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Marea
Category: Restaurants Seafood Seafood [Edit]
240 Central Park SNew York, NY 10019
Neighbourhood: Midtown West
(212) 582-5100
- Nearest Transit:
-
59 St - Columbus Circle (1, 2, A, B, C, D)
57 St - 7 Av (N, Q, R)
57 St (F)
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
450 reviews for Marea
Review Highlights
-
"Fusilli with Octopus and Bone Marrow was amazing." In 71 reviews -
"Fusilli with red wine braised octopus and BONE MARROW." In 21 reviews -
"the lobster burrata app is out of control delicious." In 45 reviews
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449 reviews in English
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Review from Scott L.
5/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
Nailing a lunch reservation at Marea seemed like a jewel in our NY trip, being highly rated by NY Times and NY Magazine both, and for a $45 two course lunch, it seemed possibly better than Le Bernadin in reviews and price.
I arrived early and was promptly helped at the hostess stand. As soon as my friend arrived they ushered us to a table, and the bartender even switched out my contraband Starbucks coffee into a glass. Our waiter was gorgeous and attentive.
"I didn't catch your name." I flirted.
"I didn't mention it." He said curtly.
I had the grilled octopus and the spaghetti with crab, which was recommended. The food was simple, tasty and flawless. "I havn't had spaghetti this good since I was in Italy." I told Skip. Skip's crab appetizer and scallops also made him happy, but $50 for 3 martini's didn't.
Everything was so delightful and perfect we had a three cocktail lunch, and the bill got a little out of control. This is a good place, but bring your wallet.
Decor is simple, service is fabulous and food is perfect. -
Review from Sam S.
Indianapolis, IN
5/23/2012
Great decor! They obviously spent a lot on the build out, including the acoustics.
Very friendly and attentive staff, great wine selection. Started with the geoclams and busa pasta, then the poached east coast halibut. All was excellent! Priced fairly, especially for NYC.
Tough to get so call well in advance. -
Review from Jen C.
5/20/2012
Marea.
Do I even need to say any more?
This is your textbook Columbus Circle midtown Manhattan old money restaurant serving up gold standard pasta dishes where the other dining patrons are just as interesting and diverse as the food. I'll give you the quick and dirty. The menu can be intimidating, but go with your gut and get the waiter's recommendations and ask detailed questions. We made some incredible choices because of it.
Pasta:
Spaghetti (crab, santa barbara sea urchin, basil)
Rigatoni (genovese ragu, celery, parmigiano)
Fusilli (red wine braised octopus, bone marrow)
Pairs well with the Tanca Farra Sella & Mosca (Sardinia)
Husband had the Barolo Seghesio (Piemonte) which paired better IMHO, but of course, it pushes $30 a glass.
Main:
Bistecca (grilled dry aged sirloin, braised romaine, bone marrow panzanella)
Dessert:
Fiori di limone (sorrento lemon curd tart, ricotta gelato, brown buttler ccrumble, candied rose)
Pairs seamlessly with the Moscato D'Asti, Bricco Quaglia La Spinette (Piemonte); however they were out of the Brachetto, which was my first request.
Favorite pasta was probably the rigatoni; but all are amazing. The focaccia bread is out of this world. Bistecca expertly prepared. Dessert was perfect for the taste of something sweet yet light and refreshing.
Service in the restaurant is nearly impeccable with extremely fine attention to detail. And like I said....the other characters dining in the restaurant made it just as memorable. Take a look around, open your ears (though in some cases you might not have to), and you'll see what I mean. -
Review from Rog C.
Fresh Meadows, NY
5/16/2012
One of the best Italian restaurants in NYC
The food is terrific here. We started with the Uni lardo toast, Crudo, and some Caviar which were all fantastic. Next we had the lobster with burrata and the frog legs which were equally delish. For our Primi course we had the crab and sea urchin spaghetti and octopus bone marrow fusilli which I think are must order dishes.
The reason this palce doesnt get 5 stars for food was because I felt like the secondi dishes were good but not exceptional. The desserts were good but not memorable but it might be because I dont have a sweet tooth.
For the price, the $97 4 course pre fixe was a very good deal which allows you to try many different dishes which were mostly very good. I would also suggest to add extra items to the pre fixe to make your experience more memorable.
The waiter was also very helpful in helping us pick out wines that would compliment our dishes. We had 3 glasses each and all 3 were very good although I cant remember what we had
Food: 8
Decor: 7
Service: 7.5
Price: on the high side but not expensive
Heard a couple next to us complaining that their pasta was not al dente but anyone that knows, knows that fresh hand made pasta cannot be al dente, and all of the pasta here is made fresh -
Review from Kelly N.
Aliso Viejo, CA
5/23/2012
My hubby and I had the prix fixed 4 course meal. Everything from appetizers to desserts was absolutely delicious. I was surprised by the portion of food we got. Normally prix fixed has smaller portions. We added uni lardo to start with. It was rich but delightful in my mouth. 1st course was lobster astice, refreshing & light. 2nd course was spaghetti with uni and crab. Al dente, the way I love my pasta. Flavor was undescribly good. 3rd course was sirloin with marrow. It was a huge delightful piece of meat, done just right. Last course was panna cotta, my favorite dessert to finish my meals with. I was in heaven. $300+ was worth every dime. Marea will be the one restaurant we will stop at whenever we are in NYC.
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Review from Chloe L.
Irvine, CA
5/13/2012 Seated via OpenTable
This is a MICHELIN starred restaurant ?
Gosh... I think I can make better pasta. The sauce is rich and thick, but got boring really quick. Two bites in and I was already wishing I had gone to another restaurant, possibly a diner. Bread was stale, and everything else was subpar. Everything tasted as if they have been left out in the kitchen for a good 10 minutes before they were served.
Meh indeed. -
Review from Paul Q.
Greenwich, CT
5/11/2012
Terrific...just terrific. A fine dining experience from beginning to end without being too stuffy or stodgy. The room is bigger than it looks from the outside and very elegant and comfortable.
The food was all wonderful. We ordered the octopus, calamari and the cuttlefish so without realizing it I inadvertently loaded the table with Cephalopods. I should have mixed it up a bit more but I look forward to coming back and trying more of the delicious dishes at another time.
The desserts were fantastic as well. We had been unimpressed with a few of the pastry offerings at a few respected restaurants lately but we were certainly not disappointed here. We loved the Lemon Curd Tart in particular.
A+...definitely a winner. -
Review from Phillip C.
Chicago, IL
5/22/2012
This marked my 2nd visit to Marea, both for lunch. On this trip we came in around 2 o'clock and sat at the bar. Coming off of a disappointing night at Eleven Madison Park, I looked forward to the comforting pasta.
