Pepolino — Restaurant in New York

Roaming around the city on a Friday night, hungry, and stomach yearning for food - we stumbled upon this charming Italian spot. We never caught the name on the way in the door but asked to be seated after checking out the menu.

We were seated immediately in their outdoor sidewalk area as requested. Outside the seating area is sectioned off from the bustling streets of NYC by plants which adds to their authentic Italian feel. We loved the decor of hanging lights throughout the patio and small wooden chairs and tables, topped with doilies.

We had the pleasure of having Argo as our waiter, he was magnificent, one of those waiters you'll remember for such polite, charming service. He joked and laughed with us and was very knowledgeable about the dishes and popular opinions when we asked for suggestions.

We ordered the special entree, which was linguini with shrimp, a hint of lemon zest, and cream, it was just the right amount of richness, fresh, and delicious ($24). The portions are a good size for one person, not so much recommended for splitting in case you and your guest are light eaters like us.

For dessert we had the flourless light chocolate cake ($12). Now the menu doesn't state this but it's an espresso slice of moist yummy cake. Argo explained to us that several shots of espresso are added to the flourless batter, it is made fresh every morning, baked for about 40min, and left to cool down. Needless to say, those espressos got me; I was up and alert for the next few hours lol.

The service was spot on, the food was fresh and homemade, the quality and overall experience is worth the price. Running at about $30 per person, I would say this place is worth it. I'm glad we wandered in here, the best places are always found when you're not looking for anything in...

I've been living in New York since January (this is my second time living here), and Tammy and I have enjoyed many a delicious meal, as we love to eat out. But NONE has been as impressive as our recent visit to Pepolino, 281 W. Broadway.

THIS is "Authentic Italian" made using fresh ingredients, while sparing the "heaviness" often found in "American-Italian" dishes.

From the moment we were greeted by the staff, we felt like we were visiting a friends home. The manager, Max, took exceptional care of us, welcoming us with open arms.

I was instantly impressed with the appetizer of TOMATO FLAN, a super light, super delicious tastebud energizer infused with just enough spice to get your attention. Our starters included: GRILLED OCTOPUS and the BUFFALO MOZZARELLA, HEIRLOOM TOMATOES & BASIL/ARUGULA. Pairing it with a nice, light red wine got us off to a great start. Tammy and I shared pappardelle PASTA & VEAL MEATBALLS. They were divine, as they were light as a feather (thanks to Ricotta cheese) and super tasty while not feeling heavy. It was simply superb--so much so, that we went back the very next night for dinner, when old friends of mine from Toronto, Canada came to visit. That evening was spent sharing two bottles of exceptional wine, light-as-a-feather NOCCI, fresh SARDINE SALAD, and a number of other wonderful dishes.

The service is attentive without being intrusive. The ambiance is tiny, but charming. And the people, as I said, are as welcoming as old friends, while the food is 5-star.

Do yourself a favor and make PEPOLINO one of your stops next time you're...

Came here for a late lunch as a party 1 and wanted to try their Restaurant Week lunch special. I was greeted by a lovely staff member and was free to choose any small table.

The complementary tomato flan packed a surprising amount of flavor. Spreading it on the bread was a different but delightful experience compared to having a plate of sauce or oil. The top of the bread was brushed with some salt, elevating the overall taste.

I had the Carpaccio di Manzo for my appetizer. The marriage of cured beef, cheese, and truffle was a wonderful salt fiesta in my mouth. The portion was also quite generous, so I'll definitely get this again in my future visits (unless I'm trying something new).

For my main, I got the Polpettine Di Vitella (Veal & Ricotta Meatballs). The dish overall had a good balance between salt and savory, and a plentiful amount of salt and pepper. The meatballs had a semi-deep lingering taste from the ricotta, which was accompanied with several seasoned vegetables and a light tomato sauce. It was a good contrast from the strong carpaccio opener.

In total, the dishes were definitely on the salty side. However, it was tolerable for me because it satisfied my appetite as an athlete. But I can see how this could be a turn off for some consumers, especially with the Carpaccio di Manzo. The restaurant week special is definitely a steal, but I will still come back to try more dishes, and recommend this to my...