GNOCHETTI ruby red shrimp, controne bean puree, rosemary
A great way to enjoy Michelin stars on a "budget" is to visit during lunch (if they serve lunch - not all of them do!). Oftentimes, the menu has plenty of overlap with the dinner menu - just with lower prices and slightly smaller portions.
At Marea, the business lunch costs $42 and includes a primo (first course) and a secondi (second course). Depending on what you choose to order, this can be a fantastic value. For example, secondis on the dinner menu typically cost around $40 while the primos are in the $15-20 range. If you choose wisely, you can save more than $20 by eating at lunch instead of dinner.
Of course, if you choose pasta as your secondi instead, then it's not nearly as good of a deal, since the pastas only cost around $30 on the dinner menu.
Marea recently got "upgraded" and now is the proud owner of two Michelin stars. Considering the restaurant has only been around for 2 years, this is pretty incredible.
That must be why Marea was one of the two places (the other being Peter Luger) that Bryan really really wanted to visit during this New York trip.
Tasting of Crudos
We met up with Bryan's cousin for lunch, which is why you see everything in threes.
Although we all ordered the business lunch, (woo hoo, available on weekends!) we also added several special crudos for variety. The staff was very accommodating and gave us a nice sampling of some of their favorite crudos. Typically, the business lunch primo comes with just one larger crudo order or a "tasting of three crudos" ($8 supplement). We all ordered the "tasting of three" but also asked them to throw a few extras in there. [note -the tasting of three crudos typically costs $25 at dinnertime!]
RICCI sea urchin, lardo, sea salt
I had tried their signature Ricci the last time I was there. I remember thinking it was "perfection on a plate," and something I knew Bryan would love. Surprisingly, this signature dish was not on the lunch menu! Thankfully, when I verbally asked about it, they happily accommodated my request (phew!).
I still stand by my original declaration - the Ricci is incredible. It is something you must try if you like sea urchin. Just imagine - luxuriously creamy chunks of uni wrapped in paper thin sheets of lardo sitting on top of a perfectly toasted crostini. Serious perfection on a plate.
SPAGHETTI fresh cut semolina pasta, crab, santa barbara sea urchin, basil
The pastas at Marea are all excellent. It's really hard to choose a favorite! Having said that, I do think this "Spaghetti" is one of their best dishes. The homemade pasta is beautifully al dente and the rich flavors of the sea urchin blend beautifully with the crab and tomato sauce.
FUSILLI durum wheat pasta, red wine braised octopus, bone marrow
Another favorite is the fusilli with octopus and bone marrow. The bone marrow adds a layer of richness that deepens the flavors of the red wine braised octopus sauce. We all loved the al dente chewy texture of the thick fusilli, which also picked up the thick sauce really well!
GNOCHETTI ruby red shrimp, controne bean puree, rosemary
I ordered the gnochetti with ruby red shrimp (new for me this time) and I absolutely loved it! I had wanted something a little lighter, and the waiter recommended this dish. The texture of the homemade gnocchi was just the way I liked it (chewy with a bit of spring) while the sauce was very flavorful without being too salty or heavy. I easily ate the entire thing.
NOCCIOLA PRALINATO hazelnut, dark chocolate, lemon, mint 14
The business lunch did not include dessert, so the three of us decided just to share one dessert, which was excellent.
Mignardises! Biscotti!
Marea is definitely one of the best Italian restaurants we've tried in New York. Their pastas are phenomenal, and I personally really like the wide assortment of crudos as well.
If you like sea urchin, I would definitely highly recommend the Ricci as well as the Fusilli with red wine braised octopus and bone marrow sauce. If you want something lighter, the gnocchetti with ruby red shrimp is really, really good. Seriously, all the pastas are good. I personally think you can't go wrong with them - every single one I've ever tried has been phenomenal.
For a more complete review discussing many, many more dishes, check out the post I wrote when I had dinner there.
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Marea
240 Central Park South
New York, NY 10021
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