Thanks for the heads up Adam....I haven't been to Peasant in a few years and it was good then. Seems to be going down hill a bit lately. I cancelled my res, and decided to go to Apizz instead, after not being able to get a table at Il Buco.

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Apizz
217 Eldridge St., New York, NY 10002

Il Buco
47 Bond St., New York, NY 10012

Thanks for the feedback AdamD....I didn't have a good feeling about the place, I'm not into the white linen atmosphere. I changed my plans and am headed to Peasant instead, which is my kind of place.

Can anyone give me some feedback on this place? I may be meeting friends there for dinner in a few weeks. To me it seems WAY over priced. Is this place owrth it? Thanks!

Awesome! Thanks so much for the info Cheese Boy! We'll be on the Ave. tomorrow, can't wait!!

Thanks very much for the replies! I should have been clearer with my query. I'm looking for a butcher that supplies the meat retail. Cheese Boy, Biancardi's sells rabbit?

Is there anyplace on or in the vicinity of Arthur Ave that has wild boar and/or rabbit available? Thanks!

desylicious, I understand what you're saying. He knows his stuff, but sometimes he trys to be a bit of a character which could put some people off. I find he's ok in small doses.

Back in September, my wife and I attended a demo (not hands-on) by cook book author Pamela Sheldon-Johns. It was good time. Really nice rustic atmosphere with a great kitchen set-up. I would definately recommend it.

You don't get the extra flavor that wood smoke imparts to the pizza by using gas, obviously. Sure, it requires a fine touch, but that what it's all about. It just takes it to the next level. I wouldn't say it's the worst heating method imaginable for professionally cooked pies. It is if they don't know what they're doing. Seems to me the Neopolitans have been doing ok with it for a long time.

Great! I'm sure you won't be disappointed....please write a review for us.

Hi Harrie,
It was especially nice being there in the winter. The room we were in had a big fireplace wih a nice fire going, really added to the atmosphere.

I would definately recommend resers for West Street.

Hi harrie,
I can't answer that unfortunately. My wife and I had dinner there in Feb., which was the first time in 20+ years. I don't even know why we waited so long to get back there, it just never crossed our radar. But the atmosphere there is great and we really enjoyed our meal as well. I do remember really enjoying it our first time there all those years ago.

Petit Syrah is closed. For a nice meal in a great atmosphere try West Street Grill in Litchfield center. Also check out Toll Gate Hill Restaurant in Litchfield as well.

http://www.weststreetgrill.com

http://www.tollgatehill.com/restauran...

Sorry, but nothing is more depressing than visiting these beautiful historic cities in Italy and being met with the hideous site of McDonald's. That is NOT cultural evolution.

I spent a week in alone in Rome a couple of years ago, solo dining was not an issue at all. I took a book with me to read between courses for my own enjoyment, My first meal alone I felt a bit uncomfortable, but you quickly realize no one notices you anyway, and it became quite enjoyable.

greggc, do a search on this board (authentic wood burning ovens) for a lot of commentary. I've been using one for over two years now and love it. It's not nearly all the work some people say it is. In no way does it take all day to heat up. If it does, then it wasn't built correctly. I get mine up to 900 degrees in under two hours. I also get alot of use out of it, baking much more than pizza. I cook anything in the oven that you could cook in a conventional oven, only with much more flavor. Again, the small door opening sounds like a design flaw. My oven's opening is about 18", plenty of room for whatever I want to cook in there. Do the search, you'll see some photos of that I attached.

You may want to give "Cuisine with Jill" a call in Torrington. It's in a large restored Victorian house. They do private parties, cooking classes, wine dinners etc. They may flexible enough where they would accomodate just the two of you.

http://www.cuisinewithjill.com

We always like going to Spirito di Vino. Excellent food, Mom does all of the cooking, Pop works the dining room and Son is the sommelier and kind of a character. Nice laid back atmosphere and Romeo (Pop) will give you a tour of their ancinet wine cellar and tell you about it's history, if you ask.

http://www.spiritodivino.com

The only non-italian restaurant with which I'm familiar in Rome is Hamasei, as mentioned by mbfant above. We've enjoyed it very much having eaten there several times.

