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-   -   Home made pasta in NYC? (https://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/home-made-pasta-in-nyc-525688/)

thebestpuppeteer May 1st, 2005 06:08 AM

Home made pasta in NYC?
 
Would anyone know a restaurant for homemade pasta in NYC or Westchester. I do not need atmosphere just great pasta. Any ideas?

starrsville May 1st, 2005 06:21 AM

Little Italy?

thebestpuppeteer May 1st, 2005 06:29 AM

The problem with walking into a restaurant in Little Italy is most of them are tourist traps.

starrsville May 1st, 2005 07:24 AM

Sorry. The last two meals I've eaten in Little Italy were fabulous, but what do I know, I'm a tourist when I'm in NYC. One time, I was with a big group of folks and we did VERY touristy things like laugh and eat and even did the hankerchief dance! The other time I was the only diner in a wonderful, quiet, family owned restaurant on a cold January day and enjoyed excellent service, fabulous homemade pasta and the best mussels I've ever had. But, then again I'm a tourist, so what do I know?

Hopefully, there will be some Manhattan locals that will share restaurants that tourists don't know about. I found some interesting suggestions on tripadvisor, with excellent user reviews but one was in the Lower East side, one was near the UN and the third was on the UES but those locations may be undesirable to you. I'd ask my friends who live on the UWS but they enjoy Little Italy as well.

thebestpuppeteer May 1st, 2005 08:06 AM

Please don't get me wrong tourists are the backbone of the NYC economy and I am one as well. Last time I ate in Little Italy was during the San Janero festival and the food was terrible and so was the service. What was the name of the restaurant with the mussels? Thanks for your response

LilMsFoodie May 1st, 2005 08:23 AM

Il Palazzo...mama mia, what pasta.

on another note: whoa, what is it with this new screen. very bright. LMF

makemyday May 1st, 2005 09:16 AM

>>>The last two meals I've eaten in Little Italy were fabulous, but what do I know, I'm a tourist when I'm in NYC. One time, I was with a big group of folks and we did VERY touristy things like laugh and eat and even did the hankerchief dance!<<<

In that case don't give suggestions that's not even close to what's being asked. Read the OP's question carefully before you answer. The OP asked for "homemade pasta in NYC ... do not need atmosphere just great pasta."

wantsomesun May 1st, 2005 09:50 AM

I can HIGHLY recommend Quartro Gatti on E 81st St just off 3rd AVe. The food is EXCELLENT, and they make most of their pasta. A friend who is Italian and visits Italy on a regular basis, told me it was the best pasta she has had outside of Italy.

Have a great time visiting.

GoTravel May 1st, 2005 11:08 AM

The nightly pasta special at Becco. All you can eat three homemade pastas for around $25 per person. It is in the Times Square area.

Scarlett May 1st, 2005 11:19 AM

Homemade- as in freshly made in the restaurant?
Ginos and the Isle of Capri on the Upper East Side.
Good atmosphere and fresh delicious pasta!

rb_travelerxATyahoo May 1st, 2005 09:31 PM

great Italian food & products without the tourist prices on & around Arthur Avenue in the Belmont neighborhood ... near Fordham.

Patrick May 2nd, 2005 04:46 AM

makemyday, what is your problem? That poster said the two meals they had there were "fabulous" presumably meaning they had great food, and possibly great fresh pasta. Isn't that what the question was about? The original poster did not say "I want horrible atmosphere" so what's wrong with adding that the places mentioned had some atmosphere as well as great food, although it would have helped if we had been given the actual names of these restaurants?
Anyone who thinks you can't get great fresh pasta in Little Italy has some chip on his shoulder. There are some fine Italian cooks there, whether you want to admit it or not.

JJ5 May 2nd, 2005 06:06 AM

I'd second Becco's. I know that pasta is made right there. Most of the time they have a ravioli (many different kinds at different times) as one of the three entries for the night. I had a oxtail ravioli there that was one of the best we have ever experienced.

But I do believe it was in the theater district, just a few doors down for Joe Allen on 42nd or around there.

sandypaws3 May 2nd, 2005 06:18 AM


BECCO
355 West 46th Street
Restaurant Row
212 397-7597

http://www.becconyc.com/

Sandy

starrsville May 2nd, 2005 07:52 AM

Thanks Patrick. I didn't argue because it was makemyday. I might stumble into an argument with an instigator once...but I try not to be a fool and do it twice.

I added the question mark to Little Italy on purpose - I thought I might draw fire with the suggestion, but I have enjoyed meals in Little Italy.

The reference to the dinner with the big group doing the "tourist" thing was deliberately contrasted with a solo dining experience. The group leader WAS looking for a "tourist" fun night for the large group and although we did that, the food was excellent. The solo dining experience, the food was divine.

If one thinks you can't find excellent Italian food in Little Italy their chip is so large it's serving as blinders. If anyone thinks they are going to find excellent Italian food with atmosphere in a restaurant with a hawker outside to draw the tourists in, they probably won't be lucky. Have I eaten in such a restaurant? Yep, when traveling with the kids and we are tired and hungry and want a bite to eat and will be satisfied with food the quality of food court Italian.

Heaven help you if you walk into the small, discrete, family owned Italian restaurant in Little Italy and ask for a slice of pizza!

Same location. Catering to very different diners' expectation. There's a world of difference between the two. If makemyday can't recognize (or the OP) can't tell the difference, that's not my problem.

Scarlett May 2nd, 2005 11:23 AM

Speaking of a "complete waste of time and bandwith."
starrsville, welcome to the Club LOL

Little men with Big Harry dreams have a lot of weird opinions, don't they? :D

All because someone disagrees with his choice of spaghetti! wow..


inthechips2 May 2nd, 2005 11:25 AM

Wow. I was just going to make a suggestion about a pasta place we enjoyed but can't believe what I am reading. Every so often there is some really nasty stuff on this message board, but I am loyal because of the great info I have gleaned from it.

Back to the original question - we found a small place at 51st and 1st (I hope I have my numbers correct there) called Ultimate Pasta. Upstairs next to a pizza place - it's a BYOB, small, a few tables, great picture windows. We very much enjoyed it and the pasta was delicious! And I am most definitely, and quite proud of being, a tourist.

jlm_mi May 2nd, 2005 11:54 AM

:D

starrsville May 2nd, 2005 12:00 PM

Thanks Scarlett. It was good to read your post right after that tirade. Just serves to support my original impression.

dsm22 May 2nd, 2005 01:27 PM

On Staten Island, NYC, there is a place that we always got our homemade pasta from. They make the best ravioli. It was called Pastosa. I can remember getting hot food to take out, but I cannot remember if you could sit in there.

I know they also had a Pastosa in Brooklyn and in Manhattan. Not sure if it was the same family.

Everytime we have relatives come to visit, they know to bring us a couple of boxes of raviloi, and some locateli pecorino romano cheese.


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