eataly

Finally made my way over to Eataly this past Sunday and in a word? Overwhelming! From the line down the block just to get into the market to the people elbowing you left and right to get a better look at the individually packaged zucchini blossoms and the price per pound on the fresh ricotta, this is not the place for the faint of crowds [raises hand]. To be fair, Sunday is obviously not the ideal day to venture to Eataly; nor is Saturday. But since mid-week jaunts don't really jive with my schedule, a weekend trip was inevitable.

Sadly, I forgot my camera and so I was heavily reliant on the camera on the phone of my epicurean field trip companion. You can guarantee, there would have been photo after photo of all of the beautiful and equally delectable goodies (imported and otherwise) that Eataly's whopping 50,000 square feet has to offer.

After chowing down on paninis (sopressata - provolone and a mortadella - mustard - robbiola) and guzzling Italian sparkling water, our stomachs and heads were better armed to battle the aggressive crowds. Speck, Italian butter, and fresh pappardelle were tossed into the basket as we haphazardly navigated our way through the food mecca, lusting over the marbled steaks and white truffles and curiously sniffing through the cheeses.

Will I be racing back? Probably not with much urgency. In its current state, it's a frenzied tourist trap and really not fit for a practical, efficient shopping experience. But a few months down the road, when the lines have (hopefully) diminished and the tourists have exhausated their rounds, I look forward to cozying up to one of the bar counters and ordering a platter of salumi and cheese while raising my glass to the end of the molto chaos.

Until then...

Eataly
200 5th Ave.