Peachy Picks Mediterraneo

Mediterraneo first was featured in Terrific Takeout:

http://www.whomyouknow.com/2011/03/terrific-takeout-mediterraneo.html

It was outstanding, so it graduated to Tasty Tidbits:

http://www.whomyouknow.com/2011/04/tasty-tidbits-mediterraneo.html

Peachy Deegan has two words for you: Seafood Fettuccine!

Absolutely outstanding, every bite of fresh crab melted in her mouth and this is a star dish to have at Mediterraneo...the pasta was al dente and the quality of this dish overall was superb.  The sauce was simply delectable and the creamy texture was to die for.  This was the crowning glory of the hit parade to be found at Mediterraneo, says Peachy Deegan.  And by the way, Peachy's not the only one to pick Mediterraneo-Spike Lee was a couple of tables away.  Peachy's friend Amy knows him from growing up in New York when Amy's dad was a scout for the New York Knicks and they sat next to each other on the MSG floor during games...

We began with the Tuna Tartare, which was gloriously joined by contrasting colors that made it pop not only visually but certainly on our palate as well.

The calamari had an addictive flavor, texture, and overall joie de vivre that has earned it a spot among our most favorite fried calamaris in Manhattan.  And it experienced unprecedented joy once it found itself in our stomachs.  This is a dish that you of course see at many places, but very few do it as well as Mediterraneo.

The mozzarella and prosciutto finalized the triple threat of the appetizers to ignite our appetite and it was a clearcut winner as well.  Owner Vito uses quality ingredients and works with high caliber staff like Frederico from Brescia (one hour by train from Milan-we love going to Italian restaurants and meeting people from Italy!)  Next as a main course, we split three: the swordfish was succulent with a gracious texture, the veal shank was tender and comforting and Peachy Deegan, who does not eat lamb, even liked the Mediterraneo lamb!  The Tiramisu was a standout dessert and is on par with the best Tiramisu's we've had.  Bravo Vito!

Don't listen to only Peachy, however; here is what our panelists had to say:

Mediterraneo boasts a large menu of authentic Italian cuisine, where they use only quality ingredients.  Tomatoes, cheeses and olive oil from Italy and organic chickens.  You can dine indoors or outside at charming little tables.  As a first course we shared Tuna Tartare on a bed of avacados, delicious fried calamari and carpaccio with mozzarrella cheese.  For a main dish I had a choice of fresh swordfish with spinach and tender veal shank.  It was topped off with mouth-watering desserts of tartufo and and tiramisu.  I would recommend Mediterraneo highly!!

If you have wondered why the Upper East Side restaurant Mediterraneo at 1260 Second Avenue (corner of 66th Street) is so packed with patrons, it is because the kitchen staff overseen by veteran cuisinier Vito turns out first rate fare at reasonable prices.  The menu is extensive and diverse, and you are bound to find several choices to tempt your appetite, whether you prefer the beautifully presented continental standards or the pizza for which the bistro is famed.  The ladies and I elected three appetizers to sample, and we could not decide if the very tender prosciutto with mozzarella, the delectable tuna tartare with endive and avocado, or the enormous portion of calamari was best, each being outstanding.  We followed that course with a round of crabmeat served in perfectly timed pasta, and felt that it could not be surpassed.  That highly recommended selection was then pursued by a triple choice of entrees, an utterly superb veal shank with the fatted calf's fresh flesh falling off the bone, an exquisite swordfish filet on a bed of spinach so light you hardly knew you had consumed it, and some absolutely wondrous lamb chops which rival those served at any of Manhattan's more famous, and more expensive, restaurants.  Dessert is comparably sumptuous, whether you choose the irresistible tiramesu, a splendid bowl of gelato and sorbeto, or one of the pastry chef's exotic concoctions.   With a full bar and attentive but unobtrusive service by platoons of polite waiters, Mediterraneo is among that neighborhood's top spots for luncheon or dinner.  If there is any possible criticism of the experience, it is the very crowded space and its lively acoustics, which make the sometimes loud diners sound so deafening that having a conversation with anyone at your table a bit of a problem.

Peachy Picks Mediterraneo!

http://mediterraneonyc.com/index2.htm