Is VIA CAROTA Worth The Hype? NYC's BEST Italian Restaurant?
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- čas přidán 31. 05. 2024
- Among all the many famous Italian restaurants, Via Carota may be regarded as the best by New Yorkers and tourists alike. Unlike famous Italian American restaurants in NYC, like Carbone and Carmine's, Via Carota is known for serving more authentic Italian food, and the dishes are often more simple. However, their taste is anything but simple!
When it comes to the best Italian restaurants in NYC and the most exclusive restaurants in NYC, Via Carota is definitely up there. The restaurant is walk-in only for the most part. They do have a reservation system but it is down most of the time. Even arriving at 3pm, I still had to wait about 20 minutes just for bar seating for one person! Is this place worth the crazy hype? We put their famous Via Carota cacio e pepe and their famous Via Carota wild boar ragu to the test.
The place may pack crowds and be highly regarded by critics and locals alike, but is Via Carota truly the best Italian restaurant in New York City or is it an Emperor's new clothes situation? We'll see if it lives up to the hype and if it's significantly better than my favorite authentic Italian restaurant in NYC, L'artusi!
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Restaurant Deets:
Via Carota
51 Grove St, New York, NY 10014
For the cacio e pepe, the pasta you got there is fresh and fresh pasta can't have that al dente texture, you can only get that from dried/instant pastas.
I saw this comment several times in the last Italian video he did, I don't think he realizes this 😢
@@HipHopCantSaveMe Ohh prolly UA doesn't read comments that much then 😂
Indeed it was probably homemade. I should have clarified that in the vid and I did suggest it at the time but it didn't make the final cut. My take is while homemade pasta is more work it's not always better due to it never having that al dente bite. If they used dried pasta here it may have been a better dish while also allowing them to charge a more reasonable price.
@@uaeats Well, I'm just speechless that you noticed and replied to my comment. Been watching you since 5k subs and all I want to say is I love your vids and wishing your channel to grow more like those of Mikey Chen's or Mark Weins'.
Thank you!@@jettfunn
27 Dollars for a super simple dish like Cacio e Pepe? New York is insane😂
Slightly expensive but honestly pretty good for NY. Not sure where you live but even when I’m visiting parents in Richmond VA pasta prices are in the low to mid 20s.
@@ruffinsinNO This is why I rarely go out for italian. So easy to make at home for a fraction of the price.
Where I live in Missouri, for Eye Italian (as we say it) we have Fazoli"s and if you really want to go uptown, we have Olive Garden. (Sbarro 's used to be in the mall but they closed). At Olive Garden, I can get a whole meal for $27 and that includes unlimited salad and breadsticks as long as you eat in the restaurant and don't get carryout to eat in the pick-up truck.
I send back any pasta dish where the pasta isn’t cooked right!
Cacio e pepe is literally just cheese and pasta water I don’t know why people willingly pay to get it outside of home
Love your channel UA. Glad that you continue with frequent videos. My favorite thing to watch if I’m eating alone!
Dude come on I'm a big fan but you take your hat off when eating at a halfway decent restaurant you aren't at McDonald's
Nice job eating the food right away! This is a great format when you order the food in rounds so it doesn't come out all at once. You're definitely growing in your reviews, nice work!
You have to order the non pasta dishes to understand why it's so good. Especially the vegetable and salad dishes
Absolutely fantastic review. Not my favorite restaurant but I highly respect it!! You captured the dishes beautifully.
UA!!! U da MAN!! Love your restaurant food videos! Keep up the great work! 👍
UA. Good video! I like the reviews that you were doing. I don’t think I would ever spend that much money on a pasta dish like that but then again I don’t live in New York City. Keep up the good videos cause I love to see the information and I love food.
UA back again with a banger! Keep it up! Keep rockin!!!!!
