by Kristen Depken
From bistros to trattorias, cafés to pizza parlors, the Upper East Side has so many Italian restaurants that it can sometimes be difficult to differentiate one from the next. So when a friend recently suggested that we try Sfoglia, I was expecting yet another typical Italian outpost on the UES and was pleasantly surprised to find that Sfoglia is anything but. Located on the corner of 92nd and Lexington, Sfoglia (Italian for “an uncut sheet of pasta”) is an extension of a Nantucket favorite established by husband and wife team – and extremely talented pair of chefs – Ron Suhanosky and Colleen Marnell-Suhanosky. Sfoglia’s UES location has a casually classy feel that has clearly been infused with the Nantucket charm of the original. | | Pink-bronze chandeliers, a marble-topped bar, and antique tables decorated with baskets of fresh produce give Sfoglia a rustic elegance that greets you as soon as you walk in the door. Also clear upon entering is why it took several weeks for our party of three to get a reservation: Sfoglia’s cozy appeal is in large part due to its small size. With only a handful of tables, including several long tables that smaller groups may wind up sharing with each other (as in Le Pain Quotidien), Sfoglia seats no more than 25. |  | We soon discovered, however, that Sfoglia was worth the few weeks we had to wait for a reservation. Our waitress brought us a basket of crisp, crunchy bread fresh from the oven while we studied the wine list, which included a variety of Italian reds and whites with prices ranging from very affordable to a bit on the pricier side. We chose a Sangiovese from the Umbria region of Italy and moved on to the mouth-watering menu.
With tempting dishes such as wild mussels, potato gnocchi, chicken al matone, and lamb cutlets with a pistachio pesto – all made with fresh ingredients from the Greenmarket – we had a hard time deciding what to order and, when we finally made our choices, our meal more than exceeded our expectations. The insalata mista, a mixed green salad with a zesty balsamic dressing was a light, refreshing starter, as was the wild mushroom salad. The zuppa della guarigione, a hearty vegetable soup, was the perfect way to warm up on a cold, snowy evening.
The highlights of our meal were the polenta with rock shrimp and roasted apples (my selection) and the artichoke and goat cheese rotolo (picture one long, wide piece of pasta served in a coil) with lemon cream sauce. The polenta was rich and creamy, and the shrimp and apple combination added a unique yet delicious touch. The rotolo, also rich, perfectly balanced the artichoke, goat cheese, and lemon flavors. The portions were just the right size for such filling entrees, leaving us enough room to share the semi-freddo for dessert.
A partially frozen gelato-like block of milk chocolate, hazelnut, and espresso, the semi-freddo was smooth, luscious, and absolutely divine.
Throughout our meal, Sfoglia’s service was excellent. Our waitress was friendly, attentive, and helpful, giving us suggestions and answering our questions about the menu. The warm ambience allowed us an escape from the cold, slushy streets of the UES, and, while the food blew us away, the bill did not. At about $35-40 per person for drinks, appetizers, an entrée, and a shared dessert, Sfoglia’s prices are reasonable, especially for such first-rate food.
I highly recommend Sfoglia to anyone looking for a fresh, original take on the typical Italian trattoria – or, really, to anyone looking for an amazing meal. You’ll need to make a reservation a few weeks in advance, but I promise that your experience at Sfoglia will be well worth the wait. |
| Sfoglia1402 Lexington Avenue (92nd & 93rd)New York, NY 10128212-831-1402 |
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