Five Things: La Masseria, East Greenwich
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Inspired by farmhouse cooking in Italy's Puglia region, the owners of the successful La Masseria in New York City recently opened an outpost in East Greenwich. Sean DeBobes took a roadtrip to see what was going on. Here are the five things he wants you to know.
One. Enter chewing: I do love to start with a well-stacked bread basket, and La Masseria hit the mark. This is a restaurant that commits to an opening sequence like Martin Scorsese did in Goodfellas. A bountiful basket of breads, all baked on site, were freshly made and each one was great enough to make me want to try the next. Watch out hip West End bakeries, La Masseria doesn't need you. From a just-crispy-enough cheese stick to rustic (but not too rustic) wheat bread with black sesame seeds and a feathery light focaccia, dipping my assorted flour-based treats in housemade seasoned oil was a savory start to my night.
Two. Artisan pastas, awesome proteins: When our waiter described chef Pino Coladonato's journey to Puglia to hand-pick the granotto for one of the featured mains at La Masseria (Granotto ai Frutti
Three. They love me, they love me not: It was like dating Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde... in one night. John, my waiter, was our Dr. J... friendly, chatty, and intensely knowledgeable (perhaps too chatty at times... but you be the judge). But twice in the night, Mr. H, a manager, tried to rush us into ordering, and then paying and leaving. Something about a party of nine, wanting our six-top? Bottom line: no one likes a push.
Four. Knowing when to quit: On some things, Chef knows when to quit. Take the precision in cook times in this busy kitchen, yielding a soft, perfectly medium rare seared scallop plated with grilled artichoke hearts in the Capesante e Carciofi Grigliati appetizer, or a brawny veal chop passed through the broiler and right to my table. And yet... Chef, please apply this sense of decorum to presentation (a heavy-handed tomato rose overwhelms an otherwise delicious appetizer of stuffed mozarella, left). And with the sides... a whipped, piped potato? In Tuscan cuisine? The only place I want to see a piped mashed potato is a wedding in 1987; save your star tip for meringue.
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Five. There's something about value: Despite its tony, New York City provenance, this is a menu priced amiably in the center of moderate. Many mains on the extensive menu are less than $20, and this makes indulging more fun, and not bank-breaking.
Would I go back? I'd have to be... hungry. There were some good notes, but too many misses for me. Aim a bit higher and I'll give it another try.
Hit "Save": 223 Main St, East Greenwich, 398-0693, http://www.lamasserianyc.com. Open for lunch Tues-Sun noon-3pm, dinner Tues-Thurs 5-10pm, Fri-Sat until 11, Sun 3-10pm, closed Mon.
Photos David Dadekian
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