Sorella

Pâté De Fegato lived up to its hype. Lamb Ragu was amazing (I don’t even like lamb normally). The grilled quail was yummy. Beef crudo was a bland version of beef tartare — not as good. Ended the meal with the «bananimal» gelato– this has an amazing taste of caramel and animal cracker. Overall… delicious!

Very sad to hear Sorella closed. Excellent northern Italian food with an edge and a great wine selection.
RIP Broccoli Frito and Chunky Sorella gelato! =*(

Took my girlfriend here for her birthday. Had a great time. Definitely a good spot for a date, it’s got the atmosphere. We were seated in small separate dining area. It was nice and quiet so we were actually able to enjoy ourselves. I could imagine that if it were more packed that it might get cramped due to the small room, but it didn’t happen while we were there. They have a separate bar in a different room that seemed packed. Keeping a wall in between them helped to reduce the noise.
The waitress was super attentive, quickly refilling our water and always within earshot if we needed her.
The food is pretty well priced, it’s a little more expensive and small portions, but t’s definitely good. If you don’t care about the price or are springing for a nice date, definitely give this place a try.
If you’re getting desert I’d recommend getting the Sorella Gelati.

Time to splurge!!!
…but worth every calorie & every penny.

Sides:
— broccoli was delicious! Probably fried and high in fat, but delicious and worth it.
— bacon with brussel sprouts — also exceptionally delicious
— kale salad — not bad but the other two sides outshone this
mushroom pasta — my first plate was extremely salty. I thought I would just eat through it. But it was way too salty and I didn’t think I would finish even though the portion size was really small. I asked for a redo and the second plate was significantly better. The pasta was delicious. Texture was great. And the balance of the flavors of their second try was much better as well.
Sesame cheesecake for dessert was just ok. Not my favorite but it was interesting. A bit too sweet for my taste.
Overall — not a bad experience and I would definitely recommend the pasta and the veggie sides. But it was pricy for the amount of past you get.
*note — The entrance is kind of hidden and makes it seem like it’s always closed. (They should probably do something about that).

The last place you would expect to find a place like Sorella is wedged between Chinatown and the Lower East Side, on a street littered with dumpling and hardware shops. Don’t be misled, though: Sorella is quite the hidden gem and all doubts are wiped away the instant you set foot into this cozy restaurant. A little background: Sorella specializes in Italian small plates, offering a variety of appetizers, pastas, and mains suitable for a night out. If you’re looking to have a lengthy conversation with a few close friends or to impress a date, this is the perfect venue for it. Although small, the restaurant has a well-​spaced interior with a pared down décor. It’s simple, neat, and elegant — a philosophy that translates over into the food.
It would be blasphemous to leave Sorella without at least trying the Broccoli Fritto, even if you dislike anything that resembles vegetation. The broccoli is fried in a light batter and topped with an amazing, creamy pickled-​pepper aioli. The flavor from the habanero peppers and pepperonici add plenty of savoriness and spice to otherwise boring vegetable, and, after all, isn’t (almost) everything is better fried? The Pork Rillettes are also a solid starter, and the addition of the crunchy red onions were a smart contrast to the richness of the meat, which bears a strong resemblance to pâté. Even better, the rillettes are served on top of a thick slice of English muffin bread which has been lightly toasted in bacon fat. Yes, it’s delicious, and yes, you should order it.
As for their pastas, I opted for the Sorrel Stracci. The pasta itself is perfectly cooked, past al dente but with plenty of texture and chew. The lamb ragu sauce is rich and full of flavor, and the black pepper ricotta and crushed pistachios were appreciated additions that provided some additional texture. I wish the mint had been more pronounced as it would have given some much needed contrast to the heavier overtones, but it was nonetheless a tasty dish. I have to admit that I preferred some of my friend’s dishes: the Pici reminded me of udon noodles and had just the right amount of spice in the sauce to compliment the pork perfectly. The agnolotti, which is made with braised oxtail, cooked in sage butter, and paired with a celery root purée, was almost too much richness in one bowl; thankfully, this was shared by the table.
I usually approach «small plates» with caution, because very few restaurants in this category are able to leave diners satisfied with smaller portion sizes. Thankfully, Sorella is able to accomplish this with success and I have yet to try anything on their menu I didn’t like. It’s definitely worth a try, and many more afterwards.