Homey that is far more then likey farm raised boar. Breeding Iberico hogs or Russian hogs. Boar is just a tusked male hog. They use captured hogs as breading stock. The wild part is eye catching on menus. Fun fact. The domestic farm pig is one of the fastest animals to go feral. In a matter of a few months they can start growing tusks and be completely wild and undomesticated. They will start growing thicker hair and become alot more aggressive.
Love the reviews!
Love your content. 👍🏼
Another great video.
UA hopefully your honeymoon is in Italy it would be great to hopefully get you more Italian wears in your vocabulary haha. Thanks for the content this year keep it up!
Big fan. But the face you make when you really like the food looks like you hate the food 😂
I rarely comment but you do a fun job of reviewing eateries. I like your style over many of the other reviewers that seem so self indulgent. Plus your production is very professional My only small criticism the music -the same piano riff for 15 mins gets tiresome, Keep up the great work!
Thank you for the kind words! The music seems very divisive, some love it some hate it. I'm glad you like the production as it's just me and my phone and a shotgun mic
The piano music is essential. It’s part of the UA signature. I like how no trendy music is present
I actually like the music 🤷
That's really insane $27 pasta for that small of a bowl and ingredients. That place is making bank.
If you take into consideration how cheap pasta really is they are ripping you off.
I’ve paid a $100 for a small truffle pasta dish in the Village back in the early 2000s. It was very expensive back then considering the ancient days. But it was worth it because it had a unique flavor profile that you can’t find anywhere
Well it’s nyc. It’s a shithole
Until you figure in the taxes, overpriced employee costs and rent. Still might be making bank but they have a ton of overhead, no doubt.
Yes, that plate looks small. Unless it’s a huge fork.
Aww you didn’t try the veggies! The pastas here are outstanding and usually al dente (you may have had an unusually overcooked bowl). But the veggies are what bring me back to Via Carota over and over again. No one makes veggies like they do - off the charts in freshness and creative preparations. And always delish!
PS they don’t take reservations.
Hey UA, it’s Austen from the Newport Mall food court 😂 - great video…my fav in NY is Lupa, worth a try if you haven’t yet. Always nice running into ppl from the same area, and congrats on your recent decision! If you ever make it down to the DC area, hmu and we can show you a few good spots.
I definitely remember you and our conversation! I hope you and Susie had a great time in NYC/North Jersey despite how hectic it gets this time of year. I'll look into Lupa and I may take you up on that offer if I'm ever in DC!
Looks good, I'll have to try! Literally around the corner is Suprema Provisions, and I'm there often. Give that a try. However, my absolute favorite was on W14th, and closed with all the covid BS. Crispo was one of the best in the city, but now gone.
I look forward to trying this spot because of your review!
The Pappardelle pasta looked great. It’s designed to have a rough side so the sauce holds onto it. Seems to have done the job!
It was outstanding!
I think it's crazy how expensive Italian restaurants price their pasta dishes. Even if they buy imported pasta, seriously, how much does that really cost? And pasta dishes aren't that complicated, so you could probably make most of them at home without a huge amount of effort.
Getting pasta right at home is easy but there are some techniques that many home cooks get wrong where the balance is off. Also making fresh pasta is not common for many people. As a home cook I like going out and paying for it because I can learn something new…..Also, if you’re a nurse or well paid professional, it’s perfectly fine to treat yourself to a restaurant even if you’re getting “ripped off”. Going out and getting served can also be therapeutic after a stressful week.
It is not crazy if people buy it. Italian eateries are the new trend with the young professional crowd who have money to blow. You can make that dish at home for 6 bucks worth of ingredients but you wouldn't "be seen" and have ZERO social media clout. That's why they buy it. Attention.
That’s why back on kitchen nightmares gordon ramsay used to talk about pasta all the time and how cost effective it was to have on the menu
It's NYC in general that's expensive, this place is over hyped. I'd rather goto morandi. They have the best cacio e pepe in the city.
