What can I say? Felidia is my favorite NYC restaurant so far, and it's going to take something spectacular to outshine this classic Italian restaurant. The admiration for it's founder is national at the very least, and Lidia Bastianich was honored by NYC with the title of Grand Marshall in this year's Columbus Day Parade on 5th Avenue.
The menu is seasonal and because our reservation was in Fall, we were treated to the regular Fall menu, plus a list of offerings made exclusively with Winter squashes as the main ingredient(have you ever heard of a Fall squash?). We started our meal with a special charcuterie offering that included Kobe beef cured in coffee, duck with juniper berries, several types of pork with savory curing agents and all were served with dried fruits and aged balsamic. While I ordered a warming and filling Delicata and barley soup from the special menu, my companion ordered the pear and fresh pecorino ravioli that is a staple on the Felidia menu, so creamy and delicious. All items are described on her website linked at the bottom of this review.
My entree was also selected from the squash menu and was a Blue Hubbard risotto with Humbolt Fog goat cheese and a smattering of watercress with a single demitasse spoonful of 25 year old balsamic which was ceremoniously opened and poured at the table. Why didn't I insist on licking the spoon? It was clearly one of life's lost moments. My dinner partner ordered lamb cooked two ways. His plate was layered with fresh steamed vegetable tidbits, two perfectly cooked French cut lamb chops and an osso buco of lamb, better know as the neck that had been braised to perfection. Mashed butternut squash finished the offering. On Christmas Eve 2005 we had an equally wonderful experience with a perfectly cooked roast duck, and the year before was every bit as good. Our starter at that time was foie gras cooked 3 ways. Unfortunately, that is no longer on the menu.
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