Nicoletta

As an avid Instagramer, one day I came across a photo of what appeared to the most fantastic looking meatballs ever. Naturally, I had to check the place out for myself so I took my boyfriend, Alex and my friend Little Leeron to see what all the fuss was about.

Alex- always happy to eat.

Little Leeron

Nicoletta is known for their "made fresh to order" pizzas but they are so much more than that. Although the pizzas I saw on the walk to my table did look amazing, I had to get my hands on those meatballs! Know to the chef as Polpette, these brick-oven baked Neapolitan meatballs topped with pomadara and bread crumbs are to die for!  We also tried the Stromboil and the Pollo alla Parmigiana: "breaded chicken breast fried to a beautiful golden brown, covered with Chef White's pomodoro sauce and topped with melted mozzarella cheese served with a side of spinach, sautéed with onions, garlic & chile flakes." Both were equally amazing. Check out the full menu here.

Polpette

Stromboli

Pollo alla Parmigiana

Nicoletta is located in the East Village at 160 Second Avenue, NY, NY. The menu is reasonably priced with appetizers starting at $5, pastas staring at $17 and pizza ranging from $17-$23. This is a great date spot and they have a nice outside seating area. For more information on Nicoletta, check out their website here.

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Some photos from Tasting Table

Vapiano

"In cities around the world, Vapiano is where people meet to share their love of life and spontaneous and genuine companionship." And so, that's what we did.

After a Ron Pope concert last weekend at Irving Plaza, Brandon, Phanavahn and I were starving and that is how we ended up at Vapiano. With front windows wide open and decor that stops you from a block away, we were excited to have some late night fine Italian food.

Vapiano is beautiful, cool and their food is delicious. When you walk in someone greets you and tells you exactly what to expect during your visit. You are given a card and they explain that you order everything separately at the multiple stations. What ever you like, it's your, and all you have to do is swipe. At the end everything from your meal is combined on the card and you pay at the exit.

They have long oak tables perfect for striking up conversation with the people next to you or for a large family gathering. There are different stations where you can order pizzas, pasta, antipasti and salads directly from the chefs. All dishes are prepared to order in front of you and according to your personal preferences. So don't worry, here you can have it your way! To view the full menu click here.

During our visit we devoured some amazing bruschetta, salad and pasta. Check it out for yourself:

Bruschetta Trio

Ceasar Salad

Pasta Carbonara

  

Pasta Scampi

Vapiano is located at 113 University Place, New York, New York 10003. Fellas, take you ladies here and it will be a complete success. OK? =)

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Some photos from: nycgo.com

Agata & Valentina: Fine Food and Good Ideas

 
Last week I discovered so many awesome eats! The one I'm going to tell you about today is called Agata & Valentina. My friend Vanh introduced me to it and now I absolutely love this place.

Agata & Valentina says their "business was born of a passion for fine foods from Sicily, Italy, and around the globe, which drives our desire to share the absolute highest quality products and authentic hand-made prepared foods and pastries with our customers." Their original location was established in 1993 on the Upper East Side and their second location in 2012 in Greenwich Village. 

We shopped at the Upper East Side location which has over 5,500 items... so, their was no time to waste! When you walk in the entrance the walls are filled with freshly baked  breads. As you continue around the store there are so many fresh fruits and veggies laid out so precisely that it looks like art work.

Keep walking through the garden of  veggies and you will come to the huge cheese selection. Our as Agata & Valentina like to call it "a cheese lover's mecca." They have over 350 types of cheeses including "local, domestic, and international artisanal cheeses." They also have handmade fresh mozzarella, that you can watch them make every half-hour right behind the counter.

Next I discovered the coffee section. As you can probably tell, this place just keeps getting better and better. Some of their coffee selections include Hawaii Coconut Coffee, Vienniese Roast, Jamaican Blue Mountain and Mocha Java. Check out their full coffee selection here.

The wall of Olive Oil was crazy! I have never seen so many types of Olive Oil in one place. Next to that was a fully stocked wall of pasta. And later, I found another selection of refrigerated pasta which included a large variety of ravioli. YUM!

Do you love a good olive bar? Look no further. There are olives are far as the eye can see. You mix and match or grab one of the pre-made containers to take home.

Like fresh seafood? This is the place for you. Agata & Valentina calls this one of the most "vibrant parts of the store." They say the "market buzzes with activity all day as our fishmongers hand-cut and display a colorful array of pristine whole fish such as Red Snapper, Brook Trout, Branzino, Sea Bass, Arctic Char, and other seasonal selections fresh from the market that morning." They offer the freshest lobster, crab, clams, scallops, shrimp and fish just for you!

Are you more into Italian meats? They've also got you covered with their Italian inspired deli. Thinking an Italian feast for dinner? This should be your number one destination before heading to your kitchen.

Now let's talk sweets. Agata & Valentina offers a huge selection of pastries, cakes and cookies. When I was perusing through this section I also discovered what looked like cobbler. Check it out for yourself!

Agata & Valentina is located on the corner of 79th and 1st on the Upper East side and 64 University Place in Greenwich Village. So tonight for dinner, think Italian!

We love Agata & Valentina!

One image from: Timeout.com