Danny Meyer's USHG Debuts Roman-Style Trattoria Maialino
Maialino is located in Ian Schrager's storied Gramercy Park Hotel.
-- Restaurants & Institutions, November 10, 2009
[PRESS RELEASE] November 10, 2009, New York – Maialino, a new Roman-style trattoria in Gramercy Park from Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, will open at the Gramercy Park Hotel on Wednesday, November 11. Serving lovingly prepared Roman-style cooking from Executive Chef Nick Anderer, Maialino will be open throughout the day, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner. Reservations for the trattoria are now available at 212-777-2410; Bar Maialino welcomes guests on a walk-in basis.
Upon opening, Maialino will serve dinner only (Monday-Saturday, closing on Sunday); after the initial period, the restaurant will be open daily. Beginning in December it will layer in breakfast, with lunch following in January.
Opening hours are as follows: Bar Maialino: Mon.-Sat. 5:00pm – midnight
Trattoria: Mon.-Thurs. 5:30pm – 10:30pm; Fri. and Sat. 5:30pm-11:00pm
During its first week, only a limited number of reservations will be available but guests are also welcome to walk in on a first-come, first-served basis.
In April 2009, USHG was selected by visionary hotelier Ian Schrager to create a new, original restaurant at the landmarked hotel, as well as operate all of the food and beverage concepts including the hotel’s Roof and Garden restaurant (to be re-imagined in 2010), banquets, private events, and room service. It marks the first new USHG restaurant to debut since the opening of The Modern at The Museum of Modern Art in 2005.
Overlooking historic Gramercy Park, Maialino is located in Ian Schrager’s storied Gramercy Park Hotel at 2 Lexington Avenue. Guests can enter the restaurant through its own discreet street entrance, as well as through the hotel’s stunning lobby. Thoughtfully designed by Rockwell Group, Maialino captures the warmth and comfort of a traditional Roman trattoria, re-imagined for present-day New York City. The space features wide windows offering generous views of the park, warm, saturated colors, wood and tile floors, reclaimed oak wainscoting and wooden beams that once graced a poet’s barn in New Jersey, weathered and industrial metal details, antique mirrors and a diverse collection of art – much of which was commissioned by acclaimed artist, Robert Kushner.
“Maialino is a dream come true,” said restaurateur Danny Meyer. “Bringing this project to fruition has given me a heartfelt opportunity to recapture my deep feelings for Rome, where I was privileged to spend nearly two formative years of my early adult life.” Meyer collaborated on the creation of Maialino with his longtime business partner, Richard Coraine, and for the first time, with noted designer David Rockwell and Rockwell Group. Their vision is to bring the familiar comfort and gutsy flavors of the Roman trattoria to the tightly knit Gramercy Park community and beyond. “Maialino will succeed when our guests feel as though they’ve gone out and come home – all at once,” said Meyer. “That’s the promise of a trattoria.”
Maialino will mark Nick Anderer’s debut as executive chef. Anderer and Meyer have known one another for the past 6 years, during which time Anderer was sous-chef at Gramercy Tavern. This past summer, Anderer, Meyer, and USHG Chef/Partner Michael Romano ventured to the Eternal City in search of benchmark dishes from the Roman culinary canon. Anderer and Meyer built upon the serendipity of their shared experience as each had once attended Trinity College’s Barbieri campus on Rome’s Aventine Hill (Meyer, while at Trinity, had studied International Politics, and years later, Anderer, a Columbia student, studied Art History). “Nick has been as thoroughly and well prepared for this moment as any American chef I know. He loves and understands this soulful cooking and it will be an exciting privilege to continue working together just a couple of blocks from where we first met at Gramercy Tavern,” said Meyer.
Upon entering Maialino, guests are greeted in a bustling bar area that serves as a local coffee bar throughout the morning, later transforming itself into a lively wine bar serving small plates of food throughout the afternoon and evening. The mustard- and wine-patterned tile bar floor was inspired by the floor of the Pantheon (Meyer’s favorite building anywhere). The restaurant’s long walnut bar backs up to three windows, allowing patrons to overlook Gramercy Park as they sip their coffee and wine. Rockwell Group custom-designed walnut tables, chairs and barstools featuring handmade leather woven backs. A cantina (wine cellar) presents itself to guests as they first enter Maialino. Its exterior recalls an apothecary/wine storage case; in addition to wine, the space will also store Greenmarket produce to be used in the kitchen throughout the day.
