New York is about food. People ask me why I live in NYC, and I have to say, "I'm here for the food." I don't think there's a place on earth that has the variety and quality of food that New York has. When visiting New York, one of the main things you should do is make sure you have at least one exquisite dining experience. And, if you can have only one, Babbo is the place to go.

Babbo is one of many restaurants owned by Mario Batali, of "Molto Mario" fame (see the Food Network). Undoubtedly, it is one of the best restaurants (if not the best) in New York not only because of its delicately-flavored Italian fare, but also because of its staff and ambiance.

I think that food lovers who live in, or visit New York must visit Babbo, because everyone that I have ever brought there said it was the best meal they had in their lives, and that they would never forget it. For a true experience, I recommend the tasting menu, but please follow my specific instructions on how to enjoy and survive a tasting menu (below). Believe me, you'll thank me for it.

Ambiance

Walking into Babbo is like entering a room with a roaring fireplace after coming in from the snow. It's refreshing and warm. Situated in a beautiful west village location, this duplex restaurant is immediately calming to the harried New Yorker or visitor. When you enter, there is a lovely oak (or some other gorgeous wood) bar, tables around it (these are unreserved, and I believe there are four of them), and many smiling faces. The atmosphere is upscale Tuscan modern rustic, as far as I can tell. There are usually large, elegant flower displays in the lower as well as the upper room, and the look is clean and streamlined without being cold.

Staff

No doubt about it, there may be equals, but there is no restaurant staff that surpasses that of Babbo. From the moment you walk in, you are welcomed, and that warmth and grace is indicative of the joy you will experience from the food. Unlike in other restaurants, sitting at the bar waiting for your table is a joy. The bartenders will spend the time reviewing the wines with you, giving you samples to ensure you get exactly the wine you want. They are knowledgeable, helpful and most of all, patient.

The best waiter in the place is Kenny. If you're lucky enough to get him at your table, consider yourself blessed. More than once, Kenny has waxed poetic about the uniqueness of Parmesano Reggiano, and the different hues of flavor it takes on, depending upon the season of production. Or maybe he'll tell you why Babbo Bolognese sauce is so different than any other. If you're interested, he'll tell you exactly why a certain cheese was specifically chosen to top the entree you've ordered, and he'll review the history of each and every wine if you'd like, and the quiet exuberance with which he does it makes the meal even more rhapsodic.

However, even if you don't get Kenny, you'll still be in for a treat. Everyone at Babbo is knowledgeable and they are clearly there because they love food. (I'm sure the tips are nothing to sneeze at, but these people are professional and at the top of their game.)

I find it odd that the table scraps are cleaned up with spoons, but that's another story.

The Food, The Food, The Glorious Food

Seriously, my eyes are welling up with tears, just thinking about the marvelous, faith-affirming, food. Whether it is the goat cheese ravioli in a fennel orange sauce, or the pappardelle bolognese, or the venison, or the rabbit, the beef cheek ravioli, the ribeye steak or the gnocchi (with duck or otherwise), there is not a bad dish at Babbo. In fact, there isn't even a good dish at Babbo. There are only fabulous, mouth-watering, nearly orgasmic dishes at Babbo. Yes, they are that good. I feel that I have some experience here. I've been to the restaurant about six times, mostly with larger groups, and I've had the tasting menu three times, so I've had quite a number of dishes on the menu.

The wine selection was obviously done with care. All wines in Babbo are Italian, and I'm sure you will find something to please any wine lover. My favorite is "e." You pronounce it "eh" and if you go through the restaurant, you're bound to notice the three-or-so foot high bottle it comes in. I highly recommend getting a quartina (or cuartina?) of it, which is about 2 1/2 glasses.

The desserts are heavenly as well; my favorite being the maple cheesecake, that I believe is seasonal, and available in the winter time. The pistachio encrusted ice cream and chocolate dessert (Semifreddo) is a big crowd pleaser as well. There are many others to choose from, panna cotta being the next most notable.

Enjoying and Surviving the Tasting Menu

A tasting menu is a true eating experience. One will usually consist of 6 or so courses, and will normally take about 3 hours to get through (there are abbreviated versions, but I am talking about a full tasting menu). It's an act of decadence as well as endurance, and the more prepared you are, the better off you will be. I have had tasting menus at many different restaurants (the best being Babbo and Grammercy Tavern), and there are some key ways to maximize your enjoyment of said tasting menu.

1. Try to eat as little as possible during the day of your big meal. I recommend a fruit and soymilk smoothie on the morning of your tasting menu date. Don't eat anything else for the entire day. You want to be starving when you start eating (of course, this will make willpower that much more imperative - to keep you from filling up on bread - see #3 below.) Specifically, I recommend the "berry powerful" smoothie from Lucky's juice joint on Second Ave and 10th Street. That will fill you up a little, and it will be very tasty.

2. Try to get the earliest seating you can. This is key. When you're done with a tasting menu, you will nearly roll out of the restaurant. You'll want to walk around a little, or otherwise process this meal before going to bed. And, since it might take 2.5 to 3 hours to get through, even if you start at 6 p.m., you won't be done til around 9, so believe me, early is best.

3. DON'T EAT THE BREAD! The bread (Italian peasant bread) at Babbo is absolutely delicious. However, if you do the tasting menu, focus on the courses, and resist getting filled up by the bread. Believe me, even one piece may make the difference between pleasure and pain at the end of the night. If you have to eat the bread limit yourself to one piece no matter how big of an eater you are -- believe me.

4. Pace yourself. The courses are usually spread out, so when I say pace yourself, what I mean is don't be fooled by the small servings you receive in a tasting menu. Sure, on the first course you might think, "Hell, I could eat 10 of these! Six will be no problem!). However, the courses usually get bigger as you go along, and we all tend to underestimate how rich the courses are.

A Note About the Babbo Tasting Menu(s) and Your General Health
Babbo has two tasting menus - a meat tasting menu and a pasta tasting menu. Both are excellent, but for first timers, I would recommend the pasta tasting menu, because Babbo rises to the level of Godlike in the arena. There is no one else that makes pasta like Mario. Warning: to get the tasting menu, everyone at your table must order it. This is the policy at most restaurants that offer tasting menus.

Also, if you have a serious cholesterol problem, I would avoid many of the dishes at Babbo, because many, such as the goat cheese ravioli, for example, are served in a sauce that is primarily butter. Oh, it's delicious, but it could be dangerous, if you've got a propensity toward such things. Also, though not knowing much about diabetes, I would guess a diabetic would have issues with such a carbohydrate heavy meal such as a pasta tasting menu.

Pricing

When you go to a place like Babbo, the last thing you think about are the prices. Well, it was the last thing I thought about anyway. I can tell you that whatever you end up paying, it will be worth it. I can also tell you that when I ordered the pasta tasting menu, plus shared a quartina of "e" (wine; see above), my bill with tax and generous tip came to just under $100.

In summation, I would strongly advise you to visit Babbo. It will be the meal that you remember for the rest of your life.

Babbo
110 Waverly Place
(Between MacDougal and 6th Ave.)
212-777-0303


Recommended:
Yes

Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations For reservations, call the morning of the 30th day before your desired dining date. Seriously. The Goat Cheese Tortelloni, Beef Cheek Ravioli, Pappardelle Bolognese and Brasato al Barolo are all standouts, but there is not a bad dish on the menu.
Best Suited For: Romantic Evening