So, on our regular-ish trip to Ithaca we tried a new place, recommended by people who had been there. Right there on Aurora Street, a sort of nice-ish place that made us feel like we were in a bistro. We took, and it was definitely y fault, the worng seat -- near the window -- and hence we were a bit chilly -- but the ambience was nice-ish and the food pretty ok. Not perfect (see below) but not so bad. A place that seems to think of itself as Italian with innovative cocktales, this is situated right among a variety of Ithaca standard restaurants.
What did we eat? Well, we began with chicken liver pate, which we shared. It came in a way that is apparently usual, but seemed interesting to me -- schmeered on to bread with pickled red onions on top. The onions were dandy, and the bite was just right - the sweet of the liver pate, the right crunch of the bread, the lightness overall, as the pate was more mousse-ish than terrine-ish. Very good. Then we followed with gnocchi that came with braised short ribs and cheese. The meat was just right and the gnocchi not heavy at all. Pretty good and yet not perfect. (Plus I think the $22 was a bit high for this, but that might just be cheap post-holiday thinking.) Somehow they needed salt and/or something more to be perfect. I had a blood orange cosmo which was acually qutie good (too many are too sweet or too something or other and some day I have to stop ordering cosmopolitans anyway). The wines came in either a 5 ounce or a 8.5 ounce; the first glass seemed quite short but the bartender sent out extra when we inquired. Dessert: a pine nut tart with vanilla ice cream with balsamic vinegar on it.The pine nut tart was sort of pecan pie gone italian, but hte vinegar on the ice cream was really really good.
All in all, I'd return -- even though I would like to see a bit stronger gnocchi. (Yep, one of my favorite foods.)
Details? Here they are:
108 N. Aurora Street
Ithaca, NY 14850
(607) 319-5171
Not your idea of perfection but still want to eat in Ithaca? Here's the new restaurants in Ithaca round up for 2010.