We began with Polipo; grilled octopus. The smoked potatoes were delicious and the octopus was meaty & tender--a great start. Then came pastas, 3 of them: Fusili, Spaghetti, and Agnolotti. The Fusili was as I remembered it: savory, rich, and full of flavor. Probably the best pasta dish I've ever had. The spaghetti was almost as good; the crab was a tasty addition. The Agnolotti (a version not yet on the menu) was very impressive--a sausage filling & lentil puree brought spot-on saltiness and texture. After a morning spent wandering the chilly city, these three pasta dishes were soulfully satisfying.
Next came a scallop dish. The scallops were perfectly cooked and the many flavors on the plate worked well together--I'd have no hesitation eating this again. Lastly, two plates appeared, each having both the carrot ("carota") and doughnut ("bomboloni") desserts on them. Overly full and pressed for time, I recall these both being quite good but don't remember specifics. Based on my earlier, November visit to Marea, in which I was served a mashup of several desserts in one bowl, I would not hesitate to order anything from the dessert menu--all of them have been perfect finishers.
The last of our weekend's Michelin starred New York meals, Marea absolutely hit the mark. Great food, a refined & buzzing atmosphere, and enjoyable service were perfect on this occasion.
From the blog, with full context of the week's meals: http://fillc.blogspot.... -
Review from Enoch H.
New York, NY
We decided to pull out all the stops and go all out on this particular night, i.e. the 8-course chef's tasting menu WITH wine pairings. There are things in life you look back on and regret doing, and then there are things you look back on and regret not doing. This would be one of those things you'd regret not doing.
To tickle our appetites, we chose to go with their housemade olive focaccia bread. Sadly, not many places put enough effort into their bread, but it really shows when you do. The focaccia was one of the best that I've had; it was soft, chewy, salty, and full of flavor. Our amuse bouche was a piece of fresh crudo and caviar. The presentation was lovely and bursting with vibrant colors. With this one bite, I knew the meal we were about to eat was going to be something special.
The next bite I had almost made me want to cry it was so good. A rich yet immensely tasty sea urchin, lardo, and sea salt combination set atop a lighted toasted piece of bread just melted in my mouth.
A trio of crudo consisting of mackerel and two others followed as part one of our first course (I believe wahoo was one, but I'm not sure of the last). The mackerel was very fresh and did not have the typical strong fishy taste to it. The second piece was excellent with a slight hint of chili oil, parsley, and fruit notes from the apple. Lastly, the third piece was a bit chewier and was topped with some lemon to give it a citrusy zest.
Part two of our first course was a plate of very refreshing oysters. The dish included 2 sauces, one shallot and one vinegar. The shallot sauce had good shallot flavor, yet was light enough that it did not distract from the true taste of the oysters.
Next was a delicious and generous serving of nova scotia lobster with burrata and basil seeds that paired perfectly with a clean crisp rose. The lobster was fresh, sweet, and well-cooked sitting on top of soft and creamy burrata cheese that was especially tasty. This was a perfect spring dish with all the colors on the plate from the lush green basil seeds to the rich red lobster.
The course that followed was amberjack atop some fennel with pine nut cream and a side of chanterelles paired with a buttery white wine. The fish was firm and juicy, and with all the vegetables together, the dish as a whole was on the lighter side.
The crispy frog leg and slow poached egg dish that greeted us next was something special indeed. I never had an egg so fresh and so poached perfectly that the yolk just oozed out almost in slow motion as I broke its soft casing. It was the best poached egg that I've ever had. The frog leg was seasoned well and had just the right amount of coating on it while the inside was still moist and tender.
The light and fluffy gnochetti with ruby shrimp had just the right subtle hint of chilies in the sauce. Additionally, the gnochetti still had a bit of chewiness to it that added more to the texture.
I was excited that our next dish was the famous fusilli with octopus braised in red wine and bone marrow. Just as rich and decadent as it was the first time I had it, this pasta is not some run-of-the-mill creation. Each component can stand alone and hold its own, but together, they form a dish that exemplifies a chef's creativity and dedication to deliciousness. Of course, the pasta was cooked perfectly, the octopus was tender and flavorful, and who doesn't like bone marrow? Finally, the bread crumbs sprinkled on top were just the 'icing' this dish needed.
Talking about extremes, we come to the dry aged steak. According to the menu, Marea's bistecca is dry aged 50 days. It's worth noting that most of the best steakhouses don't even age their beef half that long! Each piece of my medium-rare steak was tender and full with flavor. To add onto the ridiculousness, there was even bone marrow on the very same plate.
To cap off our memorable night, we were presented with a trio of desserts. Another reason Marea holds a special place in my heart is because of their bomboloni. I was never much of the dessert person, but after trying them on my first visit, I could not keep these lightly fried, sugar-coated doughnuts out of my dreams. They have a great crispy texture on the outside with a soft, warm, and moist inside. Because they are not too sweet, they go very well with the dark chocolate and espresso gelato. And to top it off, an espresso crumble adds yet another dimension of texture and flavor to an already amazing dish.
To wrap it all up, Marea has two Michelin stars for good reason and I was able to experience why on this memorable night. Food is not only impeccable and delicious, but presented creatively in a variety of ways in its dishes. I will be back to Marea time and time again, as long as my wallet allows me to. Until next time...Listed in: Restaurants
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Review from Jennifer K.
New York, NY
5/16/2012
Probably one of the most inventive Italian restaurants in the city, they pair ingredients that you wouldn't normally find together. Uni/lardo crostini is out of this world. The fuselli is the dish to have, the pairing of bone marrow & octopus is divine. Marea certainly is a refreshing break for your usual Italian.
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Review from Dave C.
4/16/2012
Delicious.
My first foray into the second tier of Michelin rated restaurants and was not disappointed.
I had the grilled octopus starter followed by the uni spaghetti and marrow fusilli. Yes I ordered both pastas, full sized without any regret and nary a condescending glance from the epic wait staff.
Octopus was grilled to perfection and the fingerling potatoes that accompanied had a nice smoke to it as well.
Uni on toast was bangin.
The spaghetti dish was great, the uni was a bit too subtle for me but the crab flavor was def there.
The fusilli was the star of the show. Every time you got a piece of a marrow in your mouth was like finding the decoder ring in your cereal but 100x better. I enjoyed it more than the spaghetti, but thats like comparing the Lamborghini Gallardo to the Ferrari 458.
Def worth it for a special occasion. -
Review from caleb g.
5/15/2012
During our recent blitz through NYC, my gal and I only scheduled one "luxury" meal, so the pressure was on Marea and they delivered with aplomb. Firts, perhaps due to low level Stendahl's Syndrome, we were nearly 30 minutes late for our reservation but were treated as if the party would never start without us.
