il Bagatto further south. Wed Jun 27 08:16:34 -0700 2007 1710473 19118 Jorel