Da Andrea

Greenwich Village
35 West 13 Street
(between 5th Avenue and Avenue of the Americas)
New York, NY 10011
(212) 367-1979
Website
I was in the mood for Italian fare and wanted to try something new, so we decided to come to this restaurant my boyfriend found on Yelp.  We were seated upon arrival at a rustic wooden table, and the entire area was not small, but cozy and romantically lit.  Even before we had finished taking off our coats, a waiter had already appeared with a ceramic jug, asking if we wanted still or sparkling water.

The menu was simple and straightforward, listing dishes in both Italian and English.  I chose the pappardelle with sweet sausage and truffle oil ($14), while my boyfriend got the risotto of the day ($15), sausage and artichoke.  We were given a bread basket and olive oil to munch on as we awaited our meal.

Both types of bread were delicious, but the breadsticks were especially memorable.  They absorbed the olive oil well, and had a lovely doughy texture.

It didn't take too long for our food to come, and they were accompanied by waiters who proceeded to grate fresh cheese and pepper onto our food.  Both portions were smaller than expected, but just filling enough for both of us.  Both the rice and pasta were al dente (I personally like my food to be a bit on the softer side), but absolutely delicious.  The sausage in my pappardelle was bursting with flavor and the creaminess of the risotto was just right.  With such friendly and attentive waiter, and satisfying food, the portion size was forgivable.  While Da Andrea does swing a bit on the pricier side, I will definitely be coming back in the future.