A hidden gem!
make reservations because it can get packed!
For apps…
we had broccoli fritto– DELICIOUS! as well as the pâté di fegato…
we had a group so we pretty much ordered one of every pasta dish i think
which was the same as the desserts…
their homemade gelato was yummy…
the torta can be too sweet but then again it is CHOCOLATE…
I’m not a huge fan of bread pudding but theirs was pretty good
i loved their panacotta but i don’t think its on their menu anymore…
their bomboloni is SOOOOO GOOOOD
i think their desserts change depending on the season which is great for my sweet tooth
everything was delicious.
the service was great. they had a great drink menu as well…
we always got refills on our bread sticks while waiting. didn’t even need to ask
I’d definitely come back

Exactly what Unilocal says for 2 stars: Meh. I’ve experienced better.
Called on a thursday to make a reservation for 4 for Friday.
We get there, but they booked us for a table for 2… so we wait.
Once we’re seated we wait for another 5 – 10 min before someone takes our drink order. When I ask about the difference between 2 wines I’ve never tried before, I’m told, «I don’t know, but you should try this one» –of course she pushes the most expensive wine on the menu. Whatever, I get it.
We all order pasta and a few appetizers. The Brussels sprouts side dish was by far the best dish. The entrees came. Me & my friend actually laughed out loud when we saw the TINIEST PORTIONS on our plate. I guess a $ 20 plate of pasta will get you one scoop – literally.
After we were done scraping every last bit off the plate, we had to order another round of appetizers.
Only reason I didn’t give it 1 star was because everything tasted great, really great. But dining is an experience and the whole thing left me with a sour taste in my mouth and still hungry.

What a gem! After a restaurant nearby couldn’t seat us we stumbled upon Sorella, and happy we did. The staff was sweet and I love the few different dining areas– great for romantic date night, girls dinner, or drinks and appetizers by the bar. We had the pear salad, brussels sprouts, ravioli, lamb ragu pasta, and the durade fish special.
We nearly ordered a second order of the sprouts which were amazing (no bacon). The only downfall was the fish was a bit fishy for my liking.
The home made gelato– smores, chocolate/​pretzel and cookie dough were all out of this world.
Had a glass of the ishcia wine which was yummy.
Will add this to our list and plan to be back very soon!

Definitely a hidden gem — perfect for a casual dinner with friends or a date. From drinks to dessert, everything was satisfying. I appreciate that the portion sizes were not obnoxiously large! We had:
Kale Salad: don’t laugh but it was actually awesome. It had a light, tangy dressing with crispy fried onions on top.
Brussels: I’m still salivating at the thought of that mustard sauce.
Gnudi: the gnocchis were lukewarm which was disappointing. With a little heat, this dish would have been terrific.
Chestnut tarajin: As my boyfriend tacitly put it, «this is the type of s**t you can’t ever make at home». Agreed and I don’t usually like mushroom dishes.
Italian donuts: the chocolate ones were incredibly gooey and moist. The other ones were dry.
Drinks: I just need to attribute our stellar experience to OMAR, our amazing bartender. Not only did he shake up some bombastic Honey Pot drinks but kept up some witty conversation and offered some spot on recommendations. Can I say that we’ll be back in part because of our positive experience with him?
Great place! Check it out!

