Best Crostini

Locanda Verde
377 Greenwich St.
(corner of N. Moore and Greenwich)
New York, NY 10013


Locanda Verde has been on my list of places to go ever since I moved to NYC in 2008, but I knew it required a special occasion. So when my boyfriend, Oliver, got into business school this past summer, we immediately (literally... half an hour after he found out) walked over to Locanda Verde for a celebratory dinner. We were seated instantly - sans reservation - which only solidified my belief that with two people on a reasonable day and time you can get into any NYC restaurant. I had a glass of prosecco (it WAS a celebration) and Oliver had the Rosato Spritz which I was immediately jealous of, good thing he's a sharer. I ordered the Steak Tartara Piedmontese which was a tower of steak tartare topped with a fried egg and served with grilled bread, amazing. Next, I had the Girandole pasta with homemade duck sausage, chickpeas, escarole, and fiore sardo (pecorino). I really enjoyed this dish because it is a more creative and unique take on the Italian dish you see everywhere these days with sausage and some sort of wilted greens. Oliver had the special for his entree which was steamed sea bass served in a clay pot with clams and fennel, reminiscent of a fisherman's stew made in a crock-pot, just a little more delicate and updated. The standout of the meal was Oliver's first dish, the Blue Crab Crostini. The same grilled bread from the steak tartare was now fully incorporated into the dish, layered with crushed tomatoes, blue crab, and jalapenos. Each bite had an amazing balance of flavors - first the heartiness of the bread and tomato (reminiscent of spanish pan con tomate), next the fresh crab, and finally the spiciness from the jalapenos. All in all it was a special meal, and the crostini was the Best I Ever ate.