Malatesta Trattoria: An Arena for a Piadina

After a tough outing at Moustache, I approached this past weekend thinking I'd take a small break from eating out and regroup in preparation for Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, I have trouble sticking to my guns since on any given day, my wild ubereating mind has me craving Chinese one hour and tacos the next. We can all agree that most of the time it's easier to figure out what you don't want rather than what you do want.

Already convinced that my original dinner idea of a bowl of supermarket-brand instant grits was bloody rubbish, Meghan and I instead made our way to Malatesta Trattoria. This modest West Village establishment operates on a stretch of Christopher street that exists beyond the miasma of mischief, erotica, and dubious folk for which this famed thoroughfare is known. In its predominantly residential surroundings, an unassuming awning and simple facade fit in perfectly...so much so that we almost walked right by the place (well I did anyway).

The dining room is warm, cozy, and furnished with about 25 candle-lit tables. A mix of vibrant chatter and classical italian music creates a mature and grown-up atmosphere that is tough to find these days as New York continues to gives birth to more hip and trendy establishments that feature small plates and big prices. From hand-written menus, to rustic wooden tables and chairs, to my beautiful dining companion ("partner" is such a sterile word), I was already smitten with Malatesta and I had yet to put anything in my mouth.

The menu offers a variety of goodies without making ordering a production. Skipping the antipasti (I was being good for once), I started things off with a Piadina, a popular snack sandwich native to the north-central region of Emilia-Romagna. Best described as a northern italian take on a "quesadilla", ultra-thin prosciutto di parma and fresh mozzarella are wrapped in pliable flatbread, and warmed throughout on a griddle. The warm flatbread provides a firm bite against the salty, creamy mixture of prosciutto and mozzarella, garnering gustatory greatness with every bite. It's clean, simple, and full of flavor, not to mention a perfect way to whet your appetite (and make yourself thirsty). Our arugula and mixed green salads were traditionally simple, dressed properly and generous in portion, especially at $6.50 each.

In keeping with our "eating light" mantra, we opted to for the homemade pasta dishes and saved the Secondi Piatti for another time. Forget thoughts of a smattering of gooey potato balls drowning in gloppy red gravy because Malatesta's Gnocchi with Tomato Basil sauce was outstanding. The potatoey pillows of goodness were light, fluffy and just al dente enough that you could actually taste the potato, instead of doughy starchy mush that is passed off as gnocchi all too often in restaurants these days. My tagliatelle in ragu was an exemplar of traditional "alla bolognese", a classic preparation that is attempted by many, yet mastered by few. The long, flowing ribbons of pasta ensconsed in hearty beef ragu, was exactly what I needed on a crisp November night in the "City That Always Eats".

Malatesta Trattoria's food is neat, traditional, and most important, well-executed. In a town where a restaurant's lifespan rivals that of a mosquito, too much emphasis on looks and novelty almost always comes at the expense of the food. Malatesta's success in avoiding this popular pitfall of pomposity has allowed its business to thrive in one of the most particular neighborhoods in all of New York City. Clearly the native Italians that own and operate this village gem understand that although a comfortable, down-to-earth ambiance will bring people through the door, only genuine and authentic food will ever bring them back.

Though I realize it's not like me to find myself bereft of any sort of negative feedback after an outing, it would be irresponsible in this case to conjure up a grievance simply for the purposes of objectivity; ergo I will not do so.

As an Italian-American, I can't help but feel that the intelligent "Italiani" behind Malatesta Trattoria know how to run their business and run it well. They know what they're doing, yet then again why shouldn't they, they come from the land of the 3-hour lunch.

Report Card:

Food: - A (traditional food made with care that you can taste)

Ambiance - A (buzzing dining area that doesn't impose on your meal, classical music was enjoyable)

Service - A (attentive without hovering, available when needed, all waiters were Italian, so I had a chance to practice my Italiano!)

Experience in a thought: "One of the best all around meals I've had in the city so far!"

Malatesta Trattoria

649 Washington St

NY, NY 10014

212-741-1207