Monday, October 21, 2013

Fabio Piccolo Fiore- Midtown East

Another really nice looking place crowded into dense Midtown

Yelper's really like it with a few naysayers...let me look at those...OK 1) Food is bland 2) Took them too long to get seated...as I said, others fall in love with the chef, etc.

Fabio Piccolo Fiore

4.0 star rating
74 reviews Rating Details
Category: Italian  [Edit]
230 E 44th St
(between 3rd Ave & 2nd Ave)
New York, NY 10017
Neighborhood: Midtown East
(212) 922-0581
Make a Reservation
Nearest Transit Station:
Grand Central - 42 St. (7, 7X)
Grand Central - 42 St. (4, 5, 6, 6X)
Grand Central - 42 St. (S)
Hours:
Mon-Thu 12 pm - 10:30 pm
Fri 12 pm - 11 pm
Sat 4 pm - 11 pm
Sun 4 pm - 9:30 pm
Parking:
Street
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Price Range:
$$$
Attire:
Casual
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
No
Takes Reservations:
Yes
Delivery:
Yes
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
Yes
Wi-Fi:
No
Good For:
Dinner
Alcohol:
Full Bar
Noise Level:
Quiet
Ambience:
Romantic
Has TV:
No
Caters:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
No

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74 reviews in English

  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 149 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    9/20/2013
    I went here for lunch a little late well fater the mad crowds have departed on a regular Lunch hour. When I entered the restaurent I did not see anyone for 2 minutes and it was not a good sign, then the host showed up and appologized and got me a table.

    I decided to get the lunch special as it seems to be a decent option for Appatizer, Entree & Coffee for 23$. Was I in luch as they had a Lentil soup that has got to be one of the best I have had in a long time, I some how brought back nostalgic memories of eating in a small restaurant in Milan few years ago.... excellent soup,

    For the Main course I had the Rigatoni with eggplant in marinara, It was cooked Al-dante and the eggplant was sliced rigth at the same time they did not vanish when it was sauteed with the pasta. I ate it all and only stopped short of wiping the plate clean.

    I had the coffe that was smooth and not burned or tase off like the Diner coffee at breakfast. They waited frequented my table and filled wated as soon as the level dropped, everyone was nice and over all a very positive experience.

    Its a bit prict as it ran me 30$ inclusing tip (generous tip), I sure will re-visit when I find time & money.
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 3 reviews
    Mattituck, NY
    10/21/2013 Seated via OpenTable
    Food was excellent. Will return.
  • Review from

    • 9 friends
    • 19 reviews
    Danbury, CT
    Updated - 7/30/2013 Seated via OpenTable
    In this NYC neighborhood this is the finest Italian Restaurant. From appetizer to desert. Try the fish at table side preparation with garlic oil!
    Every time a Dining Experience.

    1 Previous Review: Show all »

    • 3/4/2013
      Staff were top of their game. The service was only surpassed by the quality of food! We had the… Read more »
  • Review from

    • 178 friends
    • 150 reviews
    Brooklyn, NY
    9/4/2013 1 check-in here
    I really was impressed by what is going on here. From the outside this restaurant is unassuming. Inside it is cozy yet quite large. The waiters are very attentive but not overly so. The menu is traditional Italian fare. The chef executes each dish with finesse. We enjoyed our meal here very much. Certainly a place worth returning. Great for date night or big groups.
  • Review from

    • 24 friends
    • 8 reviews
    Irvine, CA
    10/4/2013 Seated via OpenTable
    This is one of my go-to restaurants in this neighborhood. Great Italian food -- my favorite is the veal milanese -- perfectly cooked, topped with salad. The service is very helpful and friendly, attentive to detail. Although the list of wines by the glass is somewhat limited, there is enough to choose from. A great place to take people from work, family, or to have a romantic dinner out.
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 66 reviews
    Matawan, NJ
    8/24/2013
    The food is so good that I actually fell in love with Chef Fabio!!!  If you don't like what's on the menu or the specials he is serving that evening, he will customize a dish for you!!!  All you have to do is tell him what kinds of foods you like and he'll put together a creation all his own based on your likes and serve you a masterpiece on a plate!!!!

    We had our Christmas party there one year and the food was orgasmic!!!  Yes.  I said it.....orgasmic!!!!  Oh, and he makes his own fresh mozzarella too!

    Gotta get the Perseco too!!!

    Desserts...to die for.

    I highly recommend this place.  Love you Fabio!!!
  • Review from

    • 52 friends
    • 119 reviews
    Los Angeles, CA
    6/9/2013
    Bland, Expensive , and forgettable. The chicken was drowning in a sauce void of substance. The pasta was overdone and cooked with canned mushrooms. The zagat ratings don't make any sense. The food was similar to the tourist traps in little Italy without the price tag. They might consider adding a pizza to their menu.
  • Review from

    • 1 friend
    • 20 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    7/20/2013
    The restaurant decoration is a bit old fashion, that's why I am not giving 5 stars: the food is excellent, the service is great and the price reasonable. I think the best italian food in the neighborhood!
  • Review from

    • 49 friends
    • 24 reviews
    Bend, OR
    5/25/2013
    Excellent service, food and place for great dinner. Fabio the owner made the evening stopping by and ensuring we has a wonderful experience!
  • Review from

    WALL STREET, NY
    11/11/2012
    Cute place - love how the piano is playing when you first walk in...its romantic

