Long Island City Wednesday afternoon linkage; Rosasco off the Dem ballot

i’d be surprised if testaccio opens in october… it doesn’t even look close to being finished! nevertheless i’m looking forward to it.

Tripe! Gee whiz just what I’m dying to have. They will be coming in throngs for the tripe!

They were suppose to open back in August. Not.

I don’t have any issue with Testaccio coming, and I think it will absolutely be beautiful. However. If that restaurant is going to succeed, it doesn’t matter how Manhattan-like the ambiance, or how much money the owners spent on the renovation… it will all come down to how good the food is. Their menu has to be so stellar, that it can outdo Manducatis, Manettas, Bella Via and Rustica…. all of which are legends in LIC and have loyal followings. Of course everyone will venture out to try Testaccio, but most of the bedroom community will be off to Manhattan or Brooklyn, as they usually are. And the core people who actually do eat off the streets in LIC, will resume their regular patronage of established Italian restaurants that serve killer food in a very un-Manhattan type atmosphere. This would not apply if this restaurant was not Italian. I think the other new place next door, comfort food or whatever, will do really well by comparison, simply because there is not already an abundance of that type of restaurant in a neighborhood where only a small population regularly eats on Vernon Blvd. Just my 3 cents.

Manducatis, Manettas, Bella Via and Rustica…. all of which are legends in LIC.

Really???? I find the food atmost of these places uninspired and bland esp. Rustia. I have had better Italian food elsewhere without even trying. None of these have reached legendary status in my book. When I think of great italian food the names that come to mind are Babbo or Il Mulino in the village. These are legends and make Bella via et. al. look like Chef Boyardee.

Eeveryone is entitled to their opinion, but manducatis does not hold a candle to Babbos in my book.

#11 – I was not comparing Babbo to Manducatis – I was pointing out to you that there are many different styles of Italian cuisine and one can be as enjoyable as the other if they are properly prepared. One does not have to “hold a candle” to the other. Just because you do not find Manducatis to your taste does not merit your comparing it to Chef Boyardee. Make your reservation at Babbo and say hi to Mario – that is if he is anywhere on the premises, which I understand is a rarity these days.

None of the Italian places around Vernon are great. Some of their food is ok, and Bella Via has good pizza, but nothing great. Trattoria L’Incontro in Astoria is amazing. Babbo is great. I like Acappella in Tribeca. Brooklyn has some very good Italian restaurants. The ones on Vernon are not in the same category as those.
I do agree that unless Testaccio is as good as some of the ones mentioned here, it is a bad idea to have ANOTHER Italian place. We need better variety.

I agree #16