Chef Salvatore says he learned cooking from his mother. He later worked his way up to executive chef for quite a few well-known New York Italian restaurants: Va Tutto, La Gioconda, La Giara, and Baraonda. He then opened his first restaurant, Cacio e Pepe, with a partner in Manhattan’s East Village. Later he opened a few others, most recently Alloro, which he wanted to be different to reflect the changing times. Although Corea has a passion for home-style traditional Italian cooking, he decided to create a modern Italian menu at Alloro. According to chef Salvatore, cuisine always evolves, especially in New York City, and that one has to stay with the times. “I am adventurous, and I want something that I cannot eat at home, and I want something that I cannot make at home,” he said.
In fact, the dishes we ordered from Alloro’s easy-to-read menu were inspiring, fresh, and tasty. There is plenty for everyone to enjoy. Appetizers, pasta, main courses, and desserts round out the menu. There is also a nice selection of dessert wines from the dessert wine menu.
We decide to eat family style and began with an interesting appetizer, Eggplant Parmesan that came in two forms: traditional and revisited ($12). The traditional is made with fried eggplant while the revisited made with roasted eggplant, then pureed and topped with mozzarella foam. It looked like a layered mouse and tasted delicious with different flavors of the sweet, yet subtle acidity of the tomatoes enhancing the flavors of the eggplant.
We then had the Tonnarelli pasta, sardines, candied tomatoes, and shrimp Carpaccio ($17). Robust and bold flavors dominated this dish: sweetness tangy tomatoes versus the salty marine flavors of the sardines. Although I am not crazy about sardines, I was glad we ordered it. We were served with yet another exotic pasta dish. As you well know, the Italians cook everything with pasta, and I thought I had tried all kinds of pasta. Well, this one was a first for me. It was Garganelli pasta with rabbit ragout, buffalo mozzarella, and black truffles ($18). This was an original and I would say the highlight of the meal. The rabbit was braised for hours with many vegetables and topped with black truffles. It was appetizing to look at, and upon taking the first bite, it was magnificent to savor.
Our main course arrived looking like a cake with a candle standing right in the middle, but it was the Ossobuco Milanese with laurel leaf potatoes ($26). Even though it came with a bouquet of flavors, somehow, I thought it needed a bit more seasoning, whereas my friend thought it was perfect. The meat was off-the-bone tender.
The dessert menu had quite a few interesting items. All are Corea’s original and imaginative creations. For example, the strawberry, nutella mouse, and basil ice cream or, my choice, the mascarpone and lemon mousse with wild berries ($8). My friend opted for the Buffalo ricotta and chartreuse with celery sorbet and black pepper corns ($9). What a contrast of flavors! Yet they were balanced and savory. The mascarpone and lemon mousse is a bit deceptive: It looked dense, but it was very light and fluffy with fabulous contrasting flavors of lemon and the sweetness of the cheese. It was superb.
Patrons have said that Alloro is one of their favorite local places, that they always make you feel at home, and that the food is consistently delicious.
We agree.
Address: 307 East 77th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues) New York, NY 10075.
Telephone: (212) 535-2866
Web site: alloronyc.com
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