Southern Meets Italian Dinner Series

Popina in New York

Over 70 members trekked out to the border of Carrol Gardens and Red Hook over the course of 2 days for this event series, which was not a small feat for a Monday and Tuesday night. So, we were feeling extra pressure to deliver an incredible experience this time. Things got off to an unfortunate start (before the events actually started), as we had to move both events indoors instead of hosting them in Popina's amazing backyard as we had originally planned. This meant that we had to refund a lot tickets because the restaurant can only fit 35 attendees inside vs. the 55 they would have been able to seat outside. A bummer for sure! Luckily, that was the only bummer we experienced with this event series. Chef Chris McDade and the whole team at Popina KILLED IT with this one. This brand new restaurant is truly a hidden gem that will undoubtedly not remain hidden for long. To all of the members who missed this event series, take a trip to the restaurant ASAP. We promise it's worth the trek, regardless of where you're coming from! And, when you do go, make sure to order some of the dishes below, which were the top 3 courses from each event as rated by attendees on their feedback cards:

 

DAY 1

1st Place: Clam Bruschetta - with castelvetrano olives, herbs, and horseradish

2nd Place: Cavatelli - with nduja ragu and ricotta

3rd Place: Pork Meatballs - with tomato gravy and parmesan

 

DAY 2

1st Place: Strip Steak - with bottarga butter and fries

2nd Place: Cavatelli - with nduja ragu and ricotta

3rd Place: Hot Chicken Milanese - with radicchio and ranch dressing