We were led into the comfortable space I would describe as luxury moderne and while Marea is not a vast restaurant, plenty of space between tables makes it feel as if it is far more capacious.
All of the staff, from the gent proffering lovely breads, the various food runners and water replenishers, to our primary waitperson (a lady as well versed in the wines as the food) were efficient and solicitous.
And let's talk about the food! Good god, I know crudo might be a bit played out as a trend but not here; big eye tuna on oyster cream with transparently thin cucumber was an amazing way for us to start our meal. The polipo (grilled octopus) with smoked potatoes, radish, chiles, red onion and tonno was thje superlative expression of a dish I've always loved.I talked my sweetheart into the granchio ( lightly dressed blue crab, celery root, fennel, seasonal citrus) as she is not a fennel fan but she (and I) loved it-so light, bracing and able to make one feel as if the salty-sunny air of the Amalfi coast was just outside. My seared Atlantic char with fava agnilotti was buttery, succulent and so perfectly cooked that I could have kissed the (probably) stubbled rogue of a poissonnier. As chef/owner Michael White is said to be one of the new wave of "pasta-whisperers", my gal had the spaghetti ( fresh cut semolina pasta, crab, santa barbara sea urchin, basil ) which was rich, tasting slightly of the sea (in the freshest, most positive sense) and soul-satisfying.
We consulted with the waitperson for dessert selections as they were all tempting and after helping us decide on the nocciola pralinato (amazing!) and the bomboloni (amazinger!) she "lagniapped" us the carota which single-handedly restored my faith in carrot cake-spectacular!
As we contemplated our achingly full bellies, adorable petit fours arrived which included the very best ket lime tartlet I've ever had.
We will return to Marea when we next visit NYC, no matter what. -
Review from Judy C.
Financial District, NY
4/14/2012
Good, but not wonderful... Was expecting an out of this world seafood experience but I think it's hard to beat it when you have Cantonese standards.
Our Dishes:
RICCI sea urchin, lardo, sea salt
~ I usually really enjoy a good fatty richness but this was too much even for me w/o the tastiness I was expecting with uni.
LOBSTER with Buratta and Basil Seeds
~Lobster overcooked but buratta can rarely go wrong
SPAGHETTI crab, santa barbara sea urchin, basil
~Probably the dish we enjoyed most. Creamy yummy goodness!
FUSILLI red wine braised octopus, bone marrow
~mehhh
BRANZINO
HALIBUT -
Review from J K.
Manhattan, NY
4/28/2012
Great Food.
But I feel like you can get the same quality of food at Eataly with better service.
Also, everyone there was old as in 50s+. -
Review from Caren C.
Los Angeles, CA
4/12/2012
Ohhhh Marea, Marea. You and I have a date for some time yet-to-be-determined in the (hopefully) not too distant future.
It was our last night in NYC and I was beyond stuffed after gorging for days before. I just could NOT eat anymore. (Foodie fail).
But I loved the ambiance and decor...this is a SLICK place. Really nice masculine furnishings...that probably sounds weird to say but it stood out to me!
We ordered their spaghetti and it was good (I had a tiny bite and honestly could hardly look at food at the time so the taste was okay). I forget what other food there was, since I was feeling really sick at the sight of anything.
BUT! I did eat dessert after my stomach had settled down for a bit. It was the beignets/donuts I believe. SO delicious as was the gelato it was served with. 4 stars for now! Can't wait to go back and try their food "for reals" next time. -
Review from Nancy S.
New York, NY
4/9/2012
Marea, I heart you and your fusilli pasta dish because a) the texture and flavor of your red wine braised octopus was perfect, b) you chose to sprinkle morsels of bone marrow on top and c) you cleverly used WHEAT pasta to make me feel better about the fattyness from point b.
Thank you.
Don't change.
Love,
Nancy -
Review from adrian robert h.
Beverly Hills, CA
86%
Great straightforward Italian seafood tasting
***Short Review
Came here for lunch in Mar'12
Ordered the lunch tasting menu and requested a few more courses.
Food here generally more straightforward without too much complexity.
Although the flavors aren't always robust, it allows the ingredients to shine.
I enjoyed the crudo and my pasta with sea urchin, crab, and a tomato sauce.
Going to Esca two weeks later, I enjoyed the crudo at Marea a lot more.
My least favorite dish was a branzino fish which was a bit too simple.
Desserts were very good too.
The main chef Micheal White was in the kitchen that day which may have helped.
Food was fairly consistent, with nothing being bad but only a few items being great.
Value for their 5- course lunch tasting is very reasonable at around $70.
They're also very accommodating and will be happy to add more courses such as my case.
I requested an 8 course and it cost around $100
Ambiance is comfortable, but a bit too conservative and lacks character.
The bar area was more charming to me.
(Note the place was almost empty because I was the last to leave at lunch.)
http://www.yelp.com/us...
http://www.yelp.com/us...
Service was about average for a more fine dining environment.
The busboys, who weren't the most informed or patient weren't the ideal choice for serving.
My first waiter was absent most of the time, but my second waiter was much more professional
It was very nice of chef Micheal White to come out and say hello to everyone.
I also like how it's not too difficult to get a reservation here at lunch and the prices seem more affordable relative to dinner.
Detailed Review will go further into each dish.
This will be a longer review with multiple updates.
***Detailed Review
Amuse. Crostini of sea urchin. Salt & olive oil. Crunchy toast. Lardo & salt.
(Dish Rating 77%)
http://www.yelp.com/us...
Very good amuse that focused on fresh, good quality sea urchin / 'Uni' with some simple well thought out condiments. The sea urchin was tender, delicate, and sweet. There was just a hint of brine without being close to fishy. I can't say it was the absolute best quality, I have had sea urchin before with a more robust sweetness to it, but it wasn't bad.
Condiments used, not unlike many of Marea's other dishes sampled later on, would serve to compliment and bring out the flavor of the seafood as central focus. I enjoyed flavor of the olive oil and salt. The texture of the crostini toast had a more delicate crunch to it and wasn't too heavy, and I enjoyed the lighter oil finish that blended well into the sea urchin. It's not something that will blow you away, but it is a nice simple way to start.
Next came a trio of crudo (Italian style sashimi with simple condiments is how I think of it)
-PASSERA.
Long Island fluke, lemon thyme, olio nuovo.
(Dish Rating 79%)
http://www.yelp.com/us...
Quality of the Fluke fish was very good. Although it's usually a fish with more subtle flavors and sometimes a bit less delicate in texture when served raw, I felt this wasn't so much the case here. I enjoyed the quality of the fish itself.
