NEW YORK — There are restaurants that occupy a special place in my heart. Their warmth and sincerity transcend the food, service and décor, and occasionally make me long for them. On rainy Sundays there is rarely anything that I wish more than to take a cab to Long Island City and dine at Manducatis.
Although, Long Island City is just over on the Queens side of the Queensborough Bridge, I usually struggle to navigate through it. Fortunately, by now, I have memorized my way to the non-descript corner where Manducatis lies.
Entering through its door transports me to another world. The reception area looks much like the entrance of someone's home, with a small bar to the side, a center table splattered with magazines of all sorts and a small TV hanging on the wall broadcasting Italian-language programs.
That room is the domain of Vincenzo Cerbone, the affable owner, who greets regular guests as if they are long lost members of his family. I usually settle for a table in the next room with a large fireplace on the backside. The terracotta floor and the stucco wall quickly make you forget that Long Island City is mostly an industrial area. The décor is certainly dated, but Manducatis has been around since 1977 and its loyal following seem quite attached to it.
Mr. Cerbone's son, Anthony quickly appears with the wine list and some of the restaurant's dense olive oil with warm peasant bread. In fact, I must acknowledge that I travel to Manducatis especially for the incredible cellar that the Cerbone family has assembled over the last 30 years. It is full of collectible bottles at bargain prices—since the prices are rarely updated through the years as older vintages appreciate. The focus of the wine list is Italian, but the rest of the world is adequately represented.
The kitchen of Manducatis is the sole domain of Ida Cerbone, Vincenzo's wife. I never remember looking at a menu at Manducatis. I just instruct Anthony to serve me anything his mother has prepared on that given night. Usually, he starts me off with some good buffalo mozzarella cheese with tomatoes or some rich fresh ricotta with perfectly grilled eggplant.
Hearty pasta and bean soup or soft large homemade egg noodles with fresh tomato and mushroom sauce follow my appetizer.
Some nights, the kitchen will send out some terrific gnocchi with tomato sauce or some delicious cannelloni instead.
Given my preference for older red Barolo wines, Ms. Cerbone will grill a juicy veal chop or delight me with a bountiful portion of her succulent roast suckling pig. Certainly, the food might not be the most exciting. It is old fashion Italian American food with not many frills. You will not find foams or emulsions on your plate at Manducatis, but rather genuine flavors and simple presentations.
Being a regular also helps at Manducatis. The kitchen, much like the service, can get overwhelmed when the dining rooms are crowded and I noticed that special attention from the whole Cerbone family render the dining experience far smoother and enjoyable.
In fact, my ratings for the restaurant are largely based on my unique affinity for the restaurant and its gracious owners. Manducatis means "you eat" in Latin, but I indulge in many more pleasures than sheer food when I dine there.
Ratings
Food: 40/50
Service: 20/25
Décor: 10/15
Surprise: 10/10
TOTAL: 80/100
Manducatis
12-37 Jackson Avenue (47th Rd.)
Queens, New York
Tel: (718) 729-4602
Main courses: $14-27
All major credit cards accepted.
Contact restaurant reviewer John Healy at restaurant@epochtimes.com
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