Quality Italian: Fun food before or after the theater

Quality Italian is worth a visit for more than the chicken paramigiana.

Despite its name, Quality Italian defies your expectations of the usual Italian restaurant. It’s really a steakhouse with an Italian twist. Portions are so large you can share them with friends. That, and the eatery’s lively atmosphere, make you feel as if you’ve been invited to a surprise party.

After checking in with the receptionist, we ascended a winding marble staircase leading to the dining room above Sixth Avenue (that had a lovely ground floor bar beneath with a garage-type door opening up to the street).

The tastefully decorated room was clubby in color tones but contemporary/industrial in decor with natural light filtering in from the street. With a choice of both round and rectangular tables, it was abuzz on a Saturday night with a mix of theatergoers, tourists, families and locals (We even spotted celebrity Dr. Drew on our way out).

Soon after we were seated, we were served a pan of warm, salted, pull-apart rosemary rolls with a side of olive oil.

However, what “drew” us to the restaurant was its picture-worthy signature dish: chicken parmigiana. Again the dish was unconventional. It wasn’t a pizza, per se because it had no crust. Rather, it was oven-baked chicken parmigiana, breaded on both sides, pressed into the pan to attain a round shape, and then sliced into wedges. Drizzled on top with cheese and tomato sauce, it was served on a two-story elevated pie stand. Underneath it was a choice of condiments and spices as well as arugula and a honey sauce.

Not only was the pie gargantuan in diameter but it also had the thickness of Sicilian pizza. The menu said it was sized for two (at $29 per person) but it served as a main course for four hearty eaters–with a few slices left over to take home.

One of the reasons we didn’t inadvertently over-order was that our waiter, Ernesto, was extremely helpful in guiding us through the extensive offerings on the menu. He was so self-assured with the “quality” of the food he was serving that he encouraged us to try dishes with the guarantee of taking them back to the kitchen for something else in case we didn’t like them. (We didn’t have to exercise that option).

We also shared:

• Eggplant Polpetta, roasted eggplant molded into meatball shapes, topped with burrata and a sauce of San Marzano tomatoes

• Corn gnudi, a type of gnocchi made with ricotta cheese (instead of potato) and dusted with corn flour, served in a butter sauce flavored with pistachio, basil and black pepper

• Baked clams topped with thin baked pasta, our least favorite because they were a little too dry and flavorless

• Light and crispy soft shell crab with fresh tomato and parsley topping

The corn crème brûlée was a totally amazing, a side of creamed corn covered with a thin burnt sugar topping that was so rich and delicious it could have been eaten as dessert. We were so taken by this creamy custard concoction that we uncharacteristically neglected to photograph it!

Except for the disappointing baked clams, we enjoyed every thing we ordered as well as the interesting cocktails before dinner. The made-in-house gelatos were perfect for dessert.

The location of the restaurant, attentive service, authentic “quality” ingredients and eclectic menu make it a great choice before or after a Broadway show. While probably not as well-suited for a romantic dinner for two, it’s perfect for an entertaining lunch or dinner with a group of food-loving friends who like to share. The whimsical menu was interesting enough that we are eager to return to taste the homemade pastas and steak served on a wooden plank (which the people at the table next to us seemed to be enjoying as much as we relished our pizza!).

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IF YOU GO

Quality Italian

57 West 57^th Street (entry on Sixth Avenue between 57^th and 58^th)