Locanda Verde: Delicious Italian Food in TriBeCa

A few months ago, my mom was reading the "Dining Out" section of the NYT and came across a review for this restaurant. The review was stellar and my mom was delighted to see that the head chef used to be the chef de cuisine at one of our favorite Italian restaurants, A Voce. Recently, we stopped going to the one downtown because it was a bit of a schlep and we stopped going to the one at the Time Warner building because the food isn't as good as the original. Eager to follow this chef, my mom asked that we try this restaurant.
each window is decorated with these lighted wreaths

Locanda Verde is sort of off the beat and track, calling TriBeCa home. The neighborhood is not impressive, but then you see the gorgeous spiral web awning of this place and you are immediately drawn to it. Locanda Verda seems to have several dining rooms. There is a small cafe-like seating area at the front, then a typical dining room with a variety of seating arrangements, then a larger "communal" dining room in the back. By communal I mean, several long wooden tables that allow families and strangers to mingle (if they choose), whilst they eat.
cool ceiling made of corks

Since the restaurant was fully booked, we were only able to get seats at a communal table, which was fine. The dining room I was in was something out of a nice wood cabin. Everything was made of wood and there was a nice big roaring fire. The fireplace was beautiful! This made me feel like I was in Aspen or deep in the woods somewhere. Also, the decorations really put you in the mood for the holidays, making the overall dining experience that much more enjoyable.
Our waitress was super nice and explained the Locanda Verde vision about dining. The menu is designed so that multiple dishes can be ordered and shared by all members of the party present. Like many Italian restaurants, the menu is divided into primi, pasta, and secondi. Not to mention, the dessert menu. First line of business...wine. Locanda Verde has a vast selection of wine, but not too much. It's not good if the choices are overwhelming. Of course, all of the wine is Italian. I forget what my father ordered, but it was delicious!
menu and red wine

For starters, we ordered fritto misto, little neck clams, and marinated beets. Everything was seasoned to perfection and tasted awesome. I have to say though, my favorite was the fritto misto, which has squid, clams, and shrimp. They were so crispy and delicious! Also, the basil dipping sauce was AMAZING!
marinaded beets and fritto misto. also toasted focaccia bread
steamed little neck clams

For our pasta, we ordered a spicy pasta with sausage and octopus, as well as the ravioli. This ravioli was my favorite. Apparently it is the chef's grandmother's recipe, so you know that this dish has really been cooked from the heart. It was filled with meat and the flavor was unlike anything I have ever eaten. I can't quite describe it. All I can say is, EAT IT! You will love it!
spicy pasta in the back, ravioli in the front
(sorry it's so dark!)

For our secondi, we order a pancetta wrapped veal chop. Yum yum yum! The meat was so tender and juicy. It was like butter! As an accompaniment for the veal, the waitress recommended that we order a side of their brussels sprouts. These sprouts are oven roasted and then finished with pecorino romano cheese and bacon. Let me say, I DETEST brussels sprouts, but I couldn't stop eating Locanda Verde's. They were out of this world!
For dessert, we ordered an apple sundae of sorts, maple budino, and rice pudding. I really enjoyed my dessert. It had apple cider sorbet, pumpkin ice cream, apple cider croutons, peanut brittle, and caramel sauce. AMAZING! Everything was delicious. Not too sweet...just right!
What can I say? Locanda Verde was terrific! My only regret is that I hadn't discovered this place sooner. The food is wonderful and the atmosphere is warm and down to earth. No pretension, just delicious simple Italian food. What more could you ask for? Can't wait to go back~~~!

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