Since there’s not a ton going on now, in the depths of winter, we’ve been scouting all over and eating at places that are new to us.  Coming up we’ll be sharing some food adventures we’ve taken recently, but right now we want to feature two restaurants in Manhattan.  As with many places we try out, these were both Italian spots, and they happen to be very close to each other – just 1/4 of a mile apart in the West Village.  We liked both places and their different vibes, and we’ll share here what we enjoyed at each place, but just be warned that we’ll feature one image of meat here.

First, on a pretty chilly day recently, we headed to Ferdi, right on 7th Avenue.  This new spot is small and has a pretty quiet vibe, so it’s nice for a laid back dinner.  We started our meal there by splitting the casalinga salad, which is a rather unique salad:  there’s no lettuce but instead it’s made with apples, green beans, onions, cherry tomatoes, basil, and Yukon Gold potatoes, all in a vinaigrette dressing.

Then we shared two vegetarian pastas – the rigatoni Siciliani, made with eggplant and ricotta affumicata cheese in a marinara sauce …

… and the penne alla russa, with shallots in a tomato cream sauce.

And we ended our meal with one of the dessert specials for that evening:  this poached pear, served with raspberries, hazelnuts, and vanilla ice cream.

Just a few blocks north is Suprema Provisions, which is Italian inspired but also has foods from other cuisines on its menu.  This place is big and popular, and also has a grocery store attached, so it can get kind of crowded and loud with a really energetic environment.  For an appetizer, we got the ricotta crostini, spread with whipped ricotta, hazelnuts, truffled honey, and chopped mint.

Then Miriam had the truffle gnocchi, made with a cream and black truffle sauce.

And Cyril had to try the Suprema burger, which bills itself as one of the best burgers in the city.  It’s made with a combination of short rib and brisket, then topped with roasted tomatoes, a black garlic sauce, aged cheddar cheese, and a jam made from Iberico bacon, all served with a side of charred brussel sprouts.

These are two hyper-local places, since they’re within just blocks of each other – and they’re both good examples of the food you can get in the West Village.  Italian reigns supreme in New York, so there are a ton of options if you want that type of food, and we think these two places are excellent examples.  You can have a meal in an intimate space at Ferdi and get some classic pastas as well as a creative salad and some fun dessert (they’ll also make liquid nitrogen ice cream right at your table, if you’re looking for a spectacle).  And at Suprema Provisions you can eat in a pretty lively atmosphere, get some decadent food, and see for yourself if they do indeed have one of New York’s best burgers.  This list is a great start if you happen to be in the West Village and start to get hungry, and we hope to inspire you to try some new places.  And soon we’ll be sharing some more of our food journeys!