My partner had another theater show to go to, so I was tasked for looking something near the Theater District. We were watching some random TV show, and they showed lasagna. I don’t remember the context, but my partner wanted that. As we’re still exploring the Hell’s Kitchen area, I ended up finding this restaurant that we were able to walk in since the reservation system doesn’t work at all.
From their website:
Amarone Scarlatto Italian Restaurant features a magical combination of excellent Italian cuisine and the finest wine selection. The Finest pasta, seafood, and meats are served up by the most talented waiters anywhere. The venue has brick walls decorated with stills from Roman Holiday and photographs of Italian celebrities.
Amarone Scarlatto Restaurant offers authentic, hearty Italian food. We specialize in private parties, perfect for small or large groups, combined with unsurpassed quality and service in such an elegantly appointed environment has made Amarone Scarlatto a local favorite.
Ambiance & Service
The interior reminded me of a bistro where the tables can be fairly tight, but it can have a lot of bustling ambiances. Along the walls, they have photographs of Italian celebrities.
The service was very attentive. Do note that they charge an extra surcharge for using credit card. For us, it was around $3.80.
Food
They gave us complimentary bread with olive oil. This was no frills. There were some crispy, long and crispy breads in here that had a lot of herbs on it. My partner didn’t like it at all, but I liked it. The other breads soaked up the olive oil just fine.
The glass of Nebbiolo ($15) was definitely medium body and had more acidity and tannins than the other Italian wines I’ve had. I’m normally a Chianti or Montepulciano type of drinker. On the menu, they don’t specify the vineyard. It definitely paired well with my veal, but I think I would’ve preferred my normal Italian wines.
The Crab Cakes ($24) came with creamy corn. The crab cake was decent. Admittedly, we’ve been spoiled by other great crab cakes, so we thought this one wasn’t anywhere close to the best we’ve had. The crab cake tasted like it was frozen, but the crab meat was densely packed. The creamy corn was interesting, but it was mostly forgettable. The corn didn’t have a lot of sweetness out of it, so I’m not sure if that would work well with something that’s been fried and heavily seasoned.
The Polipo E Ceci ($26) came with grilled octopus, potato, string beans, cherry tomatoes, arugula, and pesto sauce. This was surprisingly plentiful of octopus, and it was pretty decent. The octopus, albeit not the freshest out there, was a little on the chewy side.
The Vitello Saltimbocca ($37) came with veal loin, prosciutto, sage, fontina cheese, and sautéed spinach. The veal loin was cut into thin slices, and it was somewhat overcooked. The veal meat was actually a little dry. The prosciutto reminded me of ham that was heavily baked in an oven and dried out. Other than that, the flavors of the meat and sauce were reasonable for the price. The sauteed spinach tasted like it was overcooked, and it was hard to chew due to the stems stuck together. The chefs should have cut these spinach leaves and stems into smaller pieces. The potatoes were decent, although they were a tad over-seasoned.
The Paccheri Alla Bolognese ($25) came with homemade meat sauce. My partner ordered this, and compared to other lasagnas we had, this one was a good size but not as tasty as others. The sauce was very sweet, and the layers of meat vs dough could have been better.
Final Verdict
Amarone Scarlatto reminds us of other fair priced Italian restaurants in the city. The price is not as expensive as other Italian places, and the food portions are definitely reasonable. If you’re looking for a reasonably priced date night or a quick theater dinner, this is definitely reasonable to try out. However if you’re looking for elevated Italian food, there are better places.
Yelp Jabs
By far the best Italian food near Times Square! The restaurant has been in the family for years.
I don’t know why Yelpers like this person from Washington state litter reviews with a random comment like this.
I had gone here for years … Today, I brought an out of town friend telling him I was bringing him to get the best chicken parm in the city and what we got was what looked like a lean cuisine with a thin piece of cheap cheese on it.
Another Yelper who clearly has the wrong expectations for New York Italian restaurants. I totally understand people returning to their anecdotal amazing experiences, but one thing I would stress to folks that don’t live in Manhattan is that there is a plethora of Italian restaurants. Can this restaurant really have the best chicken parm in the city? Maybe if it’s the only one you’ve ever had. Ok fine, maybe if it’s the best 1 of 2 that you’ve had.
Revisions
- Apr 5, 2024 - Initial revision.