If you are looking for a delicious Italian meal in NYC, look no further than Circolo45, located at 45 Bond Street, New York NY 10012 (20 minutes from Penn Station in "Noho"). Circolo45 is open Monday - Sunday 5:30-10:30pm. You will feel like you are at home, the ambience is warm and the food amazing.
We were greeted by manager Nicolo and treated to a little "pre-game" bubbly: PROSECCO COL DI ROCCA. What a great way to start the festivities. Next up was a delicious Catfish Truffle (a combination of catfish, mayo, and capers). Very light and very good.
Next up was my personal favorite of the night: "45 Octopus". One of their signature dishes, it was unlike anything I have ever had. The Octopus is imported from Portugal and prepared in water and sea salt for two hours and then grilled. It was served with a scrumptious tomato confit and lemon juice. Everyone should try this dish. Truly fantastic!
Up next was their signature "Risotto Di Mare" and I could go on for hours about this as well. One of the best risotto dishes I have ever had, this was prepared with clams, mussels, shrimp and calamari with a hint of extra virgin olive oil and chili pepper. This dish did not disappoint. Nicolo expertly paired the risotto with a glass of Manzane, a full bodied and medium dry Northern Italian Red.
From there we tried "Spaghetti Alla Chitarra Con Tartufo Nero Estivo", which is homemade "Pici" (thick hand rolled pasta) with black summer truffle. A true delight and definitely will be something we order again on our next trip to the restaurant.
For "Secondi" we sampled the Branzini, a light and moist white fish which has been cooked in clam juices. It was served with light sautéed vegetables and over baked potato slices. Finally, we couldn't resist sampling Circolo's meatballs as well - made from 70% beef and 30% pork. I could have devoured the entire pot if I wasn't so stuffed from all these amazing dishes.
Of course we made "room" for dessert and sampled their light and super yummy "Chocolate Soufflé". This is made without using butter; it was the perfect blend of sweet and satisfying.
Circolo45 is an absolute MUST for the Italian Foodie. Their customer service is impeccable. Our waitress was very attentive and Nicolo was such an asset in expertly explaining each and every dish with a true enthusiasm for the restaurant and Italian Cuisines. He perfectly paired each dish with wine (we enjoyed his enthusiasm for vino) and made our evening extra spectacular. I wish to offer my sincere thanks for a wonderful Fall Friday Evening of Circolo dining!
For more information or to make a reservation please call 212-375-0323 or visit www.circolo45.com. You may also make reservations by emailing reservation@circolo45.com, info@circolo45.com or by using Open Table.