Complimenting the fish nicely was balanced citrus flavored olive oil that was wonderfully tasty, without overpowering the fluke. The texture of the oil had a pleasant lighter consistency. The preparation is very straightforward, and it can be easy to take it for granted for being to simple or even bland for some palates. However, I thought it was effective and a good way to progress to heavier crudo.
Langoustine.
(Dish Rating 92%)
http://www.yelp.com/us...
Not listed on the menu and one of the specials of the day. I've never had raw langoustine before so I have nothing to compare it with. I thought it worked great. Flavor of the crustacean was sweet and reminded me of Japanese 'Ebi' (sweet shrimp sashimi/sushi), but without being as aggressively sweet or sticky. I felt the texture was a bit more delicate.
Condiments were likewise more simple with an olive oil base and also a balanced citrus element, complimenting the crustacean well. I also tasted the flavor of cucumber in the light oil based sauce which made it most refreshing and delicious. This was my favorite crudo of the trio, and one of the better preparations of langoustine I've had in some time.
To be continued. Update to come shortly -
Review from Priscilla Z.
Los Angeles, CA
I should admit, their lunch value is really really good! $45 for appetizer and main, for a mechilin 2 star restaurant, it is a deal!
The food is well presented, service is good too. Burrata is soft and light, and pasta is soooo good! Freshly made is so much different!
But I have to say the dessert is the best! the panna cotta is very light, the sorbet is a killer! I love blood orange and basil. It's so fresh! So good! And the lemon meringue in the petit fours is perfectly made! -
Review from Ivan Y.
New York, NY
Decor\Ambiance: The bar was very chic and modern, but not a fan of the main dining room which looked olden-day and power broker stuffy. The inane fork-legged chair was uncomfortable and felt like a rocking chair. The dining area is sunken beneath sidewalk level, and i was facing a window, with a bus-stop directly outside of the restaurant. It was odd having various rift-raft walk pass and literally stop and stare at what you are eating.
Food: Tonno crudi with oyster crema was fresh and vibrant. Artichokes were a crispy contrast. Dish could have used a bit more acid.
Grilled octopus salad was surprisingly light and the smoked potatoes and radish were a nice touch.
Fusilli with octopus and bone marrow was the star of the show. The red wine braised octopus was perfectly tender (not an easy task to achieve) and the durum wheat fusilli was just the right degree of al-dente. Rich morsels of bone marrow generously melt into the pasta and give the dish a fulfilling unctuous-ness that only things like duck fat and bone marrow can provide.
Pasta with uni and crab was brightly flavored, perfectly sauced, and had a very deep seafood aroma that is characteristic of good sea urchin.
Panna cotta with basil ice cream and blood orange sorbet was a revelation! The dish was playfully designed to look like a heart with some blood vessels and what not. The panna cotta was something new for me, texturally reminiscent of cheese rather then the typical gelatinous feel. The basil ice cream was fresh and invigorating which really made the dish.
Had some very nice wines while i can't remember the names, the Pinot was excellent.
Service: The service was clumsy which is surprising for a two Michelin star restaurant. Twice, a bus boy bumped into my aforementioned rocking chair. The waitress while friendly, did not know certain elements of the dish when asked, nor did she know the name of the patisserie. The meal was interrupted multiple times by bus boys who hover awkwardly over you.
Despite any of the negatives, overall the pasta and desserts saved this dining experience! -
Review from Judd L.
3/7/2012 18 photos
YOU KNEW YOU WERE IN FOR A PAMPERED CULINARY ECSTASY.
Sheltered from this unexpected early evening rain being on street level we could see through the sheer white blinds NYC residents walking deliberately on their way home. And looking further across the street, Columbus Circle appeared abnormally cleared of street vendors and visitors on account of the dimming skies and steady rain. All the makings of a very romantic evening for what would be a most memorable dinner.
Marea is renown for their flawless execution of octopus and bone marrow pasta as well as their expertise in both Italian and French cuisines. Michael White is the much acclaimed NYC Executive Chef who worked many years in Italy and owner of Marea. His Chef de Cuisine Jared Gadbow is his prior Sous Chef at White's Alto Restaurant and before the tournant at Daniel Humm's Eleven Madison Park. (I have had the privilege of dining at Eleven Madison Park not long ago). White and Gadbow together opened Marea in 2009.
We sat next to their reserved best table where we could pretty much watch everything that would transpire during our two plus hours of dining. It was like watching the who's who of NYC. For dinner we selected the "prix fixe $97 four course" each. Several selections included an additional nominal supplement.
With the assistance of our primary server Troyan A from Albania (who has a deep understanding of Chinese teas) we decided for this evening on the following:
CRUDO AL TAGLIO (sliced raw fish and shellfish)
*Assagio De Tre (tasting of three crudo with $6 supplemental cost) includes:
Lancia- hawaiian striped marlin, sturgeon caviar, mussel and vinaigrette
Dentice - pacific snapper, mandarin orange, pistachio, carrot and vinaigrette
Ono- wild pacific wahoo, apple marmellata, red pepper oil, and parsley
ANTIPASTI (seasonal appetizer)
*Astice - nova scotia lobster, burrata, eggplant alfunghetto, and basil ($7 supplemental cost)
PASTA FATTA IN CASA (all pasta made by hand in house Primi Di Mare)
*Spaghetti Crab, Santa Barbara sea urchin, and basil
*Fusilli red wine braised octopus, and bone marrow
SECONDI DI PESCE (seasonal fish dishes)
*Spigola Nera - local black bass with beluga lentils, cipollini onion, trumpet royale mushrooms, and red wine jus
*San Pietro - pan roasted john dory, roasted sunchokes, pomegranate, brussel sprouts, and hazelnuts
DOLCI
*Macedonia - assorted fresh fruits and citrus, tarragon, and prickly pear sorbet
*Carota - carrot sponge, mascarpone white chocolate crema, candied pecan, carrot and ginger sorbet
I normally don't go into the refined description of the entrees, but this dinner was the exception of the exceptions. Each and every entree stood on its own. In other words, I could eat just one of the selections and go away extremely happy and fulfilled. Server Troyan and his assistant worked our table like magicians. As a departure gift they presented us a cute box of truffles and the reception entourage presented us with a beautifully wrapped chocolate muffin. As we were walking back to our hotel in the light drizzle, we could do nothing but reminisce about our incredible dinner. I don't want to forget to mention that through out the dinner we were showered with multiple amuse bouche treats and the fresh baked cibbatta, nine grain wheat and sourdough breads that were totally irresistible.
Congratulations MAREA... you absolutely "SMUOVERE MARE E MONTI" -
Review from Jim B.
