About usPartner with usSign up to our Newsletter

La Rosetta Cucina Mediterranean

Location
243 West 14th Street
Neighborhoods
La Rosetta Cucina Mediterranean 1 Italian Mediterranean Videos West Village

After decades of training everywhere from Switzerland to Venice, the Harvard Club, the Four Seasons, and the Boat House restaurant, chef Fred Mero decided, at long last, to start his own restaurant. He got in touch with his friend, Vincenzo Roberto, who was planning on retiring from the industry after years of running restaurants, and convinced him to do this “one last job.” Yes, there are several outstanding places to dine on West 14th Street, but after the meal that our Manhattan Sideways team experienced, we believe there is definitely room for one more. The menu is not incredibly wide-reaching, but deliberately so, instead electing to focus on doing a few things very well. We can personally attest to the scrumptiousness of the linguine with clam sauce and baked tofu marinara. The dish that really stole the day, however, was the zucchini manicotti - stuffed with a puree of walnuts, pine nuts, sunflower seeds and ricotta - created by sous chef Jamie, who was trying to wow his vegetarian wife when he created it. In addition to the delicious meal that we ate sitting at a table in the back, La Rosetta has a unique sixty-foot raw bar that greets customers when entering. Oysters are not the only items on center stage here, as they also carve meat and have a number of wines on tap. Mero explained to us that this feature can be traced to his time in Europe: “The Spanish style of serving people has been ingrained in me - you don’t hide anything, you show people what you’re making them.” The wine is from all over the world, poured generously and offered inexpensively during weekday happy hours. And for those who really want to indulge, there is an “unlimited champagne package” available to get the party started and a "powerful" martini list. When we felt that we had indulged ourselves more than enough in the middle of the afternoon, and were ready to say our good-byes, three amazing desserts were placed in front of us. We marveled at the excellent bread pudding, the rich chocolate ganache, and a perfect cheese cake. Needless to say, we had no problem scraping each of the plates clean. Mero has clearly put in his time building his resume, and now he is ready to show New Yorkers what he can do.

Location
Loading
Sign up to Sidestreet Updates
La Rosetta Cucina Mediterranean 1 Italian Mediterranean Videos West Village
La Rosetta Cucina Mediterranean 2 Italian Mediterranean Videos West Village
La Rosetta Cucina Mediterranean 3 Italian Mediterranean Videos West Village
La Rosetta Cucina Mediterranean 4 Italian Mediterranean Videos West Village
La Rosetta Cucina Mediterranean 5 Italian Mediterranean Videos West Village
La Rosetta Cucina Mediterranean 6 Italian Mediterranean Videos West Village
La Rosetta Cucina Mediterranean 7 Italian Mediterranean Videos West Village
La Rosetta Cucina Mediterranean 8 Italian Mediterranean Videos West Village
La Rosetta Cucina Mediterranean 9 Italian Mediterranean Videos West Village
La Rosetta Cucina Mediterranean 10 Italian Mediterranean Videos West Village
La Rosetta Cucina Mediterranean 11 Italian Mediterranean Videos West Village
La Rosetta Cucina Mediterranean 12 Italian Mediterranean Videos West Village

More Italian nearby

Lost Gem
da Umberto Ristorante 1 Italian undefined

da Umberto Ristorante

Da Umberto has never needed a sign outside its door. According to Vittorio Assante, the restaurant’s gregarious owner: “Either you knew about it or you didn’t. ” Opened by his father, “the great restaurateur” Umberto Assante, Vittorio took over after his father passed away in 2004. But Vittorio's immersion in the restaurant industry began far earlier. He vividly recalled being twelve years old and dressing in a proper suit and bow tie to help in the kitchen. Where some kids might have resented having to work, he thrived. “I loved it — I couldn’t get enough. I practically ran the place by the time I turned seventeen. ”Da Umberto is an elegant space that has remained largely unchanged since it opened its doors in the 1980s. With classic white tablecloths and dimmed lighting, the place oozes old-world charm, while a window at the back offers diners a peek into the bustling kitchen — a feature originated by Umberto, according to his son. Vittorio has preserved much of what endeared Da Umberto to the neighborhood in its heyday. The wine racks, the timeless Tuscan gold walls, and even some staff members have been fixtures in the restaurant for over thirty years. Vittorio credits his dad with teaching him his recipes — many of which are still on the menu today, although these days the classics are mixed with his more modern creations. Regulars insist the main attraction is the table heaped full of antipasti, which dominates one side of the restaurant, along with the iconic dessert cart. The tiramisu remains a firm crowd pleaser amongst the distinguished clientele that has continued to visit through the decades. “Some things I don’t mess with. ” As he added his personal flair to the business, Vittorio continued to honor his father’s memory with a portrait that overlooks the dining room. “I have my father’s traditions mixed with my own evolving sensibility. ” In fact, he attributes much of his continuing success to his father’s influence. “My dad taught me so much: those old school values of hard work and taking nothing for granted. ” Umberto chose to open on 17th Street for convenience, as his second wife’s parents owned the building, but the decision was a risky one. He was a pioneer in a neighborhood that was desolate. It was certainly not the kind of place that you would walk around, let alone have an elegant restaurant. Still, the restaurant prevailed “through dedication, grinding it out all the time, having the passion, and loving what you do even on the difficult days. We learned to just get back up and keep on fighting. ” It was the work ethic that his dad instilled in him that helped Vittorio ultimately achieve his dream of purchasing the building. Coming full circle, in 2015, Da Umberto cemented its place in the neighborhood. “My father would be happy. He would say, ‘Bravo Vittorio. ’

More Mediterranean nearby