Saturday Night Dinner And A Movie (….And An Old Cathedral….And An Italian Bakery) In The West Village, New York City

Your late night out might end up at the 24/hour diner or with a slice of pizza…mine ends at an Italian bakery.

^^The goodies at Pasticceria Rocco that we’ll get to a bit later!

This past weekend, two of my closest college friends and I made a trip into New York City. One friend currently lives just outside Manhattan in Jersey City, and the other used to live in the city for grad school and a chunk of time after. We have a lot of memories there. NYC was our playground for many fun and crazy nights in our 20s. Lots of dates. Lots of drinks and closing bars, spending an entire working hour’s pay on one beverage, brunches the next morning to discuss the previous night’s adventures, losing hats and Moto jackets in cabs, meeting guys then trying to dodge them later. And of course, all of the possibilities it feels like the city can offer someone.  

This time, 10 or so years later, was a lot more…tame. We had reservations for dinner at a place that’s been on my TBDA list (sort of like to be read, only in this case, I’m calling it to be dined at). The restaurant is called Jack’s Wife Freda and self-proclaims itself as the cuisine of a  South African Israeli Jewish Grandma. While I don’t know much about South African food, I can confirm the menu does feel like a Jewish Grandma’s been here. I saw a lot of other cultural crossover too, with dishes like Peri Peri chicken and couscous, Persian lime sauce, I saw a rosewater waffle, and much more. No matter what they call it, it should also have “…meets diner” at the end of it, since they serve breakfast all day, which I love.

Half of the duck-bacon breakfast sandwich, half of their classic cheeseburger, fries and salad.

Matzo ball soup.

My friend and I split the cheeseburger and the breakfast sandwich (we couldn’t choose so we each got a half), an arugula side salad and some of the best fries I’ve ever had, and I am particular about my fries. They weren’t thick like steak fries, but weren’t shoestring. They were perfectly medium-thick, not greasy, not overly salty, just perfection. How I remember French fries at my local neighborhood diner growing up, the kind that would get pickle juice on it from a lone spear, mounted high surrounding those tiny white paper cups of Cole slaw. We also tried zucchini chips, a friend ordered the matzoh ball soup and said it was good, and our other friend enjoyed the chicken and couscous entrée. Loved the atmosphere of the Village location and would go back.

We had some time to kill, so before dinner we walked around the streets and stumbled upon Our Lady of Pompeii Church. I’m not very religious in the organized-religion way of the word, I’m more, wait for it, spiritual (I know, but it’s true though!). However, I do have a special place in my heart for old cathedral churches. Maybe it’s having gone to Catholic school. Either way, I find something so beautiful about being in an old church, and none of it has to do with doctrine. Everything from the actual architecture, stained glass, and paintings, but also in the idea that this beautiful space gets filled with people of all walks of life, all ages, who can come in and find peace, solitude, and community. I feel so small in a giant cathedral with huge marble columns and a painted ceiling that almost, for a few moments, makes you forget you aren’t in Italy. I find such beauty in the ritual of lighting candles, seeing cloudy red glass jars go from dark to warmly lit as people come in and kneel to offer up a prayer, or a wish, or a blessing with each lighting. A quiet and meditative space where you aren’t saying anything at all to your neighbor, but yet oddly feel connected, every person in their own little private conversation with someone or something.

I didn’t take photos inside of the church, so here is a photo from Unsplash of a different church in NYC with very similar vibes, but the art on the ceiling of Our Lady of Pompei is an absolute must-see!

My friends and I entered, I lit a candle for my grandma, and we quietly sat in the pew admiring our surroundings. Few places can feel quiet in the middle of Manhattan. Shortly after, more people began entering and we knew a Mass was soon to start. We excused ourselves to head to dinner. I find my favorite time in these churches is the time before the actual mass starts, or in those lulls throughout the day, when the church is near empty, but still has doors open to the public; dimly lit with the subtle notes of frankincense or other incense whispering through the aisles. Sometimes, it even feels slightly eerie and mysterious. These quiet times when the church is standing on its own, in its own beauty, feels like I am in a museum or piece of history. I feel lucky that such beauty and art exists…for free.

Photo of lit candles in a church, Unsplash.

After dinner, we walked over to the IFC Center for a film that was a lot longer than it needed to be, but we laughed about it later. The soundtrack was good, though, and the theater is still a nice space to catch unique, independent films.

After the movie, we walked over to Pasticceria Rocco (but I know it as Rocco’s Bakery since I was a child) to take home some Italian bakery goodies. Rocco’s on Bleeker Street has been a staple in my family for over three decades. Any time I am near the village, I have to stop in, and nearly never single Christmas of my childhood, my uncle would visit from NYC and always have a couple white paper boxes with red and white string with him. Every Christmas and Easter would be a Pastiera always known as “Easter Pie,” a traditional Naples Ricotta cheesecake with wheat berries and orange zest that you can only get twice a year, and one of my favorite desserts ever, it’s worth the wait! The other box was always an assortment of cookies: almond biscotti, fruit biscotti, fig cookies, chocolate-dipped butter cookies, and more. Once you saw those boxes, you knew something delicious was inside. The worst part was there was no sneaking a biscotti or fig cookie…. because you couldn’t retie the string! So you had to wait patiently until coffee and dessert. Not an easy task for Italian and Italian American children, let me tell you!

When relatives brought over the white box with red and white string…you knew you were in for a treat!

Even though the goodies were still as I remember, I was sad to see the bakery had been renovated. It used to be warm and cozy with lots of wood and amber tones. This time, it felt so bright and sterile. Lots of cool tones, white marble, gray shades, and stainless steel. We each got our own assortment. The rainbow cookies were my favorite! I will say, the cookies they have around Christmas can’t be beat, and in my opinion, that is the best time to take advantage of the bakery selection. We were a tad too early for that selection, but keep that tip in mind!

The following day, we had original plans to do a 2-hour old NYC Mafia history tour in Little Italy, grab a few slices of pizza at Manero’s, and end the day with a cannoli or two at Ferrara’s, but there were wildfires all over North Jersey and even in Prospect Park Brooklyn. The smoke was so strong it was wafting all through Manhattan, making the city hazy and smelling like a campfire. We thought it would be best to skip out and stay in my friend’s apart in our pj’s all day instead! We ordered in breakfast from Maggie’s Farm in Jersey City (get the farmer’s box and the ricotta toast with figs, you always have to get the ricotta toast with figs). We spent the day switching between talking, laughing, reminiscing, eating tasty food, and watching fun TV. It was the perfect way to spend a smoky day inside and with the best company. But hey, if you find yourself in the city or looking for a fun day activity, definitely check out the different tours in Little Italy, and let me know how it was! Also, you can check out Our Lady of Pompeii for a self-guided tour!

photos: 5 from Johnyvino via Unsplash; 6 from Diogo Nunes via Unsplash; all others by me.