This terrific market bristles with cheeses and chocolates, well-annotated arrays of honeys and olive oils, and legions of legumes — but why is so much of the display so far below waist level?
On one visit, the large staff table back by the meat counter was deserted but not bussed after lunch. What wonders might it have offered an hour earlier? Perhaps a generous bowl of juicy sausage ($10.50 per pound) sauteed with red peppers, and a round of pasta frittata (slice; $2.50), a quichelike combination of macaroni and vegetables bound with eggs and parmagiano reggiano. Or perhaps Buon Italia's housemade porchetta (shown at some remove; $16.95 per pound), a rolled roast pork seasoned with garlic (in this case, just a touch) and herbs (lots of rosemary). Though that large table is a sanctuary for the staff, there's a snug café for customers near the front of the market.
On another occasion, red raspberry gelato (small; $2.50) had the same dense texture, tart flavor, and even the icy flecks of fruit I remember from not-quite-thawed, out-of-season raspberries, back when waist-high was much, much lower.
Buon Italia
75 Ninth Ave. (15th-16th Sts.)
(inside Chelsea Market)
212-633-9090
www.BuonItalia.com
