Italian Bites at Salumeria Rosi

In a game of word association, the word tapas almost automatically calls to mind Spanish.  From Txikitos to Tertulia to Tia Pol, New York has us covered for traditional Spanish tapas.  But did you know that Italian tapas are just as equally delicious?  I have known about Salumeria Rosi in the Upper West Side for some time now so this recent visit with AM was long over due.

Having heard about how it can be sometimes difficult to grab a seat at this small restaurant, we hopped on the 1 train uptown from work as early as we could.  The little salami shop and restaurant is only two blocks away from the bustling 72nd street station, making it an easy trip.  The inside was dim and sophisticated in decor, with a counter full of beautiful legs of prosciutto and salami and cheeses.   Just sitting across from them had us salivating so we put in our orders quickly.

Even though it has gotten quite pedestrian, brussel sprouts are still a delicious vegetable.  The CAVOLINI at Salumeria Rosi was simply sauteed with garlic and prosciutto di parma bites.  Salty from the prosciutto and sweet from the brussel sprouts, a classic and still great combination.

Since we are at an Italian meat shop, I could not refuse just a small plate of prosciutto di parma.  Silky and smooth and oh so salty.  I was quite satisfied.

The PONTORMO is the Chef’s signature.  Soft scrambled egg, guanciale and pancetta were tossed with market greens.  This was definitely unique and something I love.  What’s not to love about scrambled eggs and Italy’s version of bacon and adding it to salads just made it “healthy”.

The special that night had the makings of a perfect brunch dish.  Toasted country breaded served as the base to grilled asparagus, a parmesan crusted fried egg.  This was all finished with a touch of concentrated sweet balsamic vinegar.

We chose the TORTA and the LASAGNA for a heartier finish.  The torta was a leek filled tart studded with pancetta and Parmigiano-Reggiano.  It was a solid few bites but the lasagna was much more delicious.  A savory pork and beef ragu was layered in between soft tender noodles and bechamel sauce.  This tasted so homey yet complex that we were both using our forks to try to clean up every last bit of the sauce.

Quite happy with our entrees, AM and I almost passed on dessert but our sweet tooth wouldn’t let us.  We settled on the chocolate chip bread pudding and the special of the day, a trio of Italian ice cream.  The ice cream domes were not spun so they were dense and rich.  So dense in fact that they were still rock solid when we tried to use our spoons to make a dent, making it quite an ordeal to enjoy.  The bread pudding, on the other hand, was the complete opposite.  This was warm and tender, topped with a light creme anglais sauce.  I made a mental note to always end the meals here with a plate of Salumeria Rosi’s BUDINO DI PANE, as should you.

So if next time you should find yourself in Upper West Side and looking for a light meal, Salumeria Rosi is a fantastic choice.  For me, even if I wasn’t in that in that neighborhood, I will make a trek over when I am craving their lasagna and bread pudding with a nice chilled glass of white wine.

Salumeria Rosi | 283 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10023 | http://www.salumeriarosi.com/