NYC Tastes

Mr. T and I don't have any children and to be quite honest we have no clue what to do when we're around them.  I remember my sister-in-law bringing her twins into the city when they were about five years old and I suggested we eat at Eataly.  Within 60 seconds of walking into the store a barrel of oranges were rolling on the floor and both kids had manged to touch every single fruit in the immediate area.  Needless to say I didn't exactly think that spot through.  So when my friends suggested brunch with their newborn baby I really tried to think of a place that would be comfortable and quiet during brunch, with wide lanes for a stroller and a somewhat calm pace and Florian ended up being just that place.  The brunch menu at Florian definitely leans towards lunch fare like creamy Carbonara Pasta, hearty Chicken Parmigiana and a large selection of thin crust pizzas like the Braised Short Rib & Meatball with pomodoro and basil... ...and the crispy ...

In the continuing battle to find delicious brunch spots without the insane brunch crowds we stumbled into Florian, an Italian cafe and trattoria from the Fireman Hospitality Group.  The restaurant was practically empty when we arrived which made Mr. T extremely happy and me a bit nervous.  Reassuringly full is more my mantra but after settling in to their namesake cocktail the Saint Florian and a round of creamy burrata my worries vanished into thin air. The Spaghetti Carbonara was excellent- thin noodles cooked al dente and dressed with butter, pancetta, fried egg and a slice of pecornio.   To balance the pasta a Very Nice Salad with arugula, endive, radicchio, anjou pear and apple-honey dressing.  I don't usually like fruit with my greens but this had a nice medley of bitter/sweet flavors that really worked. And to round out the meal a Thin Crust Pizza with a cracker thin base covered in fresh mozzarella cheese and sweet Pomodora Sauc...

The newest restaurant to grace 225 Park Avenue South has finally moved in- Florian.  This cafe, trattoria and bar is part of the Fireman Hospitality Group who own Fiorello, Brooklyn Diner and Redye Grill.   The space has been completely redone into a sleek, shiny restaurant with an antipasti bar, homemade pastas and an enormous statue of a woman called "Miss Hospitality" behind the bar.   Th e menu has something for just about anyone from a creamy Eggplant Parmigiana to a hefty Osso Buco. I went straight for the cheese; Burrata with roasted carrots, green onion and peas. There's little in life more glorious than a fresh mound of burrata but the roasted carrots and green onions added a sweet,smoky flavor that I actually found myself enjoying much more than my usual burrata/prosciutto di parma pairing. Thin crust pizzas continue to be the rage across the city. The texture here is more like a baked tortilla than a cracker with rich ...