Photo: Courtesy of Andrew Carmellini
Earlier today, old-guard Italian restaurateur Pino Luongo told Ozersky.tv that Locanda Verde served “the worst Italian food I’ve ever had in New York,” and said “you have to be masochistic to eat there.” Funny enough, he also said he considers chef Andrew Carmellini a friend! You gotta wonder whether Luongo was taking a page from his former chef Anthony Bourdain and picking a cheap fight for easy press. Well, he just got one: We e-mailed Carmellini to ask how he felt about helming a “miserable” restaurant, and here’s what he wrote back.
I can’t bring myself to watch the video cause I’m out of town and having a blast. I feel sorry for poor Mr. Luongo if he is reduced to ranting about us on video. Maybe I will be that way when I am over the hill and nobody goes to my restaurants anymore. I still remember the veal scallopini I ate at le Madri in 93 that had the texture of a mud flap. It is to be expected though in the long line of Italian restaurateurs that talked shit about Carmellini and Locanda Verde this year … but we go on … packing the house and trying to make people happy anyway, whether our Mozzarella is DOP or not and every plate looking better than the slop on the screenshot that you see being served to Josh on the video.
So, Mr. Ozersky, how did the “slop” you ate at Centrolire compare to the goods at Locanda? Do let us know in the comments!
