Last night we had a quick look at the Time Out New York guide to choose a restaurant. We thought Italian would be nice and after a quick glance decided on Il Buco on Bond Street between Lafayette and Bowery. The restaurant has a warm and welcoming atmosphere, maybe a few too many pots dangling from the ceiling, but otherwise nice and unpretentious. The service was adept and unintrusive, the sommelière a competent master of the impressive wine list, which comprised of not only excellent Italian, but just as impressive French and Spanish wines.
The food was simply the best I ate in any restaurant, ever. The Chef Ignacio Mattos, trained in Argentina and cooks the most accomplished classic italian meal - I repeat myself - I ever ate in a restaurant. All produce used were clearly of high quality and very fresh. For starters I had gambas: cast-iron seared Hawaiian king prawns with rosemary, garlic and chili, - perfectly delicious. Sarah had fantastic baccala (salted cod) in a claypot with potatoes and Uwe had cast-iron seared calamari with chickpeas, red onion, currants, dandelion greens and aioli.
As a primi I had a heavenly risotto with fave, goats cheese and chilli - I could hardly believe how simple yet absolutely delicate this risotto was.
My cowardly friends had decided on a two course meal, so I was left to feast on this one alone ;-)
My main course was a delicate sea bass, seared, with a mint and garlic sauce, on a bed of cold potatoe and cellery salad with a white balsamico dressing... This was a dish fit for kings. I could taste every single ingredient in its own delicacy and each complemented the other perfectly - this was absolute bliss. Sarah had the risotto I had as primi and Uwe had a lasagne - of which I didn't taste as I was too busy with my own little feast, - apparently it was delicious too.
I'm running out of superlatives, but the seasonal fruit tart surrounded by a delicate chocolate crust I had for dessert made my love for this restaurant complete. I had a beautiful Italian port to go with it. Sarah and Uwe shared a fabulous torta di aranccia with honey ice-cream.
The Nebbiolo wine we had was good, but in hindsight we shouldn't have set the $ 70 limit for ourselves, as this outstanding meal really would have asked for an outstanding wine - and for this we would have paid double... Prices otherwise are very reasonable at Il Buco, a main course is at around $ 24.-
We will be back :-)
www.ilbuco.net
Hours:
Lunch Tuesday-Saturday 12 PM to 3:30 PM
Dinner Monday-Thursday 6 PM to 12 AM
Friday & Saturday 6 PM to 1 AM
Sunday 5 PM to 12 AM
Location:
47 Bond Street (between Lafayette & Bowery)
Contact:
Phone: 212.533.1932
Fax: 212.533.3502
Email: ilbuco@ilbuco.com
Reservations:
Make a reservation online
Phone: 212.533.1932
Subway:
* #6 to Bleecker Street at Lafayette
* N & R to 8th Street or Prince St
* B,D,F,Q to Broadway/Lafayette
Credit cards accepted Amex, Master Card & Visa
Reservations recommended
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