Stella 34

I really can't think of anything worse than spending a day at Macy's in Herald Square.  It's just way too big, way too crowded and honestly I just really hate shopping.  So when I realized I absolutely needed to stop in one day after work I decided to make the most of it and check out the brand new restaurant inside Stella 34.

Located on the 6th floor, Stella is quite large with stunning views of midtown Manhattan and a really bright airy feel.  It was an odd time of day so I didn't even think about a reservation and to my surprise they were all booked.   I was offered a seat at the bar which proved a bit challenging.  The strange shape of the counter made it literally impossible to find a comfy way to sit. I finally settled on a somewhat doable seating position and ordered a glass of wine as I looked through the menu.  Stella boasts a variety of Italian fare like house made pastas and Neapolitan pizzas from their wood burning oven.  My server was fantastic in explaining the various dishes in detail and helped me narrow down my decision to the Napoli Salad.

All sorts of things were mixed inside this salad.....chopped romaine, arugula, olives, fig and provolone.  As I started digging in I noticed something was distinctly missing from the dish...the prosciutto.

I barely even looked up and my wonderful waitress was walking over with a big plate full in her hand.  She noticed as soon as they brought the dish out and was already there to make sure it had all the components needed.  What incredible service! Plus the salad was pretty darn tasty and more than ample sized for an appetizer.  So if you really need to go to Macy's you might want to stop into Stella 34 to escape the craziness for a little bit.  A glass of wine, a quick nosh and somehow shopping doesn't seem quite so bad.

Stella 34