Eataly

Today we went to Eataly right next to the Flat Iron building.  This is like Italian Disneyland, which is really a disturbing mashup.  It is a concept of an all things Italy related to food and cooking.  Tons of restaurants, fruits and vegetables, fish, meat, cheese, bread, dessert, wine, cooking tools ect...  Each restaurant had a different theme.  Fish, Rotisserie, Vegetables, Pasta, Dessert etc...  This place was packed.  Everyplace you stood you were in someone's way, whether that was one of the workers trying to restock the quickly depleting shelves or civilians trying to buy something or stand in line for a table or place at the bar.  Not a good place to be if you are agoraphobic.  Course I guess if you were agoraphobic you would not be in Manhattan.  This would be your worst nightmare.  It turns out to be a great place if you're looking for pasta.  We got a table after about a 15 min wait at "Le Pasta" near the bread .  I know this place is super commercial but this was by far two of "the best" bowls of pasta that we had all trip, or ever.  Linda had the cacio e pepe or pasta with cheese and pepper.  Kind of Italian mac and cheese, but it was great.  I had the Bucattini alla amatriciana.  A spicy red sauce made with guanciale (Cured pork jowles).  A fantastically spicy dish with great flavor and chunks of guanciale.  The pasta on both of these dishes was cooked perfectly.  Very al dente.  Simple but great.  If you can handle the crowds this place was great.