Paprika, NYC
Cuisine: Northern Italian
Neighborhood: East Village, Alphabet City
Price: $30-40 per person total + drinks
Phone: (212) 677-6563
Address: 110 St. Marks Pl, NYC 10009
Hours:
Brunch: 11AM-4PM
Dinner: Mon-Thu: 5PM-11PM, Fri-Sat: 5PM-11:30PM, Sun: 5PM-10:30PM
Paprika is a rustic Northern Italian restaurant nestled on St. Marks Place. The soft candlelight and the vines weaving along the ceiling evoke a warm and welcoming ambiance. I have been to Paprika a couple times; the first was for a friend’s birthday dinner on a quiet Sunday night and my party pretty much owned the restaurant that night. My most recent visit was late on a Saturday night and the place was packed. We had to wait a little bit for our table but it was reasonable wait time, especially taking into account our group size kept fluctuating. After a couple table switches, they ended up accommodating even our latecomers which was greatly appreciated.
The food here is solid and great bang for your buck. The menu features homey regional Alpine pastas such as the very popular Pappardelle with Braised Oxtail Ragu and the Lobster Maccheroni and Cheese. Paprika is well known for its handmade pastas, which are simply prepared and just done very well here. Outside of the pasta realm, the Tuscan Black Kale Salad was simply superb. The other savory entrées were good, but the pasta is definitely the main attraction here.
Paprika is a great value with its reasonable prices, and they even offer a prix fixe option from 5-7PM. You can order one appetizer and one main course for just $18! They also have Monday Funday during which all their wine bottles are 50% off. Talk about recession friendly! I adore this spot and think it provides that perfect casual venue for an intimate date or a chill group dinner.
STARTERS
Soup of the Day
I think this was split pea soup? Whatever it was, it was delicious
Beef Carpaccio, Arugula, Truffle Oil and Parmigiano
SALADS
Tuscan Black Kale Salad, Grana Padano, Pickled Red Onions and Almonds
Friggin’ amazing… this just melted in my mouth
PASTAS & GRAINS
Handmade Pappardelle with Braised Oxtail Ragu
Super hearty and meaty and one of their most popular items
Creamy Lobster Maccheroni and Cheese
Really creamy and not overly rich; nice soft balance of flavors
ENTRÉES
Lamb Meatballs with Green Lentils, Crushed Red Bliss Potatoes
Not my personal fave
Pan Roasted Arctic Char with Roasted Wild Mushrooms and Purple Potatoes
Delicious, flaky Arctic Char and roasted to perfection
DESSERTS
Tiramisu: Our homemade classic. Layers of sponge cake soaked in coffee, cream filling, sprinkled with cocoa powder
Panna Cotta: Vanilla flavored light and silky custard served with Cotto di Fichi – fig balsamic reduction
I love this silky panna cotta with that sweet balsamic reduction
food comas 