The Lovely Main Dining Room at Montebello (Above)
120 E. 56th Street, Bet. Park & Lexington Avenues
Tel. 212-753-1447
To Make a Reservation, Click Here
Montebello is an Italian restaurant in the cherished sense of the genre.Located at the heart of Midtown, Montebello buzzes with excitement as a business lunch spot with high-powered patrons such as Mayor Bloomberg, Donald Trump, and Barbara Walters.
It is the most romantic of romantic rendezvous.” Celebrities such as Tony Bennett, Neil Simon, Kate Moss, Ron Howard, the Baldwin brothers and Michael Richards enjoy the beautiful private banquettes and soothing atmosphere of this elegant, unpretentious space. Owner Joe Bozic provides a dining experience virtually unrivalled in the city. The service is warm and attentive; the decor is artistic and inviting; and the food is sublime.
Classic cooking from the area near Trieste, Italy, is the inspiration for the quintessential northern Italian menu developed by generations of the Bozic family. Emphasis is placed on simple, fresh ingredients and Italian cooking methods. Fresh pastas are made in-house daily, and dried pastas are imported from Italy. All meals are complemented by a selection of hand-made breads baked according to traditional methods. Lunch and dinner menus include a selection of antipasti, soups and salads, house made pastas and a wide variety of desserts.
This hidden gem in the heart of Midtown is difficult to beat. With the intimate dining room you will enjoy elegance and provide impeccable service, the sort that New Yorkers frequent for power lunches or a romantic dinner. I love the laid back décor, tromp loil touches and lovely murals.
While there are many restaurant copycats and the modern-kitchen is becoming a factory of cliché. Montebello, a delightfully-traditional "New York Italian" restaurant, unabashedly shuns fad. The beige and pink L-shaped room with red leather banquettes, framed water colors, wall-recesses housing mostly Italian wines and a mahogany bar offers a gentle & civilized atmosphere.
The greeting by the owner is warm and welcoming, and the staff is always excellent). The bar makes a superb Negroni and the wine list has improved. The Travaglini Gattinara, made from the famed Nebbiolo grape offers fine value and there is a lovely Roero Arneis,Bruno Giacosa for around $70.
Simple items like PROSCIUTTO SAN DANIELLE, imported prosciutto with seasonal fresh fruits are lovey & Polipo (octopus salad) with steamed potato, red onions, caper berries, olive oil and lemon is well executed. Pastas are enormous and can easily be split as an appetizer or in-betweener. Crespelle, ricotta and spinach crepes in a fresh tomato sauce is delicious at Montebello, as is a perfect linguini and white clam sauce, garnished with only one in its shell, (we added a dash of hot pepper added for good measure).
It would be hard to find a better broiled veal chop: huge, juicy and pink as requested with an aromatic salsa verde. The roasted rack of lamb with Dijon mustard; aromatic breadcrumbs and dry white wine are lovely. This is, by far, the best food I’ve had at Montebello. Well the chef should know his stuff. He’s been there 8 years. Not designed for the gastro-molecular crowd, here is classic (and classy) cooking in a civilized setting, amidst warm glowing sconces and soft coral walls highlighting lovely murals.
There is a tempting dessert-wagon, but being sated, we should have chosen fresh blue berries & a bit of Parmesan cheese. Instead we went for the terrific cannoli, Italian cheesecake and tiramisu. Finish with some fine cappuccino and homemade Grappa and you’ll agree that Montebello at 120 E. 56th Street, Bet. Park & Lexington Avenues rates an A Major on The Walman Report.
Copyright 2014 By Punchin International. All Rights Reserved.
