Spring has the scent of flowers in the air, and fall, well, now it’s all about white truffles. Tasting menus are pretty brilliant, when paired with white truffles, which are in season for the next two months (if we’re lucky). However, if you’ve noticed, it’s hard to find restaurants in NYC with white truffles this year, you’re right. Truffles have reached a staggering price of up to $5,000 a pound. And those are prices for restaurants, not even what we, as mere mortals, pay. For comparison, the pricing in NYC in 2019 rang in around $2,500 a pound for the most premium white truffles. Luckily, though, we have found the restaurants serving up white truffles in NYC now. You don’t even need to get on a plane to Italy, unless, of course, you want to.
The Restaurant: Babbo
On the Menu
This is why Babbo will always have a special place in our hearts: It always comes through for that quintessential New York Italian dinner. No pretense (as long as you get past the maître d’), just good music, warm service and great food. Every year, Babbo hosts a white truffle tasting dinner, which this year is $1,000 a pop. It’s for one night only, November 18, and reservations are on Tock.
The feast this year is six courses, and they’re going to break out the good wine from the cellar. This includes the Gaja, Cappellano and Mascarello. For food, there’s a tajarin pasta with white truffle and a steak tartare with quail egg and truffle vinaigrette. For dessert, there’s a warm La Tur with truffle honey.
The Restaurant: Marea
On the Menu
Marea is always one of the first in NYC to get the coveted white truffles. This year, which probably reflects the scarcity and the pandemic in general, Marea is serving it up old school. Tagliatelle pasta is perfectly al dente in a decadent butter and parmesan sauce. The pièce de résistance, of course, is the white truffle generously shaved on top. This rings in at about $165 per plate of pasta. Yes, you can share it with a friend or order it all to yourself. Check out our video from the first truffles of the season at Marea. Yes, you will savor every single bite.
The Restaurant: Daniel
On the Menu
While we’ll miss those cute chalets outside Daniel, it’s time to get back to the real business of fine dining. That’s exactly what’s back at Daniel, where seven-course tasting menus hark back to the glory days. Yes, your food should be too pretty to eat. This year, you can add white truffles onto your tasting menu for $160 for six grams. It’s your choice: have them on a creamy Acquerello rice risotto or a whole-wheat open ravioli in gorgonzola and parmesan emulsion. Yes, that’s your stomach grumbling, “feed me truffles.”
The Restaurant: Per Se
On the Menu
We love the entire idea of Per Se and have always supported this iconic restaurant that represents NYC fine, expensive dining. We have to say, though, the last few dinners pre-pandemic were less than inspiring. It was good food, but stuff you could get at many other New York City restaurants. However, our interest is piqued again, as not only does Per Se have white truffles but paired with caviar. On December 8, Per Se is hosting a white truffle and caviar tasting menu, and it’s already sold out for the 8 p.m. slot. There is room, though, at the 4:30 p.m. sitting, and it’s always a good time for white truffles and caviar. The nut is $1,200/person, prepaid on Tock.
The Restaurant: Eataly
On the Menu
We just love the Bastianich family. It’s like they’re bringing truffles to the people through Eataly. First, you can buy the famed white truffles at their gourmet emporiums and, if you’re in NYC, get them delivered on Mercato. Seven to 10 grams will run you $99, so you don’t even have to mortgage the house. Eataly makes the best fresh pastas, hands down, so pair them with ravioli, spaghetti or tajarin (check out the recipe) for any occasion at home.
Eataly restaurants Manzo and Orto e Mare are offering white truffles on seasonal dishes (including pasta). You can also choose a white truffle and have it shaved on every dish to your heart’s desire. We think Lidia Bastianich needs to run for some public office on a truffles-for-the-people platform.
