New York Noodles: Nerai

New York is a city of diversity. Of people, architecture, and, of course, food.  In this column I share my search for some of the best noodles in NYC: whether that be a steaming hot bowl of ramen or a plate heaping with freshly made tagliatelle.  There are so many varieties of noodles and pasta, so many exciting and delicious in their own ways.

When you think Greek food you probably aren't thinking pasta.  Orzo, perhaps, but the rich linguini dish at Nerai in Midtown is one any pasta enthuasiast must indulge in.  

The Lobster Pasta for Two runs at $112, the most expensive item on the menu  (it's $116 for a ribeye for two at Le Cirque, so pick your poison), and the splurge is well worth it.  

Two and a half pounds of live maine lobster are steamed  to rich, succulent perfection and served atop fresh squid ink linguine. The noodles are mixed with smooth and rich tomato confit, saffron and metaxa, a Greek liquor, creating a creamy sauce with a sweetness that perfectly enhances the salinity of the squid ink noodles, without overpowering any of the delicate saffron flavor.  

Soft pieces of lobster claw and lobster tail twisted in the dark pasta makes each bite perhaps better than the last, and this is a dish you'll want to savor for every last forkful.