Cacio e Pepe in Rome is between €10 - €14 Euros and portions are bigger than that. Went to Tonarello in Trastevere and you get it served in an individual sauce pan which is pretty cool. Would love to see you get to Italy to try out their versions. They’re simple and you can tell the source ingredients are the stars. Although watch out for some rip off tourist joints selling microwave food near Trevi fountain etc.
Yeah, but you have to also take into account, that New York rental prices are probably 5-10x more than in Italy, and salaries 2-3x higher. They can never sell anything there cheaply.
yep NYC has become crazily expensive for both businesses and consumers
Love review love there wild boar ragu. They also own Buvette
That’s not smoke coming off the pasta….it’s steam.
Tony Soprano: Take off your hat @UA EATS. They dont serve hot dogs here.
Bro ur the man!
The best thing to get there are the vegetables. I worked there in the before-times, so I've basically tried everything. I ate some variation of the Insalata Verde everyday for family meal, and I LOVED it everyday.
According to their menu, insalata verde is leafy greens in sherry vinaigrette. What kind of daily variations do you mean?
I meant at family meal, they would always serve a leafy green salad in that vinaigrette, but since it was staff meal, there could have been other additions or variations. My point is that I thought it was so delicious, I could eat it everyday.
Life was better in the before times!!
Your opinion doesn't matter..you work there dummy
Thanks for the insider tip! I will definitely try the vegetables next time
They look like homemade pasta, which is why its not al dente like you are saying - looks outstanding!
Pappardelle always makes me think of Italian pasta in New York. It’s hands down my favorite pasta. I also like it with a lamb ragu. Yum 😋
I had the wild boar ragu in Florence a few months ago. That looks legit and my favorite!!!
Bagna Cauda is a vegetable dip of hot butter, olive oil, anchovies, and garlic. Delicious.
Don’t know if anyone mentioned this, pretty sure pasta was dishes were not the Secondi so would not be a big bowl. Also your complaint about a fresh pasta dish not being al dente, it's not possible to achieve al dente status with fresh pasta or homemade pasta dough.
If you go back be sure to try the Svizzerina...it is an amazing deeply charred burger that is to die for.
the pasta noodles are most likely home made, so can't really get them al dente. You can ask for extra pepper as most do. When you are eating in a high quality Italian restaurant, the customers expect home made pastas. You sure are paying enough for it.
Exactly this. This is fresh made so will not be al dente like dry pasta.
Yeah I should have clarified that I knew the pasta was homemade. I actually said it at one point but it didn't make the final cut. To clarify yeah it's probably homemade but homemade pasta is not always better despite being more work, precisely because it doesn't have that bite. But of course everyone has their own preference
This is the correct answer UA. I don't know why so many assume fresh pasta is always better, it isn't. Some dishes require it, some dishes require dry pasta. For example a clam or seafood sauce with fresh spaghetti/linguine is a no go for me.
@@uaeats Absolutely, some dishes require dry pasta and just not possible with fresh pasta. Calcio e Pepe, Carbonara and so on.
You wore an Eagles hat in NYC? Mad respect
UA you must have the best Italian food in Queens. It located in Corona and called Park Side Restaurant. You will not be disappointed. Look forward to your review. Make a reservation.
Thanks
Great review. I was just wondering why are you still wearing a knit cap and scarf inside a high end Italian restaurant?
Let the gentleman be free. Stop acting like his mom
Low-quality people like you hate it when others hold them to a standard@@ramencurry6672
Why does it matter? Are you just some pompous fuck who thinks he wasn't "respecting", the restaurant?
$27 for a pasta - for a place that you cannot get into. I tell my daughter to NOT do this and save while living in NYC. But that seems to be a contrarian view 😩
I don’t fully agree. Finding good Italian restaurant pasta dishes throughout America is actually extremely rare. If I’m in New York and want better Italian restaurant pasta I will pay for it since it’s so highly uncommon
I don’t believe that you understand my point. The issue is not whether the Italian food is good. Or whether you can afford it. The point is to save money. My daughter works at a law firm where starting first year salaries are (with bonus) 230k. She can afford pasta. But the message I am giving her is to save.
