1 - Tony's DiNapoli [Italian]

LAST VISIT: 9/2008     http://www.tonysnyc.com/

Tony's DiNapoli's gives me the ebee jeebees. If you like cheesy, tasteless Italian food then you should try this place. I don't have much more to say about Tony's except their food is not quality and should not be considered good NYC food.

3 - Po' [Italian]

LAST VISIT: 6/9/2010    http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/po01/

Last night I went to Po' and left feeling full...even this morning I am still full. The prices are reasonable and the portion size is OUTSTANDING, except the fact that you will likely eat it all and be overly full. I ordered the Cavatelli (toasted garlic, broccoli & bread crumbs) and it was OFF THE CHAIN! For an appetizer (on the house) our waiter brought us White Bean Bruschetta which was tasty! The atmosphere of Po' is tiny, quaint and charming. It is a great find in the West Village for sure!

1 - Vespa [Italian]

LAST VISIT: 9/2009     http://www.vesparestaurant.us/

My husband and I had wanted to try this place for a while (its in our neighborhood) so when friends suggested it we were excited. Not too much later were we completely disappointed! The service was horrible. It was a hot evening and they sat us out in the "garden" and took forever to give us water and they struggled the rest of the evening to give us any more after our first glass. I ordered the Gorgonzola Gnocchi thinking it would be as good as Bianca's, but it was not good at all. I couldn't taste a hint of blue cheese and the gnocchi was soggy. It is no wonder it is no longer on their menu...hum. My husband ordered a beef dish of some kind and was equally disappointing. Now we know for next time - never go to Vespa!

3 - Bianca [Italian]

LAST VISIT: 4/2/2009 http://www.biancanyc.com/home.html

I am doing this restaurant a MAJOR disservice by not having a proper food picture. Bianca is beyond beyond phenomenal! Holy moly - Gorgonzola Gnocchi???? Let me tell you - it is something to save your calories for folks...if you love blue cheese and you love gnocchi, you will DIE when you have their dish! Plus, their prices are so reasonable ~ this makes for something exceptional in NYC. For awesome Italian - don't hesitate...hit Bianca up. FYI - they do not take reservations, but wait the wait...it is worth it!

3 - Paprika

LAST VISIT: 4/2010 http://paprikarestaurant.com/

This restaurant is charming to say the least. The staff is so friendly. When we arrived we were greeted by the hostess who was expecting us and seemed to have perfectly predetermined where we would sit - almost like our table was handcrafted for us! Our waitress was entirely knowledgeable about the menu and was not afraid to dote on us. The food is like homemade, what you'd expect good Italian food to taste like, but not over done. Really, this place for me is all about the pairing of the atmosphere and food - it is the package that makes it so great.