Destino

Midtown East
891 First Ave @ 50th St.
(212) 751-0700
http://destinony.com/

Right around the corner from my apartment, I regularly passed this non-descript restaurant. A couple months ago, I come to find out Justin Timberlake is a part owner. Sure, I like my neighborhood, but it's not exactly home to any cool late night clubs, trendy boutiques, or celeb hot stops.

I was relieved the place did not scream Justin Timberlake. In fact, the scene was so disconnected from what I expected, I began to question whether the claims were true. Even more disenchanting was the loudest message Destino did scream, "BRIDGE AND TUNNEL."

While the B&T folk enjoyed their big meal out in the City, Melissa and I stayed in the neighborhood for a low-key outing. We were eating late, so by the time the server brought some bruschetta, I thought I could have eaten anything. The overly stale toast point and unripe tomatoes were my first warning signal. Messing up bruschetta is typically a recipe for disaster!

Melissa and I did halfsies, again. We wanted to go healthy. We decided on fish. Who really gets salmon at an Italian restaurant? Although the salmon seemed to be a strange choice, they were the ones that put it on the menu. The fish was along the lines of a plate served at a banquet hall wedding. You are able to consume about three-quarters before you realize it's lacking personality.


The menu features essentially any kind of basic pasta you could name. I was strangely craving tomato sauce, so we supplemented our meal with an order of Siciliana - rigatoni pasta, eggplant, tomato, fresh mozzarella. Again, no pizzazz.



Don't get me wrong, I don't expect every meal to be the pinnacle of gastronomy. I do however expect restaurants to accurately access who they are and portray themselves as such to the public. Would I try to get away with telling someone I'm 5'7" when I'm really 5'2"? I can put on some fancy stilettos and try to act the part, but at the end of the day, I'm 5'2". Get my point? If you are going to serve me the same thing I can get down the street at any local Italian joint, I don't want to be charged double the price just because a former Mouseketeer may or may not be involved.

If I have any luck, my destino will never bring me back there. Justin, nothing against your dance moves, but you're better off sticking with entertaining 13-year-old teenyboppers.

Go or No Go? No Go