@@joelmarvin3206 Well it depends. If you buy a Starbucks coffee 3 times a week, that’s more expensive than enjoying good pasta once a season .
Very true. I don’t go to SB as I find their coffee prices too high - but you are correct that there are many ways to spend - and to save.
I've had Boar w/ Gnocchi, very good stuff.
You’re the best UA.
This noodle reminds me of the Fresh Noodle at Chelsea Market (not far from this one!), if you haven’t tried that, highly recommend!
Most famous ? Never even heard of it. Good video as usual
Try Angelo’s and cafe Carmilla in Philadelphia!! Angelo only has pizza and sandwiches that’s what they known for . Cafe Carmilla has larger menu but mainly known for pizza , home made pasta and their cheese steak
You gotta get the veg there. The consistency is part of what makes it so so good. The seasonality. The leeks, artichokes etc. Also the svizzerina. It's kinda hard to judge the place as a whole only trying the two dishes the menu is so large and mostly consists of the "verdure" the veggie dishes.
Eat away UA is still 2023. As for cutting carbs in 2024, we need a UA eats exercise channel.
Notice the pasta for the Cacio Pepe was overcooked, but the wild boar Rahu looks delicious.
UA! How's it going bud? Another wonderful Italian food adventure, eh? I'm always happy to see more videos from your channel (and seeing the channel continue to grow and grow). It's been a while since i mentioned a recommendation on your videos, but while we're talking about Italian food in NYC, why not give Trattoria L'incontro a try? It's in the Astoria area (an area I recommended to you last time for wonderful European restaurants) and is usually quite solid. Who knows, perhaps one day if you decide to try it and I'm walking through the area I may even bump into you, haha.
Anyways, keep up the delightful videos and hope you have a great rest of your week!
-Dennis
Your not buds..bud
Thanks for the rec! Always on the lookout for great Italian spots. I'll try it sometime!
I love it ..."pepperdeli"
Go to Becco on 46th St! 3 pastas for 30 dollars and they change them everyday, which makes going multiple times a lot of fun. Best quality to dollar ratio in the city 🎉
I have had Pasty's on w56 street. I wonder how much different it is from there?
The Tonnarelli looks like fresh pasta. You will never get the same al dente texture as dried pasta. However, you shouldn't overcook it either. It should have have a softer crisp chew.
UA isn’t a sophisticated reviewer. He doesn’t know this stuff. He also failed to identify black pepper as one of the dishes main ingredients.
I'd rather have a "regular" guy reviewing food. The reviews are more likely to match my tastes.
@@trollzone1its not about his reviews. It’s about his persona, the fun piano music and the vibe
@@ramencurry6672 you’re clearly UA
Hey UA, please check out Enzo's on Arthur Ave in the Bronx. This is , by far, our favorite Italian restaurant.
Yum!
Wild boar is really popular in italy they have wild boar sausage and wild boar chops
Emilio's Ballato is a winner if you haven't been there. Excellent Italian in the City.
Dude you're doing a hell of a job.
Having spent some time in NY, NJersey, I found the smaller mom and pop places could succeed in the Northern style as well as the traditional sausage and peppers, veal, etc. plus… a REAL feeling of intimacy, warmth, not a look at me Cheesecake Factory vibe.
Hit up L'antica Da Michele. Would love to hear your thoughts on their pizza from naples ❤
I've heard good things about Due in New York City. It would be interesting to see how you like that place.
That looks like fresh pasta, fresh pasta doesn’t come al dente.
Seems like a good place to try something you never had before
$27 for pasta and cheese. I just can’t.
I know 😭 pasta is so cheap I have no idea what they’re charging for
The reason why I would is because finding good Italian pasta in restaurants though out America is extremely rare.