    When you sit down, they give you fresh bruschetta --- very very good

    We ordered
    Ceasar Salad - very good and refreshing
    Fried calamari - very good
    Gnocchi alla genovese - pasta was very fresh and homemade..the sauce was OK
    Pasta alla Chef - my BF LOVED this... they bring it over in a large parmesan cheese bowl. The waiter puts in the pasta and mixes it around -- my BF said the cheese was to die for and the pasta was very fresh
    Chardonnay wine bottle
    Cannoli - WOW. They give you 3 fresh homemade cannolis.. the filling was incredible
    Creme Brulei - my BF loved this

    Recommended - the only thing I had a problem with was the service. The waiter was not as attentive as I would have liked but other than that, the place is great.
  • Review from

    Queens, NY
    8/16/2012 2 check-ins here
    I've dined her twice with colleagues, once for dinner and once for lunch.
    During dinner service there's a piano player.  It has a nice atmosphere and was dimly lit.  We ordered the Osso Bucco special that evening and it was of gigantic dinosaur thigh proportions.  Not only was it huge, but the platter was so heavy.  It must've been a work out for the waiters.  It was delicious, tender, and falling off the bone.  The accompanying carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes were also delightfully light and balanced out the meal.  I also had the Papardelle al Porcini because it reminded me of my favorite Italian pasta from Il Poeta in Forest Hills.  It was good but not as fresh as the freshly made pasta that I'm used to at Il Poeta.

    Overall the atmosphere and the service was amazing.  The waiter recommended a dessert that we weren't exactly pleased with, not that we complained but he brought us another one on the house.

    For lunch, forget restaurant week.  They have a regular Prix fixe for $20 which includes an appetizer and main course.  The main course is perfectly portioned for a lunch meal.  I had the veal scaloppine with marsala sauce.  It was sweet and I was happy with the portion.  Desserts are typically $10 a piece, so if you share it  you have your RW menu.

    The place is usually quiet for lunch so you can have a nice conversation and not have to shout across the table.  For dinner, it does tend to be a bit louder since you have to talk over the piano player.   One of the nicer quiet places around Grand Central.
  • Review from

    • 11 friends
    • 103 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    2/28/2013
    It's a solid, nice restaurant. I came here for lunch and everyone in our party enjoyed what they ordered. I started with the mussels appetizer, which was a great start to the meal. For my main meal I had the lobster ravioli, which was delicious as well. For dessert, which was the BEST part of my meal, I ordered the Italian Gelato - didn't expect much, but it was the best gelato I had ever had (way better than the warm chocolate cake that everyone else ordered). YUM! This is a restaurant that I would be more than happy to dine at again but probably won't actively seek out in the future.
  • Review from

    • 31 friends
    • 56 reviews
    Chicago, IL
    3/8/2012 1 check-in here
    Let's just say a $20 lunch special in New York City that includes an appetizer, entree, and coffee or tea after your meal already had me in shock.  Located in Midtown off 3rd Ave, you walk into a sub level restaurant, small but nice decor and the service was good.  The hostess did not smile much, so I guess she was from New York.  Excellent fresh mozzarella and the stuffed mushrooms had me dragging my bread through the sauce.

    I was so full from the appetizers that I did not think I could eat my entree, but the veal in a lemon butter sauce with fresh green beans draped in garlic was amazing.  I could not believe how fast someone ate my food!

    There is nothing super original about the place, which is why I gave it a 3 out of 4 stars.  Good food, but I am not compelled to take out of towners there, or go back until I have more Italian cuisine experiences in NYC.  Yet, if I had a budget and needed a good meal, I'd head back.
  • Review from

    • 2 friends
    • 2 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    1/2/2013
    Chose this place for NYE dinner based on positive Yelp reviews.  We were very underwhelmed.  We had an 8:30 reservation which they called us the day before to confirm.  We arrived on time, and were told our table would be ready any minute.  We sat at the bar for 40 MINUTES before being seated. I understand NYE is busy but that was ridiculous.  We checked in several times with the host who was very apologetic, but we were not offered a free drink or appetizer or anything, which would have helped.

    Food: Mediocre at best.  We had the baked salmon (dry and sauce was way too sour ) and the fettucine with veal ragu (very bland taste and not very much veal in the ragu).  We did not receive fresh bruschetta when sitting down as other reviews mentioned.

    Service was fine, but prices are a bit expensive for the quality of everything.  I definitely wouldn't return.

    Also, the crowd was predominantly 50+ year olds.
  • Review from

    • 129 friends
    • 373 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    6/14/2011
    African Lobster = HA-UUGE!
    Somehow ate 90% of it on my own.
    Probably bc I am AWESOME.

    Don't remember much of an appetizer, but I do remember sadly not finding anything on the dessert menu too interesting :( :(

    Or did I? Yes! Probably! I probably had the cheesecake bc that's how I roll.

    Oh, and was there a piano playing near our table? Think so.
    And the server (who looks like a semi-Turkish Antonio Banderas) was uber cool. Not only did he take our pic with the ginormus lobster, but upon me saying "My friend Mario thinks he had a huge lobster in Cancun...", Waiter-Guy exclaimed in that awesome accent: You gonna tell Mario that YOUR lobster is bigger!", then took the photo.  We couldn't help but giggle. (And yes, I *did* tell Mario that my lobster is bigger, in case your wondering. Tagged him in the pic, even.)

    So anyways, snatched some fruit off my guy's friends huge fresh fruit plate specially made by Fabio (as he did) when the guy stepped away for a call. They are all friends with Fab apparently and he came out and chatted late in the meal. He was sooo mice, and even insisted staying past close to make our last friends who just arrived whatever meal they desired. Now THAT'S Italian hospitality.

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