Here’s the UWS Dish: Motorino’s Baby Kale Caesar Salad

By Abigael T. Sidi

Ever since I covered Song’ E Napule and Sal and Carmine, I’ve been holding onto my beloved Motorino, always in fear of throwing it to the wolves. (My pizza reviews have been the ones to cause the most stir, if not outright screaming matches, in the comments section.) But then, I realized that the Motorino dish I really wanted to cover was not one of their superb, wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizzas such as the soppresseta picante, the soppressata super picante, the colatura di alici, or the Pugliese, just to name a few of our family favorites.

Instead, what I love most about Motorino is the antipasti, where attention to ingredients, dish composition and execution resemble more what you’d expect from the likes of Sempre Oggi – or dare I say, Marea – than from a neighborhood pizza joint.

To me, of all Motorino’s antipasti, the baby kale Caesar salad reigns supreme. When brought to the table, the dish has a majestic look that does justice to the salad’s name, with its grandiose dome of greens covered in Parmesan snow and white marinated anchovies resting on top. (You can have them on the side or not at all, if you’re not an anchovy fan.) I love the imperial feel of the dish; it’s part of the experience. Digging in with my fork gives me a feel of royalty.

Each bite in this beauty is a trip to Caesar heaven. Critically, the baby kale has the required tenderness. (I normally do not enjoy the sturdy leaves as salads.) According to my server, this is not the result of massaging the leaves, but rather, because of the high quality of the ingredient itself, purchased from the reputable NYC wholesale supplier Fadaro. The croutons are of the small and crispy type, with a simple and delicious buttery flavor and only mild garlicky undertones.  As to the Parmesan, it is everywhere, coating every single leaf.

Now to the dressing: This is where the garlic shines, along with the incorporated lemon juice. Noticeably, this is not your typical NYC-Italian/American Caesar that is drenched in dressing, such as, say, Carmines’ Caesar (which I adore as well). Motorino’s version does sacrifice on creaminess but, doing so, retains an airy crispiness to it until the last bite (no soggy leaves). The fresh feel to the salad is only enhanced by the mini red onion wedges, which along with the white anchovies deliver a gentle pungency.  I swallow the whole thing entirely, each and every time, unashamedly using my fingers to secure any residual dressing/Parmesan tracks on the plate. Bellissima!

Motorino’s other antipasti offerings are equally as awesome and include (but are not limited to) the bright and citrus-y shaved fennel salad (with orange, red onion, currants, Pecorino and salt-cured olives); and the generous and succulent octopus & potato salad, which also features celery, capers, red onion and Cerignola olives. Both salads are very well executed, with a superb balance of crunch, acidity and fragrance. The price of the latter (my dad’s favorite)  unfortunately was hiked recently to $24, while the former, Mom’s loyal choice for salad at Motorino, can still be had at a reasonable $16.

Last but not least on my list of all that’s to love about Motorino is the décor.  Immediately visible from the kitchen, the imposing wood-fired pizza oven rules over the whole place, which is otherwise as unpretentious as it gets. For whatever reason (maybe it’s the tables, chairs, mirror, tiles, or just the general layout), this is the UWS pizza joint whose vibe and looks remind me most of the pizzerias we visited in Naples last year. Or maybe it’s because of the very personal way owner Mathieu Palombino, a Belgian native, French-trained, pizzaiolo convert, chooses the artwork for his Motorino outposts throughout the city, as recently covered by the Rag.  We’re talking intangibles here, but visiting Motorino warms my heart each time like no other UWS pizzeria does.

Motorino is open from 11:30 a.m. til 10:30 p.m.every day, with take-out and delivery available at these times. (The restaurant has a great 3-for-2 deal; we get it by calling them directly.) There are plenty of vegetarian options in both the antipasti and pizza sections, and the pizza menu has clearly marked red and white vegan options.

To finish, I want to reiterate and be absolutely clear that my decision to review the Caesar salad does not mean that Motorino’s pizzas are forgettable, which they absolutely are not. Just the opposite, in fact; I’d say that, at the very least, they are on par with Song E’ Napule’s, and Palombino’s pies have been recognized for their distinctive puffy outer edges (cornicione). If you haven’t tried them yet, order them without hesitation.

The Dish: Baby Kale Caesar Salad ($15.50)

The Restaurant: Motorino, 510 Columbus Avenue (between West 84th and 85th streets.)

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