Babbo: Private Dining Experience
Last week following my commencement ceremony for NYU graduation, my dad had planned a private dinner at Babbo for my family. Babbo seemed like the best spot for my celebration since it’s located in the heart of Greenwich Village, right outside of Washington Square Park which is basically NYU’s campus. I had never dined at Babbo before and while I’ve heard amazing things about their usual service and menu, I knew that our experience was unique and special. I was able to plan the menu, pick the wine, and speak to the chef beforehand with my dad which was truly the icing on the cake. As someone who is so passionate about food, New York City restaurants, and food centered experiences, this was truly the perfect night to celebrate my past four years in the Food Studies program. It was beyond special to share that experience of helping to plan the night with my dad since he is the person who taught me about my cooking foundation and opened my eyes to the beauty of food. We started the night off in the wine cellar located a few flights of stairs down from the main floor, where we drank champagne, munched on aged cheeses with jam, and admired the beautiful thousands of bottles of wine surrounding us. Billy Joel was playing softly through the speakers and the mood was already perfect.
Cheers from Babbo’s wine cellar!
After moving into the private dining room that’s usually an office during the day, we began the Antipasto course of Mozzarella di Bufala (soft Mozzarella with grilled rapini, romesco, and almonds), Crudo Di Pesce (crudo of tuna, salmon, and branzino with crispy rice and Mediterranean salsa), and Grilled Octopus (served with marinated beans and spicy lemon vinaigrette). My personal favorite was the octopus and it paired so beautifully with the light, floral white wine that we linked for this course. This room was so wonderful because it created an intimate environment without feeling over the top.
Cacio e Pepe Pear & Pecorino Raviolo
For the Primi course we went with the beloved Babbo pasta dish, the Cacio e Pepe Ravioli with Pear and Pecorini. This pasta dish alone made the whole experience divine, and I would highly recommend ordering it if you come to the restaurant. It had just the right amount of savory taste with notes of sweet, slightly tart pear to round out the whole dish. We each got served four pieces of ravioli which was just right for a large coursed meal like this one. This course was paired with a 2011 Barolo, one of my favorite types of red wine, and the entire course was a smash hit among the crowd. One of the best parts of the night was that every person at the table signed the bottle of Barolo for me, and I was able to take it home with me. I’ll be keeping that bottle of wine forever!
My signed bottle of Barolo from all of my favorite people
Moving on, we entered the Secondi course where the was an option of the baked Branzino with braised fennel, or the Pork Chop with cherry peppers, braised onions, and a balsamic reduction. Alongside this course we had the roasted carrots with caraway and tangerine, and the cauliflower with “bagna freida” which was somewhat of a caesar style dressing. I opted for the Pork Chop and was not disappointed, and both of the vegetable sides got an A+ stamp of approval. My sister even asked to bring all of the remaining side vegetable portions home after the meal. To top it all off, we finished with the Dolci course of either Ricotta Cheesecake with rhubarb marmalade and honey gelato or Chocolate Caramel Tarte with almond brittle. Not only was this the most delicious meal I’ve ever had, with every course not only good but great, but it was also the most special meal I’ve had. It was so beautiful to be surrounded by my family all celebrating together after two years of the pandemic keeping us apart from celebrating milestones, and besides that I just felt incredibly proud of my accomplishments and grateful for my education. This night truly reassured me how much food can bring people together and allow for such incredible moments and memories. I cannot recommend Babbo enough for a big celebration dinner or just a quiet night in Greenwich Village when you’re looking to splurge a little bit (get the ravioli!!!!). Whatever the occasion may be, you’ll be sure to leave with a full stomach and a really happy heart.
