Il Mulino

Ever since our trip to Italy, my family has been on the hunt for the best Italian restaurant. Every restaurant we ate in Rome or Capri had very solid pasta in terms of both flavor and texture, but you do not get that often in America. We decided to try Zagat 2010's top rated Italian restaurant in NYC: Il Mulino. 

First, let me tell you how incredibly dark it was in there. (Sorry for the blurry photos). I did not realize how serious my mom's warning was until I sat down and tried to read the menu or decipher the plate of antipasto right in front of me. 

For starters, we had the scampi oreganata (breaded shrimp with lemon, garlic, and white wine), prosciutto e melon, calarmi fritti, and a caprese salad. 

For our entrees, there was a wide selection of veal to choose from. My father had to osso bucco served with saffron risotto, and I had the veal Milanese (pictured below), which was a veal chop pounded very thinly and served breaded and topped with arugula. The meat on the osso bucco fell right off the bone, and the veal Milanese was very tender and the arugula balanced it right off. 

My mother ordered a a very simple pappardelle all'arrabbiata, which is a spicy marinara sauce with garlic and basil. The pasta had a very nice bite to it and was cooked wonderfully al dente. 

And of course someone had to order the spaghettini alla vongole. It had a great clam and white wine sauce and the pasta was cooked to the right texture as well. It was still not Italy, but it was close enough. 

And finally for dessert we shared a tiramisu and a ricotta cheesecake (shown below). The tiramisu was rich and had a strong coffee flavor, and the ricotta cheesecake was not too sweet and just creamy enough. It was definitely a delicious meal in a very intimate dining area. 

I say if you are looking for a good Italian meal in Manhattan, stick to Greenwich Village. You can't go wrong. 

Il Mulino

86 W 3rd Street

New York, NY 10012