New York, NY
3/26/2012
I see too many reviews here saying how expensive Marea is; even a few that suggest it is not "Yelp" territory. Well, I'm a "Yelper" and just about any restaurant open to the public is within my territory. AND, I also want to say, Marea's great food is easily within most city budgets. If you can only spend $16.95 for brunch, I can accept that, but I'd also say that $42.00 for a Marea brunch is not out of reach for something special. And we chose it for something special --- to us, at least. Our 34th wedding anniversary.
Europeans believe that the ambiance within which you eat a meal is nearly as important as the food itself. New Yorkers don't seem to have the same standards; they seem willing to eat 4-star food surrounded by 14-ft TV screens showing old games amidst blaring hip-hop and raging attempts by all diners to communicate with someone beside them amid a din that would put a Mexicali cockfight to shame.
Just as we had despaired of finding a reasonably civilized restaurant at any price in Manhattan, we had the great good luck to choose Marea for our anniversary lunch. The pleasant jazz played here is so low key I wanted to ask them to turn it up. Until a large party of a Latin persuasion arrived and injected their ethnic verve into the place, it was pleasantly low-volume, low key and congenial.
When I made the reservation, not knowing that Marea would be any different than the other Manhattan restaurants we have visited, I noted that it was our wedding anniversary and we would appreciate a table in a quiet location. We were given a superb table in a corner by the windows!
I could go on about the food. But that has already been adequately done here. It was excellent. That $42 brunch includes choices from Marea's entire menu (unlike some places that cut the menu in half or less!) and, from what we saw, you could not go wrong with any of them.
Service is polite, correct, but a bit inattentive and disorganized. Too many people charged with doing different things and none of the coordination that you would get from a European restaurant with the same amount of staff (although there are few of those! Even a Michelin 3-star in France would have half the staff this place uses and still have better service). Should I have to ask for black pepper, more bread, more water? Coming from the Continent, I'm not used to that. They could easily fix this.
All in all, our 2nd-best Manhattan dining experience since we moved here. -
Review from Bill T.
New York, NY
4/3/2012
I don't like giving out five stars, but I think Marea really deserves it. Not saying everything was perfect, but everything was fairly good, and a few things were just exceptional.
I had a difficult time convincing my GF to not go to Del Posto, but when I lured her with Marea, she happily obliged. We both had the prix-fixe menu for dinner, and left extremely happy.
We ordered the ricci (sea urchin, lardo, sea salt) to start, and it reminded me of uni sushi. The uni was slightly fishy (perhaps not super fresh, but still very good by NY standards), but it wasn't a big deal since it was warm. The lard made the uni even more unctuous, which I liked, a lot.
Appetizers:
The mixer of three types of raw fish was really nothing special. Fish was fresh, but not spectacular. The scampi was probably the best, as it had a hint of sweetness.
Astice (nova scotia lobster, burrata, eggplant al funghetto, basil) was interesting. The dish was served cold, which I didn't like. But the cheese was super creamy and tasty.
Pastas were exceedingly good, and I recommend both:
Fusilli (red wine braised octopus, bone marrow) - octopus super tender, and the sauce delicious. This was probably my favourite dish of the night.
Spaghetti (crab, santa barbara sea urchin, basil) - I didn't like this as much as the one above, but it was still very good. I couldn't really taste the sea urchin in the sauce.
Main:
Had the halibut and the seafood soup, both were good, but unlike the pastas, they weren't spectacular. I would probably try the scallops next time.
The olive oil was somewhat stale, which was a shame. The bread didn't come often, and he would often ask only one of us, just because we had a piece we didn't want on the plate.
The service was not that great either: there was nothing glaringly wrong with it, I just didn't feel that they really cared about us (maybe this is asking for too much in NYC?) A lot of freebie desserts at the end, which was a nice gesture :) -
Review from Kristine A.
Sunnyside, NY
5/7/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
5 star dining! Fantastic service.
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Review from Mike C.
3/19/2012
The absurdity of writing yelp reviews for Michelin-starred restaurants is not lost on me, but sometimes a poor slob like me gets an unexpected windfall in the form of a birthday lunch for my girlfriend sponsored by her very generous and classy mom, and though I can't aspire to Sifton levels of eloquent douchebaggery I do love the hell out of some haute cuisine.
The feeling of being at Marea is cozy, almost subterranean because it's set a little lower than street level, and it screams business lunch but not in a way that should scare away vaguely artistic slackers whose only business is parental disappointment (this moi). I was actually a little overdressed in dress pants and a white oxford because I feel like a clown in khakis. The business lunch is two courses + bread for 42 American dollhairs (minus any tasty supplements), which is comparable to the nearby Jean George equivalent (39, I believe) but skews towards extremely fresh seafood prepared with incredible confidence and suavity.
Marea is tough for plebes because we might never in even an elongated life make it back here again, so we have to make it count. I tried to get out of my comfort zone, but predictably gravitated towards the greatest hits, starting with Tonno, a preparation of three small cubes of raw tuna flavored with oyster crema and a crispy artichoke chip. The course was well balanced and the slight saltiness from the oyster and artichoke added dimension to a fresh and delicious but otherwise unremarkable cut of fish. It seemed to have more sophistication on a textural rather than a taste level. Almost everyone else was clued into the Astice, a lobster and burrata dish. Lobster and cheese is a combination that just should not work and with any other cheese it might not, but the Astice had everything in the right proportion. Extremely rich, but not cloyingly so.
For a second course I had the Funghi, a mushroom risotto. It was salty and hearty, and turned out to be a stealthily huge and filling portion. I was torn between this and the Pansotti, but I lucked out and someone else ordered it who was keen on trading bites (anyone who's a food isolationist at a lunch like this is basically a war criminal). It was a ravioli with basil pesto and ricotta, refreshingly simple but executed perfectly, each bite a deep experience that you just fall into. Pasta seems to be the way to go on the second course; the Taglioni and Spaghetti were also exceptional.
Do yourself a favor and get the Bomboloni for dessert. It's a selection of tiny donuts with a white espresso gelato and it's too good for words by a fair margin. The espresso flavor doesn't mess around, leaping right up to your palate and wrecking up the place. I got the Panna Cotta which was delicious but perhaps a little weird texturally.
A note on service: Marea service isn't of the impeccable, plates touch the table at the same time variety but it also isn't all that conventionally good. There were a few lapses in terms of making sure everyone had what they needed, but that might just be because we were present for the changeover to the afternoon bar menu. At one point we asked for more coffee and the guy considered it for about five seconds before saying "I guess we could do that." I think he thought we wanted our coffee refilled for free or something? Relax bro, we're not trying to put one over on you. -
Review from Mickey K.
