Where to Splurge on White Truffles in New York
In addition to humble, hearty produce like apples, pumpkin and squash, autumn is known for a decidedly more luxurious ingredient — White Truffles. And the supremely delicate, highly prized, and intoxicatingly aromatic fungi have arrived in New York early this year (warm and rainy weather conditions in Northern Italy produced a bumper crop), with prices down to a mere $1,000 a pound. Needless to say, that still amounts to some serious coin spent at restaurants, such as Nick Anderer and Danny Meyer’s new and chic pizza joint, Marta, Ai Fiori, Babbo and more, but once you’ve bitten into a sublime sliver of intensely earthy white truffle, you’ll know there’s simply no cost too great.
Marta
As if you needed any more reason to check out the just-opened Marta, Nick Anderer’s pizza-driven project with Danny Meyer, they just received an aromatic selection of white truffles from Alba. For $50, you can have one shaved over a thin-crusted Pizze Bianche, such as the Patate alla Carbonara with potatoes, guanciale, black pepper, pecorino, and a soft-cooked egg.
Read MoreRosemary’s
We can’t imagine there’s a better deal going on white truffles right now, than during the “Tartufi Piemontese” promotion at Rosemary’s. You can order 1 gram for a mere $10, or 5 grams for $40, shaved over or served alongside any menu item of your choosing; from Fig and Prosciutto Focaccia and a crunchy Kale Celery Caesar, to Fettuccine with Trickling Springs Cultured Butter and Smoked Lamb with Grilled Radicchio and Roasted Stone Fruit.
Read MoreAi Fiori
You might expect Michael White’s two Michelin-starred Marea to be one of the first New York spots to carry white truffles, but they’ve actually popped up at his Riviera-inspired Ai Fiori first. Executive chef, PJ Calapa, is wisely pairing them with two, otherwise understated dishes, including a toothsome tumble of Tagliatelle, and a pleasantly al dente Risotto.
Read MoreBabbo
Remember when Babbo was one of New York’s most sought-after dinner destinations? Well, the inimitable Batali-Bastianich team may have raised the bar several times over in the last few years (Del Posto, Eataly), but if you feel like a big baller-style blast from the past, go to Babbo for their infamous Beef Cheek Ravioli, followed by a Sunny Side-up Duck Egg topped with Guanciale and White Truffles, or a plate of Pappardelle tossed with White Truffles and Parmigiano ($120).
Read MoreThe Modern
They’re actually offering truffles at cost at Danny Meyer’s sleek and chic The Modern, tucked inside the Museum of Modern Art. So for a $38 supplement (at cost doesn’t necessarily mean cheap), you can order the Seared Sweet Potato Gnocchi from the tasting menu, coated in a scrumptious snowdrift of pure white truffles.
Read MoreRecette
It’s a given that most of New York’s top-of-the-line restaurants will take advantage of white truffle season, but if you’d prefer to splurge in a more casual setting, check out Jesse Schenker’s relaxed American bistro, Recette. The West Village newcomer recently received a bountiful shipment from Tuscany, which will be showcased over rustic strands of starchy, Fresh Cut Spaghetti.
Read MoreCasa Lever
Aside from their sizable collection of original Andy Warhol portraits (a whopping 31 of them!), the current highlight at this Midtown Milanese restaurant is their silken, housemade Tagliatelle, which, adorned with little more than a slick of good butter, serves as the perfect palette for an extra-generous shower of lacy white truffles.
Read MoreLe Cirque
Le Cirque’s Alba-sourced White truffles are priced at $150 across the board, with the option to have them shaved over a mound of homemade Tagliatelle, crowning a simple Baked Potato, or incorporated in a creamy puddle of Vialone Nano Rice; a stout, Arborio-like grain from the Veneto region. Or, for a comparatively low cost, you can try pinwheels of ivory mushroom spooned atop a $40 dessert — a truffle trifle of sorts, layered into a martini glass with Vanilla Ice Cream, Almonds and Brown Butter.
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