Italian Eats and Beats at LAVO

A mishmash of Europeans on holiday, old-school Italian gents and a smattering of NYC's elite have begun to unite weekly for "Riviera Sundays" at Midtown's LAVO. This melting pot comes together with one mission at hand, to eat tasty food, hear eclectic music and meet pretty ladies... make that three missions.

The Vegas import comes complete with heaping portions of Italian fare as well as a nightclub downstairs (also called LAVO). Its sister restaurant, Tao is across the street-- just in case you can't get in (although getting into Tao still remains a difficult feat over a decade since opening its doors). Executive Chef John DeLoach has taken leaps and bounds to refine the fares at LAVO. Working closely with Managing Chef and Partner Ralph Scamardella, the culinary crew serves up a plethora of palate pleasers to their diners.

I began with a hodgepodge of Kobe beef. Lucky me, there are two Kobe appetizers at LAVO--one orbed into a meatball and the other flattened into a Carpaccio. The Kobe Beef Carpaccio with black truffle vinaigrette and rocket lettuce was salted to perfection and counterbalanced the fresh whipped ricotta of the marinara meatballs symphonically--like music to the mouth, if you will.

For the main course I devoured the Four Cheese Ravioli Marinara with basil and Romano cheese. Never underestimate the power of simplicity. It is in this foodie's humble opinion that when a chef shows restraint in his or her cooking, and winds up with a delectable dish, that's what separates the true talent from the imposters. Don't leave without sampling the NY Strip, grilled to perfection. Speaking of meat...

There was a party going down! DJ Yacine starts pumping out European pop hits, French hip-hop and Volare music by 11pm. Without having the time to properly digest my meal, top hats started appearing on waiters, belly dancers came out (where had they been hiding?) to perform a melodic jiggle, and the melting pot of sophisticated diners transformed into a table-dancing group of hedonists.

Now I find myself stuck at a culinary crossroads. Do you go to LAVO for the food and stay for the party or do you go for the party and arrive early for food? An enigma I may never answer.I guess I'll have to keep going back until I get to the bottom of this delicious mystery.

A food journalist's work is never done.

— Written by Sarah Polonsky

Photo credit: Edward Menashy

< PREVIOUS ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE >

Tags : ---

Login to comment