10/22/09

Fine Experience

by TG Mann

Our party of four had several appetizers, all excellent and ample, and entrees including fish, veal, meatballs. Each was first rate in preparation and presentation, and delicious. Three shared desserts were exceptional. With two excellent bottles of wine we ran up our bill a bit, but we had so much fun it was worth it.

TGMann

• Pros: Good Menu, fine food and service
• Cons: None

09/03/09

A Sure Thing

by ts123

I have eaten here a few times and love the white bean bruschetta, the bartender was so nice he gave me a copy of the recipe b/c I was raving so much about it.

I have eaten many of their salads, always fresh and nice combinations of ingredients. I also have eaten different types of their ravioli which I love. The panna cotta dessert is hard to describe but soooooooo delicious ...if you have room. I love going here. I know that the meal will be good.

They also have a nice tasting menu but be hungry...

• Pros: food and service

05/02/09

Totally Overrated for the Money

by aldo2002

Go to this place for a couple of glasses of wine and the $2 white bean bruchetta as a tapas sort of snack. the restaurant is expensive for the hood and the likes of Fragole on Court offers better food at a fraction of the price (vibe is probably nicer too). Every dish we've had has been overdone, HEAVY on the salt, meat dishes extreme in fat content - My wife had a bacon pasta that was barely edible - literally a salty boo-fest. Veggie option pretty bland (our friend who came is veggie). The bottle of prosecco we had was quite tasty but again, we paid a few bucks for it.

Anyway, if you grabbing a couple of glasses of wine and want a nibble I recommend, otherwise - steer clear.

• Pros: White Bean Bruchetta
• Cons: Numerous

04/13/09

Delightful Experience

by djtrank

During a recent trip to New York - where dining is a major part of the experience......Po proved to be our favorite! From appetizers to desert - everything was superb!

• Pros: Wonderful favors
• Cons: None

08/04/08

Salt and thyme

by seda19

If you like tomato-based pasta sauces characterized predominantly by salt and thyme, this place is for you. The basic sauce is very heavy on the salt and, for some reason, thyme. Pasta dishes containing cured meats are as a result even saltier; seafood pasta dishes with a pronounced flavor of thyme are just strange to me. Overall appetizers are better than main courses, including pastas.

03/25/08

Not very impressed

by sassysmart

disappointing to say the least after all the hype of Po arriving on Smith Street. The gnocchi alla Telefono was cloying, tasteless and ordinary. The waiter did warn me it wasn't his favorite...nothing exciting about that dish. The polpetti di carne appetizer was quite good. Good service, great wine list. Just expected more overall.

• Pros: wine list great service
• Cons: skip the gnocchi

12/16/07

Disappointing

by emmenyc

Talk about riding on a good name. I was sadly disappointed when I experienced how Po in Brooklyn compares to Po in NYC. There is nothing Italian about the vibe and that includes the waiters with attitude. I know good food and I am Italian. After asking 2 knowledgable questions and ordering a pretty expensive bottle of wine, you would think the waiter realized we were a group that appreciates good food. So why he wouldn't ask how our dishes were when they arrived is beyond me. My dish was ok and my husband's was nothing exceptional. Our friend ordered the lamb dish which had more of a middle eastern feel than Italian. It was overcooked and dry and my friend didn't touch it. The waiter noticed but never bothered to come over and ask about it (he did have time to insult my friend and husband which we overheard). At the end of the meal the waiter asked if he could wrap up the plate since it clearly hadn't been touched. When my friend said no thanks, the waiter finally asks if it was ok. The response was no, and the waiter says 'that's too bad cause it's one of my favorite dishes'. Overall, I was not impressed with the menu since it lacked the special touches to make it stand out from other Italian restaurants (what is so special about a caprese salad? every italian restaurant offers that). I live in this great neighborhood and for me to spend these prices in carroll gardens it has to be a little better than the rest. Rude service, mediocre menu and not-worth-it prices add up to 'no mo po' for me!

• Cons: Service, Price, Menu

10/16/07

Fresh and light Italian Food

by lpriore

Po has a soothing ambiance, delicious fresh food, and unlike many Italian restaurants you don't leave feeling over-stuffed. Our waitress was knowledgeable and suggested an amazing wine to go along with my pasta dish. I highly recommend this restaurant for a romantic dinner or for catching up with a small group of friends.

• Pros: Fresh Ingrediants

08/16/07

delicious, nice staff, great atmosphere

by bethsellers

had a great meal there last week. it was my first time there. i introduced myself to the owner and welcomed them to the neighborhood and the bartender [we ate at the bar -the only spot free!] offered us a complimentary dessert when we were done with our meal. i had a special - a pasta with guanciale [pork jowl] and asparagus, my friend had pasta with clams . had a clam and mussel appetizer and a salad - thought it was all really tasty and beautifully plated. nice folks...they were busy and held their own well. really had a great time...

07/31/07

The West Village's much-adored Italian restaurant fits into Smith Street with minimal tinkering.

by Justin Hartung

The Scene
Despite the departure of Mario Batali, the original West Village location of Po has been popular enough to prompt the opening of a second Smith Street branch. The classy, yet comfy, formula still works: Tablecloths are white, the wainscoting perfect, and waiters wear jeans and sneakers under their aprons, and treat everyone--hipsters in band tees and young wives in maternity dresses--with equal, abundant warmth.

The Food
The rustic Italian menu makes the voyage to Brooklyn as well, resulting in stunning appetizers that have had years of perfecting. A mound of supple barley supports fresh, glistening anchovies and a drizzle of chili oil tilts the dish toward orgasmic; cucumber escapeche with capers and ricotta makes a refreshing counterpoint. Pastas and entrees don't quite hold up: A cloyingly sweet balsamic sauce clobbers bean ravioli, and rote Cajun seasoning undermines juicy Guinea hen. Desserts close with a bang, however, especially a mint gelato sundae embellished with toasted pine nuts.

Hits: Appetizers that are worthy of a destination restaurant in Manhattan.

Misses: Uneven entrees that can't live up to that strong start from the appetizers.