Fra_Diavolo

I'm an Italian-American (also Irish, English and French) but never heard the term "gravy" applied to tomato sauce until, I don't know, may be the '90s? Strangely, however, my father, a 100% Italian-American, started using the term about the same time. He used to waver between sauce and gravy. Never an issue with me.

IMDonehere

I remember the discussion as early as the 1960's. I asked whether it was a regional term brought here and it seems to be more familial.

GipsyLady

Yes, I wish I could have experienced NY fifty years ago��I'm really not that picky when it comes to pasta so I am open minded to any of your suggestions. Although the atmosphere I had imagined was kind of like in the movies like "Good Fellas" and Moonstruck

IMDonehere

Believe me the food is better, more interesting, and diversified now than it was 50 years ago.

If you want a place that tastes like old Italian Brooklyn, there is no better than Defonte's in Red Hook. But you will have to take a cab. Pepper and egg. Potato and egg. Eggplant parm.

http://defontesofbrooklyn.com/

And BTW, there is nothing romantic about the guys in Good Fellas.

colby_nyctraveler

@ Nica my favorite dishes were:

Tagliatelle bolognese
Cosciotto d'agnello
Carpaccio originale

rouelan

I recently visited (again) grotto azzura. Food is good, crowd happy to be there. Nothing special but just all I expect from a night out that would not be extraordinary