Looking for an Authentic Italian Restaurant in NYC? Well look no further; Ristorante Rafele brings Southern Tuscan Home Cooking of Naples to Southern New York City!
Last week, I had the pleasure and the opportunity to meet Chef Raffaele Ronca, one of NYC Best Chefs! He was warm and friendly and very charismatic! He greeted myself as well as his other dinner guests personally, and took pride knowing that everyone was enjoying their meal! Rest assured there are no airs with this Master, and his true goal is to provide a dining experience using fresh, high quality ingredients along with exceptional service that make this West Village eatery, located at 29 7th Avenue South a Napolitano NYC Hot Spot!
Raffaele Ronca was born and raised in Naples, Italy. He comes from a family of fisherman and butchers, and his uncle owned a restaurant business in Naples. A young Raffaele knew that food and cooking was in his blood, having been exposed to food preparation at an early age!
He immigrated to America at the young age of 21 and worked at New York’s most acclaimed Italian restaurants, including Executive Chef at Palma, Chef du Cuisine at Bellavitae, and Manager of Food and Wine at Cafe Torino. A few years ago, he and a dear old friend from Naples, Romeo Palmisano, discussed bringing their love of authentic Napolitano cuisine to their own venue. Working together and perfecting every detail, they created Ristorante Rafele!! Here they believe in the motto “L'Appetito Viene Mangiando” which means “Food that makes you want more”!
The Chef brings produce from upstate’s Blooming Hill Farm and fresh caught Long Island fish along with Ottomanelli grass-fed meats to his menu. As you enter the ristorante, it has a warm, rustic Tuscan feel to it and it has seating for about 70 with an intimate chef’s counter made of Venetian Marble, which overlooks the open kitchen! While you dine at the counter, watch him prepare his magic in his massive Acunto brick oven imported from Naples, and savor the aroma that emanates a smoky scent in the dining room and adds crazy delicious flavors to his dishes! I had the honor to be welcomed into his kitchen and assist him in making his much acclaimed Margherita personal pizza pie! I saw first-hand that all his recipes are "Made with Love!!!”
Seating is also available outside in the warmer months for al fresco dining much like that in Naples. The restaurant offers private cooking classes on Tuesdays, right in Chef Ronca’s kitchen and Sunday Brunch. Private Parties can be held in his downstairs Party Room that seats about 20, overlooking his prized glass encased wine cellar. As we toured the cellar it held an array of red, rose, and white wine, and imported beers such as Peroni and Moretti Birra (to name a few) from Italy. His private room is decorated rustically with a special personal touch of individual canned jars of tomato sauce prepared by Chef Ronca himself, as he proudly pointed them out to me during my personal tour. He also excitedly stated that he would be appearing on The Food Network's series Chopped scheduled to air in the coming months. He also has appeared on The Food Network’s Sandra Lee’s Semi Homemade. He is a James Beard Foundation featured Chef of Culinary and Excellence!
At dinner, we enjoyed a bottle of red Italian wine, The Valpolicella Ripasso Speri (Veneto 2013) and Italian Peroni and Moretti Birra. That evening our party started off with the following appertivos: The Polpettine, which is pan-seared veal and beef meatballs in a light tomato sauce, The Polpo Alla Griglia, which is shelled mussels, shrimp, and lemon butter in a white wine sauce and the Melazane, which is layers of eggplant with Parmiagiano Reggiano, fresh basil, buffalo mozzarella, and a roasted tomato puree sauce. For entrees we enjoyed The Branzino Alla Griglia, which was grilled with Italian herbs in a white wine sauce, and was accompanied by roasted potatoes with rosemary and himalayan salt. Another pasta favorite was The Paccheri All' Amatriciana; it was a paccheri pasta with smoked guanciale in tomato sauce topped with shaved Pecorino Romano!! The specials for that evening was a Spinach Gnocchi (that literally melted in your mouth) and the Pan-seared Halibut, which was served with artichokes in a white wine sauce, and was to die for!! As if that wasn't enough culinary delight, we finished off with a Chocolate Mousse and his prized dessert, his Italian Ricotta Cheesecake!
Ronca’s Cheesecake was voted Food & Wine Best Cheesecake in America! His cheesecake uses his grandmother’s recipe of buffalo milk ricotta cheese, fresh vanilla beans, and a hint of orange blossom syrup! The said-secret to this epic dessert is that it is whipped for a very long time, which gives it that light texture! Mamma Mia, I’ve traveled Italy from North to South and this has been the lightest yet richest and creamiest I have ever eaten!
Everything sounds amazingly delicious, doesn’t it?
So what are you waiting for! Head down to Ristorante Rafele and experience the Passion of La Dolce Vita and tell the Chef, The Tuscan Travelista sent you!! I promise you and I will be returning to experience “L' Appetito Viene Mangiando!!!" Remember.. everything is Farm to Table and Made With Love!!!