Fresh Meadows, NY
3/9/2012
I've been wanting to eat at Marea for about a year, before I finally step foot into this sleek and classy restaurant. This was what I ordered:
Ricci - here we have a crostini spread with creamy sea urchin, that's topped with thin velvety sheets of lardo, with a touch of sea salt. I've never had lardo before, and thought it was weird at first, but the layer of porky fat gave an interesting texture, and complemented the sea urchin and toast very well. The sea urchin was buttery and perfect. In just two savory bites, heaven practically melted in my mouth. If you love uni as much as I do, you'll definitely love this!
Then I ordered a tasting of 3 different crudos. We ordered the geoduck, langoustines and the bigeye tuna. All 3 were freshly prepared, and tasted wonderfully juicy with a delectable sweetness.
Polipo, grilled octopus - this is definitely a must try! It's filled with a smokey flavor, perfectly tendered, with smoked potatoes, pickled red onion, radish, chillies and a tonnato sauce. It brought back wonderful memories of my trip to Greece, because all I ate there was fresh grilled octopus.
Astice immediately followed, with chunks and chunks of succulent lobster paired with creamy burrata, eggplant and basil. This dish is colorful and absolutely beautiful to look at! I didn't want to eat this piece of art... but my belly didn't listen. :P
Spaghetti with crab, Santa Barbara sea urchin, basil - I'm a huge uni fan. So when I saw a pasta dish with sea urchin, there's no doubt that I will order it. This was probably one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had! The pasta was al dente and the delicious sauce captured the flavors of the sea. Every bite had crab, and every bite had sea urchin in it. I savored each appetizing bite slowly, with a huge smile spread across my face. I would go back regularly just for this dish, but I can't possibly afford to indulge in this insane plate of goodness.
Finally, Marea's signature dish - fusilli pasta with red wine braised octopus and bone marrow! The verdict? Perhaps my expectations were too high because everyone hyped it up for me, but I thought it was just good and not great. The pasta had a great bite to it with perfect braised octopus. The bone marrow was flavorful and rich, but I thought it was a tad too salty for my palate. I preferred the crab and sea urchin spaghetti over the heavily raved fusilli. However, I would definitely order this dish again, hoping that it'll be perfect the next time around, with less salt.
This was indeed, a very satisfying meal. Yes the signature dish was a bit disappointing, yet still good... everything else tasted wonderful, especially anything and everything with sea urchin. This two star Michelin restaurant truly deserves all the buzz it's been getting even though it's on the pricier side. But it was worth every bite and every penny. Definitely a treat for that special someone!
For review and pictures here -
http://www.peanutbutte... -
Review from Michael W.
Manhattan, NY
3/4/2012
I took my fiancee here for our engagement dinner, so I wanted everything to be perfect. True to its accolades, Marea provided one of the best meals of my life. I would absolutely return. The prix fix is quite reasonable for what you receive. The food near flawless, though the service was a bit unusual.
If I have one serious criticism, it is this: I felt like the "end product," just witnessing and experiencing all of the amazing dishes, and less like a participant in the evening. I felt like this because:
(1) Our waiter never introduced herself to us--nor am I even completely sure who our waiter was. Different people took orders, brought wine, etc., so I felt a bit like a stranger;
(2) The dish presentations were uniformly very quiet, without any description. The waiter would walk to our table, say "sformata," place a dish, say "bomboloni," place another dish, and then walk away. Being told the title of the dish you ordered 90 minutes ago was a bit less useful than a reminder of the special way a side-ingredient is prepared, etc.;
(3) We got one "how did you like _____?" over the course of the two-hour dinner, but the staff seemed to feel like they knew their food was phenomenal, so why even ask if we liked it?
(4) The staff kept presenting dishes while my fiancee was in the ladies' room. This is a pet-peeve of mine, but even at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse they know to hold the presentation until all guests have returned to the table --and at Joel Robuchon, the gold standard of service, the staff would never dream of such a thing.
Now, this constructive criticism aside, let's get to the good part: our meal.
Amuse: A lemon-cured ocean trout bite with creme fraiche, caviar and dill --very similar to an amuse Jean-Georges used to offer. Wonderful.
CRUDO (sliced raw fish appetizers):
Jack-mackerel with sweet potato chip (not on web menu, but on restaurant menu): Absolutely amazing. One of the best mackerels I've had. Highly enjoyable on aesthetic, flavor, and textural levels.
Lancia: Hawaiian silver marlin, sturgeon caviar, mussel vinaigrette. Perfect. A flawless combination of sweet and salty tones.
PASTA FATTA IN CASA (hand-made pasta):
Gnochetti: Ruby red chrimp, chillies, rosemary: The most perfectly cooked shrimp I've ever had. The flavors melt together perfectly. Incredible.
Mare risotto: Shrimp, lobster, scallops, rouget: A HUGE serving with extremely generous portions of seafood. Very balanced and flavorful dish. It took me about twenty-five minutes to work through this dish, savored bite by savored bite. Meals don't usually produce tears of joy, but this was the best risotto I've ever had.
SECONDI DI PESCE (seasonal fish):
Spigola Nera: local black bass, beluga lentils, cipollini onion, trumpet royale mushrooms, red wine jus: A pretty nice looking dish, and a perfectly cooked dish, but not the most flavorful dish of the evening. I had one bite and felt no urge to have another.
CARNE (hand selected meat):
Bistecca: Grilled creekstone 50-day dry aged sirloin, braised romaine, bone marrow panzanella: Absolutely worth the prix fix supplement. A wonderful piece of meat. I ordered mine medium, and the edges were just slightly crisped, with the center properly cooked. The meat had a lot of complexity, and the bone marrow, prepared and served among the croutons, was like butter. I only wish the carb portion was a bit more porous, to absorb more of the steak juices, and maybe double the braised romaine portion.
DESSERT
One of the servers brought an amuse, but his description was so quiet I missed the contents. It was quite tasty, but, as we had drank a whole bottle of vintage beer before dinner and a bottle of champagne during, the full ingredients escape me. There was grapefruit, greek yogurt, and some type of honey, and it was excellent.
Sformato: Kumquat, mandarin, candied almond, dark chocolate cake, rosemary caramel, apricot-kumquat sorbet: As my fiancee explained, the initial "s" in the title indicates this dish translates to "malformed," or "misformed." True enough, each bite brought many sharp flavors playing over one another -- a carnival dish. We both enjoyed it.
Bomboloni: Deep fried doughnuts, zabaglione crema, espresso crumble chocolate sauce, white espresso gelato: Absolutely amazing. The dessert comes with a generous portion of three small donuts, and the creams and sauces melt together in the most perfect way. I would get this dish again in a heart-beat.
They finished the meal with four chocolates and a wrapped to-go bobka type cake. I was very pleased to have entrusted Marea with such an important event, and look forward to my next visit. -
Review from Jon B.
