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Peter Lawrence Kane
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Meat tortellini with marinara, and ravioli with bolognese.
Most of the enterprises that go into The Hall — the wonderful and sadly temporary gathering place of food-stands on Market between Sixth and Seventh streets — are local in nature. They come from local folks who are tired of working for other people and want to strike out on their own, hoping to slowly build a fan base and a modicum of credibility before expanding.
Not
Tortellino. It exists only here and in Bologna, with another location opening shortly in Milan. Its website has a bit of gosh-wow to it, crowing about the proximity to Twitter and Zendesk, but there's nothing annoyingly technophilic about this Old World business that has popped up alongside The Whole Beast and Kit Fox. It's a simple handmade pasta stand, with several options (tortellini with meat or cheese, fettuccini, pumpkin ravioli, ricotta-and-spinach ravioli, and gnocchi, all $10) along with three sauce choices: bolognese ragu, marinara, and basil pesto. Apart from that, there are chicken and vegetable broths, meatballs, and a few simple desserts like tiramisu or mascarpone. That's all. (More things are coming, though.)
On my first visit, I was leaning towards the bolognese with meat tortellini, but I asked the woman behind the counter what she recommended. She cut herself off before answering, because while what I wanted was what she was about to suggest, she was afraid it might be "too intense." Then she second-guessed her second-guess, assuring me it was the house specialty and, in a warm, maternal tone, all but demanded I come back and tell her how it was. How it was was thick and hearty, yielding to the tooth in that alchemical way fine pasta does, and with a good shave of Parmesan on top. It was still warm enough to eat outside that day, and the pasta begged for a fiasco of table wine. This isn't Emilia-Romagna, but The Hall has a liquor license, so it is possible. You won't have to answer to Nonna for it.
Tortellino,
1028 Market, 914-418-4882.
