NYC — Spring 2012: Scalini Fedeli

My brother had made reservations for us for dinner at Scalini Fedeli on the Saturday evening that were were in New York. And it was there that we had the most decadent meal of our trip, which is really saying something considering all the things we ate. We decided to get the $90 tasting menu, which included three main courses and a few surprises in-between:

Amuse-bouche: Porcini mushroom ravioli in creamy porcini mushroom foam

Primi Piatti: Risotto with mushrooms and petit peas from Provence topped with crispy zucchini

Primi Piatti: Pappardelle in a spicy veal shank and pancetta "Bolognese" with bone marrow and a hint of orange

My brother and I shared our first courses, both of which were divine. The risotto was simple but well-executed: flavourful and creamy, the earthy flavour of the mushrooms and the freshness of the peas paired perfectly, and the crispy zucchini on top was a nice textural contrast. The pappardelle was rich and decadent, with the massive ribbons of pasta cooked perfectly al dente and coated in a most addictive "Bolognese" sauce — I could easily have eaten a big plate of this for dinner.

Piatti di Mezzo: Duo of beef — Braised short rib with a cherry pepper and port wine glaze

Piatti di Mezzo: Duo of beef — Prime New York strip with a side of dolce gorgonzola cream sauce

A side of truffle potato chips

My main course: the duo of beef. On one side of my plate was the braised short rib with a cherry pepper and port wine glaze — some of the most tender meat I've ever eaten. Slightly sweet and slightly tart, each bite of the short rib was packed with flavour. The bed of mashed potatoes helped temper the sharpness of the meat. On the other side of my plate was the prime New York strip with a side of dolce gorgonzola cream sauce. Nothing special, just a really good, perfectly cooked, tender and juicy mass of steak. I thought the gorgonzola cream sauce was a little too strong to go with the steak; it almost overwhelmed it. But I did think it was fantastic to mellow out the flavour of the rapini, which is bitter by nature. Alongside the slabs of beef was a basket of freshly made potato chips, made even more luxurious by a sprinkling of black truffle.

Palate cleanser (for men): Mascarpone gelato with strawberries in strawberry reduction

Palate cleanser (for women): Pineapple sorbet with caramelized pineapples

After our main courses came the "palate cleansers," or a "pre-dessert" course. For whatever reason, they decided to make one for women and a different one for men. I'm not sure what the reasoning is behind the difference in palate cleansers by gender, but seeing as I totally shared half with my brother, I got the best of both worlds, anyway. I loved the creamy richness of the mascarpone gelato and the sweet and tart contrast between that and the strawberry sauce; the pineapple sorbet was bright and fresh, with the caramelized pineapples giving off a lovely cinnamon scent.

Dessert: Flourless chocolate soufflé, made to order, with hazelnut gelato

Dessert: Passionfruit panna cotta Napoleon with fresh berry compote and vanilla bean gelato

Dessert: Panino of crisp pistachio and hazelnut caramel wafers filled with hazelnut and pistachio gelato

Dessert: Mascarpone cheesecake on a gingersnap crust with tangerine sorbetto and blood orange sauce

Dessert time! Everything on the menu sounded so good that we just decided to share four desserts. My brother ordered the ones that sounded the best. Chocolate lovers need to get the soufflé, which is ridiculously decadent and surprisingly not too sweet. The hazelnut gelato on the side helps mellow out some of the bitterness of the chocolate. The passionfruit Napoleon was light and fresh and simple — a great contrast in the flavours and textures between the creamy panna cotta, crisp chocolate wafers, fresh raspberries, and vanilla bean gelato. The panino of pistachio and hazelnut wafers with pistachio and hazelnut gelato was tasty, though not my favourite; as much as I love pistachio and hazelnut gelato, it just felt like a glorified ice cream sandwich. The wafers added a nice crunch, but was a little on the bitter side. The mascarpone cheesecake was divine, and somehow felt light and airy rather than rich and dense. The tangerine sorbetto was an amazing accompaniment: equal parts tart, bitter, and sweet, it went extremely well with the sweet, mild taste of the mascarpone.

All in all, a wonderful experience. The food was phenomenal — I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a fancier, more elegant Italian restaurant in New York (it has consistently high ratings by customers and critics alike, and a high Zagat score). The service was also fantastic: efficient, attentive, friendly, and never overbearing. The ambiance was rather dated, though, and not necessarily in a good way. The tall white candles (which my dad pointed out was very funeral-like in Chinese tradition), antique gilded mirrors, and stained glass windows are reminiscent of a church, which is not the most comfortable environment to be eating in. And going downstairs to the basement bathroom reminded me of a horror movie scene, with ancient paintings and huge antique mirrors and vanities in a very dimly-lit hallway (according to my dad, it didn't have great feng shui). Despite the somewhat haunting atmosphere, what annoyed me the most was that it became so dark inside the restaurant that any source of lighting came from the tall white candle at each dining table. Some might see that as romantic, but I see it as a huge annoyance when I am trying to take photos of my food. But I don't think they were taking that into consideration when designing the place.

Scalini Fedeli

165 Duane Street

New York, NY 10013

(212) 528-0400