“Forget about it” is a phrase long associated with New York City’s Italian culture, and now an Italian restaurant bearing the iconic name is coming to the city.
Forget About It, operated by Forget About Hospitality, will debut at 168 Bleecker St.
“I’ve been living in New York City for 15 years, and my father-in-law is a native New Yorker with a thick accent. The guys were pitching ideas, and I kept answering, ‘Forget about it,’ and they were like, ‘We could actually call it that.’ We’re embracing the Italian-American tradition,” partner Paolo Testa told Whatnow New York City.
The name also nods to forgetting traditional recipes and embracing something new. Led by Chef Alberto Marcolongo, the restaurant plans to put a fresh twist on classic Italian dishes everyone knows and loves.
The chef brings extensive experience to the kitchen, having previously served as executive chef at upscale French bistro Benoit.
A standout dish will be Pasta Aglio Olio e Peperoncino, reimagined with a confit technique for a creamy consistency and tomato-like appearance. The menu will feature takes on ravioli, gnocchi and a scarpetta dish.
“Scarpetta means little shoe in Italian. It comes from the idea that the bread walks on the plate at the end of dinner to clean it up. Instead of it being something you impolitely do because you never want to leave the sauce behind, guests can order it. The sauce will be on rotation with fresh pieces of focaccia,” Testa said.
The cocktail program, led by Federico Pavan, will feature the same creative touches as the food menu.
“Our dirty martini is going to be purple. You recognize that it’s a dirty martini, but you feel surprised when we put it in front of you because it’s different, but the core of the cocktail is still the same,” Pavan told Whatnow New York City.
The team will come to the table to pour the drinks.
“We don’t want to hide everything behind the scenes. We want to have engagement with the people sitting at the table so they feel part of the process and they can enjoy,” Testa said.
Forget About It’s interior will feature a palette of dark clay, green and amber, accented by glass cement elements. The space will include banquette-style seating and tables made with green marble from Italy.
“The kitchen will have a glass cement wall. You’ll see the kitchen moving, but it’s going to be blurred. The bottom of the bar is also going to be glass cement with backlit LEDs that can change color,” he said.
The team said Forget About It aims to be elevated yet approachable, creating a neighborhood spot for regulars. After a year of development, the team is eager to introduce the concept to the community.
“I think for all of us we’re excited to be able to step foot in there and open the doors to the guests. It’s been quite a long journey and we still have another journey in front of us, but we’re embracing it together,” Testa said.
Forget About It plans to debut in January. Follow along on Instagram for the latest updates.
