EYHO NY: La Lanterna di Vittorio
Italian cuisine is a dime a dozen in New York City, so when choosing the right restaurant, we want something that will remind us of real Neapolitan cuisine. We headed over to La Lanterna di Vittorio for an authentic Italian dinner. We were seated in the esteemed garden and noticed the extensive martini menu. With over 50 choices, we asked our amazing waitress Valentina for her recommendations. I chose the "Mango Tango Martini" - Vodka, Mango Liquor, Tangerine Liquor, and Sour Mix - which was one of the best martinis I have consumed in a long time. We loved the fact that they came to your table with a martini glass, shaked and poured the martini right in front of your eyes. We started off with the Trio of Bruschetta, with our favorite being the goose liver pate, a smooth gourmet delight. Our next course was Meats & Cheeses, which is a La Lanterna di Vittorio specialty. Served to us with warm focaccia bread, we chose Manchego and Piave cheeses with mozzarella for a little mix of those soft and hard textures, which we'd definitely recommend trying. The cured meats served were Prosciutto and Salami and honestly, just get both because choosing between the two would be an Italian travesty.
While taking pictures of the exquisite garden, we ended up having a friendly conversation with our neighboring table. Being regulars at the restaurant, we asked them for their favorite dish and they recommended the "Pizza con Cipolla e Caprino," a white pizza with goat cheese, mozzarella, walnuts, and olive oil. Being slightly apprehensive about having walnuts on our pizza, the risk paid off when we tasted the crispiness of the walnuts blending in with all of the flavors, elevating it to a top-notch pizza that you aren't finding anywhere else. After being served so much food, we tried to beg off dessert, but Valentina would have nothing of it. Being Italian herself, she stated it wouldn't be a complete meal without some Tiramisu and we happily obliged. Delicious, creamy, and airy, the Tiramisu was the perfect ending to an Italian meal that made us feel like we were back in Naples. La Lanterna di Vittorio
129 Macdougal St, New York, NY 10012
