Polpette 71 — Restaurant in New York

This review is about an experience several months ago that I had been wanting to share. My boyfriend and I were originally seated in the partly covered backyard terrace, but we saw a rat running around above our table on the terrace covering and asked politely to be moved to the outdoor seating in front of the restaurant (not their fault imo, it’s NYC and outdoors, but just preferred not to sit there anymore if possible). They moved us, but I mention this because, either because of this (just a guess) or something else, a woman who seemed to be the owner or a manager started treating us noticeably differently from all the tables around us. For example she didn’t refill our water when she refilled all others’.

At the end when she brought the check, before we put our cards down or did or said anything, she told us “so you know, people usually add at least 20% as a tip”, in a not at all friendly tone. Didn’t hear her say that to anyone else.

The optimistic interpretation is that this was because she was unhappy about us asking to be moved, but honestly I was also the only nonwhite person around, so maybe she felt she should educate me about America… who knows honestly. We were extremely confused by the whole thing.

Not going back here. A shame because we live nearby and really wanted to have a good experience.

I’ll also say the food was just okay. The meatballs were...

One of the most underrated and delicious Italian places in the Upper West Side. We came on a Friday night, and the restaurant was packed. I wish they had one or two more servers because they were struggling to keep up with the demand! However, the owner is always walking through the restaurant to cross t’s and dot i’s. The main reason Polpette 71 stands out from other Italian places in the city is the pure love they put into every dish. We ordered the Caesar salad to start, and the dressing was fantastic. While it didn’t look like a traditional caesar, their special cheese and dressing made the salad incredible. We also could not resist getting a plate of meatballs, which the restaurant is known for. They were tender and rich, and a perfect appetizer. I ordered my favorite dish on the menu as an entree that brings me back every time: the Lobster Ravioli. I subbed the white sauce it traditionally comes with for a vodka sauce. For the price of these dishes, you get a giant portion of food - the raviolis were stuffed with lobster meat and the plate also came with some delicious shrimp. In all, Polpette is a gem in the UWS that deserves more love for their fresh Italian cuisine and heartfelt...

So happy to have finally tried this place! Have lived in the area for 15 years but somehow never ate here. It used to be farther north from me but still on the UWS. Nobody ever recommended Polpette to me. Very strange. Must be a hidden gem. Got to it tonight because one of my sons discovered it online while searching for good meatballs. I will certainly spread the word to friends.

The meatballs are in fact delicious here. Very simple but flavorful. Pasta fagioli also excellent. Mozzarella sticks good too. What most impressed me, however, was the sautéed spinach. Absolutely amazing spinach! Seriously.

I try sautéed spinach at lots of places, including at the expensive steakhouses, and I am always disappointed. Usually the dish is a soggy, flavorless mess. Not so here. The sautéed spinach is amazing! Somehow they manage to cook the spinach such that there is still a tiny bit of crunch left to it, and the garlic permeates ALL of the spinach, not just a leaf here and there. I could have eaten the spinach as a meal. It was that good, and I am not a big vegetable eater!

Only problem is that I ate so much, my belly felt huge when I left! Definitely...