dell’anima
38 8th Avenue, West Village, NY
We hope that you’re using our website to find good date spots. Why? Well, first of all, because you are really good looking and should have a full social calendar. Second, because we think we’re pretty good at recommending restaurants that will give you your best chance to make some action happen. And by “some action”, we of course mean a fulfilling long-term relationship.
By no means are we claiming that dell’anima is some under the radar date haven that nobody else knows about. Ask any female that lives west of 7th Avenue and she will probably have this place in her top ten. We’re big fans too, and also hold sister restaurant L’Artusi in high regard. Both are great date spots and both have a vanity apostrophe, which makes them cool or Italian or something. Both can also be loud and a bit sceney at times, though dell’anima is much smaller and more intimate. We like dell’anima specifically for the ample bar seating and chef’s counter, perfect for a more casual meal, and making it a great First/Early in The Game Date destination. We also like it because the food is pretty damn spectacular. There are a few really special pasta dishes, and some sharable first courses that are excellent. The wine list is smart though a bit pricey, but there are a handful of good bottles under forty bucks to choose from.
One thing to note – we’ve heard some recent feedback from the field that both dell’anima and L’Artusi are too heavy handed with the salt in some dishes. These chefs definitely don’t shy away from seasoning, so take that into account. I happen to have dangerously low blood pressure, so it’s good for me.
Food Rundown:
Bruschetta
A bowl of crostini, served with your choice of bruschetta in a tiny bowl to spread on top. We recommend ordering a few. The options change regularly, but we really like the avocado and the rapini pesto.
Charred Octopus
A few grilled octopus arms on a bed of tiny white beans with fennel sofrito. Top notch.
Vognole
Kind of a strange dish – small clams in a bowl that seem to be missing the pasta. Good with some extra crostini if you have them lying around from the bruschetta.
Endive Salad
A nice light salad of endive spears with anchovy and pecorino. Pretty straightforward.
Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese
A nice pasta, but not their best. As with all the pastas, the homemade noodles are excellent, but this bolognese isn’t quite as meaty and rich as we’d like it to be.
Garganelli
Almost like a pasta version of the dish we freaked out over at L’Artusi. A simple bowl of short tube noodles with mushroom, parsley and lemon. Mind blowing and perfect.
Tajarin
A noodle similar to tagilatelle but thinner. This is a fan favorite at dell’anima, and rightfully so. It’s a take on carbonara with a poached egg and speck instead of bacon. Hearty but not terribly heavy, and really good.
Orata
A good option from the entree menu, a nice light piece of fish that’s a can be a pleasant break from some of the aggressive seasoning you’ll find elsewhere on the menu.
