Prelude to my real Babbo review

I've been to Babbo, Mario Batali's most famous and successful restaurant, five times already and still have no written a review on it. Considering the fact that it's relatively high end and a pain to get reservations, five times at a restaurant like this is a lot for me. I honestly can't even think of one fine dining spot in New York that I've been to more than once. So this is a testament to how much I love Babbo.

While I won't write up a full out review, I can promise it will eventually come. I just love this restaurant so much that I feel like it deserves eloquent words. Unfortunately, I need to think long and hard if I want to write eloquently.

Just to give a sneak peak, these are the things I've tried at Babbo and can comment on:

APPETIZERS
Grilled Octopus with "Borlotti Marinati" and Spicy Limoncello Vinaigrette
Warm Lamb's Tongue Vinaigrette with Chanterelles and a 3-minute Egg
Warm Tripe "alla Parmigiana"

PRIMI
Black Spaghetti with Rock Shrimp, Spicy Salami Calabrese, and Green Chiles
Mint Love Letters with Spicy Lamb Sausage
Beef Cheek Ravioli with Crushed Squab Liver and Black Truffles
Spaghettini with Spicy Budding Chives and One Pound Lobster
Chianti Stained Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragu
Gargenelli with "Funghi Trifolati"

DOLCI
Chocolate Hazelnut Cake with Orange Sauce and Hazelnut Gelato
Pistachio and Chocolate Semifreddo
Assortment of Gelati and Sorbetti


So those are all the things that I've tried for myself. As you can see, I've tried a pretty good amount at Babbo, and maybe this is why I've been holding off on a review of this place. There's just too much to say! I may be able to comment on other things my dining partners (pretty much just my family and Gabe) have eaten as we all tend to have a bit of each other's food. But I do promise that at some point in the next couple of months (just being realistic), I'll have a real review with photos. Until then...