New York, NY
5/7/2012
I took my girlfriend to Marea for our one-year anniversary. On the way there, I proposed to her. So as you can imagine, it was a very special night. The folks at Marea understood and made sure our night was perfect. The food is wonderful and I highly recommend the four course prix fix. I happened to really enjoy the steak, also, which may surprise some at a restaurant known for seafood. Further, the sommalier selected the perfect wine for us, challenging our palettes without busting our budgets. And of course, the service was impeccable. They cared about us and helped us enjoy a perfect evening. What more can you ask for?
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Review from august m.
New York, NY
3/9/2012 4 photos
This is a "1st impressions are often not lasting impressions" review... but in the best possible way.
Marea had been on the top restos-just-waiting-to-be-consumed list for a while. Without a reservation, we knew we'd have a wait, or find someplace else. Luckily, we scored a half corner at the crammed bar until a space (hopefully) opened up. It's a good looking crowd at this good looking spot--sleek and modern with touches of old money inside wallets--but still comfortable and laid back..even for Columbus Circle (Jean Georges, I'm looking at you...)
Though we were able to snag a chair (you gotta act quick, people!--hover in a non-hovering way, you know?) we were neither asked for our drink order nor given a cocktail menu to tide us during the nearly thirty minutes we waited. The man wasn't happy (horrible service, he gruffed) (they were slammed, I guessed) but I tried to brush it off. Just as we were about to leave, the second bartender pointed to two open seats at the other end of the bar. Bam. Begin fabulous dining experience.
Tequila-chili cocktails. KILLER. Ordered two more right away. They're strong, but not throw you on the floor strong. Spicy, kicky, balanced, my mouth is watering... A fiery red pepper bobbing alongside ice, just beautiful. His wasn't as great (some kind of punch with a pretty name), but against mine, nothing would have grabbed our taste buds so fully.
We had a hard time choosing which crudo plates to get. I saw one with sunchoke...I'm a sucker for sunchokes! It's like when I see "roasted beets" or "caviar" or "slow cooked octopus"-- I'm the moth. Our sweet bartend/server told us we'd be better off ordering the Passera instead. Okay, sold. No sunchokes. (A few minutes later, she brought out some sunchoke chips for me to nibble on. Sweet! She could sense the good tip coming ;)
Her substitution-recommendation was spot on. The Passera, Dentice, and Sgombro were FANTASTIC. Perfect explosive bites--with undertones of ocean and garden--absolutely fresh, genius-ly arranged. I could eat an entire platter of them (especially the Passera)...cannot wait to return and eat sum mo!
Entrees-- we ordered the (unspoken) house pasta specialties. Spaghetti and Fusilli. As we waited, the first bartender (who couldn't get to us earlier in the night) brought us two generous pours of delicious Occhipinti on the house. Hello, there, sir. I wanted to switch to a red for the main course and he got to us before we could even ask.. They were the perfect pairing with both our dishes--he had to have looked at our ticket to see what we had ordered.
The pastas were both al dente, of course, but mine was extra toothsome. The flavor of the crab and sea urchin was solid, but the boyfriend's was amazing. We're big fans of bone marrow (have you tried the bone marrow at Prune? No? Go now.) but never had it in a pasta. Well, this dish is SUBLIME, Dee Vine. Can't say one bad thing about it.
To top off a fabulous dinner we ordered two desserts--Pana Cotta and Bombolini and they brought out an extra-- a peanut butter Semi Freddo. The Semi Freddo was the best I've ever had, the Pana Cotta delightfully light and creamy, and the doughnuts-- so friggin good. Done perfect, true pillows of heaven. All in all, some of the best desserts I've had in a long time.
As we left (with happy bellys), I asked the first bartender which wine he had so graciously poured. He pointed at the listing in the menu, then ripped out the page for us so we wouldn't forget. Walking outside, I glanced at the page. 18 bucks a glass. Marea, we'll be back. -
Review from Amy W.
Manhattan, NY
3/26/2012
We had dinner here Friday night and had a mostly good experience. The service was courteous and attentive and the food good-to-great.
I made the misguided decision to come here even though one member of our party is currently unable to eat seafood of any kind - this put a damper on the experience, which while mostly my fault, also points to a lack of options.
I tasted two antipasti - the Uovo (slow poached eggs with potato and black truffle) and a half portion of the fusilli (with octopus and bone marrow). These were both fantastic. The egg was the exact right texture, and amazing with the large generous shavings of black truffle. The fusilli, as many of noted, it is a bit of a revelation. Fusilli with red sauce and tender braised octopus is delicious. Add cubes of bone marrow and it is indeed something special.
The two main courses I tasted were the squab and the bass - salty crispy skin and well cooked. It was served with a red wine jus and lentils, which, while good, certainly was a bit of a come down after a great first course. The squab, tough and rubbery...I wouldn't order that again. Unfortunately, it was the only available option for my dinner companion with dietary restrictions.
This meal was washed down with a lovely Italian wine suggested by the sommelier which was exactly what we asked for and well priced. All you could ask for really from a sommelier!
All in all - it was a good place to have a sophisticated by largely relaxed dinner. And I'll return for the fusili full portion next time. -
Review from A H.
Queens, NY
3/26/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Spectacular, rubbing shoulders with Barbara Walters not bad at all.
Desserts average , oysters excellent -
Review from Yi H.
Manhattan, NY
For a Two Michelin Stars restaurant? I have been better. The waitress apparently didn't know that Veal is considered as Meat, so if you told her that you didn't eat meat, she still served you veal!
My hubby and I came for brunch and we chose the 5 courses tasting menu. The taste and quality of food pleasant, however, the service level and attention to details that I'd expect was poor.
The main thing is that I told our waitress that I don't dairy nor meat, but I can have seafood. She repeated "no problem, seafood only, I will tell the chef*, but when my second dish came up, there was a veal in my plate. I wanted to be nice and made a point of asking her, then she ask me " ohhh, you can only eat seafood, so you can't eat veal?"
So I started to get worried that she would forget that I don't eat diary either, and I decided to remind her before our desert turned up. This time, they did a good job to serve a fruit salad with sorbet, however, I could see the plastic sticker of "Washington" label was still on the green apple in my plate....hmmm..... At the time I wasn't really upset but I thought I could do them a favor to tell the waitress so that they don't make the same mistake. When I showed it to her, she just kind of brush off with a embarrassing smile without saying sorry. And that's where I got pissed off. I felt that making mistake is one thing but how to deal with the mistake is another thing. Obviously, she didn't think customer service is important regardless how minor it might look like. Not paying attention to detail is totally not something I would expect from Marea.
