Colicchio&Sons...not since I was a teen

Cavatelli with ricotta and Calabrian chili

Corn soup

Radish salad with purslane and buttermilk dressing

Margarita pizza

While growing up in Bushwick/Ridgewood dining options were limited (Triangle Hofbrau,Gebhards,Salernos) and vacations were too (Whitelake Bungalos and Kutshers)...and then in my late teens I found restaurants that were like exotic vacations..Voisin, Forum of the Twelve Caesars, Luchows, Jillys and Four Seasons, and The 21 Club.  My brother's credit card was in play and I was like a character in a Woody Allen film entering the screen. It has been a long time since a new restaurant has captured that sense of  awe and the wonder that good food and good drink in a space with a grand design can bring. Collichio and Sons does it for me again...and without some of the pretentiousness and dress codes that were a drag once I got over the costume party fervor.
          The Queen of Sweden was involved in my receiving a gift card (long story) so we started in the main room with a  gorgeous menu but the tavern room and its own menu looked great. The last time we were in the pizza called to us.
No ...disappointment..roasted tomatoes with almost a sun-dried tomato depth and fresh mozzarella.  The chilled corn soup with creme fresh was fueled by the corn broth. The radish salad was a cure for salad doldrums and the cavatelli had a spice ting that rang all the right bells on my tongue.   Fabulous Arnold Palmer ,Plum sorbet ,an Oregonian Chardonnay and late harvest Riesling. We were happy. And the Audubon boat excursion to Brothers islands wasn't as not me as I predicted.
             But all this positivity doesn't include the human asset we enjoyed...the staff at this restaur-acation: professional ,thoughtful,knowledgeable, patient and genuine.
             I am sure some people dine here for the celebrity chef cache...but I have offered some other reasons.