Translation from English

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Asellina Ristorante- Park Avenue South

Now behind scaffolding, it is easy to miss this place even though it is not small..

Trendy, gets good reviews with usual kinds of complaints, especially seeing as it IS trendy (this is next to Gansevoort Hotel, if you know what that means)

Asellina

3.5 star rating
149 reviews Rating Details
Categories: Italian, Bars
420 Park Ave S
(between 28th St & 29th St)
New York, NY 10016
Neighborhoods: Midtown East, Flatiron
(212) 317-2908
Make a Reservation
Nearest Transit Station:
28 St. (4, 6, 6X)
33 St. (4, 6, 6X)
28 St. (N, R)
Delivery:
No
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Attire:
Dressy
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
No
Takes Reservations:
Yes
Price Range:
$$$
Take-out:
No
Waiter Service:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
Yes
Wi-Fi:
No
Good For:
Dinner
Music:
DJ
Best Nights:
Thu, Fri
Happy Hour:
Yes
Alcohol:
Full Bar
Smoking:
No
Coat Check:
Yes
Noise Level:
Average
Good For Dancing:
No
Ambience:
Trendy
Has TV:
No
Caters:
No
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes

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149 reviews in English

  • Review from

    FOREST HILLS, NY
    10/4/2013 1 check-in here
    Asellina has pretty great vibe going on. I approve.

    upscale but affordable, and loungey without being obnoxious. I was a bit skeptical when Caroline informed me that they feature it frequently on "Keeping Up With The Kardashians", but it passes muster.

    the DJ was fantastic, spinning mashups, remixes, and pop hits all over the place. good volume, not overbearingly loud.

    for additional entertainment, we were treated to being within audible distance of a group of bored housewives from Scarsdale (note: those are just my assumptions). I think they were the evolved forms of Woo Girls. they were pretty hilarious throughout the night, making all sorts of noise and almost falling all over the place.

    service is friendly, fast, and helpful. my pick of the braised short rib and mashed potatoes was declared "an excellent choice" by our waiter, and proved so. perfectly tender and flavorful short rib - no fork needed! the mashed potatoes were quite good too. presentation was on point, although portion size could've been a little bigger (then again, the quality was great, so it's a trade-off). I sampled everyone else's food (of course) - the ravioli, baked chicken parm, and gnocchi were all amazing as well.

    so far as drinks, we got a pitcher of sangria which hit the spot. not the best sangria, but still solid. oh and, the free round of champagne was excellent (our friends who we took here are getting married in a month).

    seems like a fun place attracting a trendy crowd. I'd be up for a return trip.
  • Review from

    Bloomfield, NJ
    9/29/2013 1 check-in here
    This is a GREAT, elegant spot for a dinner, drinks, or soiree. Absolutely fantastic environment - dimly lit, well-serviced, and swanky. Table lighting, multiple areas of the joint for you to enjoy...

    Had a friend's engagement party here last night and I came with my wife. Owned by the famous Gansevoort crew, which is right next door to Asellina. The hours d'oeuvre were delicious (veal meatball sliders, margherita pizza, chicken) and the drinks were all made right and tasty.

    DEFINITELY stop here. Blocks away from Penn if you're traveling in.
  • Review from

    • 230 friends
    • 665 reviews
    Queens, NY
    Updated - 9/23/2013
    Asellina is still superb.  I hadn't been back since my first visit in 2012 with my sister but that's only because I had been waiting for a special occasion, I guess.  Since I was doing my maid of honor duty and planning the double date bachelorette party the bride requested, I knew I needed to pick a great venue for dinner this past Saturday.  Asellina delivered.

    The atmosphere is still gorgeous and glam.  The DJ played a mix of pop hits from today and yesteryear plus some solid mash-ups that made me want to get up and dance.  I was actually surprised not to have any celebrity sightings, though there were wannabes abound.  Even so, our waiter was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. We started our meal with a carafe of red sangria which was refreshing and even had strawberries in it.

    For our dinner, we sampled each other's dishes.  The bride and I both ordered the homemade burrata ravioli which was al dente and in a satisfying broth.  Mike ordered the short rib which basically melted in my mouth and came with mashed potatoes.  The groom ordered the dish which I personally think was the real winner of our dinner choices--crunchy, baked chicken parmesan with gnocchi--but really everything was delicious.

