I don’t know if it’s the close-knit tables, awesome playlist of top 40 music, or the fact that Scott Conant is the Executive Chef, but walking into Mora Italian is like walking into a hip, neighborhood, stylish Italian restaurant in NYC.
We visited Mora on a Thursday evening and the place was lively and full, reservations highly suggested. We were seated in a communal style table where were close enough to our neighbors to make new friends and start conversation about the amazing food and atmosphere.
We started off with one of their many diverse cocktails, the Amalfi sour and their Negroni Brutto. The Almalfi Sour was a very light, refreshing gin based drink that is served with fresh basil and grapefruit. This is one of those drinks that can get you in trouble because it is tasty and smooth. In contrast to the Almafi Sour, the Negroni Brutto is also a gin based drink but true to negroni form it is a perfect blend of robust sweet and bitter flavors.
To complement our FAB cocktails, we indulged in three delicious appetizers – the Foccaccia De Ricco, Grilled Octopus CeCi, and Polenta with Mushroom and truffle sage. Mora’s Foccaccia is unlike any Foccacia that we have ever had, it is so thin that it literally melts in your mouth. Between the non-rising dough lies a blend of cheese, olive oil, and Italian herbs. The perfectly Grilled Octopus Ceci is accompanied with potato, mint, and olive. Lastly, the Polenta alone is smooth and silky and the mushroom is flawlessly cooked in the truffle sage. When you put the two together the flavors explode in your mouth.
When it comes to pasta, Scott Conant is pretty much an expert – so you cannot go wrong with any of Mora’s pasta selections. We would highly recommend the Spaghetti Pomodoro. This is literally the best spaghetti that we have ever tried. It is a simple, light dish with homemade pasta, tomato, and basil that packs a punch of flavor. If you crave richer flavors, we also suggest the Torchio pasta with sausage and porcini ragu. This pasta has rich, earthy, comforting flavors that create a delicious, hearty meal. It is important to mention that Mora has gluten free pasta options as well.
With all great Italian meals, perfectly paired wine is a must. The Mora wine menu is extensive, including full bodied wines such as Fruilano and Chardonnay, big and rich flavors such as Cabernet and Malbec, and lively flavors such as sauvignon blanc and Reisling.
Now if pasta is not your cup of tea, Mora offers main course meals that include the Grilled Pork Chop Milanese, Grilled Scallopine of Beef Short Ribs, and Whole Roasted Orata. At this point in our meal we were stuffed to the brim, but when the Server brought out the Whole Roasted Orata, the fragrance alone made us dive in. The Orata is light and flaky and full of flavor. It is a highly recommended option for a lighter dish option.
For dessert, Mora offers many delicious options including a sky high Cubano coconut cake and the Mora sundae. Now when you hear the word “sundae” you probably think of your traditional whipped cream sundae. Mora does sundae in the most creative way. Their sundae consists of raspberry sorbetto, cheesecake crème, warm vermouth, and mora berry topping three ways. It is their version of a deconstructed raspberry cheesecake and can I say it’s DELICOUS! Sip a cup of coffee or an after dinner espresso and you will be more than content with your experience at Mora.
For more information about Mora Italian, visit moraitalian.com.