I came here not too long ago with my bf, brother, and his gf.
First, I must say that the pasta was excellent. That is the only memorable part of the meal. The cocktails were pretty good too.
That being said, during the course of our meal, we saw not 1, not 2, but 3 cockroaches climbing up the wall next to our table. At 3 separate times throughout the meal!
I have to add here that I am not the type of person that would normally complain if I saw a cockroach. I understand that New york is infested with them and have worked in restaurants and also currently live in an apartment where I see the occasional roach.
That being said, we pointed out the roach 2 out of 3 times and the staff just killed them and continued to serve us as if nothing happened. I am certain that if we had made a bigger stink about it or complained with more authority, they would have treated the situation differently.
We ordered MULTIPLE rounds of drinks, small plates, appetizers, pasta/​main course, AND desserts. We spent a lot and did not get a single comped item regardless of the experience.
We could not even keep the cockroach out of the conversation because it seems as though every time we looked up we saw another one. THREE. Over the course of one hour.
On top of that when it came to settling the check, the waiter made a mistake and overcharged us?
Overall a terrible experience. I do not go to places in this price range too often but when I do spend the amount of money that we did that night, I expect professional service. I would be able to overlook it if the staff had handled this better.

Sorella has a special place as I watched the chef compete on television and saw her food. The gnocchi and risotto are recommended.

Leron’s Lesson: First class service, chic décor but unfortunately the food was unimpressive.
Full Review: I had dinner here last week and I was immediately impressed by the attentive service and polite staff. They really made me feel like a special guest. Perhaps because it was a slow Wednesday night, but still, I appreciate it! The décor is very stylish and interesting, currently they have some autumnal appearing decorations and the restaurant is very nicely, dimly lit, creating the perfect ambiance for dinner.
However, the food wasn’t that good. I only had a pasta dish featuring mushrooms, risotto and a raw egg. Perhaps the fault is mine for ordering that dish, but still, it could have been better. Plus the portions are very small.
I might go back sometime because I work nearby and I really did enjoy their service. Give it a try if dimly lit, excellent service and fine Italian dining is what you’re looking for.

I have such a huge crush on Emma Hearst.
All the food and all the drinks were fab. I believe I tried a bite of everything the table got and the table said, «Give me one of everything.»
Things that stand out are the fried broccoli and all the drinks. The pasta dishes were pretty great, but seriously Unilocal!,can you get Emma to give me a call? I know she’s no longer the head chef but I believe she’s still a apart owner.
Oh yeah. My first time ever trying oxtail. Is oxtail always this good?

This is a review only about their bomboloni.
They are very good indeed: super soft, super delicate, perfectly sweetened, warm like little pillows of love.
I’ll b back 4 more. Too bad that everything else is soooo unreasonably pricy!

Wow. I’ve wanted to try this place for a while already and I’m glad I did.
Love the décor, back room is very cozy.
We had ordered some meats and cheeses, all were fantastic.
Then my friend had the lamb ragu, I had the spicy pork pici plate. We were really impressed, both were good. I think my dish was better!
We got the big apple drink, which was strong and delicious. You should have room for desert, bc the pasta dishes are on the small side.
We had a mocha gelato with brownie bites, with a caramelish topping. Omg it was so GOOD

I usually come to Sorella during my hr long waits for a table at Cocoron. so I am quite familiar with the breadsticks and the wine list (very familiar). I finally decided that Sorella should be a destination in it of itself, and arrived for dinner at the bar.
There are lots to choose from and the dishes are really hearty. I want to come back again because i KNOW this place is a 4* but in my hunger, I accidentally ordered the Pâté di Fegato which tainted everything else I had. 1. I don’t like pâté. 2. what was i thinking?!
In any case, the Tajarin and the Tuscan Kale & Squash Salad were delicious.

Came here with a friend on a random Wednesday night. It wasn’t too crowded which was great!
We ordered the duck fat english muffin bread, chicken liver mousse, fried egg, bacon. This dish sounded amazing but wasn’t balanced at all. I don’t think the bread was an english muffin style, it seemed just like a slice off a loaf. Eitherway, there was way too much chicken liver mouse in relationship to the other ingredients.
We also had the guanciale risotto which was fantastic. It was perfectly al dente and very flavorful.