As in Rome, some of the kitchen activity can be seen in the dining room itself. In the center of the restaurant is Maialino’s cucina, featuring a salumi, cheese and antipasto station on one side; with a coffee, dessert and bread station on the other. Glass enclosed marble and metal cases are filled with a rich selection of cured meats and Italian cheeses, as well as freshly made tarts, cakes and pastries.
The trattoria itself features richly-textured wood planked floors, wainscoting made from reclaimed, locally found oak, blue and white checked tablecloths covered with Frette linens, and woven leather banquettes. A highlight of the art that adorns the walls includes several pieces commissioned by artist Robert Kushner, who also created the stunning murals in Gramercy Tavern and other pieces for USHG’s restaurants. Using actual pages from antique Italian manuscripts and poetry as his canvas, Kushner painted images of the Greenmarket produce that will be featured on Maialino’s Roman menu. Other items in the collection include an antique map of Rome, as well as photos of Gramercy Park and Rome.
The private dining room serves family style, multi-course feasts on its long, wooden table for up to 22 people. The room is flanked by wine cases that permit a connection into the trattoria and a broad window with a view onto Gramercy Park.
The menu draws its inspiration from the classic dishes found throughout the trattorie of Rome, and features fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from the Greenmarket and other local farms. The dishes are prepared straightforward Roman cooking techniques and bold Roman flavors. Antipasti include Carpaccio di Polpo (Octopus and Heirloom Potato Salad) and Carciofi Alla Romana (braised artichokes); the Primi section of the menu features classic Roman pasta dishes such as Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe, Spaghetti alla Carbonara, Malfatti alla Maialino (suckling pig ragu, torn pasta and arugula), and Spaghettini alle Vongole; main course highlights include Fritto Misto and Coda alla Vaccinara (Oxtails, Tomato & Celery).
In addition to Nick Anderer, Maialino is staffed with a gifted and experienced group of USHG alumni. ’s General Manager Terry Coughlin is a seasoned USHG leader who was most recently general manager at Tabla, and before that, senior service captain at Gramercy Tavern. Pastry Sous Chef Jennifer Shelbo, who has worked under Nancy Olson at Gramercy Tavern, will be preparing freshly made desserts such as Gelato, Tartufo and Torta Della Nonna (pine nut tart), among others.
Maialino’s wine list, created by Wine Director Stephen Mancini (formerly wine director of Union Square Cafe), features a carefully selected all-Italian list with 85 bottles. 18 of those selections are available both by the glass and quartino; the restaurant will offer six Italian beers all by the bottle; a dozen digestivi; and a handful of signature cocktails made with Italian spirits.
The private dining room serves family style, multi-course feasts on its long, wooden table for up to 22 people. The room is flanked by windows offering views to the trattoria and to Gramercy Park.
The name “Maialino” recalls Danny’s time as a 20-year-old living in Rome and working as a tour guide for his father’s travel company. His Italian boss, Giorgio, immediately took to calling him “Meyerino” (little Meyer).
Danny’s favorite part of the job was to bring his tour groups to a different trattoria every night, where he’d unfailingly order “Maialino” (roast suckling pig) for dinner. In homage to Danny’s love for pork – and in jest – Giorgio transformed Meyerino into “Maialino.” His ear unaccustomed to Giorgio’s dialect, it was weeks before Danny became aware that his nickname had now become “Little Pig.”
Executive Chef Nick Anderer cooked at Gramercy Tavern for six years: initially under Chef Tom Colicchio, and for the past three years under Chef Michael Anthony. Prior to joining Gramercy Tavern, Nick served in the kitchens of Babbo under Mario Batali, as well as San Giorgio et il Drago in Milan, and at both An American Place and Manhattan Prime under Larry Forgione. Nick has long been passionate about the cuisine of Italy, having studied in Rome at the same Trinity College program Danny Meyer had attended many years ago. Food lovers may recognize Nick’s name from Bill Buford’s bestseller, Heat, in which Nick was a key player in the Babbo kitchen during Buford’s apprenticeship at the Italian eatery.
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