Vento Trattoria – The Triangular Restaurant in Meat Packing District (Closed)
As of 2/14/2010, Vento has officially closed.
There are a number of ways I hear people judge restaurants. One friend bases his judgment on how often his water gets refilled, one judges French restaurants by their bread baskets. If we were to judge Italian by the meatballs, Vento would be pretty damn good.
Sundays at the meat packing district are pleasant affairs. Nippy as the weather is, the number and variety of the restaurants makes a walk around the block worth it. If you’re up for some solid Italian, Vento’s a good pick, and its triangular shape will probably make it easy to find.
Warm, bright and cozy inside, no matter what NYC throws at you.
I would’ve loved to sit at the tip of the restaurant, but my brother and I were there on a photo/video mission and the little table for two at the corner would’ve made it even harder to maneuver. We settled instead onto a table in the middle, surrounded by natural light and well dressed brunch goers.
A plate of breads immediately found its way to our table, and starch be damned, I almost ate the whole thing on my own. It was a little stack of Irish Soda Bread (a moist combination of flour, baking soda, raisins, buttermilk…) and a stack of cinnamon bread, which tasted really more like cake than anything you’d find in a bread basket.
We then ordered, as my friend would suggest, the meatballs and calamari to start and the funghi pizza. You’ll find the usual Italian fare on the menu for all around 6-15 dollars so definitely an affordable place for good food. Also, for a restaurant with so many windows it is surprisingly cozy and allows just enough of a peak through the curtains to people watch.
Exceptional meatballs
Tangy Calamari
The food came really quickly, but that could have been due to the light crowd on sunday. The meatballs were fantastic, perfectly moist and classically flavorful. The calamari was also just the right side to have with it, contrasting it with a crisp texture and refreshing dip.
Then came the pizza, with truffle oil, mozzarella, and a generous layer of mushrooms. For those who like the thin, crispy crust, this is going to be a good match. Personally I like a pizza with a more satisfying bite, a bit more…I have no words for it.
Completely forgot we needed a picture of the whole pie!
Glistening with truffle oil
After that, I indulged in the most scrumptious panini I probably ever had. The waiter had recommended it and this glorious creation consisted of two pieces of raisin bread, slathered with nutella and hugging a ton of mini marshmallows. My brother got the lackluster sorbet, but that is only in comparison, texture-wise, the sorbet makes for a refreshing way to finish the heavy flavors of the meal.
Panini, the sweet version
yes, they're that good. now back-off.
Even with a bit of a cold, the whole experience of the meal was just what one would expect a Sunday brunch to be. To look past the sniffles and shivers, it takes a lot of flavor, and Vento delivers.
Chow on and stay warm.
Rating: 
Jessie