I have now been about half a dozen times, maybe more, and Sorella has been consistently outstanding and always feels like a pretty good deal.
I have the duck fat english muffin every time, and love it. My recent trip was the first time I have tried the fried brocolli, which was also excellent. Usually I also share a salad; the kale is my favorite, and the recent ridicchio one I had was OK but way over dressed. Bluefish entrée was fantastic, and the bbq quail was good, too, though a little too heavily seasoned.
Did not have desserts on my latest visit, but they were really stellar when I went last about a year ago – simple and rustic, but also very unique… wish I saved room this time.
Staff is usually good and the décor is nice, at the bar or in the back room.

Good things come in small packages. That’s what it’s been always said.
Somehow, I thought about it while reading Sorella’s Qualcosina menu. Literally, «a little something», which I think it is not only an extremely cute word but an excellent example that the proverb is generally true. The small dishes menu offered a Sorella are an excellent exhibition of what seems to be simple at first, but that hide «a little something» to made it special. Foodies out there … this is a loud call for you.
Getting into Sorella a few days ago, I desired two things. Handicap access and a wine menu featuring other than Italian. The last one exclusively related to the fact that I don’t know enough Italian wines and therefore I feel lost if I have to order. However, only one of those prevailed when we left. And I believe even my 3 friends secretly shared it with me. Because let me tell you, crutches or not, no one wanna deal with a high step after 3 bottles of wine.
I find Sorella an extremely delightful place in all senses you can think about. Even their logo is something you must take a look. Sorella, which means sister, and so an specular image of two girls holding a glass of wine that connect them together. The patio in the back is lovely but when I was leaving I also desired that we have stayed in the main room, the ambiance there is captivating an intimacy come by almost instantly. Please, bring the one that is continuously in your mind and in your heart. It was also my desire to have been there with him. Even when the style is modern and sophisticated, it feels warm and cozy. Mainly because of the human factor. You know, the way they greet you, the way they serve you, the way your glass is refill with an smile every single time. No matter who. And also because the overall ambiance it’s calm and peaceful.
I would recommend to order a few dishes to share. We just felt attracted to their qualcosinas, but their entire menu is appealing and intriguing. We went with some of their classics: Pâté di fegato (liver), of course. And here is where Dan T. pointed it out right: Flavor. The bite is exceptionally tasty, even when it is chicken liver mousse that I have find in many other places to be bland and tasting like plain liver unseasoned. Here, the duck takes control. And it’s fascinating that apparently it came from the bread, a muffin bread made with duck fat. The liver mousse is more than generous portion, unctuous, rich and filling and it wouldn’t even need the egg, neither the bacon but those additions elevate the dish even more. We also order Fava beans and Brussels with bacon and apples both of them excellent and extremely tasty although I wasn’t satisfied with the Brussels texture because they were dry. All the opposite however for my favorite dish of the night: Beef Carne Cruda, which is beef tartare topped with crispy shallots, accompanied by Podda cheese and celery, apple and herb salad together with lemon alioli. The small chunks of meat were juicy and flavorful, pure high quality meat.
The wine menu offers a large selection of Italian wines. Either by the glass as well as by the bottle. With a price range extremely reasonable. You can also choose among their beers including some Italians. Tap (birra) and also by the bottle. Yes, you can order beer bottles. Our idea of lets just have a bottle and something to eat, ended up several hours later with a total of 3 bottles for 4 people. Each one better than the other. As usual for Italian wines, the menu is presented by the region where the wine is coming from and the year. Our friend took care of the wine because he knew better, and I can’t recall which ones we had other that an excellent Barolo to start. All of them were light and delicate to the palate.
It feels great when in Sorella and time just flew by without noticing. Quoting Jonas M.‘s brilliant question «When you look into your napkin at the end of a meal, what do you see?» I would say «I see myself asking that same question over and over to Sorella’s napkins from now on»