Skip the city, I'm going to La Vigna

By Eric Guido

As I think of all the amazing restaurant experiences that I have put to paper, I realize that one is truly overdue. Seven years ago, after Babbo refused my eight-month pregnant wife and I a seat after waiting over an hour in line (by the way, that was the last time I ever went to Babbo), we found ourselves searching for a dining experience that would not disappoint. Our search took us out of the city and slowly making our way toward home. We were hungry, tired and truly disappointed—until we happened upon La Vigna.

Calamari Ripieni (Calamari stuffed 

with risotto and vegetables in tomato broth)

It was an eye-opening experience. The staff provided perfect service, the food was absolutely amazing, rivaling anything I could have hoped for--and the wine (oh, the wine): a bottle of 2001 Guado al Tasso for only $95 dollars. It was on that night that I realized I had been shortsighted for a very long time. Trekking out to the city in search of a superior Italian meal had become completely unnecessary.

With La Vigna's affordable corkage fee
I often find myself pairing my favorites
from my cellar with their cuisine.

Now fast forward seven years and, to this day, I continue to visit La Vigna whenever possible. Anytime I need to show weary foodies that great cuisine exists in Queens, I take them to La Vigna. Wine dinners and tastings close to home? I go to La Vigna. Birthdays, anniversaries, and visiting family are all great reasons for me to head to La Vigna. Yet somehow I have never put these thoughts to paper. An oversight—maybe, or possibly, I just wanted to keep it secret, in fear of ruining my little find. However, if I have learned anything in these seven years, it’s that La Vigna is here to stay and they march to the beat of their own drum, remaining unchanged in all the right ways.

Orecchiette  (Fresh pasta served with 

chicory, wild mushrooms, and guanciale 

in garlic and olive oil)

Located on Metropolitan Ave in Forest Hills Queens, La Vigna finds itself tucked into small, unassuming spot that makes it very easy to pass unnoticed. However, stepping in the door, you are greeted by a friendly, knowledgeable staff that caters to locals and new faces alike. It’s close and personal, yet uncramped, with visions of Italy decorating the walls. You’ll find it easy to fall into a comfortable state at La Vigna, surrounded by wood tones, Tuscan colors and candlelight and enjoying a plate a fresh made pasta, or my favorite, the Costoleta di Vitello alla Vigna.

Chef Vitale

Of course, the real treat here is the food, which I find comparable to anything you will find at the best Italian restaurants in the city and there's a good reason why; before opening his restaurant, Chef Vitale worked with Lidia Bastianich at the famed Felidia, as well as Becco and her original location in Forest Hills, Bona Via.

I urge you to take a trek of your own and find La Vigna. I guarantee you, you’ll find yourself thanking me later.

What’s Cookin’ For the foodie in us all.

There’s a new home for the foodie in us all; What’s Cookin’.

What’s Cookin’ in a new website, from the people at Snooth, with weekly updates about anything food. From tips and tricks, to recipes, to restaurant reviews, What’s Cookin’ provides them all and the best part is that I’ve joined them in bring you lots of great new content. I’ve listed a few of my pieces that have already been published and I invite you to check them out and explore the new site. If you like what you see, then by all means, sign up for their e-mail list. Enjoy!

Eric Guido's Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage

As a child, I never understood bitter vegetables. Maybe it has something to do with our developing taste buds, or maybe it’s that we’re simply not subjected to enough bitter flavors in our youth. Whatever the case may be, as a child, whenever my family would eat radicchio, escarole or broccoli rabe, I would cringe and turn up my nose. In fact, it wasn’t until I was working in a restaurant, in my late twenties, that I truly developed a taste for bitter greens -- and it was this dish, Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage, that turned my head... Read more at: What's Cookin'

Genevieve's Chocolate Chili

I have a friend who has an insatiable passion for chocolate. Being originally from Belgium, and having spent a lifetime learning about food, Geneviève now applies her knowledge to both food and the making of artisanal chocolates, which are sold at Coffee Bites in Brooklyn. She also hosts a very exclusive, annual party in New York City devoted to chocolate in all forms. Sweet, savory, and salty can all be found, and each year I look forward to her new creations with unbridled anticipation... Read more at What's Cookin'

Old World meets New York

German food is a cuisine that warms the soul. It reminds many of us of a time long gone, when mothers spent half the day in the kitchen preparing meals for the entire family. Dishes like Sauerbraten, Jügerschnitzel and Wiener Zwiebelrostbraten may sound alien to the passerby, but are truly stables of tradition in a world where we may have crossed a little too far into the lean and light fare of many trendy restaurants. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that when I go out to a restaurant, I want to eat real food... Read more at What's Cookin'

I Can't Cook Without My... Cast-iron Pan

If I could pick only one item from my kitchen, it would be the cast-iron pan.

I remember growing up in my grandmother’s kitchen. In that time she went through her share of pots, utensils, pasta rollers and mixers, but there’s one thing that she was using from when I was a baby to when I began working in kitchens myself: her cast-iron pan. To this day that pan remains part of her repertoire, something of a secret weapon from days past; a relic yet still a highly effective tool... Read more at: What's Cookin'