Tarallucci e Vino

From the moment the bread arrived at the table we knew we were in for a treat. The most decadently buttery mini black olive croissants set the stage for a meal that could not disappoint. Tender and succulent beef tongue in a pastry shell and a mouthwatering pork cheek ravioli with a melty burrata topping. And the dessert? Decadent chocolate and nocciole semifreddo with gelato. Dinner for two with a bottle of wine for 120 dollars. I can't wait to go back. The only problem will be resisting the temptation to order all the same dishes again. As for the naysayers I just don't understand. Small portions? Maybe for the person who needs a 24 oz steak to walk out of a restaurant satisfied. We were plenty full and we shared one appetizer had an entree each and shared one dessert.

Went in at 4pm in the afternoon. There was more staff than customers. I sat for 30 minutes before anyone noticed me. Then another 20 minutes before I got my espresso (which was served tepid). So disappointing, I would have usually gotten up and left, there are certainly enough places on 18th st., but I am from Abruzzo and I had my heart set on a Taralli (name of the restaurant). Fool I was, for they don't serve taralli and little taralli.

The baked goods are excellent, and the coffee is strong and pleasantly bitter. But the service is fussy and inattentive. If you order in, coffee is served in tiny cups (perhaps 6 oz.) and there are no refills, even though the to-go coffee is double the size at the same price. When I paid, the waiter returned only the dollars of my change, keeping the coins for himself. This might be permissable at a very fancy restaurant, but it is inappropriate at a neighborhood cafe on the Upper West Side. Tarallucci e Vino will need to iron out these kinks and start providing service of normal quality if it wants to survive in this neighborhood.

I am a regular to T e V but recently the food has not been so good. rather disappointing.

This place is nothing short of brilliant, I have been going out of the way of my morning commute to go there for years. The cornetti are magically similar to those in Rome, and even while traveling in Italy, at times I've been secretly preferring those from Tarallucci. The food is simple, but remarkably accurate in its replication of the true Italian experience. This is one of my all time favorite spots in the city.

I've only had pannini's here so I cannot talk about anything else. But the pannini's are out of this world...the ciabata is so crispy and the meat so good. And they make an authentic macchiato here too. You can tell this place is good because they get so many Italian customers.

A friend and I went for lunch Sunday, the place was barely half full. First, our cappuccinos (which I had been raving about) arrived cool and weak. A re-do brought a hotter second round, but still weak. Perhaps a new barista needs training? Then, we waited 35 minutes for one panini. I've had this panini before, smoked salmon. Usually the bread is warmed and the salmon & cucumbers are not -- in this version, it seemed as if they had nuked the entire thing, hot wilty cucumber slices (really, who cooks cucumber?) and the smoked salmon was cooked to death, as if it had been raw and not smoked. The server claimed the slowness was the kitchen's fault, but our panini miraculously appeared only after we nudged him. I've enjoyed this place consistently for several years but will now give it a rest as it seems they are resting on laurels these days.