On arrival, Mr W and I were greeted warmly and shown to our table. For a Wednesday night in October the restaurant was surprisingly full and had a great buzz about it. Locals mixed with a tourist or two, filled the restaurant and created a great atmosphere.
The decor in the restaurant was understated in muted tones of browns and beige, and each table had a candle and a beautiful tulip in a vase.
After the cocktails came a bowl of bread, chunky, rustic and salty. Good quality olive oil, extra virgin I think and sea salt flakes in a tiny bowl added extra flavour.
After browsing the menu, we decided to share the roast artichokes for an appetizer, and then for the main course I decided to go for the roast farm chicken, with green beans and a vegetable ragu and Mr W decided to go for the Casarecce bolognese which was made with veal. The waitress advised that the chicken may take a little longer than normal to come as they slow roast it. No shortcuts here, just freshly cooked food which I was pleased about!
So onto the first course. The artichokes were well fried, crispy and light and a side of garlic aioli added extra flavour. The artichokes on their own weren't strongly flavoured so the accompaniment of the aioli was a great idea.
After a short wait, the main courses arrived. The chicken was excellent. The skin was browned well, crispy and well seasoned and the meat underneath was succulent and tender. The green beans were perfectly cooked and al dente. Set on a tomato vegetable ragu, this was a tasty dish and wasn't swimming in a pool of oil you often get in an Italian restaurant. It was a fabulously light dish too, filling but without the carbs, you would normally get from potatoes, rice or pasta.
Mr W enjoyed his veal bolognese which was a sensible portion in size. He is not a fan of red meat normally but the veal wasn't strongly flavoured and added a lightness to the bolognese sauce. A few months ago we visited Milan and Mr W thought this veal bolognese was as good as anything he had in Italy then. The Grana Padano cheese sprinkled on top added a boost of flavour.
After a short pause, I ordered dessert - Tiramisu. Now Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert, normally layers of coffee-soaked liqueur sponge with whipped cream and cocoa powder - filling and quite indulgent. The Tiramisu at Bread and Tulips had a slightly more modern take on the traditional dish. A layer of cream was set on a very light sponge base, with a dusting of cocoa powder topping the dessert off. Orange candied peel added a touch of zest that lifted the dessert to another level. Yummy and light this dish was a nice end to a meal and not too heavy either.
I chatted to staff between meals and they were very friendly. The emphasis in Bread and Tulips is on rustic Italian cooking within a cosy elegant setting. All the pasta is handmade in the kitchen and they take great pride in their ingredients. Wines are almost all Italian and feature many small organic producers. I love this ethos, buying from small organic producers mean you get unique wines that are that little bit different and you are supporting small businesses too.
This is obviously a well-loved neighbourhood restaurant which is frequented by locals - always a good sign. Bread and Tulips is the place to go with friends and family, to share stories, and great food. It's a place to go on a work night and on a weekend. It's the place to go if you are a tourist to New York and want a fantastic well-prepared meal that isn't too pricey. It's the type of Italian restaurant that you will enjoy and the type of Italian restaurant you can't wait to go back to.
We enjoyed our food and the atmosphere at Bread and Tulips. We liked it. A lot. Highly recommended.
Bread and Tulips
Rustic Italian Kitchen and Bar
365 Park Avenue South
New York
10016
Tel: 2125329100
10016
Tel: 2125329100
That looks like a wonderfully cosy spot. And the portion sizes look almost normal! I'd definitely be ordering the tiramisu...
ReplyDeleteYes, not massive like so many restaurants in the US, but plenty big enough for sure.
DeleteThis looks so cosy and the food very delicious. I need to head out for a meal it has been far too long!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh that food looks incredible! The setting is so cosy as well, perfect for a date night.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a lovely place for a date night. Tiramisu and cocktails are always a winner
ReplyDeleteA great combination!
DeleteThis looks like a fab place to visit. I like the intimate and cosy look of the restaurant. It's the kind of place where you'd want to celebrate a special occasion with your husband/partner. Haven't done that in ages!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness that Tiramisu though looks like a little slice of heaven! I like the sound of the tomato ragu as well x
ReplyDeleteEverything looks stunning and very tasty!
ReplyDeleteThe tulip is such a nice touch. All the food looks delicious and seems like a cosy restaurant too.
ReplyDeleteI liked the simple addition to the table, it was so sweet.
DeleteOoh that all looks delicious! I would have gone for the chicken too!
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely place! I will write this to my list of restaurants to visit, when I am in NYC next time! Oh, and that Tiramisu... My favourite dessert of all times!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas
X Louise
This restaurant is worth seeking out for sure.
DeleteThe restaurant looks warm and inviting and love all those lights. If we are ever in NY I will certainly visit
ReplyDeleteI love the take they took on the Tiramisu sounds absolutely delicious and the restaurants seems lovely too.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great restaurant and one I would happily visit on a trip to New York. All of your dishes look and sound great
ReplyDeleteThe chicken was amazing and so moist.
DeleteI love the décor of the hotel and that tiramisu looks amazing, my favourite dessert x
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a good restaurant. I love the cocktails too
ReplyDelete