Restaurant Jewel – Grotto NYC
I have falling really behind on this blog. Forgive me, but the month of November was an absolute mess and things are really JUST beginning to slow down. Despite the chaos I’ve had the opportunity to do some really stuff last month and I want to share it all! Rather than write about everything in one sitting I’m going to break it up into smaller posts about my highlights of the month – beginning with the dinner party at Grotto Restaurant on the Lower East Side (www.grotto-nyc.com). Now I am an admitted foodie-cooking fanatic and have been to several restaurant in New York since moving back in July. But Grotto gets 4.5 stars in my book so I want to share it with you.
*Slide Taken from Grotto Website : www.grotto-nyc.comLet me start off by staying that I probably wouldn’t have found this place anytime soon had it not been for my friend. She was having her birthday party there and invited me to join in on the festivities. I rarely ever do anything on the Lower East Side unless initiated by Nicole (NYU alum) because those are her old stomping grounds. 
When the invite came I checked out the website and figured it would be a good time. The menu looked good, and it would be an opportunity to meet some cool new people in the city. The only thing that I was not prepared for was how difficult it is to find if you don’t know where you are going and are unfamiliar with the area. I took a cab from uptown because I was running late and have no idea how to get to that part of town on the train. My initial reaction when I stepped out of the car was that she gave us the wrong directions. There didn’t seem to be a restaurant in sight. What I soon found out was that like a lot of places on the LES and in Alphabet City, Grotto is located at just about basement level. You have to go down a few steps to see the entrance and while from the inside you can clearly see the street, one could be on the street and never notice the restaurant is right there. But once I walked in I immediately liked the place. The atmosphere is really inviting, and the servers were quick to greet you and make you feel at ease.
The food was incredible. The drinks were incredible. The service was a little bit slow, which is why I didn’t give them a full 5 stars. But considering that it was a dinner party with a lot going on, I’ll give them a pass. I enjoyed a cool little drink called the Sidecar and talked it up with the bunch, including my dear friend we lovingly refer to as “the CEO.” For dinner I had some of the best branzino alla griglia ever- bones included! Our party had a great time, hung out a bit after dinner and then shifted the party over to a lounge on Avenue C. By the time I got home I crashed into my bed and slept in on Sunday. It was a fun night, I’m happy she invited me and I made that trek on down to the lower end of the island. More to come, but I have to go to sleep. Exhausted. Cheers!
Leave a Reply