BabyBump2012: Eataly

I must confess, I have become one of those people: I take pictures of my food. I just enjoy food and the chefs who understand the art of creating different flavors and textures to make a meal. With that said, I cannot get enough of Mario Batali's food. I am a huge fan of his LA restaurant's Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza. It impresses me that a restaurant that has been open for more than four years continues to fill up four weeks in advance. I still have not gotten a reservation later than 6 PM. So, I hit the early bird special and fill up on Batali's tasty treats.

Well, last week in New York, I was lucky enough to try Batali's latest masterpiece, Eataly. Yes, a hybrid word: Eat and Italy. You can't go wrong with this combination and Batali touts it as "a new Italian Gastronomic Mecca". In fact, it was so good that I made a repeat visit two days later. It is an Italian marketplace in the Flatiron District that is worth every calorie. It is divided into sections of meats, cheeses, fish, pastas, gelato, pizza, pastries, and more. You can grab a glass of wine, walk through each section, stop and eat along the way, or dine in one of the sit down areas for a more formal meal. If you are headed to New York anytime soon, add it to your list, and get thee to Eataly.....especially if you are a hardcore foodie like me.

Hope you're not too hungry.........

From Manzo, the meat restaurant at Eataly, Agnolotti with Brown Butter & Parmigiano.

The cheese section of Eataly.......

Not for the squeamish: Crispy Sweetbreads with Funghi Trifolati

This melted in my mouth: Mozzarella di Bufala Campana with Prosciutto & Fettunta.

Perhaps my favorite appetizer at Eataly: Carne Cruda al Coltello. Yes, that is a raw quail egg on top. If you can handle this type of food, it was the tastiest thing I have ever had.