328731 Mon Sep 25 14:58:51 -0700 2006 4 19 Outer Boroughs 0 1900260 After many years, I finally tried Piccola Venezia last night. The fusi alla grappa was pleasant and a bit unusual, but not strikingly great. The pumpkin ravioli were pretty nice--sweet filling, with a softly contrasting cream and cheese sauce--but again not riveting. Grilled octopus appetizer was very tender, but maybe a trifle mushy. Also had the fried zucchini, which were fine. The osso buco entree, though, was to my tastes something of a disaster. The osso buco itself was melting and large, but not so flavorful, and the sauce it came in seemed like the kind of standard stew-sauce one would get with a pot roast at a diner. I got it with gnocchi (rice was the other option), which were very light but a little raw tasting, and the pale orange tomato sauce they came in had a vague tang but not much flavor otherwise. Bad order on my part? Sunday not the best night to go? With nothing really standing out, and the osso buco and accompanying gnocchi being liabilities, I came away pretty disappointed, which I'm sad about because I want to be into it. On the osso buco issue, I feel as though I've never really had a great osso buco in the city, and I wonder if this is bad luck or possibly because my expectations of the dish are based on the version that was served at a restaurant I worked at in Chicago, Tucci Benucch. Not a fancy or ambitious place, but that osso bugo was nice. One factor that made it better than what I've had here was that, though it had been braised to appropriate tenderness, the surface still had some firmness and flavor from the initial browning. Also they used some demi-glace in the sauce. After PV, we went to the Lemon Ice King of Corona. A refreshing cap on the mean and decent enough, but insufficiently lemony, I thought. Anyone know why their logo is a sombrero? Mon Sep 25 14:58:51 -0700 2006 10219 Denis 1 1900391 i like the osso buco at parkside, seved as a special on thursday evening. Mon Sep 25 15:45:49 -0700 2006 1900260 12809 josh L 1 1900441 It's interesting because so many of the folks I trust like this place but I've never had a memorable meal there. "Adequate" and sometimes even "good" but overall nothing I recommend to others. I like Manducatis and Queen much better. Mon Sep 25 16:03:09 -0700 2006 1900260 11394 Steve R 1 1901280 I agree 100%. Sadly I have only gone once- but the food we got (all recommendations from others) was not that special- given the price. I too had the osso buco but I hated the sauce which tasted like it was almost canned. The atmospere was nice- but we felt we couldn't afford to "break" this restaurant in. I prefer Manducati's also- or L'Incontro for that matter. I would still try it again, but we were sufficiently stung by the mediocrity to return (and I live but a few blocks away). I'd love someone to convince me to try it again (I probably will anyway) Mon Sep 25 20:29:15 -0700 2006 1900260 11656 quentinC 1 1902474 Try the Osso Buco at NOODLE PUDDING. It is really delicious. Tue Sep 26 05:45:32 -0700 2006 1900260 10838 Fleur