It’s been a great spring for us so far because (among other things) we’ve gotten to try some new and interesting food spots around New York City, and so we’d like to share with you again the places we’ve been to lately that we’d recommend.  Today we’re featuring two Italian places in Midtown Manhattan, but they come from opposite ends of the restaurant spectrum:  one is a traditional table service spot, while the other serves up much more casual fare.  We enjoyed the unique and delicious food we got at both places, so read on to see what we had the chance to try – but just be warned that there are some images of meat here.

First, if you’re looking for a classic Italian restaurant experience, you can head over to Nonna Dora’s in Kips Bay.  This place has been getting a lot of press since it opened earlier this year – including a glowing review from the New York Times last week – because the food comes from a real life Italian-born nonna.  When we went to visit, we decided to start our meal there by sharing the melanzana, which is Nonna Dora’s version of eggplant parm.

The restaurant also has a very extensive pasta menu, including a number of vegetarian choices, so Miriam got one of the specials of the day:  this pansotti, filled with ricotta and buffalo mozzarella, in a butter, ramp, and morel sauce.

Cyril, meanwhile, decided to try the pasta flight, which starts with this cavatelli in a broccoli rabe and toasted almond pesto …

… then moves to the orecchiette, in a tomato sauce studded with rabbit meat …

… and ends with malloreddus in a sausage and tomato sauce.

Now if you’re looking for something more quick and casual, but also authentically Italian, you can head across the island of Manhattan to 8th Avenue, where you’ll find an outpost of All’antico Vinaio.  This sandwich spot started in Florence, moved on to open a branch in Milan, and more recently debuted an outpost here in New York.  They serve up nothing but sandwiches, except they’re not just any sandwiches – these are made on schiacciata bread, which is a kind of flattened focaccia.  There’s a couple of vegetarian options you can get, and Miriam went with the L.A. Fadeaway, made with arugula, sundried tomato, spicy eggplant and zucchini, and a gorgonzola cream sauce.

And Cyril had the L’inferno, stacked with porchetta, arugula, veggies, and a nduja cream sauce.

We’re really glad we got the chance to try these two spots:  one that comes to New York directly from Italy, and one that comes from the culinary creativity of an Italian immigrant.  And we also liked that we got to try not only a bunch of Italian pasta in a nice sit-down setting, but also some quick and easy sandwiches.  Both were great experiences, and both are spots that we’d recommend if you’re looking for some interesting and authentic Italian food in the city.