Locanda Verde
Chef Andrew Carmellini has some pretty good restaurants (NoHo Hospitality) that we’ve been to. Some recent ones that we really enjoyed include Cafe Carmellini and Carne Mare. Locanda Verde opened a second location in the Hudson Yards area. This is his ode to urban Italian cuisine, and we wanted to try this out because the exterior seemed very nice. I made a reservation for 2 for 5:15 on a Friday evening without any issues.
Ambiance & Service
The interior was very rustic with a lot of wood accents and casual bar chandeliers hanging overhead. The noise level got louder as people started coming in, but it wasn’t uncomfortably loud. We were seated in a corner booth where the circular table was fairly small. Despite the small size, it was just enough room for all the courses we ordered and our beverages.
The service was very speedy up until it was a full room. We did have to flag our waiter sometimes to get the check, but otherwise, everyone made sure to clean up the table and dishes pretty quickly.
Food
The Diego Conterno, Barolo ($35) came from Piedmont, Italy 2017. This Nebbiolo wine has a savory and classic taste to it. It had some oaky, leathery, and cherry fruits. It was medium body, just slightly bolder than a pinot noir, and it matched great with the veal and the lasagna.
The Faux Daisy ($15) came with aplos rise, agave, lime, and all the bitter orange bitters. My partner felt this was one of the best mocktails they’ve ever had. It tasted very herbal, clean, and refreshing with some nice scents.
The complimentary focaccia bread was divine. It had parmesan on top with some pesto flavors. It was also very soft and warm.
The Blue Crab Crostino ($28) was served basically on a single slice of bread and cut in half. Although it is expensive for what it is, they do give a nice hefty amount of blue crab. The meat was incredibly soft, sweet, and decadent. If you’re as big of a lover of crab as I am, this is a must get because of the generous amount of crab they pile onto the bread.
The Lumache ($36) came with Montauk red shrimp al limone. The pasta shells were cooked al dente perfectly, and it had a nice chewy texture. The shrimp was small, sweet, and on the chewy side. The sauce was on the saltier side, but it had enough acidity such that it was a good blend of savory flavors.
The Eggplant Lasagna alla Parmigiana ($32) came with eggplant, lasagna sheets, and parmesan. This was super hot, but it was pretty delicious. The tomato sauce was very robust and flavorful.
The Veal Saltimbocca ($52) came flattened with 30 month prosciutto on top and vincotto sauce. The vincotto sauce was like a sweet balsamic reduction that gave it some acidity. The prosciutto was difficult to discern at first glance. When I bit into the veal, it basically had a pepperoni texture and sensation. You get a nice balance of the veal flavors along with the saltiness of the prosciutto.
The Pistachio Crespelle ($18) came with a twenty-layer crepe cake and morello cherry sorbet. The crepe had the perfect balance of nutty and sweet. On the side, the morello cherry sorbet was a delightful, tart complement to the nutty flavors of the crepe.
Overall Impression
Locanda Verde was a pretty good Italian restaurant for a night out in the Hudson Yards area. Andrew Carmellini continues to have good, consistent restaurants that aren’t hard to nab reservations for.
Yelp Jabs
While I sat out that round, he skipped an appetizer, as I sampled the Spanish Mackerel Crudo with Green Olive. The fish had been sliced sashimi-style, and I had hoped it would have had more of a smoky flavor. Unfortunately, I found it very fishy instead.
Generally, I loathe anything that’s a crudo just because it depends a lot on the fish cut. Spanish mackerel is very unforgiving if it’s not properly prepared.
The bread it came on tasted like it was out for a bit/premade and then they just put some crab on top of it before serving. The bread service was infinitely better than this and I would not recommend ordering the Crostino.
The bread was not pre-made, but it was definitely toasted to order. The crab crostino is expensive for what it is, but it is not something you just eat without really absorbing and paying close attention to the flavors.
Revisions
- May 2, 2025 - Initial revision.