Pasta Galore

I think everyone has the same problem as I do when you're looking for a restaurant to go to before or after a Broadway show. You need to be close enough to walk from/to the theatre and you need it to be quick and good all at the same time. There just aren't that many choices out there for a person like me who doesn't like to go to the same place twice. But Saturday night I discovered a new one to add to my list - Becco.

Located on restaurant row (46th street bw 8 and 9) this Italian eatery was PACKED at 6:00 pm. Turns out it's more popular than I thought and also one of the most popular restaurants on the Zagat list as well. How I didn't know about it boggles my mind.

There are two great things about this place:

1. They have a huge wine list on the back of their menu with only $25.00 bottles of wine

Even my step-dad, the wine spectator god, was impressed with the selection and ordered 2 from the list. They also have another wine list with pricier wines, but why even look at that?

2. The all you can eat pasta special for $23.00. Sounds heavenly right? If you're a pasta lover like me, this is your go-to dish. Served with a Caesar salad or mixed vegetables before - it's enough food for an army and it just keeps on coming. The restaurant chooses 3 different pastas and the choices change nightly. On Saturday it was a mushroom ravioli, a spaghetti in a spicy tomato sauce with fried shrimp, and a penne in a pesto sauce. Waiters walk around the two floor restaurant with huge plates of each pasta ready to re-fill your plate on command. Each pasta was surprisingly good even though they mass produce it way before you order and the spicy tomato sauce one was my favorite.

They do have other items on the menu including other pastas if the all you can eat isn't up your alley. My mom got a swordfish that was grilled to perfection, my brother in law got a steak dish and said it was amazing and my brother got the biggest piece of veal parm you've ever seen. The veal was served with the bone and three of my friends could have easily shared it, but Richard finished it all.

Go to Becco before or after a Broadway show (highly recommend Jersey Boys and Rock of Ages - my two new favs) or for just your normal pasta craving. Make a reservation way in advance because the crowds are huge and there isn't much room to wait around if it's cold outside. Zagat hasn't failed me yet and they were right on target with this place!