La Masseria, New York City
La Masseria is an authentic Italian, farm-to-table dining experience in Manhattan.
La Masseria, New York City
Chef Pino Coladonato, who grew up on a farm in the fertile Puglia region of Italy, has designed a menu that evokes the ingredients, flavors and aromas of the traditional Italian farmhouse culture.
In the south of Italy the Masseria is the center, the lifeblood of a working farm. This sturdy, often centuries-old structure has a multitude of uses. The Masseria is where harvested veggies and fruits are stored. It can also house live animals and function as a toolshed. As a young man who rose before dawn every day to work on the family farm, Pino spent more time in the Masseria and out in the fields than he did inside their modest home. Helping out with the family meals, Pino showed considerable expertise in the kitchen. Cooking just seemed to come naturally to him. The young man's first dishes were often limited to whatever was available at the moment. Fava beans, chick peas and lentils were a core element in Pino's entrees. They are today, even though the state-of-the-art kitchen Pino now cooks in is a lot bigger and fancier than the one back home.
The old world charm and rustic atmosphere of the Masseria has been re-created amidst the crowded sidewalks and bustling traffic of Midtown Manhattan. Makeover television personality and interior designer Libby Langdon worked side-by-side with Chef Pino to make his La Masseria Ristorante as authentic as possible. She most definitely succeeded. Everything in the restaurant is true to life, from the antique farm tools on display and the burnished walls to the oversized iron scones, custom made from antique wrought iron gates. The centerpiece is the 8-foot chandelier. This visually striking fixture features three antique wagon wheels that look as if they rolled right out of the 19 century, along with 30 lights.
When you are sitting at the table here, you don't have to stretch your imagination to feel that you are an honored guest at a neighbor's farmhouse. Utilizing imported olive oil, the rich yield from local farms, prime cuts of meat and only the freshest seafood, Chef Pino deftly translates his childhood memories to La Masseria's menu. Appetizers kick off your culinary celebration with a lineup that favors fish. The Terra Mare Del Tavoliere consists of grilled baby octopus and cuttlefish with broccoli rabe on a bed of fava bean puree. Another plate features an unlikely duo of grilled sea scallops and artichoke hearts. The catch of the sea and tender, green bounty from the soil make beautiful music together.
Many of La Masseria's pastas are home made. They are so flavorful, you could enjoy a plate of Pino's ravioli or fettuccine with just a touch of garlic, olive oil or butter. But why deny yourself the pleasure of his Gnocchi with radicchio and taleggio cheese sauce? Or the large Rigatoni covered in Grandma's Sunday sauce?
When you are craving La Carni or Pesci (meat or fish) and nothing else will do, satisfy your hunger with one of La Masseria's hearty entrees. You will savor every bite of the absolutely tender Pollo Novello Al Mottone, a grilled young chicken served country-style. The mouthwatering Lombata Di Vitello is a huge grilled T-bone veal chop dressed with fresh herbs. Chef Pino is not content to just present you with a perfectly grilled and seasoned salmon fillet. His Trancio Di Salmone goes the extra mile with grilled zucchini and a mustard sauce with just the right amount of bite to it. Nothing on the plate overpowers your fish. That's the mark of a true artist in the kitchen. Ever mindful of your health and dietary needs, La Masseria has gluten-free pasta available upon request.
Once you have sampled the food and hospitality at La Masseria, you will want to return, again and again. There can never be too much of a good thing. But if you desire a change of pace, in terms of vibe and menu, then head over to Chef Pino's newest venture, Masseria Dei Vini.
Location & Hours
235 West 48th Street
New York, NY 10036
(212) 582-2111
Hours
Lunch: Mon-Sun 12-3 PM
Dinner: Mon 5-11 PM
Tue-Sat: 5-12 AM
Sun: 3-10:30 PM
Masseria Dei Vini - New York, NY
Masseria of wines will appeal to all your senses. The restaurant is simply stunning and, as to be expected, the food and wine list deserves accolades from discerning foodies throughout the city.
