Imagine you’re in a farmhouse dining in
the hills of Tuscany. You’re sitting among friends at a big wooden
table with couples kissing to your right and big families toasting
one another to the left. A rustic iron chandelier hangs overhead;
candles glow at the tables; the walls are weathered brick or
fading tones of rusty red. Yeasty bread and piney notes of rosemary
scent the air.
Now transplant that image to Park Slope, and you’ve got Scottadito
Osteria Toscana, a rustic Tuscan eatery. "Scottadito"
means "finger blistering," and refers to a chef working
lightning fast. The osteria opened in September in the space
formerly occupied by the Japanese restaurant Gingko Leaf. The
owners are Michele (Mi-KEL’-ee) Di Bari, chef Paolo Nozzoli and
Park Slope developer Donald Minerva who transformed Gingko Leaf’s
cool, Zen-like setting into an earthy backdrop and impressive
wine cellar worthy of the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun"
– with food to match.
"Hello Bella" is the convivial greeting Di Bari offers
women entering his eatery. The warmth of his greeting continues
throughout the evening with solicitous waitstaff who can guide
diners through the menu and offer knowledgeable recommendations
about the Italian wine list.
The owners are committed to using sustainable, organic ingredients
whenever they can, preferring to purchase their provisions from
small farms on the East Coast, sometimes sharing resources with
their neighbor the Park Slope Food Co-op. It’s an honorable goal
that pays off in exquisitely fresh ingredients.
Our waitress suggested a special "burrata," a young
mozzarella with a fresh, milky taste and a center that’s not
quite set. Nozzoli, who cooked in Manhattan’s East River Cafe
and has catered for fashionistas at Pier 59 Studios, bakes the
cheese with a wrapping of grilled zucchini and prosciutto, then
drizzles the little disk with truffle oil. It’s nutty, salty
and the oil adds an earthy note.
I was less enamored with pasta that I shared as an appetizer.
The thick ribbons of house-made egg pappardelle were perfectly
silky, firm yet tender. Instead of a robust, meaty stew over
the noodles, the wild boar ragout was tame, lacking the richness
a good ragout should have. Chicken liver pate smeared on crisp
slices of country bread had a muted, somewhat underseasoned taste.
An entree special of roasted duck breast was delectable, each
rosy slice rimmed with a succulent sliver of crisp fat. A winy,
beefy-flavored sauce naps each slice and moistens fluffy mashed
potatoes. An unusually light caponata – not the sweet-and-sour
variety but a roasted stew of eggplant sweetened with onions
and given a saline note with black olives – accompanied the meat.
Every note of the trio harmonized beautifully.
While the duck entree neared perfection, huge prawns over creamed
spinach didn’t mesh. The five shrimp, served head-on in the shell,
were the size of a man’s fist, but lacked the fresh, delicate
taste I associate with the shellfish. The first-rate spinach,
simply blended with bechamel (cream sauce), made an arresting
mossy-colored cushion for the peach shrimp, but as partners,
the combo was just "eh."
Go with the vin santo, a sweet dessert wine that’s lighter than
sherry, and crisp housemade pistachio biscotti for dessert. If
you’re not too full, add one or two of the artisanal cheeses
offered as dessert. It’s a proper Tuscan way to conclude a multi-course
meal. The other desserts – a saffron-tinged panna cotta topped
with a swirl of aged Balsamic vinegar and a gorgeous, berry-strewn
fruit tart – are correctly Italian, which means they may not
be sweet enough for American palates.
While Fifth Avenue in Park Slope has turned the area into a destination
for good dining, Seventh Avenue and its side streets could use
a little culinary shaking up. Once Scottadito Osteria Toscana
works out the few kinks in the kitchen, it should do just that.
Scottadito Osteria Toscana (788A Union
St. between Sixth and Seventh avenues in Park Slope) accepts
cash only. Entrees: $16-$26. The restaurant serves dinner seven
days a week. Brunch is offered on Saturdays and Sundays, from
11 am to 3 pm. For reservations (for parties of six or more),
or more information, call (718) 636-4800.
