326463 Sat Sep 16 16:28:50 -0700 2006 2 18 Manhattan 0 1881001 Hello all, after getting many good recommendations I ended up at Da Andrea last night for the friend's birthday dinner. (To refresh, my prior post was yummy Italian food in a sufficiently celebratory environment for young folks without much money) Overall, it was great. The place was cute, the service was friendly. The wine list was incredibly reasonable, we had the Dolcetto and some house red, and both were served a touch warm for my taste but perfectly acceptable, especially for the price. Appetizers- carpaccio and mussels- were both solid. The aged ricotta on the carpaccio was especially nice. Also, the focaccia was really good, very spongy, with a nicely herbed olive oil. Pastas- artichoke ravioli; veal ravioli in a cream sauce with thyme, mushrooms, and proscuitto; sausage ragu pappardelle with truffle oil; and gnocci in a gorgonzola sauce. The artichoke ravioli was pretty lackluster, as the artichoke flavor was largely overwhelmed by the tomato sauce. The veal ravioli was delicious- a combination of really mellow but nice flavors, a subtler dish- the table favorite. The gnocci and pappardelle were both very bold and delicious dishes, and each person was pleased with their food but also happy to trade tastes as well. (A big plate of creamy gorgonzola goodness gets a bit heavy after a while) For dessert, a couple of us ordered tirimisu and the apple tart. Both were quite good, though one criticism that I have is when restaurants squirt a pretty sauce over the plate, actually adding a very strong flavor to the dessert without any mention in the menu. Last night, it was a raspberry sauce. It looked pretty, but I personally didn't really care for the way the flavor mixed with the tirimisu- but that wasn't my dessert, so it wasn't a big deal. Just a general note. Overall, for 2 bottles of wine, 2 appetizers, 4 pastas, and 2 desserts, 4 young poor friends were able to appropriately celebrate a birthday and eat very well for a very reasonable $130 (before tip). Much thanks to those who helped me decide to go there, I will definitely return. Sat Sep 16 16:28:50 -0700 2006 16582 Cate 1 1881106 its a great neighborhood italian. i think the sausage ragu is their standout. Sat Sep 16 17:24:30 -0700 2006 1881001 11372 mrnyc 1 1897921 So glad you liked it! I picked up a bag of take out last night and enjoyed monkfish with asparagus, mussels, lentil soup. It is a gem. The lamb shank in winter is classy comfort food! Sun Sep 24 01:46:59 -0700 2006 1881001 19462 simetrias