NYC FOODIE QUICK BITE: SORA LELLA

Sunday night I had dinner at Sora Lella, an Italian restaurant in west Soho. The original Sora Lella was opened in Rome in 1959. My dining companion and I were the only ones there when we arrived, which is a shame, because there is some great Italian cooking going on there.

The place is bright with white and yellow hues and a ceiling two stories high. It's a very comfortable place to dine. Before we even ordered, the chef sent us out two croquettes, which were delicious! We were also sent out a bowl of chickpeas and sliced pasta in a tomato sauce, which tasted very homey and comforting.

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We started with Sora Lella's version of Caprese ($18), fresh mozzarella, tomato, and a basil pesto. The dish was beautiful to look at, and was like a work of art. This was one of the more unique versions of caprese I have had, the tomato seemed to be in a gelatin form, but tasted great. I really enjoyed the hint of basil. The mozzarella was extremely fresh and wonderful. The addition of the basil pesto was ingenius and really complemented the mozzarella and tomato perfectly.

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Our next dish was the gnocchi di patate all’Amatriciana ($18), which was home-made potato gnocchi in a classic Roman sauce of smoked guanciale, tomatoes and Roman Pecorino cheese. This was one of the best gnocchi dishes I had ever eaten! The gnocchi were cooked perfectly, and had so much flavor packed into them. I loved the smokiness and saltiness of this dish; it was absolutely wonderful.

 

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The next dish we tried was the veal cheeks braised in a sweet white wine sauce with peppers ($32). I had never seen veal cheeks on a menu, and was excited to try this dish. I am glad I did, for the meat was so tender that I did not need a knife to cut it. The lightness of the sauce, as well as the addition of the sweet peppers, was a great balance for the rich and decadent meat.

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For dessert we had the chocolate “salami” roll with crunchy almonds, dry cookies and caramel sauce, served with chocolate sorbet ($10) as well as the Marsala wine and whipped egg yolk ice cream with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar ($12). Both desserts were fine, but nothing to write home about.


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Sora Lella is a little Roman gem that sits next to the Hudson. The cooking here transports you to Italy, with its authentic and homey flavors. If you can't make it to Rome, take a cab or subway to Spring street; it's the next best thing, and cheaper than a plane ticket!

Sora Lella
300 Spring Street (bet. Hudson and Greenwich)
New York, NY 10013
212-366-4749
www.soralellanyc.com