www.gallonerony.com
On a rainy evening in Manhattan, Ryan and I met up with the ever fashionable and feisty Taylor, who was in town on official business. We chose an Italian eatery near her hotel: Gallo Nero, which promised reasonably priced comfort food (and touted a critics' pick by New York Magazine). We sloshed through puddles and sidestepped drippy tourists to escape a bit of the Times Square din, landing upon this small eatery tucked around the corner from 9th Avenue. The big storm had not yet set in, so the glass doors along the front of the restaurant were open, and we received a cozy table in the back corner complete with miniature oil-lamp votives.
The wine list was plentiful although a bit pricey--I chose a $9 glass of cabernet, the cheapest option on the menu. Ryan wanted beer but opted to avoid the $30 craft offerings, with nothing less expensive available, so he stuck with water. I had the gnocchi, which was superb--soft and warm in a surprisingly spicy marinara sauce. Taylor finished off her mushroom risotto, which was served on a plentiful platter and had a richly chewy texture. Ryan opted for the grilled chicken/arugula salad, which he claims was "awesome," and I have to take his word for that one. Prior to dinner we were served bread with oil, which was okay but a bit too tough on my pearly whites.
My wallet prevented me from sampling the tiramisu, which was just as well since we had to wait an eon for our check. A lengthy discussion ensued about the availability of a restroom, which it turns out was tucked away beyond entrance to the kitchen. All in all a cozy rainy-day meal, but not an experience I'm enticed to repeat.
2 petals
cozy, nice ambiance, good entrees; pricey drinks, slow service, less-than-stellar bread
Photo by Shanna Ravindra
