Italy Transplant Seeks Special Brew
Posted by: Info | May 18th, 2009
Italy Transplant Seeks Special Brew
Those who pride themselves on enjoying the divine brew of quality Italian coffee will never be satisfied with omnipresent Starbucks which serves its java in paper cups. The New York Times profiled an authentic Italian émigré who decided to just say no to the American way of doing cappuccino or espresso. Isabella Gligora, a transplanted New Yorker by choice, was “inspired to open…because the neighborhood did not offer a cup of Italian coffee that was up to her standards.” There is little hint of American consumerism in Gligora’s small coffee temple…. Ballarò Caffè Prosciutteria is a locale straight out of the streets of Roma or Napoli. You can find Signorina Gligora in the East Village, where, “coffee drinks, including shakeratos made with espresso shaken over ice, are served at the generous bar.”
Need to snack with your shakerato? “To eat or take away are items like bread pudding; crostini topped with tomato or artichokes and pecorino, among others; salads and prepared dishes like grilled eggplant, and a long list of domestic and imported cheeses and cured meats.” The shelves are filled with every Italian condiment desirable.
> Ballarò Caffè Prosciutteria. 77 Second Avenue (East Fourth Street), 212/ 228-2969, www.ballaronyc.com