As a kid, elbow macaroni, butter and parmesan was my favorite! And I'd rather have quality over quantity. I hate getting too much food.
Back in the 1970s that was especially popular with the grated cheese from the green can. Maybe your grandparents remember the green can if you ask them
This place was never really meant to be hyped like this. Started out as a super solid neighborhood Italian (not Italian American) place that just got hyped to high heaven due to locale and celebrity clientele that then attracted the influencers. So yes hyped but still good.
For the cacio they did use Pici which if you are not using a spaghetti (the pasta most used especially in Rome) Pici is the real pasta to use. Pici is the pasta in Siena. The only thing is the portion is a little too large. If you want true authentic Italian, you will not really find it here…. Go to Italy
Can you review kora donuts? I want to know your impressions.
I never go out for Italian food. I feel uncomfortably full after eating and its very expensive for what you get. I stick to pizza if I'm in the most for bread, cheese and sauce.
It’s worth it though. If a good place has good bolognese sauce it’s nice having it. You could make it at home but most people are not going to simmer a sauce for 3 hours at home just for a plate
Been here a couple times, lots and lots of hype. Beautiful people, yes. Overcooked pasta is common. Should've tried a starter and a fish, much better value. ALTERNATE, go east to 5th street and try Lavagna (50% BETTER)
Eye watering prices for the portion size.
Can you hit up bamontes in Brooklyn?
Safe Journey!
Yellowbird Blue Agave Sriracha!!!
The pasta looks gummy and clumpy. Thats a simple dish to make. I can only imagine how much that dish is.
Im proud no spoon!!!
Dude take the hat off.
I wouldn’t call him dude. I would call him sir
It's always weird when people leave her jackets and hats on while they eat. I mean is there somebody in the car outside waiting for you? Strange. Dude even asked for his check while he was still eating. I understand that CZcamsrs have a schedule to keep but at least make it look like the place is worth your time.
Perhaps he wears it for religious reasons.
I have watched a number of videos with Chef Marcus Samuelsson and he keeps wearing his hat, too. What's up with that?
@@stephenfisher3721 a beanie?
If you are familiar with East Passyunk Avenue in south Philadelphia there is a very authentic Italian spot. It will hands down beat that spot. Look it up Le Virtue. Ive eaten there many times.
Dante and Luigis is the best imo
@@chriskozak7356absolutely is up there as well.....very upscale and great fine dining service
If they’re lacking al denté texture is because maybe they precooked the pasta you can not get good al denté with precooked pasta
Can you try Ballato on Houston??
Cant belive you didnt try arancinni or fried olives.
I love your content UA, but fresh made pasta doesn't have the structure to have the "al dente" tooth feel.
Ah yeah I clarified in a few comment replies. It may have been fresh pasta but despite fresh pasta being way more work it's not always better. For some simple pasta dishes (like carbonara for example) it's better even to use dried pasta so you have that al dente bite. I think here if they used a good quality Italian dried pasta it would have been a better dish and also they could charge a lower price.
@@uaeats Couldn’t disagree more, but I respect your opinion and I look forward to your next review!
Cacio e pepe is a delicious and simple dish. The perfect dish for restaurants to make huge profit margins on ($26 for some pasta... better be some super high quality cheese!)
A good version is worth it because the technique is not easy for the average person
The prices are high. But it’s NYC and unfortunately prices are high everywhere it seems these days.
The Ragu looks good. I have eaten wild boar a couple of times. It’s a lean meat and has to be prepared properly.
The sour taste you are describing is not the meat. Boar does not have a sour flavor. It has to be the ingredients it was prepared in
06:46 UA: "I really, really was hoping for MORE of like an (al dente) bite"__So with my knowledge of Italian foods UA, you'll ONLY get that (al dente bite) when cooking with ""DRIED"" pasta's, spaghetti's, etc, but in YOUR instance UA, that means the restaurant used ""FRESH"" not ((Dried))👍🏼♥
Yes, pasta is fresh, and the people who work behind-the-scenes are incredible people
Yep it may have been fresh pasta, but dried is better for some dishes, precisely because fresh pasta will never have that al dente bite. If they used dried it may have tasted better and they could also pass the savings onto the customer with a more reasonable price
That looks like lasagna, cut into thick strips. Thanks for the tip!
