Gastro Traveling

Babbo Squid Ink Pasta with Green Chilis and Shrimp

Your tab can add up phenomenally quickly at a place like Babbo.  So to get a good crosscut of their menu and limit your bill to less than $200 per couple, give their pasta tasting menu a try.  Billed as having some of the most creative, impeccably prepared Italian dishes in the City, Babbo pushes far beyond the classic pasta and red sauce. Taste it all with 8 courses including the Casunzei with Poppy Seeds, half-moon raviolis filled with a smoky mixture of ricotta salata, potato, and beet; Black Tagliatelle, squid with parsnips and pancetta; Garganelli with Funghi Trifolati, a long penne served with portabello and oyster mushrooms sprinkled with fresh shaved goat cheese on top; and Pappardelle Bolognese mixed with veal and pancetta, and topped with pecorino romano. 

And if you have extra to spend, spring for their Riserva Selection hand picked by the sommelier.  Each time the next dish is brought to your table, its accompanying wine is poured and you’ll get a detailed description of its characteristics, where it came from, and why it paired best. Just make sure that you make reservations a month in advance. Or take your chances, walk in on a whim, and if you’re lucky, you might get a seat in the bar.