Yes, there are many Italian restaurants in NYC. So many, in fact, that they all seem to blend at times. There are only so many heaping bowls of pasta one can wolf at New York eateries before all the vodka and Bolognese sauce, along with the multi-voweled restaurant names start to swim in one’s head. I honestly had to be reminded what the hell I ordered at this joint. I remembered it being decent and hot, but little else. I knew it probably involved penne pasta and some chicken… and then it came to me. I ordered a rigatoni with chicken and sundried tomatoes in a vodka sauce, I think. It wasn’t bad. It was reasonably cheap (about $10 or so). My fellow eaters thought their meals were “alright” and “okay” respectively. The decor was casual and, well, alright. The wine list was alright. The service was alright, although our server decided to leave our empty wine bottle on the table for the duration of our meal. In other words, the place was convenient, inexpensive and alright–essentially the definition of the inexpensive, generic NYC Italian joint. [MF]
859 9th Ave.
212/581-4177