Designer Libby Langdon has, once again, surpassed expectations. This uber-talented visual artist has come up with a sleek, sophisticated, contemporary take on the rural Masseria farmhouse. When you dine at Masseria and its sister restaurant Masseria Dei Vini, your experience is totally unique. On the surface you are in two different worlds, yet both restaurants are built on the same solid foundation, thanks to the ownership team of Chef Pino Coladonato and two extremely interesting gentlemen, Peppe Iuele, executive manager, and Enzo Ruggiero. Peppe and Enzo have known each other since they were children, growing up on the famous Isle of Capri.
Little did the young boys think that one day, their life's journey would take them across an ocean to New York, where they would own two successful restaurants. Peppe has performed every job you can imagine in the restaurant industry; from bus boy to waiter, from chef to general manager, he has seen and done it all. Peppe delights in getting to know his customers. At both Masserias you can feel the superb service culture that he has created. As far as Peppe is concerned, business is very personal indeed.
Enzo Ruggiero's passion is wine. As a child, Enzo loved to accompany his grandfather to the family vineyard. Here, Enzo would join in the stomping of grapes. It was fun, but also serious business. When you sip a glass of wine at one of his restaurants, don't just send your compliments to the chef for a great meal. Ask to speak with Enzo and thank him for creating some of the most innovative wine lists in the industry. Enzo has introduced the fruits of labor from several small boutique vineyards in southern Italy to the New York wine drinking community.
Peppe, Enzo and Pino firmly believe that food is an important way to bring people together. It is a philosophy that goes back to the environment that the owners grew up in. At the farmhouse back in Capri and Puglia, eating at the family dinner table was a social and engaging event followed by every household.
Pino Coladonato first met Peppe and Enzo when he was the chef at Sette Mezzo restaurant. Chef Pino put in 14 long but wonderful years at Sette Mezzo. The three Italian expatriates hit it off and decided to go into business for themselves. Masseria and Masseria Dei Vini were born shortly after, creating a culinary world without boundaries.
At Masseria Dei Vini, Chef Pino has brought over a few of the dishes he created at the original location. But there are also many new apps and entrees that you can only order at Dei Vini. Here, Chef Pini offers gourmet, Neapolitan-style pizza, made in a classic Ferrara wood burning oven. Each pizza comes out of the oven looking like a work of art. And the taste is, well, magnifico! The Pugliese Maritata combines smoked mozarella and broccoli rabe with pork cheeks. You've never eaten a pie like Chef Pino's Mamma Mia. This pizza blends mozzarella Fior Di Latte, tomato sauce with a mix of mushrooms, eggs and Parma ham. One of the chef's personal favorites is the Calabrese. A fave pizza of Italian farmhands, the Calabrese consists of house made tomato sauce, mozzarella and sweet Italian sausage and N'Duia, which gives the pizza a spicy kick. N'Duia is a very and we do mean very, spicy Calabrese spread sausage.
With a glass of wine, the Calabrian goes down very well. Pizza aside, there's a lot to like about Masseria Dei Vini's menu. What we have in mind, and you should, too, is the Bocconcini Di Pollo: chunks of boneless chicken with mushrooms and shallots in a red wine sauce. You could make a meal out of the cucuzielli fritti, crispy fried zucchini, Chef Pino style. The same can be said for another signature appetizer, the Polpettine Alla Fontelina. You are in dip and delight heaven with this dish of eggplant balls with a side of tomato sauce and fresh basil.
On the Isle of Capri the catch of the day is the evening meal, more often than not. Having access to fresh fish was something that Peppe and Enzo took for granted during their formative years in Capri. They want Masseria and Masseria Dei Vini to be your go-to place for seafood. The Cavatelli Ai Frutti Di Mare is a platter of coffee bean shaped pasta with mixed seafood sauce, served atop a bed of pureed peas.
In Italy, the sturdy Masseria farmhouses have been part of the landscape for hundreds of years. Some buildings date all the way back to the time of the Medici. Built upon a rock solid foundation of their own, Manhattan's Masseria will certainly be a vital part of the restaurant scene for decades to come.
Location & Hours
887 9th Avenue
New York, NY 10019
b/t 57th St & 58th St
Hell's Kitchen, Midtown West
(212) 315-2888
www.masseriadeivini.com
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