EatItalian NYC — Restaurant in New York

There are hundreds, if not thousands,. of pizzerias and Italian restaurants on Staten Island -- from "authentic" to Brooklyn replicas. They all have pizza; they all have sauce (or gravy); and they all have pasta. After a while, they all blend. Yes, there are standouts; we all have our go-tos; and we can debate all day and night over which is best, better, and good. They each have their goods and bads, and some of them just suck. Some are over-priced and others are questionably cheap and inexpensive. Many have gimmicks and tricks and others just focus on the food and wine. A few recycle the same servers recommending the same dishes from Arthur Kill to Amboy to Hylan, the Margarita Pie, the Penne Vodka, the Ravioli, the Scampi, the Scaloppine...blah blah blah. All the same all over the island - sometimes it's good and sometimes it's not.

Throw a quarter in the air while standing anywhere on Staten Island and you'll hit a pizzeria or an Italian restaurant with more of the same. And on Yelp, they have good reviews and bad reviews. Big deal.

Eat isn't breaking the mold, and the menu doesn't boast anything fancy, exotic, or overly unique, and that's okay because the food it does offer is consistently delicious -- and that's all you can ask for when going to an Italian restaurant on Staten Island these days.

The Food: Parmigiana - perfectly cooked with great taste. Frittura Mista - well done fried mix. Caponata - tasty and flavorful.

The Bufolata pizza was so good I ordered it twice. The ingredients taste fresh and mix well together. I usually half this pie with the Paesana - fried eggplant and ricotta. Together they compliment each other. Either way together or not, both pies are robust with flavor, complimenting the pizza dough and crust perfectly. The bread is delicious. And if you're expecting the pie to be crispy, like Denino's, Lee's or Campania's, you're going to be disappointed. Eat's pizza is more like the pizza of Naples rather than Rome's, thick crust instead of thin. So if you want it crispy - ask for it. Don't leave a negative review because you didn't know the difference.

There's a whole other section on the menu that needs recognition for one reason, whether you think it's authentically Italian or not - the Panini section. Made up of items from a burger to a grilled chicken chaser wrap. But the only dish I've tried is the Steak Sliders, which, in my opinion, is DELICIOUS. I'd order it again and again. The quality of the steak they use is impressive - extremely tender, seasoned and cooked perfectly, and perfect for sliders with soft brioche buns. This dish is a win for Eat, authentically Italian or not. It's perfect.

For entree, I've only ordered two dishes multiple times: Paccheri Norma and Genovese Classica. The first is handmade rigatoni with roasted eggplant and the second is pappardelle with pulled short ribs. Done well and delicious. I would order both again and again. Both have unique qualities with fairly common ingredients and combinations for pasta dishes. They're done right, offering great flavors and perfectly cooked al dente homemade pastas. While I'm sure Franco, the owner, takes pride in all his dishes, judging from the quality and flavor of these two menu choices, I expect he's put a lot of time perfecting his pasta and sauces. And that should be enough to make you want to go back.

It's tough for Italian restaurants and pizzerias to stand out on Staten Island, and it's tough for any of them and their chefs to win awards and become instant celebrities, so the most they can hope for is lasting power and so far Eat has it. Staff is friendly. Service is consistent. And food is good. That's a win for Woodrow since the South Shore is saturated with one copy...

Have been here a few times but food and service have gone way down. Very upsetting after finally having a nice neighborhood eatery it has become another italian food restaurant statistic . Had the special butternut squash ravioli priced at a whopping 25.00 did not know as it was a special. I woould not habe have ordered it. And my husband had the bolognese pasta. It was served in under 5 minutes. Terrible . It was served as schlop. Not hot and rushed. How can you serve an entree in less than 5 minutes that means its microwaved. So disappointing. Well then we got home and got so sick . The cream sauce on the ravioli was like lard and the bolognese meat was a grease pit. We did not even eat half our dishes. If they think they want to rush people to turn tables it doesnt work for the hard working hard earned money we locals earn or how we want to spend our money. We want to enjoy a nice dinner. If your charging those prices keep it fresh and let people enjoy their meal.The last time I was there they served my entree while having my app. They expect you to have apps dinner drinks dessert in under an hour. Well it wont last. They are losing their way. Too many schlop italian...

Overall, eating at EatItalian was an enjoyable experience yet was not the best.

Food: 4/5 The food honestly varies with your personal taste, but I felt that the dish I ordered, the Gnocchi, did not have enough pesto flavor and was more akin to a cream sauce. The pasta was decent, but not the greatest. However, I did sample some other food, such as the burger and a different pasta, and those were quite enjoyable. I think it’s up to personal taste, but I felt that the food was decent.

Atmosphere: 5/5 My party was seated in the outdoor area, which provided quite a nice atmosphere. The breeze, coupled with the upbeat music and the gentle sunlight allowed for a very enjoyable dinner. I definitely recommend trying to sit in the outdoor section if possible.

Service: 4/5 Waitstaff was attentive enough, but not the best. They were friendly and helpful, but we did have to ask a few times for things such as water and bread. Overall, the service was pretty good.

Overall, a 4/5 because although the atmosphere was wonderful, the food in my opinion...