Scarlatto

Tucked below street level on W 27th is a lovely Italian restaurant with surprisingly good food for the theater district. I typically cruise the cheaper, and often better quality fare on 9th Ave. but since Dad and Therese were visiting, I thought I'd try Scarlatto's again. I'd been there before with a friend during the December and was impressed with the beet salad and good selection of red wines by the glass.

We arrived and were seated next to a large circular party of about ten. I really should have asked for a different table. As the evening progressed, and the nearby group polished of several bottles of wine, the noise level grew to such excruciating levels that my dad's voice grew hoarse just yelling to be heard over the cacophony. Sorry, Dad.

The food was good, though. The beet salad comes beautifully presented with thin slices fanned out and accompanies with the perfect amount of goat cheese. My veal cannelloni were delicious - nice, thin, al dente pasta tubes with good, flavorful filling and just the right sauce and cheese mix. Dad tried the ossobuco which looked good. The pear dessert looked better than it tasted.

Good food but sooooo not a place to go pre-theater given the crazy-loud atmosphere. Don't take seniors here, either. The bathrooms are down an awkward flight of stairs. Plus teh service was marginal and indifferent. Dad tipped the coat/hostess gal $10 yet she didn't even help Therese or me put out coats on, instead just handing the lump or winter-wear into my bumbling arms. Really not a good move, but then she'd already pocketed her Hamilton.

Onto the show.