Al Di La Vino
“But since both places share the same kitchen (so smart) and I had such a great experience I probably will stick to the wine bar.”
“We had the farro salad (roasted cauliflower) and tomato soup for appetizer, braised rabbit and ricotta gnocchi for entrée.”
“I've become quite a fan of the casunsiei (beet ravioli) – I MUST have it every time I eat here.”
Al Di La Vino
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
6 reviews
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Al di La Vino, how I miss you since I moved away!! I still dream of the beet ravioli with poppy seeds and sage butter. So simple, yet so perfect when done well, and so bad when I've tried it elsewhere. Nothing lives up to this dish anywhere else I've tried it–it is the Platonic ideal of beet ravioli with sage. Also divine? …the grilled chard stems. Something I normally don't like when cooking chard, yet these are so tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Cute and cozy, I stopped trying to sit in the restaurant's main dining room around the street and just started going straight here. Delicious since it's debut, and I hope it stays that way til I get get back to visit again!
The boyfriend came across this place while googling brunch places in Brooklyn. After looking at their menu online and seeing the positive reviews we decided to check it out. Boy am I glad we did… During our weekend trip to New York City this place might have been the very best place we visited. The restaurant itself is very intimate and beautifully decorated.. I felt as if I was in Italy rather than Brooklyn, haha. Our server was incredibly friendly and each person who assisted in serving us was very helpful and polite.
I first ordered the strawberry rhubarb Bellini– incredible. The strawberry flavor wasn't overwhelming and neither was the alcohol. It was smooth and packed with summertime flavors. Next, my boyfriend and I shared their soup of the day- which was a tomato zucchini soup– amazing! The soup was packed with veggies and the broth was light yet full of flavor. Next, I ordered the breakfast bruschetta. Normally I am not a fan of fried eggs or eggs in general but I had a feeling that it was going to be amazing and just went for it- wow. The grilled bread was light and flaky with a crunchy crust, the veggies on top were sautéed and seasoned perfectly and the fried egg on top just made it all come together so great. I loved it. My boyfriend ordered the American breakfast. The sausage was thick yet juicy and had a delicious crust on top. The fried potatoes were perfect and lightly seasoned.
This was my first time having brunch at an Italian restaurant and it was a perfect experience. If I ever visit Brooklyn again this will be my first stop !
The wine bar shares a kitchen with the main restaurant. I don't know it they share the same food menu but the wine selection is good. I did see the foods on other people's tables and they looked good.
The bartender was friendly. Her service was good.
When the main restaurant is busy, you can wait at the wine bar. And the restaurant does get very busy. Wine is your friend.
Ah, how I wanted to love this place. A park slope institution… we finally decided to come here for dinner the other night. The main restaurant was crowded so we sat at the wine bar next door. I was glad the did… the atmosphere here seemed way better. The staff was really nice as well. So what went wrong? Alas, it was the food. Everything was pretty good up until the black spaghetti… That meal should be stricken from the menu. I stopped eating after just a few bites. I couldn't believe how bad it was after everything else was so good. I don't know if it was bad crab or a poorly made sauce or what, but it just sort of ruined the whole meal. Sorry.
Park Slope keeps stealing my heart with its awesome restaurants!
My friend took me to one of his favorite restaurants and wanting a more quiet atmosphere, we went to the Vino section rather than the Trattoria At 6:30pm on a Friday night, it was still quiet but it did quickly fill up as the night went on. The wine bar of the main restaurant is small, cozy with it's dimly lit atmosphere. That, with stellar service makes this place a great place for a date or a catch up!
The highlight of my dining experience here was appetizer we shared – Trippa Alla Toscana – tripe stewed in white wine, soffritto and tomatoes. I love tripe and often than not, restaurants don't cook it well, where the tripe ends up being chewy and rubbery. But at Al Di La, they perfected the art! Having plenty of bread to soak up the rich sauce was as fun as eating the tripe.
My dining companion and I went with items off their specials menu instead of their regular items. I had the Pappardelle Pasta with Duck Ragout. It was good but it didn't blow my mind like the appetizer did. I felt like I had more pasta than ragout but that might just be me being super greedy. My friend had the Lasagna, which a mix of pork, venison and beef and it was delicious.
Their wine menu is extensive and the waiter was great at recommending wines to compliment my entree. I knew I wanted a red but wasn't sure which one would go well with my duck ragout and I could tell he was trying to figure out himself. I trusted his decision and loved the wine.
I'll definitely return here for another meal!
Swoon. That's all there is to say about this spectacular Venetian in Park Slope where you eat mostly at communal tables, a la Le Pain Quotidienne. You enter through velvet curtains–a nice touch–and the decor is appropriately offbeat with a peculiar but charming ceiling I can't describe.
One reviewer of Wolfgang's (which I just reviewed) noted that you can trek all the way to Peter Luger in Williamsburg for steak but why do it if you can stay local?
I entirely sympathize with this sentiment as a girl living 3 months a year on the UES but THIS restaurant is worth the trek.
My friend who loves this place told me to order the rabbit over polenta and as this is his second or third recommendation which turned out dazzingly well, I will consult him always about menu selections when in the city.
Rabbit tastes like the best chicken, usually, and this was no exception. I love polenta, both creamy and soft, and grilled and firm. This is the former and the sauce not heavy or rich but decadent nonetheless. I don't like olives (olive oil fine but I don't like olives except for Kalamata and I don't go out of my way to eat them either) and the server agreed that the menu description is odd as olives are peripheral to the dish. There were only 4 olives and I picked them off, greatly amusing my friend who said, "Who hates olives?"
The spaghetti (squid ink) next to us looked wonderful and my special soup with leeks and kale and herbed croutons great. But my friend's appetizer–a sort of Italian barley whose name I must look up–was indescribably great. That was the better choice of starter but my soup was excellent too.
There were two specials, both of which tempted me and I will definitely be back to try more dishes here.
The wine list is impressive and my friend ordered a Pinot we both adored with an unusual and light tangy aftertaste.
The restaurant is highly rated by Zagat and it made a Michelin list (at least this is what you see on the front window). The house next door put up a sign for people not to smoke: "Thanks, the families of…" I thought that was slightly obnoxious, even coming from California with its smoking fascism but such things tend to amuse rather than annoy me.
Our server was a young married man (ring) with great knowledge about wine and food and we were gabbing so didn't order right away. He was totally fine with that and I can't say enough about this restaurant.