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“Aroma Kitchen and Winebar”

Occasion:	Cuisine:	Area:	Cost:	Rating:
Night Out	Italian	East Village	Moderate	Good

ng ribboned trim from the lasagna, sauced with a deep, earthy wild mushroom ragu. I loved the flavor of the pasta-the beets give off a slightly sweet and earthy flavor that was just the right match for the mushrooms. My only complaint is that the cooks have to watch that pasta's cooking time, as our pasta was overcooked and quite limp. The house-made potato gnocchi-dense and rich with potato flavor-were cooked precisely right and topped with wide meaty slices of sautéed porcini topped with fresh shavings of nutty aged Parmesan.

 

For secondi, Vito offers steak as a special when he gets it in from Uruguay. His recipe is a simple one. He lets it marinate in rosemary and garlic over night and then pan-sears it with a bit of sea salt and virgin olive oil from Umbria. He serves it with roasted potatoes and braised fennel and a few baby artichokes. While the steak is nice and tender, it was practically crying out for a few hefty pinches of salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper. That is all it really needs. It's frustrating to see something as simple as correct seasoning take away from a great piece of steak. But the braised monkfish ($19) was meaty and moist and very well seasoned, served with sausage on a bed of Sardinian fregola that steeps in lobster and shrimp stock for so long it is practically misty with sea spray.

 

Alison and I were quite full at this point but we ordered dessert, not wanting to abandon the warmth of the space. We were happy we stayed. The desserts were great-a pistachio crème brulee with a glass cap of sugar sealing off a custard that was creamy and buoyant, and a rich wedge of a Sacher Torte topped with a dollop of tangy fresh whipped cream.

As we headed up Third Avenue to meet Craig and Joachim for a drink after dinner, I thought about Aroma. Now it certainly isn't Babbo. But it's a wonderful little restaurant serving good food that with a few tweaks could easily be great. And more than that, it's one of those restaurants you've just gotta love. First of all, it's adorable and secondly, the owners fill the place with so much genuine joy, hospitality and love that you just really can't resist it. I am very glad I finally abided by my mental note to have dinner at Aroma. Wondering about a place is fine and all, but at some point, you've gotta open the door, take a chance, and say hello.

 

Aroma Kitchen and Winebar is located at 36 E. 4th Street between Bower ... [more, click below]

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Posted: December 11, 2006

Other restaurants in East Village :
+ Yujin-- Closed   + Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar   + Mermaid Inn   + Five Points   + Lavagna   + Five Points   + Bond Street   + Jewel Bako   + Alphabet Kitchen   + In Vino   + Bao 111   + Chikalicious   + Il Buco   + Hearth   + Lima's Taste   + Mercadito   + Hedeh   + Momofuku   + Una Pizza Napoletana   + Winebar   + Uovo-- CLOSED   + Mo Pitkin's House of Satisfaction   + Gotham Bar & Grill   + Colors   + Chinatown Brasserie   + Knife and Fork   + European Union-- NEW CHEF; SEE APRIL 2007 Review   + Aroma Kitchen and Winebar   + Stand   + European Union   + Mercat   + Gemma   + Back Forty   + The Smith   + Seymour Burton   + Belcourt   + Graffiti   + The Redhead   + Double Crown    + Apiary   + Joe Doe   + Apiary by guest reviewer Kiri Tannenbaum   + DBGB   + Northern Spy   + Goat Town   + Saxon + Parole   + Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria   + Acme   + Calliope   + Nicoletta   + JEPPNEY by Claire Jaffe   + Feast   

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