Tag Archives: Lower East Side Restaurants

Ravioli Round-Up

It was recently brought to my attention how much I blog about ravioli. So, when I typed in “Ravioli” in my blog’s search, I discovered my friend was right… I am obsessed with ordering this type of dish! So, I thought I’d do a round up of my favorites over the past couple of months so if you have a hankering or an obsession like I do — then you’ll know exactly where to go for the best plate!

1. The best ravioli dish I believe that I have had while living in New York City (and I recently ate it only a couple of months ago) was from my favorite Italian restaurant, Perbacco! Perbacco is in the Lower East Side and they change their menu seasonally, so you know that the food is going to be nothing but fresh and full of flavor! This ravioli — Ravioli di Zucca con Salsiccia which is kabocha squash ravioli sauteed in brown butter sauce and italian sausage served with amaretto foam on the side — is the perfect dish if you are after something both sweet and savory!

2. What other restaurant could have the ravioli plate down… of course it’s going to be Perbacco’s sister restaurant — Gnocco! I was able to catch this ravioli dish when it was listed as a special. Honestly there isn’t a better filling for a ravioli than either pumpkin or butternut squash… and pair that with some freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese and I’m officially in heaven!

3. Here we go… exactly what I was just talking about. The Butternut Tortelloni with Roast Italian Chestnuts, Sage and Parmigiano from Crispo in Meatpacking is done perfectly! And you know that this will be available to you since it wasn’t on a special menu! Yum Yum Yum I just love butternut! Super sweet, savory, and in a way totally hits that spot the same way comfort food does!

4. And in fourth place is a more classic Ravioli Al Formaggio — a ravioli filled with cheese in a pink sauce. I loved how the small West Village trattoria cooked up this dish! Malatesta Trattoria doesn’t take reservations, but your 2 hour wait will be worth it — the prices are dirt cheap and you will be saying “yum” between every single bite!

5. A hot-spot where New Yorkers could spot the Kardashians while they were filming their latest season of Kourtney and Kim Take New York, the restaurant is also known as Asellina located on Park Avenue (and can be considered in the neighborhood of Murray Hill). But the chef at this restaurant put together one heck of a special featuring a truffled ravioli… can you see the truffle shavings? They weren’t cheap with the real-deal — forget truffle oil!

6. Bar Pitti was the most recent place I ordered a ravioli dish and it was the most perfect option I could have picked! The ravioli was light and fluffy and stuffed with spinach and cheese — poured over top was a tasty butter and sage sauce that had me licking my lips! It’s a no reservations and cash only type of joint so be prepared! The wait goes fast and you’ll love the pushy (/busy) Italian employees!

Little Muenster Grilled Cheese

grilled cheese restaurant
You may be wondering how an entire business can focus on a childhood favorite like grilled cheese… It’s easy! The grilled cheese sandwiches at Little Muenster are not your stereotypical white bread meets American cheese. The chef at this restaurant has amped-up the simple sandwich into a sophisticated one by combining high-end cheeses with other ingredients to compliment them. For example, I ordered the #4 — which is Asiago, Parmesan and Muenster cheese with butternut squash and sage brown butter on peasant bread.

When hot, the Muenster cheese was perfectly stringy, the peasant bread was buttered and perfectly cooked until golden brown which ultimately created the perfect crunchy texture, and the butternut squash had a smooth, thick texture in the sandwich. The sage brown butter added the perfect sweetness in addition to the butternut squash. Would I order this sandwich again? You betcha! The entire menu is grilled cheese, although you are able to order a soup or salad on the side as well. I have been told their tomato soup is to die for, but I was perfectly satisfied with the grilled cheese.

My friend Stefanie and I had planned to head to Little Muenster on the Lower East Side — and we both couldn’t wait to go! For both of us, it was our first time going and I don’t know about her, but I was shocked to see how small the restaurant was. The space probably could comfortably fit maybe 15 people. So we ordered our sandwiches and had to wait a few minutes for people to finish up eating. This place is not a great spot to go to if you are looking to sit down and take your time eating. Once you order, it takes maybe 15 minutes for your food to be prepared. (I know, 15 minutes may seem like a long time for a simple grilled cheese to cook. But remember: some cheese takes a longer time to melt than others.) Next to the Meatball Shop, this is a fantastic place to find your favorite comfort food!

Note: this is the way I will make my future children’s grilled cheeses. No more dinky sandwiches… I now know how to spice it up at home!

Click here to see what Serious Eats has to say about Little Muenster!