    I had mentioned to our waiter that we were here to celebrate the upcoming nuptuals of our good friends and he surprised us with a round of excellent champagne on the house at the end of the meal.  I thought that was such a fun surprise that really made dinner feel like a celebration.  Everything about dinner was tasty, joyous and memorable, and even though Asellina was not our last stop that night, it certainly was a highlight.

    1 Previous Review: Show all »

    • 1/22/2012
      'Just got home from a Sunday night early dinner at Asellina with my sister.  The service was… Read more »
  • Review from

    Manhattan, NY
    10/14/2013
    meh. me and a group of 5 friends came here after work to use  2 Gilt City vouchers for a bottle of champagne and 1 dozen oysters. We first went to the first floor and they didn't know what the voucher was and didn't know anything about the deal. So they sent up upstairs - only certain areas in the upstairs would take us for the deal. I wish it were more clear as it was a wild goose chase. after finally seating us alone in one side of the room - we were able to spread out on stools and leather couches. It wasn't ideal for really eating but I can see how it would be nice for just lounging. The vibe felt a bit uptight and the servers never made you feel welcome - always the looking down on your eyes. The oysters and champagne however, were just delicious!! Since we were a group of 6 they tacked on a service fee as well as the grautity which was based off of the original price of the meal so what we thought was going to be a "free" / "already paid for" meal ended up being over $200 extra dollars!!! We were shocked when we got the bill. The server was quite rude about it when we politely questioned the charges.  Thanks, but no thanks to coming back to Asellina. I guess we learned the hard way on the fine print, vouchers, deals that aren't really deals.
  • Review from

    New York, NY
    10/11/2013 1 check-in here
    A small disclaimer, these stars are based on the food.  I love the ambience/ decor and it is a great place for a private, quiet dinner with close friends or a date.  The pasta is fresh, so I appreciate that...  but I ordered the spicy taglietelle which had a great kick to it, but was incredibly too salty which was too bad because the clams were delicious.  The pasta was a little overcooked for me (well beyond al dente).  We also ordered the prosciutto/ truffle pizza because the waiter raved about it saying that some people come to the restaurant just for the pizza.  I love prosciutto and truffles, so I felt like this was a no brainer.  However the pizza was bigger than he made it sound (he suggested it as an appetizer) and it came to the table room temp.  There was too much cheese made worse by the fact that it wasn't warm enough so it was very heavy to eat.  There was only one sad wimpy sliver of prosciutto on each slice, which I ate off the rest of the pizza after the first slice because I needed to leave room for the pasta.  The waiter was very attentive and kept a close eye on my wine glass, which I appreciated, but I was hoping for better food.  The last time I came here they had sea urchin pasta on special, and it was magical.  Will have to try to catch that next time.
  • Review from

    • 44 friends
    • 211 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    9/6/2013
    For a 30 dollars lunch I expect something delicious. This was not the case at Asellina.

    The lamb burger came without a bun. My friend pasta dish was watery and soggy. Neither dish was tasty or satisfactory. I ordered a cappuccino and that was not good either. Come on, Asellina. For the prices you charge, this is simply unacceptable.

    Quite a disappointment because I normally like the place for happy hour.
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 2 reviews
    East Boston, Boston, MA
    9/10/2013
    Good restaurant, decent food and great ambience. Also, the staff is very friendly and knowledgable.

    We were there for a special occasion and they made sure to make it feel special indeed.
  • Review from

    New York, NY
    8/11/2013
    Barely two stars.

    Come here if you enjoy bland eggs, overpriced everything, and a waiter who spills an entire iced coffee on your hubbie and puppy and then barely apologizes for it.

    Seriously, if you're going to charge $16 for a plate of terrible eggs, at least throw in a side of potatoes.  Not here.  All you get is overly toasted bread that tastes like its expiration date was last weekend.

    I kept staring across the street at packed Les Halles, wishing we'd made the better choice.  No wonder we were one of only 3 tables of diners here.  The old NYC rule proves true yet again - if it's empty, there's a reason.

    It's a shame this restaurant is so bad, given its convenient location and above-average decor.

    We'll never be back.
  • Review from

    • 7 friends
    • 9 reviews
    New York, NY
    8/30/2013
    I took my boyfriend here for his birthday dinner & since we dine out in nyc alot,  I wanted a place that he hadn't been to before that has great food (as he is particular) as well as have the atmosphere of a place you'd celebrate a special occasion. This place DID NOT disappoint.

