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La Giara 501 3rd Ave (Btwn 33rd & 34th) New York, NY Phone:(212)726-9855 November 12, 2000 |
| A Succulent slice of Salerno |
| By Cynthia Kilian |
| What's a guy from Salerno to do when he moves to New York and discovers there's no Italian in his neighborhood? |
| For Dario Arenella, the answer was as plain as unsauced ziti: Create one. |
| So togehter with is brother Pierpaolo, who owns La Gioconda, and Paolo Catini who as worked the stoves at |
| downtown's Le Streghe, Arenella opened La Giara. |
| Arenella's place is in Murray Hill, where there is hardly a meatball in sight. This area isn't exactly a hotbed of |
| culinary experimentation, not that locals don't find homey staples like lasagna popping up as specials at the few |
| neighborhood eateries that do exist. But chef Catini, who hails from the Abruzzi region, makes rustic fare. |
| And patrons might rightly think they've found their lucky penne when it comes mixed with portobello mushrooms |
| and spinach. |
| Complimentary garlic perfumed bruschetta of chewy country bread topped with lusciously ripe cubes of |
| marinated tomato hints at good things to come. |
| Starters are the kind of unfussy fare that requires pristine ingredients to pull off - the raw beef carpaccio with |
| Parmesan and arugola for instance, or the uncooked tuna in a tonno alla tartara. |
| Pearly lengths of calamari are grilled to tender perfection and served with oil and lemon-slicked greens ($8.50). An |
| artichoke with breadcrumb stuffing and wine and lemon sauce is impossible to stop eating. |
| While one night's special ravioli ($15) seemed slightly undercooked with a too-sweet pumpkin filling, another |
| night's spaghetti with lamb ragout had the kind of slow -cooked sauce and handmade al dente pasta that made it j |
| ust right for a chilly night($12). |
| Dessert include fresh, fruity sorbet as well as chocolate crepes, for those who want to linger. |
| Weekend brunch and Monday live jazz add to the reasons there's usually a lively mix of neighborhood food lovers |
| at the white-clothed table here. |
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