Cavatappo Revisited due to an Overflowing Vino 313

With Marc still in town, I made a last minute decision to go for drinks last night. I figured the recently opened Vino 313 would be the perfect place for a nice glass of wine accompanied by a serene setting. To my suprise and dissappointment, the place was completely packed and anything but serene. And the fact that it was so crowded made the space a lot less appealing. I've certainly seen people in Vino 313 in passing but it had never appeared this crowded. Clearly Murray Hill was begging for more wine bars.

Since Cavatappo was only a few blocks away, I decided to give it a second try. Though it being 9:30pm on a Thursday night, I anticipated we'd encounter the same problem. Lucky for us,
Cavatappo was able to accomodate our small party of two with prime seating right in the center. Marc immediately began perusing the wine menu for anything from Spain or France. Being born and well traveled in Europe I thought it was safe to let Marc choose the wine. We settled on a carafe of the 2003 Château Steval, Bordeaux. Since I don't usually drink French wines it was definitely a new flavor for me. The Chateau Steval was a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which are two reds I don't often drink. But its smooth nature was very pleasant which made it easy to drink. I've yet to try a wine at Cavatappo I don't like.


We'd also ordered a plate of classic bruchetta of tomatoes, basil, and garlic, to accompany the wine. And I must admit, this is the one thing I did not like. The pizzas, salads, and antipasto have all been wonderful but it was actually difficult to get the bruchetta down. The marinated tomatoes were standard of a traditional bruschetta but the toast underneath it was very hard, almost as if it had been sitting there for quite some time. I like a slightly toasted french bread underneath my bruschetta. And because the bread was so firm, it was slightly painful to eat. But other than this slight mishap, the nite was enjoyable.

I happen to love Cavatappo. Between its prime location (5 blocks from my apt) , tasty small plates, and reasonably priced wine it really is the perfect neighboord spot. Although it was not too crowded on a Thursday night I have walked by many times when its been mobbed, especially on the weekends. So if you can make it into Cavatappo before the rush, consider yourself in store for a great experience.


CAVATAPPO
347 Third Avenue
(Between 25th & 26th Streets)