One of the benefits of travelling to New York for me is that I have wonderful in-laws (No, really. They’re awesome!) who live and work there. Not only does this mean that I get to enjoy some wonderful hospitality and home-cooked food while visiting, they also love to provide me restaurant recommendations for when I’m on the go. And, it was one of these recommendations that led me to Sergimmo Salumeria.
I was at the Javits center for BlogWorld (as talked about here and here and here), and I asked my mother-in-law for a nearby restaurant recommendation. She immediately raved about an Italian delicatessen called Sergimmo Salumeria located on 9th Avenue between 35th and 36th Streets. Now, when my food-loving, wonderful cook, Italian mother-in-law recommends an Italian place, I listen. So, on the last day of the conference, I made sure to visit.
Situated in the middle of a quiet block (by Manhattan standards), Sergimmo’s welcoming red awning and menu board with the latest specials greet you as you approach. Upon entering, you immediately notice the well-organized and clean shelves lined with all kinds of quality Italian foods and products available for sale. Delicious looking side dishes and deli goods rest attractively behind the see-thru counters.
As I looked around on this day, I noticed that sandwiches were the most popular among the existing patrons. However, even though they looked great, I wasn’t in the mood for a sandwich, and so I decided to take a look at the specials. My wife loves broccoli rabe (rapini for any fellow Michiganians out there) which made me feel a slight tinge of guilt as I passed on the “Orochietto con brocoli di rabi” (she would have sooo loved that!). Broccoli rabe is an acquired taste, and I haven’t acquired it. So instead, I ordered something that looked fantastic, eggplant pie.
I’m not a big enough foodie to tell you exactly what was in the eggplant pie, but the combination of thinly sliced, breaded eggplant, the best cheeses, a wonderful sauce and whatever else was in there was delicious….really, really delicious. In addition, the portion was large enough that I couldn’t finish and was even complimented with some tasty bread on the side.
On top of the great food, the staff was super-friendly. They politely answered my questions and took care of me. They even (I’m not sure if this is a regular feature or not) walked around handing out pieces of freshly made mozzarella to everyone. Finally, the prices were a real value. Under $10 for a pretty large slice of eggplant pie and some bread is a pretty good deal for Manhattan. I’ve had cups of soup that cost more there.
I strongly recommend giving Sergimmo a try the time you find yourself in Midtown. Their website (Sergimmo.com ) wasn’t exactly active for them yet, but you can request a menu by emailing specials@Sergimmo.com, or check out their Facebook page.
