felice

one of my biggest complaints about the UES is the lack of good, affordable restaurants and cool bars. instead, there is a plethora of restaurants that serve mediocre, overpriced fare, fratty sportsbars, and twilight zoney diners (disclaimer: there are a handful of amazing restaurants on the UES if you are willing to pay a pretty penny such as sushi of gari). for the most part, i've written off the UES and head downtown or to brooklyn for dinners or drinks out. . . .until felice.

felice is a small, italian wine bar on 1st ave and 64th. the ambience is cozy, almost rustic, with an air of refinement. there are a handful of tables outside (love outdoor seating), a nice inviting white bar in the back, a communal table in the center of the room, and smaller tables along the perimeter. the menu is exactly what i like to see at a restaurant- short and sweet. to me this indicates a focus on doing a few things well rather than a lot of things just so-so. on the list was a selection of crostone, an assortment of meat and cheese platters, a handful of salads, pastas, and entrees.

we order two glasses of prosecco to whet the appetite and start the evening of festivities. i order a prosciutto and olive spread crostone and the cheese and meat platter to start until the rest of the group arrives. the prosecco is refreshing with a hint of sweetness and a nice contrast to the salty flavors of the appetizers. the crostone comes out with three pieces and topped with mounds of prosciutto. delicious and i feel captures the essense of italian cooking- uncomplicated, fresh, and comforting. the selection of cheeses and meats were excellent.

two more of our group arrived. fitz ordered a bottle of red wine so i don't recall the label (too much wine that night)- what i do remember is that it was a great red, dry, medium body and very food-friendly.

we ordered more crostone- this time with eggplant, zucchini, and a soft cheese. also delectable.

the last three of our group arrived. another bottle of wine. someone orders a ravioli in a pesto sauce in addition to more crostone. another two bottles of wine.

somehow, three hours passed by and i had a lovely time. the best part, was being able to walk home from the restaurant. . . and felice may very well become my new regular.