The meal I will eat before I die.

          This past thursday I hopped the train in to the city to visit my mom at work, and take a look at Bloomingdale's celebration of 20 years of Vera Wang. Vera Wang has been a favorite of mine long since I ws a little girl. My mother who has been planning my wedding since I was just a thought in conception,shares the same adoration.But of course, in our family, nothing is complete without a good meal.
         My mom and I made our way through the bustling streets of NYC to Bloomingdales, a haven for people like us, otherwise known as shopaholics. We headed up to the fifth floor only to be greeted by 11 of the most stunning bridal gowns I have ever set eyes on. I got lost amongst the clouds of chantilly lace, and tulle. It truly was a sight to appreciate. After I indulged my mom's fantasies of my perfect wedding we headed off to dinner, a place we've been going for years that we simply cannot get away from.
         There are thousands of restaurants in Manhattan. My mother and I have been to quite a few, but for some reason Nocello always seems to win our hearts. Located at 257 W 55th St, Nocello is all but lost amongst the slew of restaurants it is surrounded by. Since the first time we went there I've always described this as the last meal I would ever want to eat. The waiters are always the same, and even though the location has expanded, the service remains top quality and the food surpasses excellence.
          This particular meal, my mom and I changed up our ordering patterns a little bit. For an appetizer I had the carpacio, a thin slice of raw filet mignon over a bed of arugla with shaved parmagiano cheese.  The filet mignon pairs perfectly with the saltiness of the cheese and the rich, peppery taste of the arugala. This appetizer is a must if you visit this restaurant. For my entree I decided to go with one of the specials; fresh fettucine with lobster tails and shrimp in a vodka sauce. Vodka sauces are dramatically different from restaurant to restaurant but this one was just perfect. The homeade pasta really sets itself apart from all the others. There is nothing like fresh pasta if you ask me. It's just a bit more tender then all the rest and almost has a bit of a nutty taste. The lobster tails were cooked perfectly, as over cooking lobster tends to make it tough. Nocello has onced again reached perfection. But undoubtedly no meal is complete without dessert and just like many times before this one, tortoni it is. Tortoni is an almond ice cream topped with toasted coconut or crushed almonds and a maraschino cherry.I think one of the reasons I like it best is it tastes like frozen amaretto.
          I give Nocello 5 forks, definitely going back for seconds,maybe even thirds. The service and quality of the food are always excellent, they never miss a beat. The waiters (who this past visit, brought me a plate with a heart made out of cinnamon) are always on point. Never once have I had a bad meal here. So, if you are ever in Manhattan, looking to dine on some of the finest Italian food I have ever eaten, be sure to try Nocello, and make sure you ask for a table in the back. I promise you won't be disappointed.


Ciao,
Abby