When you first walk into Cibo e Vino, an Italian restaurant and wine bar on the Upper West Side, you can’t help but be struck by the warmth that exudes from every corner of the dining room. High ceilings filled with orb-like lighting fixtures emit a gentle glow, and lush potted plants make you feel like you’re dining in an elegant garden, even in the middle of winter. The staff is friendly and accommodating, and the newly renovated bar is as inviting as it is aesthetically appealing.
The menu here is what you’d expect from an Italian restaurant, and is solid in its execution by the kitchen, but you’re really here for the welcoming, quaint atmosphere and a shared sense of appreciation with the other patrons. In a city where so many people don’t take the time to get to know their neighbors, having a restaurant like Cibo e Vino nearby is a wonderful opportunity to make a real home out of your neighborhood. Cibo e Vino also updates their menu seasonally, keeping it fresh and relevant.
Here’s what we ate:
Pear Salad
The sweetness of the roasted pear is heightened by the bright acidity of the arugula, the crunchy walnuts and the richness of the gorgonzola, making this riff on a Waldorf salad inventive and successful.
Cavatelli with Porcini Mushroom Sauce
Cavatelli is one of my favorite pastas, and often a difficult one to pull off. The denseness of the pasta forces timing to be the main focus in its preparation, and I’m happy to say that this was absolutely perfect. The star of this dish is the rich porcini mushroom sauce, drizzled with a truffle emulsion, whose woodsy decadence evoke feelings of reading a book by a fire.
Chicken Milanese
Chicken Milanese is thinly pounded out and fried to crispy perfection. Hemmed in by heaps of arugula, avocado, and tomato, the bright salad brings a refreshing contrast to the dish.
House Peanut Butter & Jelly
A rectangular slice of caramel mousse is crowned with crunchy peanuts, a caramelized banana, and a swipe of grape jelly glaze make for a lighter, scrumptious end to a wonderful meal.
