The Gluttoness — June 30, 2009
There is much here for Michael White to be proud of and his obvious happiness with Marea has made him the consummate showman, gregarious with guests, ensuring great service as much as flavor. “It’s the Duomo of pasta,” he proclaimed on one visit. “You’re in the Duomo, baby.”
White is right—there is no doubt that he’s a grandmaster when it comes to pasta, but success has created him a unique competitor: himself. The acclaimed Fussili with Baby Octopus, Bone Marrow & Tomato contests Convivio’s own famed Fusilli with Pork Ragu. “It’s like an ex-girlfriend you keep sleeping with,” said Jeff, who can’t resist it.
“It’s the slut,” agreed co-owner, Chris Cannon.
The dish never leaves the customer unsatisfied. It’s poetry in pasta, a union of two rarely matched ingredients brought together not only on the basis of exquisite taste but for the sake of sound technicality. It’s practical molecular gastronomy. The natural gelatin of the octopus melds with the acidity of the tomato to create a base, an emulsifying canvas which allows the bone marrow to thicken the sauce without leaving an unpalatable greasiness. The result is a profile that is not only unctuous, but also manages to maintain the integral flavor of the individual elements.
The dish’s innate creativity and complexity furthers White’s reputation as a heavy-hitter in New York’s Italian cuisine (how often do you find octopus more tender than pasta?) and it’s not the only dish to establish him as such.
Homemade Sedanini with Swordfish Polpetti, Saffron & Olives was awesomely unordinary. Thick, tubular noodles and soft swordfish polpetti were tinged by a brilliant orange sofrito of carrot, lemon zest and saffron. The flavors, riddled with black olives and golden raisins, unfolded like a Moroccan fairytale.
White’s Spaghetti with Crab, Santa Barbara Sea Urchin & Basil was spun into a pile with voluptuous chunks of crab, decadent uni and seasoned with basil. The richly thick sauce was seasoned by the sweetness of sea urchin, slathering every strand like a superior, seafood flavored pomodoro.
You can have anything grilled or roasted from sea bream to Nova Scotia lobster. The Roasted Turbot with Olive, Oil Potatoes, Finferli Mushrooms and Red Wine Marsala Sauce and the Brodetto di Pesce with Tomato & Grilled Peasant Bread were perfectly cooked— showcases for allowing the flavors of fresh seafood to be the center of attention.