    Let me start off with the decor, the wood & dim lighting made it very romantic & the booth type seating arrangement makes it cozy & seem more like you're the only ones in the restaurant.

    Next the food...
    We ordered the meatballs & salmon tartare for starters & they were delicious, nothing was left on the plates. For our entrees he had the salmon & I ordered the branzino, I didn't try his dish but he finished it right away, so I'd assume very good. My dish was full of flavor & was perfectly paired with a side of vegetables. We're not really dessert people but the options sounded very good.

    And lastly the service, our waiter was lovely he recommended a wine that would best go with our entrees & we loved every sip of that bottle.

    Great first impression & if this is standard for Asellina, my recommendation is to run don't walk to this restaurant.
  • Review from

    New York, NY
    7/26/2013 1 check-in here
    Despite having to wait 30 minutes upon arriving early after making reservations, my utensils not being clean enough and still having food particles on them, that all went down the drain because this place is just so bomb that all of that shit that would normally annoy me didn't matter in the end.

    Let's start with the doors. Wooden, sleek, god...so sexy! They were open and they felt so welcoming...and the place was booming. I mean, when I went there, no one was waiting for a table...then seconds later, there was almost a line out the door.

    All of their employees were so accommodating, polite and presentable. Excellent customer service.

    Even before the food came, I told myself and my coworker that I'm coming back here...without a doubt. No matter who with, I'm definitely coming back. I may say this a lot, but I really mean it this time. Asellina is my favorite place to eat at.

    I only came here for Restaurant Week. The complimentary bread and olive oil was something out of the ordinary. It felt alive...so fresh.

    My coworker and I shared dishes: the salmon tartare, which also came with a grapefruit salad and the Burrata for appetizers. Both were delicious!

    For our main dishes, I got the lamb gnocchi and she got the grilled calamari. We ended up switching dishes because we liked each other's dishes more.

    For dessert, got the coffee semifreddos that we both couldn't finish. We were so full...I tried to, but I couldn't even swallow at that point.

    We also shared a bottle of red wine.

    Also, the music choices were the shiznit. They played sexy club music at the start of the night, then sexy, sultry Latin music towards the end. I've never felt so happy (like I've won the lottery) after dining at a restaurant before last night. I can't stop gabbing about this place to everyone I make eye contact with.

    I want to die here.
  • Review from

    Manhattan, NY
    7/22/2013 2 photos 1 check-in here
    I came here for brunch with two others and absolutely loved it.  The service was beyond excellent and I really appreciated all the small things that make good service (changing your silverware, filling you water, remembering who ordered what, serving ladies first, etc).  There is seating in the front (more natural light) as well as at the bar and at the back of the restaurant (more tables, slightly darker more intimate setting).

    The brunch pitchers are made fresh - I tried both the brunch punch (very sweet, but so tasty) as well as the bloody mary (extra spicy, SO tasty) and recommend both.

    I loved the mushroom flatbread and I ordered the baked eggs (which comes in a small skillet).  The cheesecake trio was tasty, and FYI the tiramisu comes in a huge portion size.

    Highly recommend this place for brunch.
    • cheesecake trio
    • baked eggs brunch
  • Review from

    New York, NY
    7/22/2013 2 photos
    I had only gone for drinks on and off since it opened up, but finally got to try a full dinner there on a Monday night. I have always enjoyed the trendy and nice ambiance - it seems to have the chic - ness of a lot of MPD kinda places without the attitude,and its in my hood :-))!

    I had my staple drink Prosecco - which was a nice dry variety and I liked it. For appetizers we went with the special: Scallops in shells cooked in a cherry tomato, squid and blueberry sauce - was absolutely yummy and delicious. I always judge seafood depending on how fresh they are and the scallops were really very fresh! For entrees I had the special Pan seared trout with skin on, served with porcini mushroom sauce, with side of vegetables - artichokes (PERFECTLY cooked), baby yellow and orange carrots, asparagus and grape tomatoes - was heavenly.
    My friend tried the Herb Garganelli - which was a pasta cooked with Italian sausage (made fresh - you could taste the fennel and was yummy) and garlic, olive oil and broccoli rabe - I loved this dish - I am not fan of alfredo/marinara etc sauces, so this would be my perfect pasta dish.

