In Vino Veritas: Truly Good Italian

OK, let's make up for lost time with a review of one of the best holes in the wall that I've eaten at in NY.

For those who know me, I don't eat a ton of Italian food. It just always leaves me feeling like I ate enough food for 6 days, and the heaviness of it isn't particularly appealing. But this past Saturday night, it sounded good. My friend Carolyne and I had done a river cruise for three hours and were ravenous upon getting off the boat, so we made our way back down to Alphabet City, checking menus along the way. We ultimately ended up at a small Italian restaurant with a Zagat's rated wine list - In Vino (E4th between A & B, East Village).

Unreal. (I feel like I say that a lot on this blog, incidentally, but it's mostly because I can't be bothered to write up the non-descript meals. This is where I cover about the extremes, both good and bad.)

Aside from the rather loud table of guys and girls sitting next to us, the meal couldn't have been better. To start, Carolyne and I decided to order a glass of wine each. When both of us couldn't decide, our adorable waiter made some recommendations and brought us a couple of tastes each so we would ultimately choose the best one. I had a terrific verdicchio with a great bite. Apparently the place is known for a terrific wine list, and a post-dinner crowd was there long after we left at 11, savoring the namesake beverage.

For food, I selected the special "salad", which was like a meal in it's own right. The plate was half covered in fresh lettuce with a savory balsamic vinaigrette. The other half was a roll-up of fried eggplant wrapped around fresh, mild ricotta cheese, covered in a fresh, chunky marinara. The sauce could have been a main course with the richness of its flavor. Carolyne had a beet and aged goat cheese salad, that she said was great. I don't eat beets, so can't judge!

We shared two main courses, due to a lack of decisiveness and a desire to try as much as possible. First was the cremini mushroom risotto that was hands down the best risotto I have ever eaten. Rich and creamy, it required no salt or pepper and was just music to my mouth. The giant pieces of mushroom gave it a meaty, beefy flavor, and the rice was done perfectly. Even the bit that I reheated the next day was delicious.

Second was another eggplant concoction. Fried eggplant layered in a parmigiana format with slices of prosciutto and fresh, sweet mozzarella cheese and coated in that same sauce. It was served in a mini casserole set into a piece of wood to make handling easier, which was charming and practical. The food was delicious - dense enough to hold up to cutting and sharing, and soft enough to have a great melty flavor.

Believe it or not, we couldn't deal with dessert. Too full. As it was we each brought home enough for lunch the next day!!!

HIGHLY recommend In Vino. Go now!!