At Felice, we take great pride in the many wonderful reviews we have received...
New York Post - FELICE NAVIDAD!
By ANDREA STRONG
Published: January 13, 2008
Felice Wine Bar
1166 First Ave.; (212) 593-2223
THIS NEW WINE BAR from Sant Ambroeus' partner Gherardo Guarducci and wine buyer Jacopo Giustiniani has chef Simone Parisotto (of Sant Ambroeus in Southampton) turning out a menu of antipasti, pastas and entrées, alongside small plates to pair with wine (there are 100 by the bottle and 15 by the glass). The exposed-brick space was designed by Robert McKinley (PM, Cain, Gold Bar) with a travertine bar, a long communal table (for easy access to conversation with alluring strangers) and a funky chandelier made from 54-liter glass wine jugs.
Must-have meal: Raw artichoke salad with Parmesan and hearts of palm ($12), tagliatelle alla Bolognese ($15) and Tiramisu ($8).
Soundtrack: Lounge music from Hotel Costes and Hotel Byblos, along with some Bob Marley and Italian singers Mina and Ornella Vanoni.
Daily Candy - The Weekend Guide
What to Do This Weekend
Published: January 10, 2008
DRINK
Felice Wine Bar
What: The UES could use a cozy space for swilling and snacking. Share a table with neighbors and order artichoke slices or the crostini that comes with the house wine (as in, from the owner's Italian vineyard).
Why: Drink up(town).
When: Daily, 5 p.m.-midnight. Lunch next week.
Where: 1166 First Ave., at 64th St. (212-593-2223).
New York Times - Off the Menu
By FLORENCE FABRICANT
Published: December 26, 2007
Open Now - FELICE WINE BAR
Northern Italy has been given a showcase at this spot, whose name is pronounced feh-LEE-chay. It features Tuscan wines alongside cosmopolitan Milanese food. The chef is Simone Parisotto. Jacopo Giustiniani, a partner, is the wine buyer for the Sant Ambroeus restaurants. Felice's design is rustic, with chandeliers assembled from wine jugs: 1166 First Avenue (64th Street), (212) 593-2223.
New York Magazine - Restaurant Openings
Published: Week of December 24, 2007
Felice Wine Bar
1166 First Ave.; (212) 593-2223
The Upper East Side space that was formerly Focaccia Fiorentina has reopened as Felice Wine Bar, and if a few details are reminiscent of Sant Ambroeus, including the logo's typeface, there's a very good reason: Felice shares not only partial ownership with that institution — it also shares a chef and a wine buyer. As you'd expect, wine figures prominently in the redesign, from the deconstructed-barrel vestibule to the glass-jugs chandelier. Chef Simone Parisotto has composed a menu of focaccias, pastas and risotti, and mains like bamboo-steamed halibut. But what best suits the theme is the selection of paired snacks, like the crostoni of eggplant, zucchini, and burrata that the menu matches with the house wine, a blend of Chardonnay and Vermentino from partner Jacopo Giustiniani's family vineyard in Tuscany.
