Joanne Trattoria

(Elora right, and I. Man we are attractive)

This week I was graced with the presence of my long lost friend Elora! I haven't seen her in about a year, so getting to see her again was absolutely wonderful. I will share a post entirely dedicated to her later. This post is dedicated solely to the most fantastic restaurant that I had the pleasure of getting to eat in yesterday. I believe this will be my new favorite spot in New York City!

Since Elora made it all the way from Boston for the week we decided this would be a perfect time for a reunion with a few of our sorority sisters. It was a year anniversary of sorts (that I now hope we continue every year at Joanne). It was a tough choice on where to dine because New York is known for the endless choices, not to mention the superb cuisine basically everywhere you go! Let me tell you, we could not have gone to a better place.

Caitlin, one of my lovely sisters, told us about the restaurant that she frequents because her step mother works there. Many people know this restaurant because of the owners ties to the famous and ever infamous Lady Gaga they are her parents after all. Even though that the restaurant is completely separate from their pop princess daughter (Signore, 2012). Upon hearing such things I had no idea what to expect. Lady Gaga after all is a larger than life personality with a seemingly larger than life taste. I thought to myself "What type of food would they serve at such a place?" "What would it look like?" Automatically I began picturing things that would come out of a Tim Burton film, crazy colors, a bit of darkness with just a pinch of mad. Let me tell you friends, it was nothing of the sort.

(Joanne Trattoria, inset Carolyn and Joe owners)

Getting to Joanne's I was met with a quaint restaurant with dim lighting and the most elegant streamlined interior. It was a mixture of modern elegance and Italian home charm. It was a rather small restaurant, as most New York places are, that was made to feel like coming home. From the tastefully placed brick and the cream colored accent walls to balance it out, with the simplest art pieces that you would find in a home in Italy. It was fantastic. I walked in and felt comfortable, not out of place as can happen at many places in New York.

The place was gorgeous enough by itself but that was by far the least of it all. When we walked in we were greeted as old friends. This could be because we were with the daughter of a regular, but it seemed that everyone there really took the time to get to know the patrons. Introducing themselves by name and having a little conversation, maybe even a few laughs. This is New York people, I felt as if I was in the Twilight Zone. People on this coast normally don't make that kind of effort. I was baffled in the best sense of the word. I think this was the point that I immediately fell in love.

If that isn't enough my experience only got better. Let me just interject here for a moment that I tend to be a food snob, I will completely own up to it, I am not ashamed. I grew up with a chef for a mother and my dad a caterer. Food is second nature to me, the food business is like an extension of my body. I know these things like I know myself, so I tend to be very judgemental when it comes to food and service. Now, no I am not one of those obnoxious New Yorkers who will completely ruin an experience by complaining. Imagine a movie scene, girl sits at a restaurant with her friends. They are all laughing and having a good time, pan to a scene of main characters face and here her voice over all the laughter as if she is thinking. "Ew, this chicken is definitely not cooked enough. And can you please tell someone that those uniforms are tacky... really people come on!"Yes, that is me. At least in my head.

(inside)

I had heard that the head chef was once a personal cook for Oprah Winfrey, talk about one hell of a reference! Winfrey or not, I still had my reservations about this chef Art Smith (Signore, 2012). I mean could he really live up to the hype? Well, I definitely was shut up last night. When I tell you that everything was fantastic, I mean it was FAN-TAST-IC! The food was done just right, the wait staff was absolutely charming and their focaccia at the beginning of the meal is beyond mouthwatering. I ordered the Papa G's Chicken. When I tell you this was mind blowing, I mean it sincerely. The chicken was tender and juicy, the spicy sausage added just the right bit of spark to the meal that was set off perfectly by the semi bitter and beautiful red wine vinaigrette that the dish was dressed in. Thinking about it sets my mouth watering again. My inner kitchen beast was absolutely humming melodies the entire time.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of my meal. I was too busy devouring it. A friend of mine who recently indulged in the exquisite Joanne Trattoria experience had this, the soft shell sandwich. Which she claimed was absolutely "divine"! Let me tell you folks, we are a tough audience and my friends and I were absolutely floored by the absolutely stupendous service and food.

I wish I could go on to tell you I had more room to try some more of the delicacies to set my taste buds aflame, but unfortunately I was too enraptured with my dish that I ended up being full. Now, the down side (as with much of New York restaurants) it is by no means cheap. Dinner will be costing you upwards of $25 dollars and you might end up spending $50 a person. I can not wait until I can go back and experience the whole thing again and hopefully this time take a stab at what is destined to be a delicious dessert menu!

Signore, J. (2012, January 27). Inside Lady Gaga's Papa's Italiana Trattoria Joanne: Gothamist. Gothamist: New York City News, Food, Arts & Events. Retrieved June 6, 2012, from http://gothamist.com/2012/01/27/inside_lady_gagas_daddas_restaurant.php#photo-1