Dell'anima is located in the heart of West Village and serves great Italian food. They are actually under the same management as L'artusi—one of my favorite spots!
Food
The food was great the first time I went. Given that they are under the same umbrella as L'artusi, I didn't expect anything less. We began the meal with an all-time favorite, the quail. It was perfectly cooked with the skin crispy and interior tender as fuck. It was actually very similar to the quail at L'artusi. This particular quail was served with a sour accent, complemented by caramelized onions, pickled peppers and fennel.
Quail
The pappardelle integrale, served with mushrooms, shallots and thyme, was delicious. The pasta was perfectly cooked, lathered in mushrooms. My favorite was the tajarin alla carbonara with a poached egg. I typically avoid carbonara because it is such a difficult dish to perfect. Often times, restaurants make it extremely creamy and heavy. But Dell'anima has done it well. It is not heavy at all. The accents of cured meat in addition to the egg were just so tasty. I highly recommend.
We also ordered the lamb shank that was tasty and well seasoned. However, the lamb was a little dry. I'm very particular. Lamb shank should be perfectly cooked with no inch of dryness. Dell'anima should take notes from Bar Bolonat.
For dessert, we had the lemon poppy seed panna cotta, and let me tell you, it was SO GOOD. I absolutely loved it. With every bite, you can taste the poppy seeds burst with accents of lemon.
*Note: The food changes regularly so some of the items above no longer exist. I also went back a second time and it wasn't as good. The lack of consistency was a little dissapointing.
Ambiance
This place is very similar to L'artusi, but much smaller. It is very very dark and intimate. A great date spot!
Quality
The food was definitely excellent quality.
Pappardelle integrale
Price
The price is very similar to other counterparts such as L'artusi and Osteria Morini with pasta ranging from $18-22. I'd expect to pay about $65-75 per person after tax & tip for a full meal with drinks.
Reservation
I definitely recommend reservations 2 weeks in advance to snatch a desired time on the weekend. They also have an open bar seating that is up for grabs.
Papparadelle Integrale and Carbonara
Lamb shank & brocoli rabe
Lemony poppy seed panna cotta