Sample Dinner Menu
Antipasti
Portobello grilled Portobello, mix green salad, goat cheese, and olive oil-balsamic dressing 15
Capesante pan seared jumbo sea scallops in a brandy, saffron and herb sauce 18
Cozze Coltivate Cozze Coltivate mussels with garlic, dry white wine and fresh herb 15
Melanzane eggplant parmagian with fresh tomato and basil 15
PROSCIUTTO SAN DANIELLE imported prosciutto with seasonal fresh fruits 18
Bufala fresh buffalo mozzarella with roasted red bell peppers and tomato 18
CARPACCIO DI MANZO thinly sliced beef fillet with baby arugala, shaved parmagian, lemon and olive oil 19
Polipo octopus salad with steamed potato, red onions, caper berries, olive oil and lemon 18
Ministrone Ministrone mix of seasonal vegetable soup 14
Risi Bisi Venetian rice and green pea soup 14
Insalate
Pera baby arugala salad with fresh pear, aged pecorino cheese in a lemon dressing 15
Spring Mix mixed green salad with balsamic vinaigrette and virgin olive oil 14
Tricolore arugala, endive, radicchio and cherry tomatoes with lemon dressing 15
Finnochio fresh thin sliced fennel, shaved parmagian and grilled baby shrimps in lemon dressing 16
Caesar classic Caesar salad for two 27
Cioppatina mixed chopped salad with vegetables 15
Pasta
Pici hand rolled pasta made with ricotta in a lamb ragout 24
Crespelle ricotta and spinach crepes in a fresh tomato sauce 24
RAVIOLI DI ARAGOSTA lobster ravioli with champagne and shallots in a light aurora sauce 26
Penne with fresh chopped tomato, garlic, olive oil and Portobello mushrooms 23
Gnocchi potato dumplings served in meat ragout 24
Tagliolini Tagliolini sea scallops, shrimp, cultured mussels and little neck clams served with garlic,
virgin olive oil and fresh herbs 27
Ravioli di carne Ravioli di carne ravioli stuffed with veal and spinach in an herb and veal sauce 24
Cappellini di angelo jumbo lump crab meat, fresh tomato and shallots 27
Rigatoni Rigatoni roasted eggplant, fresh tomato, basil and diced buffalo mozzarella 23
Malfati Malfati spinach and ricotta gnocchi in a creamy truffle sauce 24
Risotto Risotto Arborio rice with baby shrimps and jumbo asparagus tips 25
Carni
Pollo Montebello Pollo Montebello Parmesan encrusted breast of chicken in a white wine lemon sauce 26
Pollo al tartufo Pollo al tartufo grilled chicken breast with mushrooms and truffle scented cream sauce 25
Batutta di pollo Batutta di pollo pounded thin grilled breast of chicken topped with arugala and tomato 25
Pollo Portobello Pollo Portobello breast of chicken in a Portobello mushroom sauce with white wine 25
Costata di vitello Costata di vitello grilled veal chop with an aromatic salsa verde 41
Scaloppini Scaloppini veal scaloppini in a mixed mushroom sauce with sherry wine 32
Scaloppini cardinale topped with prosciutto, Fontina cheese and red pepper 33
Milanese Milanese pounded and breaded veal chop with baby arugala, red onion and cherry tomato 42
Tagliata Tagliata grilled sliced black angus steak served over rugola, garlic, rosemary and roasted potato 41
Agnello Agnello roasted rack of lamb with Dijon mustard; aromatic breadcrumbs and dry white wine 40
Anatra roasted half duck in a orange sauce with black olives over broccoli rabe 29
Filetto Filetto pork tenderloin grilled in a Barolo and balsamic reduction sauce, and sautéed spinach 29
Salsiccia Salsiccia roasted homemade sausage with peppers, onions and mushrooms 28
Pesci
Filetto di sogliola sautéed sole with fresh thyme and artichoke in a lemon and white wine sauce 35
Branzino Branzino roasted with rosemary and shallots in a garlic sauce 36
Calamari Calamari lightly fried squid and zucchini 29
Gamberoni Gamberoni grilled jumbo shrimp with cognac, garlic and basil 36
Salmone Salmone grilled fillet of salmon with mixed vegetable caponata and pesto sauce drops 30
Coda di rospo Coda di rospo roasted monkfish with olives, capers and fresh tomato 37
Zuppa di pesce Zuppa di pesce combination of seafood in a light tomato and herb broth 36
Contorni
Zucchini • Broccoli • Spinach • Mashed potato • Roasted potato 10.50
The Walman Report 