Hi ladyb, what is the "dive" in Torrington you are thinking about trying?

I've heard the same thing about Da Capo, just ok, but very loud inside because it's one big open room, except for the bar area. It's brick oven pizza, but the ovens are fired with gas and not wood, so I think that was a missed opportunity on their part. I still want to try it though. The place seems to be always packed whenever I drive past.

I love the Berkshire as I've said here, but two weeks ago we had a pie from there and it was NOTHING like what usually comes out of their kitchen, it was bad. So I immediately thought "downhill alert". Thankfully last week it was back to the pies I love, so it may have been just an off night.

You're welcome catnip! Please don't be scared off when you see Bohemian Pizza from the outside, especially in the daytime. Looks like the place is about to fall down, but great food and like I said, funky inside. I've been to that Otis Poultry farm many times, I love that place! Gotta get up there again soon! Take care!

Hi catnip, Venetian doesn't offer pizza. And as of about a month or so ago, my much loved Berkshire Cafe closed:( Next time you're in the area, I suggest travelling a short distance into Litchfield to Bohemian Pizza. Really delicious pies, with a nice gourmet assortment of toppings to choose from. Only one size pie is offered, very thin crust. So without any appetizers or salads, it will feed two people easily. They also have a great menu for things other than pizza. Very eclectic atmosphere.

I would go with either Bon Appetit (in spite of it's recent makeover) or Food & Wine. I subscribe to both and with just about every issue I find a handful of recipes that I find myself making with regularity. Bon Appetit seems to somewhat frequently have special editions dedicated to Italy, and I happen to be an Italo-phile.

For the appetizer, it has to be the grilled octopus, out of this world.......Also agree with the papardelle with wild boar ragu.

Your welcome Catnip! Now MY favorite pizza joint here in town, The Berkshire Tavern just closed last week, suddenly (or maybe not so suddenly), due to tax problems of all things. Tax problems as in the owner not paying them for awhile. This is supposed to be only temporary, I certainly hope so, otherwise Torrington has lost another institution.

This past weekend on Saturday, made four pizze. Then the next day with the temp in the oven holding at 250 deg., I goosed the embers a bit to get it just over 350 deg. and made a porchetta using a 9lb boneless, butterflied pork shoulder and along with that a pan of roasted garden tomatoes and hot italian sausages.

fredmant, I just re-read my earlier post about Dos Amigos. I never mentioned "not spicy" in describing what I didn't like about Dos Amigos. I said to me the food was bland. Bland meaning lacking taste, not seasoned well enough. That doesn't mean I'm looking for the food to be spicy, just more taste.

fredmant,
Clearly, we'll never agree on things. I don't think you should call a pizza "Greek" if in your opinion it's not "Italian". Greek is what you get at the North and Southend Two Guys places. Domino's grade sauce? Big difference of opinion there too. But like politics, we could argue this to death and would get nowhere. You like Anthony's, I like Berkshire.

As far as LaCupola, I obviously can't speak to what happened in your case, can only speak from my many experiences there. I threw a suprise birthday party there for my wife. 85 people attended, it couldn't have been better foodwise, or service-wise. We always go to their feast of seven fishes dinner at Christmas and the once or twice a year game dinners, which are always sold out. As well as regular dinners with a group of people as well as just my wife and me. I just have a problem with the "he rips you off" comment. Why did you pay him if it was such a rip-off? Or at least have him knock the bill down? How has LaCupola been in business for 11 years if he rips people off? Full disclosure, I know the owner well. Am I biased, maybe a bit. But I've been going there long before I became friends with him. But no restaurant stays in business for that long and continues to do large parties and weddings if it rips people off. Word travels fast.

In fact just this past Sunday they had an 11th anniversary, day long dinner there. $30 for food all day, wine, beer, soda, pastries, all included in the price.

Again Dos Amigos is ok. I'll have to re-read my earlier post, but I didn't mean to say spicy is the true measure of a Mexican Rest. IMO the food is just bland, period. Chips and salsa are very good.

In the end, just an opinion.

Yes, that's it Catnip, Palermo! I'd totally forgotten about that place. VERY good pizza, but it has been long gone for quite some time now, I think at least since the early '90's.