There are lots of restaurants in NYC and lots of them have no Michelin Stars do better than Marea. -
Review from Emmelyn C.
Glenside, PA
3/26/2012
5 stars because Marea has the best pasta I've ever eaten (read on for service caveat).
I've been twice (would love it to be more times...oh well) - the fusili with octopus and bone marrow was an absolute revelation two years ago - the highlight of the dinner pre-fixe (alone with the lobster Astice). This time around (pre-fixe lunch - 2 courses for $42), I wanted to try the other famous pasta dish - the spaghetti with crab, sea urchin and basil. I can't decide which one I like better! I'd say the fusili is a little more in your face with flavour, whereas the spaghetti is more subtle - the sea urchin was definitely in the background with the faint (though present) flavour of the sea, but it highlighted the sweetness of the crab so well. And the pasta itself...brilliant again! Perfectly toothsome.
I had the tuna tartare for my first course which was also delicious - the whole dish was fresh and zingy and a perfect appetite whetter. Oh, and the olive foccacia bread was fragrant with olive oil and rosemary and also delicious!
Some yelpers have commented that the service leaves something to be desired - I think that was my experience too. Not huge issues by any means, but enough to be noticed if you were being picky. We arrived for our booking and were seated. Then we were completely ignored for about...it felt like 10 minutes. Maybe it wasn't that long, but it felt like it! It was kind of uncomfortable and unwelcoming and weird. The service (once they acknowledged us!) wasn't particularly warm, but I put that down to us being in a pricey restaurant in NYC and more or less to be expected.
But don't let this put you off...GO GO GO try the pasta!! :) -
Review from Namiko S.
Manhattan, NY
5/3/2012
I heard that this place was one of the best Italian restaurant in the City, so I made a reservation about a week ago. I was really excited. Everything was good except the pasta dish I ordered. I ordered Tagliolini with clams, calamari, and peperoncino. It was just greasy and smelled too floury. I understand that they make fresh pasta, but I have had much better fresh ones here in NYC. The appetizer was good, but nothing sensational. I had Zuppa and grilled octopus as appetizers. My friend had a pan seared striped bass. And it was great. For dessert, I had small donuts and ice cream. Those were SUPERB. But over all, it was not worth the money.
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Review from Charles S.
Manhattan, NY
3/19/2012
Disclaimer: I could never afford this place. GF's parents were in town and picking up the tab.
As I say above, I can't imagine being able to go back here again for financial reasons. This saddens me a little because this meal was easily in my top 5 meals of all time.
Here's what I and my table companions had
1) A Amuse-bouche with some type of salmon or other fish (4 stars)
2) Bread (5 stars) delicious
3) Sphateggi with crab and sea urchin. I could not taste the sea urchin, but the pasta, crab and sauce were all delicious (4.5 stars)
4) Sea Food Soup. I highly reccomend this dish. The scallops in it were amazing. The broth was too die for. It had clams and other fish in it that also were fantastic (A very easy 5 stars).
5) Another Amuse-bouche before dessert! It was something with grapefruit and was delicious (4.5 starts)
6) A selection of three Gelatos for dessert (orange mandarin- 4 stars, grapefruit (5 stars), and meyer lemon 5 STARS OMG,
My GF had the pasta with octopus bone marrow (it deserves the praise on yelp, 5 stars).
The wine we had was the house white and it was great (4 stars)
The service is excellent. Friendly, accommodating, attentive.
I highly recommend this place if you can afford it and are looking for seafood/Italian.
They deserve their two Michilen stars. -
Review from Lisa K.
Brooklyn, NY
4/9/2012
Had a good lunch with my friends, its a good deal for $42 you get an appetizer and a main dish.
The sea food is super fresh, but the service was a bit annoying.
Love their cocktails! -
Review from Nancy W.
Laguna Beach, CA
4/25/2012
Just go and have fun cause it's a nice setting the food is the BEST and it is QUIET!!! Make a reservation or else you will not be going. Lunch and Dinner.
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Review from Carl J.
Manhattan, NY
4/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
I don't even think I need to write a review. Go. Enjoy everything from the perfect service to the perfect meal. Thank me later.
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Review from Jennifer H.
San Francisco, CA
2/14/2012
Had my birthday brunch here, oh yes, still juicing the birthday for all it's worth. I had 3 courses, all of them heavenly, but the standout was the whole milk ricotta ravioli with pesto and the seafood risotto with lobsters, shrimp, and scallops. Pretty decadent food but hey, it was my birthday!
Aside from that the place is very nice, and tranquil. Though we did feel slightly out of place what with all of the "power" lunches going on, on either side of us. The service was impeccable as well.
Definitely a treat! -
Review from Aradhna T.
New York, NY
3/12/2012
Delicious food in a laid back environment.
The restaurant was on my to-go list for almost a year before I convinced myself to set a reservation and make the trek uptown. Every dish satisfied senses - beautiful to look at and delicious to eat. My favorite dish, however, was the octopus and bone marrow fusilli.
One of my favorite places used to be Convivio, and after it closed down, places like Aldea (see review) and Marea have been adequate substitutes.
The first dinner there was definitely memorable and every experience thereafter has just added to my appreciation for the venue and the food. -
Review from Warren H.
New York, NY
2/4/2012
Food 4.0 stars, service 3.0, overall i'd give it a 3.5 but I rounded up.
First impressions walking in, the hostess and who i'm assuming was the manager kept mistaking us with another group and grabbed at our jackets to hang them w/ very little tact.
So then we get seated, our waiter was great but as one of the asst. waiters was serving the ricci (sea urchin, lardo and sea salt) - one piece fell on the table and he used his hand to brush it back onto the plate without really saying anything 'cept smiling and just walked away. we were all like.. seriously?! did that just happen? so we told the head waiter and he got us another piece.. but that just kinda threw us all for a loop.
we ordered some apps to start, the sea urchin ricci was my favorite, totally fresh and delicious. if you love uni, you'll love this dish.
next we took all the yelp review's to heart and ordered the spaghetti w/ sea urchin, crab & basil, the fusilli w/ octopus and bone marrow and risotti mare w/ shrimp, lobster scallops.
omg.. they were all amazing. I think my favorite was the spaghetti but the portion sizes were all fairly large and everyone was stuffed afterwards.
If u like octopus then the fusilli octopus was amazing, not too hard but not too soft, just perfect.
the spaghetti sauce was amazing, if I could have i'd have ordered another portion to go and ate it after I got home.
desserts were just sorta okay, nothing to write home about but I'd consider returning to this place just for the pastas alone.
good company, one or two service hiccups but overall a fun night, 3 courses took us basically 3 hours got there 9:15pm left past midnight... so be ready to invest some time here when u do come.
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