"My heart was in my underwear"

That's what the guy at the next table said to his date as we were eating at a new uptown Italian restaurant tonight. Bettolona (http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2010/09/bettolona.html).

I have no idea what he was talking about, but it was a laugh for us!

We had ASPARAGI AL FORNO baked asparagus with fontina cheese, parmigiano and a hint of white truffle oil; ZUPPA DI CAMPAGNA white bean and vegetable soup, Butternut Squash soup with goat cheese; PENNE SICILIANA penne, eggplant and soft ricotta cheese, tomato sauce; INTEGRALE whole wheat pasta, garlic, olive oil, seasonal vegetables and 3 kinds of pizza: REGINA MARGHERITA tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and basil; PROSCIUTTO imported Italian prosciutto, homemade mozzarella and tomato sauce and AFFUMICATA tomato sauce, smoked mozzarella, hot sausage and cherry tomatoes.

We shared a bottle and a half of Montepulciano for $30 (not a bad wine, not a bad price). The service was very good, the ambience was lovely-exposed brick walls, wood tables and floors, heat lamps and a nice long bar area with bar height tables and chairs. Dessert was Tiramisu -good, but not like mine :) - and crepes with nutella and banana.

Uptown Monday Night is alive and well!