Day 2 of my NYFW experience brought me to lunch at Giovanni Rana located in the Chelsea Market. Now, I will admit that I already had high expectations walking into the restaurant as I am lover for Italian food and pasta. You can ask anyone that is around me – I eat so much pasta that it is absolutely ridiculous.
When walking into the restaurant, I was blown away by the overall atmosphere. Giovanni Rana contained an embracing atmosphere that felt friendly and welcoming. My fellow Philly blogger Guru from Modaninja and I were promptly greeted at the entrance to the restaurant – after walking through the takeout and order-out area by two very professional and helpful hostesses. Our table was ready and we were seated within a few seconds of walking in.
Our waiter, Nick, came over to our table within mere minutes of being seated and offered us an option of tap or sparkling water while we took a few minutes to look over the menu.
When Nick returned and had given us a few minutes to decide what we would like to order, we chose to ask him what he would recommend based off of our own favorites. Guru asked for food that had beef and I asked about a dish that would have sausage or a sausage flavor. He took into account our preferences and also suggested a few drinks that would pair with the food that he was thinking of bringing us.
Guru ordered a white wine and I went with a delicious Rosé. Our drinks arrived within a few minutes with a basket of bread and oil-vinagerette mixture.
Only after another 10 minute wait, Nick brought us two appetizing pasta dishes. For me, I received the Ravioli alla Carbonara. The white sauce and the ravioli was a great mixture. I felt that I was eating a dish that had a sausage and seafood combination that went well with my wine.
Honestly, I cannot find the correct words to describe the dish, because all I can say is how delicious each bite was. I ate the entirety of the plate and then found myself using the bread to get some more of the sauce. This is a dish I recommend for brunch, lunch or dinner when visiting Giovanni Rana.
When we were finished being gluttonous with our main dishes, the dessert menu arrived. For Guru, she decided to order a nice latte to get through the NYFW schedule that we had for the day. But for me, I wanted the sweetness of a full dessert, because everyone knows that a spoonful of sugar can get you through the day.
For dessert, I ordered the Vanilla Bombolini – a plate of creme filled donuts with a milk chocolate dipping sauce. When it arrived to the table, I felt the warmth of the dessert radiating off the plate and the sugary smell of the donuts mixed with the aroma of the chocolate was a pleasure to my senses and immediately I decided it was time to eat.
Each bite of the dessert was AMAZING! The creme filling and the sugar glaze to each donut was complimentary to the chocolate dipping sauce. It was so delectable that I think I ate it within only four minutes.
My dining experience at Giovanni Rana is one that I cannot even compare to many other restaurants that I have eaten at. This is definitely at the top of the list for restaurants to eat at if you are looking for a rich, authentic Italian flavor.
Each bite melted in my mouth and as soon as I stood up to leave, I wanted more. If I had stayed an extra day at NYFW, I most likely would have been back at Giovanni Rana for lunch or dinner. It makes me sad that there is not a Giovanni Rana restaurant in my local area, because anytime that my fiancé would say he’s taking me out to eat, I would make him take me there. Plus, I’m pretty sure he would be asking to go there as well.
If you’re every in the NY area or live in NY, make sure that you go to Giovanni Rana at the Chelsea Market as much as you can! Try every dish and make sure you come back and tell me all about it. Let me live through you. Also, if you’re attending NYFW, this is a restaurant that you must go to while your in NY.
For more suggestions of places to eat, check out my Philly Eating Guide.
