While our travel buddies the Bye’s attended another Broadway play, Cecile and I had the rare opportunity to have dinner at Fiaschetteria Pistoia, an authentic Tuscan eatery with my cousin Joseph Micalizzi, his lovely wife Natia, and their wonderful daughters, Alyssa and Victoria. The last time we broke bread together was last year in San Francisco at the end of their Hawaiian Island Cruise, before they returned home to Staten Island. Victoria made the reservations at the East Village restaurant, and it turned out to be an excellent choice.
When I asked for the wine list, a staff member brought out an open a hand-held crate of wine displaying their offering options for that particular evening, along with price tags for a glass or bottle. My cousin Joseph and I had a bottle of Forst Italian premium-lager beer while others ordered a glass of white wine.
Before ordering dinner, I went up to a plexiglass window stand where one of the chefs was hand rolling the pasta, which is done daily. The chef smiled as I took a photo of him and the kitchen. Collectively, we had a 24 month aged Prosciutto San Daniele; Shaved Artichoke Hearts with Parmigiana and pine nuts; Pappardelle pasta with beef Ragu Bolognese; Tagliatelle with Black Truffle; Tuscan Bean Soup; and Veal Scallopini with a side tater top size potatoes, and green salad with tomatoes.
For dessert, Natia ordered dry biscuits with almonds and Holy Wine. Others had limoncello and Cecile and I shared a Panna Cotta with berries.
Proscript: Fiaschetteria means retail wine shop, and Pistoia is the name of a town in Northern Tuscany