Vic's in Bradley Beach 🤤 💜
The cheese of cacio e Pepe is called Pecorino it is a goat cheese Parmesan if you want
Was it that cold in the restaurant?
As for the portion size, you have to understand that in Italian cuisine, pasta is a primi, it's what you have before the main course. Americans have turned pasta into the main course, so hence the expectation of one big bowl of pasta for dinner. In proper Italian dining you'd have an antipasti (before the pasta), the pasta, the main course which would be the main meat or fish roast, along with a side dish, then a salad then dessert. So it's easy to understand why pasta portions are not huge, unless you're an American.
yeah but hard to justify $100 a head between antipasti, primi, secondi. expensive cuisine.
@@kazmir2 $100 is not a lot if you're given quality food. If it's too much then obviously go get one bowl of pasta and that'll be your dinner. The point is that you don't go to a quality restaurant and say the pasta portion is small, because they expect you to have more than one dish for dinner. If you don't want to have more than one dish or can't afford it, then go to a cheap restaurant like Olive Garden, pay 20 bucks and eat all the crappy pasta you want.
@@JohnVChe can say whatever the fuck he wants. Hilarious you bring up being Italian as an excuse for being a small expensive portion when in Italy a pasta bowl that size would be like 7 dollars and have better quality pasta. The problem is not just the portion is how stupidly expensive it is for such a portions. New York is ridiculous and people pay it because it gives them some sort of sense of superiority like you bragging because you can afford a 100 dollar dinner and the poor non New Yorker folk should just stick to Olive Garden. Literally what’s wrong with you?
I wonder if the pasta is freshly made or dried. If it’s fresh it’s never going to be aldente since freshly made pasta is already soft. But,?if it’s dried you are right aldente is best. I absolutely love your reviews and I don’t think you talk too much. I do however, think that you order too much food at times. Do you toss it? Or get 2 go bags? Good job all the same😊
Pepolino is my favorite Italian joint in NYC. They have a rabbit dish that I get every time. I'm realizing that the restaurant scene here in Dallas is often times more expensive than NY.
And Can’t forget the homemade Ricotta Cheesecake after for dessert!
I would be so mad if I paid that much for that pasta and the pasta was overcooked. It looks amazing though.
I think these days that the terms "worth" and "hype" are pretty much mutually exclusive
In Italy at least these are really simple and basic dishes, what you'd eat in many ordinary restaurants at lunch. There are probably high end elevated versions but that doesn't seem to be via Carota's approach. Also the name ' Carrot Road' or am I missing something here?
Both those pastas would be around $8-$10 in Italy
Never been but I am 100% sure you are right
Fresh pasta is so overrated in most Eye-tie dishes. That said, I was drooling over that wild boar gravy. I need ta go buy a huntin rifle … 🤔 AND find a wild boar.
How come these highly rated pricy Italian restaurants never have squid ink pasta? That’s something hard to make and worth the price. Famous Italian dish
They do exist like perhaps a squid ink pasta with braised octopus mixed in as an example. But it is rare to see that kind of pasta. You just have to keep looking around on the internet or maybe on Yelp
@@ramencurry6672 braised octopus on squid ink pasta is like my top 3 Italian dish. Keep searching for a restaurant in my area that does that
This place is pretty obviously primarily Tuscan, which explains why they kinda messed up the cacio e pepe.
Did the staff offered you a blanket or snow boots? Must be freezing over there ;)
Never where a hat in a restaurant and never pick up your pasta bowl ! And ok if the pasta is in house made its its not going to be aldente . Soft but yet firm. ❤
UA try Horoshits in the city!