[Fredslist] Review: Gotham Table at Rao’s?! – Is it really about the food?

Wed Mar 28 15:52:38 EDT 2007

Which 6 Gothamites were reveling at Rao’s last night, spearheaded by our fearless (and Machiavellian) leader who commandeered the table usually (allegedly) manned by Entertainment Kingpin Norman Spizz?

Observations – about the food and otherwise – below:

We sat at a table for 8 by the door, which afforded great people watching (unfortunately Woody and Soon Yee weren’t there last night). We had a great view of the street, which was as busy as the interior – and we also had a perfect view into the open kitchen where the chefs with huge cleavers were hacking carcasses into thick chops and steaks. And let me just note that the last time I saw so many men kissing each other’s cheeks, was in the movie Borat. Lotsa atmosphere.

No menus, just Joey, who came over to talk about what we wanted to eat, and help “organize” the meal. After some discussion and debate, our choices were: for starters, the freshest seafood salad I’ve ever had filled with lobster and crab and marinated with just the perfect balance of lemon and olive oil; roasted peppers with garlic, flat leaf parsley and golden raisins; slabs of tender Mozzarella crisply fried and drenched in a tangy red sauce; and baked clams, in a nicely executed sauce of lemon, garlic and Italian herbs . 

Appetizers were  followed by a pasta course of Linguini in Pink Clam Sauce made with whole clams in a rich, traditional white broth touched with marinara adding sweetness and color; Orichette with excellent sweet and hot Sausage and Broccoli Rabe; and a side of Meatballs the size of your fist that were juicy, finely ground and packed with flavor but light as air. 

Then came the main course: Roasted Pork Chops covered with pickled red peppers – unexpectedly tangy and out of this world; really nice Shrimp Parmigiana – crisp under the sauce, tender and flavorful; Chicken Scarpariello with Sausage and peppers; and exquisite baby peas with prosciutto and onion. Then, somehow, full as we were, we managed a round of Black Raspberry Ice Cream which was creamy and loaded with fruit, and Cheese Cake which was – we were told – not as good as years past. All followed by decaf espresso, which I’m thinking might not have been…

The plates were large and bottomless, and while all the food was excellent, the consensus as to clear winners was  the seafood salad, the pork chops in pickled peppers and the raspberry ice cream.

Also, special kudos to Gotham’s  white knight of floods and fires, and fave Environmental Contractor, Paul Napolitano of Alexander Wall, who paired some unbelievable Italian wines with the food – heightening the experience for all of us. For those oneophiles who are interested in some really high level Italian Reds, Paul shared a 1997 Tignanello (last had by Gotham artist and portrait photographer extraordinaire, Ennid Berger and her husband Gotham anesthesiologist, David Berger, in Italy), a 1990 Scavino Bric del Fiasc Barolo (a beautiful wine which reminded both Joanne Klein and me of a greenhouse filled with wet earth and roses), a 1990 Seghesio La Villa Barolo (big fruit and powerful mouth feel), and a 1999 Bussula TB Recioto (a sweet, rich long standing favorite of Paul’s and my husband’s, fellow wine collector and Gotham Lawyer, Laurent Drogin, and which Ennid melted over and kept referring to as “the raisin wine.”)

At this point in the evening, Fred showed us the picture of his family on the wall, impressing some “seasoned” diners who were having their meal at the table below. This led to a conversation called “whodayaknow?” and as always, it’s amazing how many people know (or pretend to know) Fred.

And then, after sharing the wine with owner Frank Pellegrino, and accepting his gracious offer of a round of after dinner drinks, the real fun started…

But that’s for another time…

Thanks again, Fred, for a great night.

Victoria R. Drogin, Esq.
 Professional Development & Life Coach
vdrogin at lepatner.com
C: 917-418-2299
W: 212-935-4400 
LePatner & Associates, LLP
600 Lexington Ave. NY, NY 10022

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