Italian food is generally not about manipulation or modernity, though the East Village restaurant Perbacco certainly tries to incorporate both of these elements into their food. To be clear, the food was not bad by any stretch of the imagination. However, I do feel that one must know the best way possible to treat and serve certain foods to make a dish effective. Here, perhaps, is where Perbacco may need some work.
Our dinner started off on a very positive note. The ambiance is to-die-for; the small dining room artfully packs as many tables as humanly possible into the cozy space. It reminded me of someplace I could have found in my old neighborhood in Rome, like a little part of Trastevere had been transplanted in New York.
From the appetizers we had ordered, it seemed as if a very promising dinner was in store. Golden brown arancini were served in a paper cone and flanked by a tomato sauce. Their abundant portion of creme brulee di Parmigiano Reggiano was heaven for a cheese-lover like myself. The steak tartare, though, served with a lightly poached egg yolk, was overshadowed by the heavy flavor of the mushrooms. The eggplant and tomato fritters served with a mozzarella foam were not what we were expecting, but nevertheless proved to be my table's favorite appetizer hands down.
The primi, for the most part, were nicely done as well. The tagliatelle with lamb ragu were simple and well executed, as was the risotto ai frutti di mare. A few mussels and clams in their shells for garnish wouldn't have hurt, but it was nevertheless a good dish of risotto. My pasta dish, however, did not go down in my book of favorites. I had ordered the ravioli di zucca con salsiccia e amaretti, pumpkin ravioli with sausage ragu/sauce and amaretto. The ravioli were lined down the middle of the plate, flanked by drops of amaretto foam and a line of the sausage sauce. Perhaps, aesthetically, not the best choice in the world.
Secondi and the desserts really didn't leave us with anything spectacular, either. The braised beef cheeks were thoroughly enjoyed, the best of the entrees. The salmon was perfectly cooked, however the plate looked quite sad. A huge chunk of salmon, a few pieces of grilled endive and two sauteed mushrooms was certainly minimalist, though not a super presentation. The least enjoyed dish was the chicken rolled with cheese and raisins, served over mashed potatoes and spinach. Could have been us, but there was just something that didn't work in the recipe, plus the potatoes were cold!
My dessert was quite the attention-grabber. The hamburger di cioccolato was visually hilarious, but taste-wise fell flat. The "bun" was made of a sweet dough that was just too dry to eat and enjoy. The two chocolate mousses that formed the patties were good, but didn't make up for the dry bun. Is it sad to say that my favorite part were actually the pear "fries" and the raspberry and white chocolate/ginger dipping sauces? A cute way to end the meal, but it would have been much cuter if it were pleasing both visually and taste-wise.
Overall, our dinner at Perbacco was good, but nothing spectacular. Prices seemed fair and the service was decent. ( I don't want my server apologizing for a messed-up presentation when the plate hits the table, nor do I want her to be slapping friends/customers high-fives as they walk in. Sorry.) The manager certainly should have done the rounds, but stayed put on his stool for most of the time we were there. Perbacco didn't leave me with a terrible taste in my mouth; I would actually go back quite willingly to see how they perform given a second try.
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