Hot Fun in the (Almost) Summer

Fiore
284 Grand Street
(Between Roebling and Havemeyer)
    (718) 782-2222    
CASH ONLY

Girls’ Night. A time honored tradition in which we plan our dinners weeks in advance only to most times alter the plan significantly minutes before we leave. On this particular Friday we were down to two choices, and we went with Fiore. From the team that brought us Bianca on Bowery and Celeste…somewhere in the upper parts of that other part of NYC, Fiore is a sweet, not so little Italian joint on Grand Street, in Williamsburg.

A worn brick wall lines one side of the restaurant, while antique plates and tea boxes hover on whitewashed shelves on the other. Paintings are hung on the walls below the shelves, and a black and white checkered floor gives the room a homey feel. There are sheer white curtains hanging over the floor to ceiling glass doors, and the whole place just feels like Summer. But, you know what else felt like Summer? The temperature in Fiore. As per the NYC, June ‘09 weather, one minute you are clinging to a bus stop vestibule as the wind swings you through a torrential down pour, and the next you are gasping for breath amidst a 2 hour heat wave. We were in the latter. Inside the restaurant was H-O-T. Like, upper lip sweat hot. So, when one friend suggested red wine, after dry heaving at the thought, we settled on white.

With an exceptional variety of reasonably priced wines ($20-$30), we started with a bottle (or two) of white. Ok, ok, no judgment, there were 7 of us. They also have a large selection on a reserve list, for those who are looking for higher end bottles. After settling on our wine, and grilling the waitress for her recommendations (incidentally she was quite forthcoming in telling us what was good and what was not so good), heres’ how the ordering went.

To start, Carciofi E Parmigiano (thinly sliced artichoke salad) parmesan, lemon dressing $6, Cozze Prezzemolate In Padella (sauteed mussels with parsley-garlic broth) $6, Calamaretti Fritti con Zucchine Croccanti (fried calamaretti with crispy zucchini) $7, and Pizza lardo, $9. (I wanted to go seven for seven on the ordering, but I was shot down.) Since there were so many dishes, I requested the girls input into this post for fear I might leave out important details and be shunned from Girls’ Night altogether. When I asked how everyone felt about the artichoke salad, and specifically what exactly the elements were, one particular response and my personal favorite was, “Meh”… and “Sticks?” respectively. We found the salad to be bland and not particularly artichokey* and an overall disappointment. The mussels were standard, not showing off, not falling behind. They were nicely plump and well sauteed. The calamari and zucchini were good, if not a bit more batter heavy than I like my friedness** but tasty all the same. The pizza lardo was a standout even though we had trouble actually locating the lardo in the dish. It was thin and crunchy and salty and delicious.

Next up, more wine and the entrees.

Spaghetti Con Filetto Di Pomodoro hand made (spaghetti with fresh tomato and basil sauce) $9, Lasagna Bolognese traditional meat ragout lasagna $10, Rigatoni con Le Melanzane E Pecorino (eggplant, tomato sauce and shaved pecorino) $9, Bucatini Amatriciana with guanciale, tomato and onion sauce $9, Fedelini Ai Frutti Di Mare with assorted seafood $13, Cavatelli Broccoli E Salsiccia with broccoli rabe and sausage $10. In general, the red sauce dishes were among the favorites. The pomodoro was the best display of the sweetness of their tomato sauce, while the lasagna had a nice balance, with the pasta holding up well against the other ingredients. The rigatoni nicely showcased the red sauce as well, and the eggplant was nicely sautéed and tender. The bucatini had nice flavors, but I enjoy an al dente bucatini, and this one was a tad overcooked. The Frutti di Mare was a special and probably the best bang for your buck with a heaping portion of pasta and generous amounts of seafood. The Cavatelli was the biggest letdown, lacking salt, and really sauce or oil, of any kind.

For our brand of Girls’ Night fun, Fiore fits the bill. Who doesn’t love a charming atmosphere (yes, of course they have a patio), a great wine list (a Girls’ Night essential), and extremely reasonable prices? Who? I’ll tell you who. People who aren’t me…that’s who. If you are looking for friendly service and extremely reasonable prices, Fiore is perfect for your dining needs. While not my favorite overall spot, you certainly get more than what you pay for, a good place for a night with friends, and a full belly out of the deal. And if you bring one of those battery operated mini fans, you’re good to go.

*feel free to add artichokey to your lexicon

** please see first footnote…substitute friedness for artichokey

~Andrea