Stone Street Gems

The thing about visiting Tom and Andre is that they know the best places to eat and the best food to order. I think I've loved every restaurant they've ever recommended--the food is always affordable and well prepared. The other day we were talking about pizza and Tom said that there's only one place he likes to go for pizza: Adrienne's in the Financial District. So we made the trek to Adrienne's today. I was charmed by the street, one of New York's oldest.

Since the weather was cold today, no one was sitting outside--but I'd like to return when there's better weather to enjoy the lovely street. The interior was bright and clean: white paint, clouded glass barriers and light colored wooden tables and chairs.

We ordered a small antipasto platter to start: a huge variety of ingredients dressed lightly with olive oil and pepper. The roasted eggplant was smoky and smooth, as were the prosciutto and salami. The olive oil brought out the taste of squash, cauliflower, and artichoke rather than obscuring it. The lentils and beans were prepared just right. I wasn't crazy about the cubed parmesan--too strong for my taste--but that's probably my only complaint. I even loved the sections of orange which I don't usually like in this setting. Lastly, the bruschetta on top was garlicky and crisp. This was the best antipasto I've ever had. I'd love to learn to make this dish--but it's overwhelming to think of preparing so many different ingredients so well.

The pizzas were nicely prepared. Our first pizza was topped with potato, prosciutto, and scallions. The pizza margarita had a light tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil. They both came with a thin, slightly charred crust. The margarita was by far our favorite, but I also liked the prosciutto topping. Next time we return, we think that a large antipasto platter and one pizza would be perfect for two or three.

After our meal, we walked down the street to the Patisserie Financier. Andre and I had a hard time deciding which pastry we wanted, but I finally decided to have the orange creme brulee with a fruit crown. And Andre had the flourless chocolate cake. Tom bought a cappuccino and a box of palmiers. We also tried a macaron, since I've been reading so much about them on food blogs. None of us were particularly taken with it. Ah, well.

Although I wouldn't go as far as Tom did when he said he would ONLY eat Adrienne's pizza in New York, this was a great lunch on a charming street.