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“Bellavitae”

Occasion:	Cuisine:	Area:	Cost:	Rating:
Night Out	Italian	West Village	Moderate	Good

flavor. I was also ready to love the Grilled Treviso Radicchio that arrived wrapped in pancetta, like lean bacon cigarettes, drizzled with a reduced balsamic vinegar ($13), but the pancetta over powered the treviso. Not that crispy pancetta is unpleasant, but if the point is the contrast of sweet smoky bacon and slightly bitter vegetable, the concept was lost in execution. Other than these two misses though, most of the rest of the menu was really enjoyable.

The Chicken Liver Crostini ($9) was great—a savory, toothsome spread slathered on toasted bread that even my Jewish grandmother would have liked. We also loved the Ceci with Capezzana Olio 2004—a gorgeous bowl of chickpeas coated in a shimmering gloss of vibrant green olive oil. These were delicious, and the olive oil they bobbed around in begged to be mopped up with some bread (or slurped from the bowl). We looked around for some carbs, and discovered that we had to order and pay for it ($4), because it is served with their Olio Verde Olive Oil. This was a bit annoying. I can understand paying for the olive oil, but the bread? There are enough delicious sauces on the plates that need mopping up that I feel like bread should be gratis. The olive oil can and should be extra because it is worth every penny—grassy, fresh, slightly peppery, lush, and brilliant. I was spooning it from the saucer into my mouth like it was milk at the bottom of a cereal bowl. I am not lying. They are lucky I didn’t rub it all over my body. The stuff is that good. Buy two bottles—one for the kitchen, one for the bedroom.

After having a moment with the olive oil, we dug into a bowl of Farro Pizzichi with Porcini and Pancetta Ragu ($14). The homemade pasta, shaped like small rectangles with frilly edges, was perfectly cooked to just past dente, and tossed in a rich porcini sauce, doubled down with pancetta ragu. The dish was very good, but the flavors were all base notes. I was looking for a high note—a bit of vinegar, some acid, perhaps—for contrast. But we had no bad words for the Calamari in Inzimino ($17)—a fabulous stew of super tender calamari braised in red wine and tomato, with bitter greens, heavy with the intoxicating aromas of sweet and savory spices. (The bread came in handy here too—we used it to sop up all liquidy remains.) While there are ups and downs to the menu, Bellavitae, which occupies the taverna-like space that was most recently La Boheme is a worth a trip, or two (or ten). Wheth ... [more, click below]

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Posted: April 18, 2005

Other restaurants in West Village :
+ Jefferson-- Closed   + La Palapa Rockola   + Sumile   + Babbo   + Tasca   + AOC Bedford   + Home   + The Spotted Pig   + Barbuto   + Numero 26   + Mas   + August   + Alta   + Cru   + Blue Mill Tavern-- Closed   + Employees Only   + Lassi   + Metropol--Closed   + Turks and Frogs   + Bellavitae   + Yumcha-- CLOSED   + Gusto: SEE EARLIER REVIEW; THIS CHEF HAS LEFT GUSTO   + Perry Street   + Home   + Ditch Plains   + The Little Owl   + Cafe Condesa   + Cafe Cluny   + Gusto   + The Waverly Inn   + Morandi   + P*ONG   + Perilla   + Soto   + Market Table   + Centro Vinoteca   + Barfry   + Dell'Anima   + Bar Blanc   + Smith's   + Commerce   + Elettaria   + Bar Q   + Cabrito   + 10 Downing   + Minetta Tavern   + Braeburn   + Scuderia, by guest reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Bar Blanc Bistro by Guest Reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Joseph Leonard   + Bar Henry, by Guest Reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Kin Shop   + Monument Lane   + Wong   + Bin on Bleecker, by Dara Pollak   + Ristorante Rafele   + Cole's Greenwich Village by Guest Reviewer Claire Jaffe   

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