A couple weeks ago I attended a Press Dinner at Incognito Bistro, a Scottish-Italian restaurant located in the heart of Manhattan’s Flatiron district.
Less than two years old, Incognito boasts romantic, elegant, modern decor in a candlelight setting.
Loved the black & white pictures on the wall… old family photos gives the restaurant a slight vintage, yet modern look.
Incognito also offers a seating area for private events which may be booked ahead of time.
Here is the Chef – Paolo Montana, and his wife who possesses a great sense of humor, is friendly, and so attentive, but not just with our group, but other groups as well.
We were offered an extensive tasting menu along with wine pairings, needless to say, the experience was wonderful.
LOCATION
30 W 18th Street (btw. 5th & 6th Ave)
New York, NY 10011
(flatiron)
MENU: Incognito Menu
COST: $$$
CUISINE: Italian-Scottish
RECOMMENDED TO: Couples, Happy Hour (all day), Small Groups, Classy Dining.
AMBIENCE: Classy/Elegant
MY REVIEW – this is a tasting menu as part of a Press Dinner, hence the portions are smaller.
As soon as we were seated, we started off with a glass of Prosecco, succulent and delish. And of course, bread on the side.
APPETIZERS
Smoked Scottish Salmon Pizza w/Lemon Ricotta and Capers. A unique combo, but a winning one. Although I’m a HUGE fan of salmon, I actually don’t eat smoked salmon, but regardless I gave this pizza a shot and devoured it. There are hints of goat cheese in the pizza, but nothing too prominent that I couldn’t handle.
Burrata – A plate of heaven! I think Burrata may just be my new favorite Italian cheese, I had heard of it, but never tried it. Soft, mild, creamy cheese that has a texture similar to Ricotta. The truffle oil, that I could actually smell, and hints of basil took my breath away. My favorite dish of the night.
Pea Soup – There was no dairy in this soup, and it was still tasty. The crouton on top was outstanding. The Extra Virgin Olive Oil used was of high quality.
Grilled Calamari w/Rucola. Personally, I prefer fried calamari over grilled. The flavor was bitter, the texture was tough. A let down.
MAINS
Highland Haggis – Lamb Sausage w/Turnips, Creamed Potatoes, and Whiskey Jus, paired w/Merlot Wine. The lamb was tender. The sauce was smooth & tasty with mild undertones of whiskey. Unfortunately the mashed potatoes were a bit sweet than the norm. The lamb paired impeccably well with the strong, dry glass of Merlot.
* Butternut Squash Ravioli w/Mascarpone & Green Peas (top left). Sweet and savory at the same time, so delicious and unique. My favorite pasta.
* Cannelloni stuffed w/Beef & Spinach (right). A favorite amongst most, but I found it rather salty which took away from the flavor of this dish.
* Pappardelle in a Bolognese Sauce (front). Although I don’t eat beef, I did indulge in this dish since it was so delicious and buttery, but it needed a hint of salt.
Wild Stripped Bass, paired w/White Wine. Underwhelming, a little tough, not seasoned well enough. The sauce was light with hints of jalapeno (nice touch) and paired well with a glass of white wine.
Fillet Mignon w/Wild Mushroom, Fennel, & Cognac Sauce. As mentioned above, I don’t typically eat beef, but I did try this dish and as expected, I found it chewy. On the other hand, the mushroom sauce that complemented the beef was simply out of this world. And of course, the Fillet Mignon paired beautifully with a glass of red.
DESSERT
Cranachan made with Berry Compote, Chantilly Cream, toasted Scottish Oats, & Honey. This dessert almost looked healthy, like something you would eat for breakfast, only its dessert, and better. An original and scrumptious combination for dessert.
OVERALL: 3.5 / 5
Located in the heart of the Flatiron district, Incognito is no longer a secret. It was my first time dining at a Scottish-like restaurant and I truly enjoyed the experience. Most dishes were fantastic while others fell short due to lack of salt, too much salt, or the meat/fish being too tough and/or not seasoned enough. The wines chosen to pair with certain dishes enhanced the flavor of the dish. My favorites of the night were the Smoked Salmon Pizza, Buratta, and Butternut Squash Ravioli. Incognito offers beautiful decor, excellent service, and good food.
Ratings | Recommendations |
Food: Good | salmon pizza, burrata, butternut squash ravioli, pea soup, cranachan dessert. |
Drinks: Excellent | prosecco, wine pairings were fabulous. |
Décor: Excellent | warm/classy/elegant |
Service: Excellent | friendly/attentive |
Value: Good | claims to be a $$, but it is more along the lines of a $$$. Standard Manhattan rates. |
I have never had Scottish food! The food looks great, but serving size looks a little small. (seems unusual for American standard) however the service always makes a bug difference in whether you recommend and return.
The food was a bit different, a really nice combo of Scottish and Italian. Since this was a Press Dinner, the servings are a bit smaller, but normally you would get a normal size portion.
I had Burrata cheese for the first time a month or so ago, and it changed my life! 🙂 It's soo creamy – I could swim in it!
OMG… I love Burrata cheese… it's amazing. I'm gonna start buying it more often. So creamy and mild.
I need that cranachan in my life. Btw, I'm currently snacking on jalapeno poppers and thought of you!!
It's a good thing we can make it fairly easily. Haha… love Jalapeno Poppers, hopefully TJs will come up with their version so I can stop buying TGIF's version – so bad for you!
Wow, you don't see many Scottish-Italian restaurants popping up, but I would love to try one! Incognito sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing!
Yeah, it's rare, even in Manhattan. It was a good experience overall, thanks G!
I have never eaten Scottish food but that smoked salmon pizza looks to die for…as do the past dishes- yummmm! I know I am in the minority but I am not a fan of burrata at all, which is weird as I am a huge cheese lover otherwise!
The smoked salmon pizza was so unique, it was way better than I thought. I actually enjoyed smoked salmon too. OMG.. you don't like Burrata, but you like Feta and Goat? How is that even possible K? I love Burrata. 🙂
I've never had Scottish food before…but I do LOVE smoked salmon. That probably would have been the highlight for me.
So many good restaurants in Flatiron…I need to get down there more often!
It was my first time trying Scottish food, it was good. I really enjoyed smoked salmon, I'll try it on my bagel next time… I always shy away from it. Flatiron has a lot of good places, one of my favorites is Pipa – Spanish Tapas.
That pizza looks unreal!!! Great eats.
Thanks Natalie, really was.
Italian-Scottish sounds like an interesting pairing!
Thanks Bianca.. it was. 🙂
That smoked salmon pizza and burrata salad looks divine!
The pizza was great, the burrata was out of this world. OMG! So good!