Ci Siamo

Rating: 3/5

Price: $228.00 for two;

$115.00 (2 appetizers, pasta, entrée), $75.00 (Bottle of wine), $38.00 (Tip)  

Atmosphere:  Upscale destination perfect for a birthday or anniversary 

Cuisine: Italian  

Sandwiched between Hudson Yards and Moynihan Train Hall, “Manhattan West” is a location few New Yorkers have visited, let alone know exists. On the tail end of Brookfield Properties’ completion of the two West Side office towers, the prominent New York landlord tapped two of the city’s culinary heavy weights - Danny Meyer and Hilary Sterling - to change the narrative around this formerly sleepy part of town.

With a Laundry list of successful restaurants, it should be no surprise that Danny Meyer and his team delivered on this large scale, 120-seat restaurant. However, Ci Siamo is by no means an everyday destination; Italian classics like Bistecca alla Fiorentina give the menu a feeling that the Ritz overhauled a mom-and-pop restaurant and gave it a price tag to match. I say this not to knock the experience but to drive home the point that Ci Siamo is an occasion restaurant and should be treated as such.

The stars of the show are the pastas - homey Tuscan staples such as Stracci with Rabbit and Tagliatelle in Tomato and Buffalo Butter Sauce are two of my personal favorites. The appetizers are not to be overlooked - “Head Scratchingly Simple” Mortadella (an ode to Ms. Sterling’s time in the salumi and butchery department of Italian temple Lupa Osteria Romana) served in its simplest form, sliced and plated, just makes sense. Another appetizer in the can’t miss column are the Little Neck Clams served with a White Bean Calabrian Chili Glaze, a recurring theme on the menu. As for entrees, Wood Fired Whole Trout – the fish is completely deboned and sewn back together then roasted over coals - is one of the most impressive takes on a whole fish I have seen.

This is not your neighborhood taverna, nor should it be. I believe Hilary Sterling and her team have accomplished exactly what they set out to achieve. Most folks don’t often find themselves on the far west side of New York dodging the Port Authority. Whether it’s an ex-girlfriend, drug dealer or that weird butcher your dad swears bye; you better have a good reason to hump all the way to 31st and 10th. Ci Siamo is that reason.