May 14, 2014:  For the past four years or so, my husband and I have been going to Da Giorgio Restaurant in New Rochelle, because you can't find creative, authentic Italian food like this anywhere else in this area. This gem of a restaurant is relatively small (seats 50) and is located as a storefront in the Quaker Ridge Shopping Center, so you need to look closely to find it. It is intimate and cozy, with attractive wall features and candles on every table.

The service is professional and attentive, headed by the maître d', Steve Golfo. As soon as you are seated, water is poured and fresh warm breads are served, along with a savory eggplant accompaniment. Next your waiter comes to tell you about the evening appetizer and dinner specials. Only beer and wine are served, and the wine selection is affordable and more than adequate.

It was a Saturday night, so the restaurant was humming. The regular menu has plenty of interesting and often original content, and the list of specials that night was extensive and included soft-shell crabs, which had to be the first catch of the season. The specials each night are hand-picked by chef/owner Giorgio Giacinto based on what he finds at the local markets. Everything is always fresh, and all of the pastas are homemade and wonderful.

It was hard to select, but we did well by ordering the following:  a pasta special of homemade cavatelli with rich tomato and veal ragu (with osso buco quality). Another appetizer was a salad, calamari poco pazzo, which consisted of crispy fried baby calamari, arugula, avocado, and, surprisingly, sliced banana, which worked well in a lime vinaigrette dressing. Both were delicious. One of their signature salads is insalata cosentina, which consisted of chopped greens, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers, fried eggplant, olives, and sopressatta.

We were served salmon al pesto as a main course--baby vongole clams, cherry tomato, cannellini beans, and basil pesto served with a mixed vegetable dish of carrots, zucchini, celery, green beans, and a potato croquette. My husband chose an off-the-menu specialty he particularly likes--homemade orecchiette with broccoli rabe and sausage. We were too full to order any of their wonderful desserts.

Dinner for two is around $100 with two glasses of wine. Bottles of wine are priced from $35 to $40. Giorgio himself always comes out to greet his diners very enthusiastically and to make sure that they enjoyed their dinner! Once you try this very special restaurant, you will continue to go back. Saturday nights can be a bit noisy because of a steady stream of customers throughout the evening.

Pictured here:  Da Giorgio Restaurant in New Rochelle.

Photo by Karen Talbot