Vintage Babbo Barolo Dinner

It was more than a decade ago when we had our first Locanda vini e olii meal. An old drugstore, with walls lined with nostalgic pharmacy bottles, converted into a neighborhood restaurant has always instantly made us feel like we just showed up at our uncle’s house on Sunday. To combat the pandemic and winter in a dining ban they have converted the restaurant in a direction back towards the drugstore providing meals and provisions. This new alimentari offering highlights their fantastic ingredient list including their famed (at least in our house) olive oil. My mom can’t get enough of it. The menu is all available for order out so you can indulge in their best in-house dishes like their pappardelle with wild boar OR alici e burro (Sicilian anchovies). For us the Italian Marketplace is where it’s at. Stocking up on delectables like house made pasta, limoncello or their Italian breakfast in a box. If you are looking for a first move because you’re overwhelmed with choice as we were when we hit the site, start with the Meal-Kit. Each week a new offering includes a selection across three courses of tasty. By example, this week choose between Fettunta or Tuscan Lentil Soup to start. Follow that with Broccolini Pesto Gnocchi or Polenta (or Pappardelle) ai Funghi, a tough choice. Round that out by picking a winner in the Pork Shank vs Baby Octopus “Inzimino” bout. We’d go octopus. It’s a game-changer. Next week the options change so you can enjoy it all again. As my grandfather used to say, “a scarpetta” which signifies soping up sauce with a piece of bread to savor every last bit on your plate. We recommend the same theory applied to both the Loncada menu and marketplace.

The folks behind summerlong wine company have launched Summerlong Supper Club, a winter supper club in a box along with 16 fantastic NYC restaurants. With the goal of raising enough money to keep all 16 in business until the summer warmth brings back a sustainable customer cadence. The plan is a 16 week $50/week subscription that guarantee a tasty, well crafted meal. That’s $2million dollars of which $120,000 goes to each restaurant. In addition, 100 meals are being donated to frontline workers. Let’s call that double charity OR better yet New Yorkers for New Yorkers. Without much support from the government, restaurants are left to, unfortunately, fend for themselves. This project is built on how New Yorkers live. Help our own when in crisis. We’ve reacted this way from the blackout to 911 and this is just as critical a moment for the community. They are offering pick-up and delivery (inside a fairly generous neighborhood range) The FAQ’s explain more in-depth but this is an awesome program built to ensure your favorite restaurants are still around come summer.

Walking around Arthur Avenue feels a little like a throwback to the days of my grandfather. Just off the boat from Italy, adapting to the “new” city by finding ways to make mozzarella and salami in these new urban conditions. We walk the shops and visit Mike’s Deli at least every quarter year BUT we rarely have more than our Italian roots to tell us the story of the streets we stroll. We wish we had Bronx resident and food aficionado with us on our visits. The 92st. Y’s Arthur Avenue Food Tour grants that wish. Susan will accompany you to her favorite spots while explaining some history of the neighborhood, Italian-American immigration and the food production. Saturday, June 18 @ 11am – 1:30pm. Meeting spot TBA.