Terrific Takeout: Il Cortile Fall 2015 Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins
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Whom You Know is not a publication that assigns a number criteria to a restaurant, or anything else for that matter. If we publish on you, that is a positive. And the more we publish, the more we like you so consider the frequency of posts on a place when you see us writing about it. Always look at the date of reviews. If we haven't written on a place in years that means we are no longer recommending it. Some places are not kept up well. Our favorite places we write on seasonally, as in four times a year. They are smart to change their menu four times a year also...
Peachy was once a Brownie and a Girl Scout-make new friends but keep the old they are taught. Before Whom You Know existed, we liked going back to the same places over and over again...and we're going to keep doing that for the best places. We definitely like going back to a place that we know we're going to like more than trying to see if a new place is good. There are way too many restaurants in Manhattan that crash and burn (none of them are as good as Martin's Tavern in Georgetown which predates almost all and outlives just as many) and we're glad to say Il Cortile precedes the birth of Peachy Deegan and has been going strong for more than 40 years.
Even the bread is great.
It's not who you know, it's Whom You Know and we are so glad to know Sal Esposito, stellar owner of Il Cortile. Not every restaurant owner has a personality as sparkling as Sal. If your food is amazing but you don't work hard to maintain a rapport with your clientele, that does not make it as fun to return.
We first visited in 2013 and were impressed:
We returned in 2014 and it proved its terrific consistency:
And we were delighted to return this winter!
We told you how much the Sopranos loved Il Cortile, and their cuisine speaks for itself.
We began with the Siciliana salad: Romaine lettuce with salami, provolone, tomato, olives and red onion. Of course they remembered to put the dressing on the side for the picky person here. For someone that does not care for olives at all, Peachy loves the green olives in this salad.
There is a lot of depth on Il Cortile's menu, and for the appetizer we began with the Asiago Stuffed Mushrooms. White mushrooms are elegantly stuffed with roasted vegetables, pecorino, bread crumbs and topped with asiago cheese. This is a prime example of simplicity done well.
Linguine con Vongole in White Sauce was our pasta course choice; you should know if you want it in Red Sauce that is an option. Succulent chopped clams dance in the perfect amount of garlic and olive oil that will wow you. This is another classic that hits the spot and we recommend that you share with the ghost of Gandolfini, whom we believe has no reason to leave his table.
The entree Peachy chose was the Capesante Con Carciofi e Parmigiano: Pan sauteed diver scallops with artichokes and parmigiano gratinee. The fish comes from Down East and this was an incredibly fresh selection of scallops enhanced creatively with this delicious cheese and artichokes, which gave it depth and flavor.
The best part of going to a place that knows you is that they make suggestions that are even better than what Peachy picks out herself. This rarely happens period, but despite liking everything she picked, Peachy liked what Il Cortile picked for her the best. You absolutely must try the entree Scaloppine con Melanzane, Mozzarella, Pomodori e Peperoni Piccante. Veal scaloppine with baked eggplant, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and hot peppers are incredible, and the perfect medium heat in this dish is ideal for the upcoming cold weather.
Il Cortile is Terrific Takeout and it continues to be Highly Recommended by Whom You Know.
Peachy and Sal
"The charm of Il Cortile is embodied in the high quality consistent Italian cuisine that our guests enjoy in comfortable elegance. Our ambient courtyard is a beautiful spot for celebrating your life. I look forward to welcoming you!"
-Sal Esposito, Owner of Il Cortile
