Uva

The Upper East Side is one of those neighborhoods I rarely find myself in.  So when my aunt requested a reservation near her office on Upper East Side, I struggled until I remember a recommendation (Uva) from a friend that lives local.

Uva features a garden dining area in the back but due to torrential downpours, it was understandably unavailable.  There are also several tables on the sidewalk for additional outdoor seating options.  

While it took a long time to figure out who our server was and receive attention from her, after our server made initial contact with us, she was attentive throughout our meal.  

Uva offers wine flights until 7pm which is a fun wine option (alas, the days of getting out of work before 7pm, sigh).  There are various varietal and regional red, white and champagne options.  Uva also boasts an impressive wine bottle menu, which is heavily focused on Italian wines but also featured wine from different regions.  The wine menu offered terrific wine options at every price range.

The dining menu at Uva is large and the ambiance lively.  The outdoor seating provides a more romantic vibe.  On Thursday night, there wasn't an empty table in the dining room.  We enjoyed most of the dishes we ordered so I plan on returning if I find myself on the Upper East Side again.  I would like to try a few dishes I didn't order, like the Burrata Barese and the Chicken stuffed with tomatoes, artichokes and cheese.  Some of the dishes we had fell short of expectations, like the Meatball appetizer.  So be choosy.  But at this price point, Uva can afford to have a few misses (just don't order them readers, that's why I have a "What to Eat" section ;)).

What to Eat:

The Bruschette with Ricotta and Truffle Honey is a MUST.  The creamy ricotta with a hint of truffle oil was coated in a sweet honey.The toasted bread was crusty without being burnt.  I think this is going to be my new go to appetizer or hor d'oeuvres when hosting dinner.

The Pappardelle al Ragu di Vitello was also very good.  The pappardelle noodles, my personal favorite, were cooked the way I like them, just a smidge longer than al dente.  This dish is perfect if you are hungry because Uva provides a generous portion, of its hearty veal ragu sauce.

The surprise of the night was the Chocolate Salami.  I made our server describe it twice because it sounded a bit strange yet appetizing.  The Chocolate Salami is a log of chocolate that has a cookie dough consistency with pieces of vanilla cookies in the chocolate.  The log is lightly coated with powdered sugar and served with a side of sweet whip cream.  It was delicious!

Looking for a charming Italian wine bar/restaurant? Snag a table in Uva's garden,

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