Il Torchio First Taste

Dan and I recently had our first taste of Il Torchio on Myrtle Avenue. I had personally held off after perusing its menu as the prices seemed really high. What is it about Myrtle Avenue? I can't imagine rents are higher than that of Dekalb, but we stopped going to our laundromat because they were charging $.90/lb for drop-off, way more than what we used to pay in Park Slope.

On this night though, I was craving Italian and didn't want to cook. Il Torchio's rustic decor provided warmth and coziness on a very cold night. Maybe a little too cozy, because even though the place was about a third full it felt a little crowded. I think the tables are too big for the space. The menu looks like it's been pared down a bit (both in price and choices).

Our meal began with the antipasto platter, which took forever to appear. We had barely tasted the mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, prosciutto and another salumi which I can't remember the name of (but it was thick-cut and quite dense) when our server asked if we wanted our entrees now or have the kitchen hold off. I'm glad we didn't ask them to hold the entrees, since the plates appeared moments later. Obviously, they were already done when we were asked that question and if we had opted for the second choice, our meal would have sat under a heat lamp for who knows how long?

Dan's rigatoni bolognese was decent - the ragu was nice and thick but too much on the sweet side. My spaghetti vongole was a disappointment. It was super dry as there wasn't enough broth or sauce, and what was in the dish wasn't that flavorful either. There was a generous portion of four different types of clams, though. I shudder to think how it would have tasted if it did sit in the kitchen any longer!