Have you ever had a slice of true Neapolitan pizza? If you're shaking your head yes, you've probably been lied to. But at L'Asso (192 Mott St.), pie makers pride themselves on making a real Pizza "DOC". A "DOC" is actually a very strict set of rules that must be followed for a pizza to be deemed a true Margherita. For example, the tomatoes must be San Marzano, the mozzarella must be made of buffalo-milk, the oil must be olive oil – along with a lot of other things that were too complicated for me to understand.
So for a genuine pizza – or just an easy casual Italian meal – head to L'Asso in Nolita. Though mostly known for their pies, all of their dishes are unpretentious and satisfying. On my most recent outing there, I tried the Fusilli al Pesto Fatto in Casa ($12), a creamy pesto with asparagus and pistachios blended in. I was happy to receive an average heap of pasta instead of a ½ pound dish that certainly would have disrupted the comfort of my skinny jeans. A decent bottle of Cabernet cost us only $28 and a nice selection of olives and flatbreads came out with it.
The owners boast that L'Asso's most popular pies are the Pizza al Tartufo (Portobello mushroom pesto, cheese, fresh rosemary, and truffle oil) and Pizza San Daniele (prosciutto san daniele, mozzarella, arugula, parmigiano, and olive oil) – two great combinations that might not rival a famed slice from Lombardi's down the street, but are mouthwatering nonetheless.
One of the biggest downsides to eating casual in New York usually means you won't have a quiet meal. L'Asso was filled with a few families and a large group of NYU kids that clearly couldn't handle their wine. Other than that, service here is great, your meal comes out fast, and you won't empty your wallet on overpriced dishes. The intimate lighting and close seating makes this place great for a gabfest with friends, but should definitely be a place you'd skip for a date.
On a recent Saturday night, my friends and I decided to visit what many New Yorkers refer to as "Clubland" a.k.a the strip of trendy clubs along Tenth Avenue in Chelsea. As we approached Marquis, the endless line seemed less than thrilling and had us wishing we had never left Queens. Next door, however, we came across a frosted door, a guy with a clipboard, and no line. Score. The promise of drinks without a wait was reason enough for us to give Glass (287 Tenth Avenue) a try.
Glass was designed by architect Thomas Leeser and it's futuristic bar area opens into a bamboo garden that is more reminiscent of an airy Asian tea garden instead of the west side of Manhattan. The line to the bar was never long and the drinks were never too expensive (a ketel and cran cost me $10). I was also pleasantly surprised at how friendly the staff was. At one point several of my friends could not get a drink at the bar and the manager quickly sent a waitress to our table to take personal drink orders… making us feel like VIPs though in reality, we were very far from it.
Though there isn't an actual dance floor, the outdoor area serves as one with seating lining the perimeters. The DJ was spinning lots of old school Madonna and some new Kanye – a perfect blend if you're looking to dance the night away. The weirdest – and most well-known – aspect of Glass are the bathrooms. The co-ed bathrooms boast only three stalls for men and women so the lines tend to get painfully long. The bathroom mirror is two-way, so if a line does start to fill outside of Glass, everyone can watch you wash your hands though you can’t see them. Though the bathroom left me feeling like I was hanging out in a fishbowl, I'll definitely revisit Glass…as long as there’s still no line.
