Morandi

West Village
211 Waverly Place, at Charles Street
212 627-7575

Revisited on July 17, 2008: It was a nice, warm evening and we were in the city. We wanted to eat al fresco so we walked over to Morandi and sat on the sidewalk. The service was excellent. The wait staff was friendly and observant of our every move. Every sip of sparkling water resulted in a fresh pour in an unintrusive way. Oh, were the food up to the same level. We began with the fried artichokes we'd liked so much on our first visit. They were tasty and tart with a lemon squeezed over them, but just a bit fried and oily. The fava bean salad was soggy and salty, and the grilled chicken, also liked in our first visit, was overly oily, almost soggy as well. The asparagus? Same. Where's the crisp?
OVERALL RATING: Lesandi

Originally reviewed on 03/20/07: Morandi is a look around kind of place. The noise and the buzz make your head turn. Who where? What there? The space looks a bit like a Hollywood set built into the lobby of a post-war building. Which is exactly what it is. The decor is sort of Pottery Barn does Tuscany. But the food is good, and the service was as well. We started with a grilled fennel salad with bitter honey, and fried artichokes with lemon, both excellent. Then grilled chicken with lemon and parsley that tasted of Italy infused in every bite, and ravioli with gorgonzola and red leaves. We finished with cannoletti that were filled with ricotta and pistachios. But not as filled as Morandi.
OVERALL RATING: Buzzin'