Punto DiVino is a wine merchant and caterer with an
enormous cellar that is capable of hosting large affairs and various wine
events. But my chief interest is the diminutive bistro that sits atop that
cellar. Here you find nine tightly-packed high-top tables, a tiny open kitchen,
and a convivial crowd that gathers to partake of light Italian-inspired meals
and an interesting international selection of vintages by the glass. Because of
the restaurant's location, on a quiet street just a few blocks from our hotel,
we were able to pass several pleasant late afternoons here, sipping wine,
watching the interesting clientele, and just chilling out from a day of
sightseeing or shopping.
The blackboard menu is a compact affair, sporting a number
of daily specials and some very tempting pasta dishes. But the center of
attraction, in my opinion, is the spotless glass case that stands in front of
the open kichen, which holds a marvelous selection of antipasti: marinated carrots,
potatoes, eggplant & zucchini, an onion, artichoke & red pepper salad, fava
beans, sun-dried tomatoes, and assorted mushrooms. There is also a seafood
salad containing calamari and octopus, as well as a tuna salad adorned with
capers.
The highlight, however, is the veal tenderloin, which is
roasted, chilled, sliced, and served with a wonderful sauce containing mayo,
puréed oil-packed tuna, and a variety of seasonings.
A small plate containing vegetables only is 6,00€; the large
plate goes for 9,00€. If you wish to add the seafood and/or tuna salads and/or
the veal, the cost is 7,50€ for a small plate, 10,50€ for a large portion.
As noted above, this is the perfect spot for a casual light
lunch or dinner. It is highly recommended on all counts.
The Artful Diner
November 2007
The Artful Diner Diner is a freelance food writer who writes restaurant reviews for nj.com. His latest review can be seen on his nj.com weblog at http://blog.nj.com/artful_diner/. An archive of past reviews for nj.com as well as reviews for restaurants around the country and the world can be found on this Web site at http://www.artfuldiner.com/reviews .
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Punto DiVino is a wine merchant and caterer with an
enormous cellar that is capable of hosting large affairs and various wine
events. But my chief interest is the diminutive bistro that sits atop that
cellar. Here you find nine tightly-packed high-top tables, a tiny open kitchen,
and a convivial crowd that gathers to partake of light Italian-inspired meals
and an interesting international selection of vintages by the glass. Because of
the restaurant's location, on a quiet street just a few blocks from our hotel,
we were able to pass several pleasant late afternoons here, sipping wine,
watching the interesting clientele, and just chilling out from a day of
sightseeing or shopping.
potatoes, eggplant & zucchini, an onion, artichoke & red pepper salad, fava
beans, sun-dried tomatoes, and assorted mushrooms. There is also a seafood
salad containing calamari and octopus, as well as a tuna salad adorned with
capers.