Midtown West's mean streets and general unseemliness earned the neighborhood its Hell's Kitchen nickname in the 1800s. Mass gentrification changed everything, but at least "Kitchen" still fits. Hundreds of restaurants serve food along Ninth Ave between 37th and 57th. For Italian, start at the top: Puttanesca on Ninth at 56th Street.
Pulsing with the energy of animated locals and excited theater lovers, Puttanesca's first appetizer is ambiance. Soak it up while you wait for an order of Spindo ala Romano, a fried cheese and vegetable plate or the olive and cheese pizza, both perfect for sharing. The Ceasar salad, deemed by NYT critic Eric Asimov as the only Ceasar that comes close to the one of his dreams, should also not be missed.
You also can't go wrong with any of Puttanesca's homemade pastas, but you'll write home about the vodka sauce smothered Rigatoni Pollo Pazzo or the Penne Puttanesca. If dinner to you means cuts of meat, veal saltimbocca, grilled sirloin, or braised lamb make exquisite choices, but don't ignore the simple pleasure of a well-made chicken parmigiana, prepared here using the chef's mom's secret recipe.
With its big glass windows and pleasantly open room, the restaurant is perfect for large groups, and the selection of classic Italian desserts like flourless chocolate cake, profiteroles, and tiramisu mean someone's birthday party should have Puttanesca written all over it. The place starts filling up early, but most nights, even if you drop in on a whim, they're willing to accommodate you. And you should drop in -- often. Factor in time and effort, and prices like these make eating at home the expensive option.
Filled with people from all over the world, running kitchens making all kinds of food, today's Hell's Kitchen has evolved whole-heartedly from days of yore. Great food, on the other hand, is timeless -- we're just lucky Puttanesca came along after the riffraff fled.
REVIEWS
Puttanesca is a neighborhood gem loved by locals and critics alike. Eric Asimov of the NY Times says "I have not found the Caesar salad of my dreams. (That would require a waiter in black tie, toasting croutons tableside while regaling us with tales of Sinatra.) But Puttanesca's Caesar salad comes very close...Puttanesca is likable for many reasons"!"The fresh homemade pastas are the main attraction; eight of the largest tortellini you'll ever see, stuffed with wonderfully pungent, almost gamey ground veal, lounge in a thick, garnet-colored Barolo sauce. And the addition of proscuitto gives the Paglia e Fieno—green and white fettucini with peas and mushrooms in a rich cream sauce—an agreeably smoky edge. Named after the pasta sauce that's derived from the Italian word for whore, the restaurant aims to seduce. For most, it does the trick." Andrew Sessa, New York Magazine Review
"At Puttanesca, a popular neighborhood trattoria, the rule is, the simpler the better. Uncomplicated dishes, made with exceedingly fresh ingredients, include an excellent Caesar salad (I have not found the Caesar salad of my dreams, but Puttanesca's comes close), perfectly grilled vegetables and mussels steamed in white wine and garlic." Eric Asimov, New York Times Review
"You'll love this irreverent Hell's Kitchen restaurant. The pastas are homemade, and the carefully selected wines pair well with the dishes. Even the standard dishes are a real treat." Gayot Review
"Even though we did not have a reservation, we were seated promptly. Everyone (from the hostess to the waiter) was very friendly and personable. The waiter was fantastic and made our dining experience the best. He never pressured us to hurry up and was extremely attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. The food was fantastic, both presentation and taste. Their timing was superb. Even with a full house, we barely had to wait. Once we finished each course, they would whisk away our old plates and bring the next." Mike R., Yelp