    For dessert - I do recommend their gelati - we had cinnamon and dulce de leche flavors and this tasted like real gelato, not heavy creamy ice cream. Not that I dislike heavy creamy ice cream, for the summer gelato is just perfect.

    My next plan is to try brunch here - I am sure I will not be disappointed. Its also a good place for romantic dinner or small groups; the bar area is very social especially on weekdays, and very conversational for all you folks looking to mingle ;).

    Hope to see you out there. I forgot to give a shout out to our lovely, gracious and professional hostess - Annalie - she was absolutely wonderful in explaining and recommending drinks and food.
    • Pan seared trout with porcini sauce and vegetables - was a …
    • Scallop in shells with cherry tomatoes & blueberry sauce - …
  • Review from

    • 38 friends
    • 24 reviews
    Homewood, IL
    9/9/2013 Seated via OpenTable 1 check-in here
    We were suspicious of a restaurant in the hotel by definition.  They have a captive audience and we were tired but having seen some good reviews we gave it a try.  It was friendly, pretty and tasty.  We sat between inside and outside and watched people on the street during fashiion week while sharing two appetizers and a small flat pizza,  It was just right for the end of a long day of walking around town.
  • Review from

    Manhattan, NY
    6/3/2013 Seated via OpenTable
    The place is trendy and chic.  Located in the lobby of Gansevoort - Park Hotel, it definitely attracts the crowd.

    The place is big and spacious with limited outdoors seating.  The DJ is spinning anything from top 40 to 90s to keep a lively beat in the place.  The staff is extremely friendly -- didn't rush us at all.

    For drinks -- Contessa hit the spot with a little bit of Henessey and bitters with lime.  For the appetizers, we tried the wild mushroom flat bread which was great to share with a group of three.  To add, it was delicious and not very cheesy.

    Only downside was that it did not have too many vegetarian options for entrees.  It has two pastas -- spaghetti and ravoli.  I ordered the ravoli which was filled with cheese and cooked in butter sauce.  I must say it was very heavy and creamy.  I would recommend adding another pasta dish to the menu that can be made vegetarian.
  • Review from

    • 61 friends
    • 65 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    7/3/2013
    A very cool space, but a little on the pretentious side for me. Drinks are pricey. Food is good, but there's not much of it and expensive. Split the wild mushroom flatbread which was solid. Ordered the pappardelle for my main. While small, it was very delicious. Not worth the $24 price tag, however. I mean, its an average and easy to make pasta dish. Nothing special about it. My fiancee got the ravioli which was also over $20. Super small. While I thought it tasted good, it was far too rich and buttery for her to eat more than a couple of bites.

    Very cool decor and atmosphere. Perhaps I'll be back for a drink, but unlikely to return for dinner given the steep prices.
  • Review from

    • 12 friends
    • 1 review
    Manhattan, NY
    8/25/2013
    Extremely disappointing. Whilst the food was perfectly nice, the service was terrible. Our waiter was aggressive and totally without charm. He was checking out girls and flirting with them, right in the middle of taking our order. And the crowd itself felt mostly like tourists taking Instagram shots of their food - very Miami, and not the good part. I'll never go back.
  • Review from

    • 34 friends
    • 8 reviews
    Brooklyn, NY
    8/25/2013
    2 stars for the atmosphere. Mediocre service, inflated prices, and awful food. We went with a party of 8 and 7 of us hated our meal. We defiantly won't be coming back. Spend your money elsewhere
  • Review from

    • 28 friends
    • 12 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    8/8/2013 1 check-in here
    Great ambience and fantastic drinks but the food is average.   Had to return a dish because it was salty.
  • Review from

    • 11 friends
    • 42 reviews
    Staten Island, NY
    8/7/2013
    I went here for Restaurant Week a few years back and loved everything from their pizza, veal meatballs to their sangria. However this year I went back for brunch with my girlfriends and wasn't entirely impressed. The pizza was probably the best part of my meal but the drinks were watered down and I could've done with 2 out of the 4 entrees we ordered and shared. We purchased a Gilt City deal and had nothing with problems when giving it to the hostess. The voucher # wasn't good enough so my friend had to go to their print center (which was out of ink/paper) to print out a hard copy. Then we had to waste another 20 minutes waiting for the email version to go through (and I'm pretty sure she's still emailing her about it), it was just a hassle. Not sure if I'd go back but I do love the decor of the restaurant and the service isn't horrible either.

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