Can't Get in at Babbo? Dell'anima Restaurant Is Worth a Try

June 18, 2009 7:16 pm

Can't Get in at Babbo? Dell'anima Restaurant Is Worth a Try

$Behind the Burner: Can\'t Get in at Babbo? Dell\'anima Restaurant Is Worth a Try$

Whenever I happen to be in New York on my birthday, my first choice for dinner is always Italian. Last time around it was Babbo and as much as I loved the food, I wanted to try something new this year. As I searched for a birthday destination, I realized how hard it is to find a highly-recommended Italian restaurant in New York that isn't part of the Mario Batali empire. But eventually I succeeded—kind of.

Dell'anima was opened at the end of 2007 by Chef Gabe Thompson and Sommelier Joe Campanale. Both hail from "The Empire" —Thompson from Del Posto and Campanale from Babbo—and lucky for us, it's apparent in both the style of food and the depth of the wine list. Like many restaurants in New York, the atmosphere of Dell'anima walks a fine line between cramped and cozy. They've managed to squeeze in a dining room and two bars, one in the front of the restaurant for sipping drinks and one in the back for observing the open kitchen, and tables also spill out the back door onto the sidewalk. The proximity of the kitchen and the other diners, combined with the restaurant's relaxed vibe, made me feel like I was at a giant dinner party (thrown by a friend who was a really good cook.) It is for this reason, I think, that Dell'anima is so popular. It is also the reason I felt forgiving when a few dishes didn't live up to my expectations. But before we get to the food, let's talk about wine.

If you want to impress your friends or your date with your wine knowledge at Dell'anima, good luck. Unless, of course, you're a whiz when it comes to small-production, somewhat obscure Italian wines. Let the Sommelier do the work for you and try to hide your surprise when he shows up looking like a hipster who's barely old enough to drink. Don't worry, you're in good hands. Sommelier Joe Campanale will quickly lead you to a wine that suits your palate and your price range.

Once our glasses were filled with a light and earthy Sangiovese, we dove into the menu. I'd heard a lot about the Bruschette appetizer at Dell'anima so that's where we started. Wipe all thoughts of mushy tomato and basil out of your head. The Bruschette at Dell'anima are much more inspired: Octopus Panissa, Avocado with Lemon, Ricotta with Sea Salt, Lily Confit (shallot with onion and garlic) and Rapini Pesto served with thick slices of grilled bread. I could've made an entire meal out of any one of these spreads. I loved the nutty and pleasantly bitter rapini blended into pesto with walnuts, pecorino cheese, garlic and a generous drizzle of olive oil. The Rapini Pesto had a noticeable amount of spiciness, as did our next appetizer of Charred Octopus with Chicory, Chorizo and Rice Beans. No, there's not supposed to be a comma between rice and beans: rice beans are related to the kidney bean, with a similar texture and milder flavor. The shape and color reminded me of pine nuts and so did the flavor — so much so that at first I thought that's what I was eating. The rice beans were perfectly cooked, but overall this dish stumbled slightly in its execution, only because the chef was trying too hard to please. There was too much going on, too many flavors battling it out. Even so, the plate was empty when our server brought the next course: pasta.

Dell'anima offers a selection of pasta in practically every shape and size. We chose cappellaci (little hats) and orecchiette (little ears). The cappellaci were filled with ricotta and the tiniest hint of snap peas and garnished with morel mushrooms and pea spouts. The dish was light and delicate with most of the flavor coming from the earthy morels. The orecchiette, generously covered by house made sausage, dandelion greens and an overly rich parmigiano brodo (broth) was more filling, if a little too salty and oily.

We didn't leave room to delve into the Secondi course, but I'm wishing we had. I'm still thinking about the Tasmanian Sea Trout with Fava Beans and Pickled Ramps I missed out on. But if I don't end up returning to Dell'anima for dinner, I will definitely return for apertivo between 4-6pm on weekends. Apertivo is like happy hour, Italian-style. If you haven't experienced it, you should, ideally at an outdoor table in Rome. But if you can't make it to Rome, then head on over to the West Village and hope there's an empty seat at the bar at Dell'anima.

—Jennifer Meier

Dell'anima
38 8th Avenue at Jane St.
New York, NY 10014
212-366-6633

Babbo
110 Waverly Place
New York, NY 10011
212-777-0303

Del Posto
85 Tenth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
212-497-8090