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A Taste of Manhattan in Eltingville - Puglia's of Hester Street
Published: 05/31/2011 by John Minter
When I decided to meet a friend last week at Puglia’s of Hester Street on Old Amboy Road in Eltingville, I became frustrated as I couldn’t locate Hester as a cross street. After arriving at my destination, I felt unworldly as my Manhattan born friend informed me that the original Puglia’s is a renowned eatery on Hester Street in Little Italy.
Staten Island’s Puglia of Hester Street opened in 2010 in a newly constructed plaza consisting of lofty ceilings and windowed walls. The Eltingville location might not reflect the same atmosphere of a dark and rustic old world kitchen like its venue in Manhattan; however, it does offer the same cuisine solely distinct to that of the Puglia region, situated in the stiletto of south-eastern Italy.
Puglia’s most popular entrees are the veal picatta and the chicken ala benny, the latter being a prime example of the region’s style of cooking and the restaurant’s signature sauce. Tender chicken is lightly marinated and draped with a sauce that is slightly sweet and bold in spice. While the exact ingredients in this recipe are unknown, the basic method of preparing the sauce consists of slowly sauteing garlic and red chili peppers in a balsamic reduction. Indescribably unique, this glaze almost brings to mind an oriental flavor. (The house calamari is also served tossed in this style). While these distinguished entrees are my first choice, the vodka sauce pizza is also immensely popular.
When planning a visit to Puglia’s be sure to expect a wait on Friday’s and Saturday’s. Starting around 5:30 both the dinning room and the bar become quite crowded. While the food is incomparable, it is not uncommon to expect major delays between the time of ordering and delivery. For those patrons who are not interested in live music relative to that of a wedding singer, a quieter weekday evening might be preferred.
Puglia’s of Hester Street in Eltingville is an ideal place to experience a taste of Little Italy without enduring the commute. While the menu is on the higher side of moderately priced and the pace of the meals is sometimes slower, the outing is well worth it in good company.
