Hearty seafood stew
Razor Clams
Perfectly seared salmon
Crunchy insalata mista
Towards the tail end of our trip to New York, my husband and I returned to the much-publicised restaurant and grocery complex called Eataly, curious to find out first hand, what all the fuss was about. Fuss is an understatement.
From the moment we stepped through the doors, we found ourselves immersed in an exuberant Italian food forum. The Italians are passionate about food, the flavours, aromas, raw ingredients and final finished products, and this was evident everywhere at Eataly. Picture seven restaurants, along with grocery areas that include cheese, fresh pasta, meats, small goods, fruit and vegetables, homewares, cakes and coffee. It is a foodies form of edible utopia!

Every eating area was full, even the bars dedicated to various types of prosciutto. Had we arrived earlier and perhaps skipped the hearty breakfast at Soho’s The Crosby Street Hotel, we could have hopped from one Eataly eatery to another, dedicating each course to a different category of food. What fun that would have been!
We were already ravenous after having spent the morning exploring Central Park – yes it is enormous – skating on the refurbished 65 year old ice-rink and then visiting the Museum of Natural History on the western side of the park. By the time we arrived at Eataly it was almost 2 o’clock, yet the place was still pumping with people. 


We settled on a seafood lunch and found a perch up at the marble-topped bar. A glass of refreshing rose with razor clams from Massachusetts served in a light herb flecked broth made for a fantastically flavoursome starter. The slices of rustic bread individually wrapped in brown paper came in handy mopping up the delicious juices. I have to point out the unique shape of these clams – unlike the curved shell shaped pippies we are accustomed to in Australia, these impressive meaty mollusks are long and rectangular and resemble an old fashioned barber shop style men’s razor, hence the name.
The hearty seafood stew provided welcome respite from the cold wind outside and was an excellent second course to our fishy feast. The clear broth base was a new way of enjoying a seafood stew and pleasantly different from the spicy tomato base that I usually create at home.  
The other dishes we ordered included a fat fillet of salmon with roasted pickling onions on garlicky wilted spinach. However, a cod based dish was delivered accidentally. “Not a problem, we will fix that for you,” said the waiter as he whisked it away and then rushed through the correct order. We would have been very happy to eat the other dish but they insisted on “making it right”. The salmon did not disappoint. Perfectly seared on the outside with a crispy skin, but still perfectly pink in the centre, it was like butter at every bite. Worth the wait, especially when accompanied by the colourful mixed salad with crunchy croutons. 

Coffee was available from the espresso bar dedicated only to this aromatic beverage. True coffee aficionados could even select their choice of coffee beans and have them ground fresh for their specific cup of favourite brew.  Again there were throngs of people crowded around the bar, and yet the baristas turned out cup after cup with aplomb. I teamed this with a fresh, strawberry jam filled biscuit – biscotti di fragole – and munched away happily between sips of my expertly made cappuccino.
 

Just a little Italian shortbread, beautifully boxed,
to finish off our fabulous Eataly feast 

What struck me as particularly impressive was the polite and professional efficiency of all the staff. Allergies? Not an issue! Can’t find a seat? A short wait and one pops up? Unsure of what to order? Just ask one of the knowledgeable staff.  Nothing was an issue at Eataly, in fact it was an excellent reflection of the superb service overall in New York. It’s all these little things that make a holiday less complicated and so much more enjoyable.
The description I had heard of Eataly being like Sydney’s Fratelli Fresh “on steroids” was absolutely accurate. Here is a product that has managed to capture the best of Italian food, wine and atmosphere within one thoughtfully fitted out space, in a city certainly not short of renowned eateries. I’m not surprised Eataly’s popularity has soared. I bumped into Americans from other US States who said they return to Eataly every time they visit NY, be that for work or social reasons for their “Eataly fix”. What a pity this place is so far from Oz!


Marvellous market halls
Salami and cheeses to suit all tastes 

Cookbooks galore
Sensational smallgoods