Bar Mario in New York City

I love pasta. The limit does not exist for how much pasta I want to consume on a weekly (or even daily) basis. But often when I dine at Italian spots, the carb-o-load can be a bit "one note." The bread, plus the pasta, plus the red wine are all incredible elements, and each bite can be perfect and decadent, but together, the whole meal sometimes lacks a bit of freshness or brightness.

What makes Bar Mario special is that it is a respectable pasta joint - but with fresh fruit and vegetable dishes that make the meal well-rounded and so much more interesting than the regular Italian restaurant carb-o-load. Bar Mario has put together a lineup of salads and produce that go so far beyond the average Caesar salad that someone always orders so that "at least we had something green."

For example: You must order the Insalata di Pomodori. If your Italian is rusty, this means a tomato salad. This dish is summer on a plate. The platter comes with hulking slices of red and orange heirloom tomatoes, all at least the size of a coaster. They're drizzled with olive oil, fresh herbs, salt and pepper, and lemon zest. Add burrata in the middle for a few extra bucks and order the perfectly crispy, but still delightfully chewy, focaccia if you want to eat the tomatoes on a toast.

Another impeccable dish from Bar Mario: the watermelon. Out comes a platter with a massive wheel of watermelon, sliced into perfect cubes, sprinkled with tajín, fresh basil and mint olive oil, and a very soft and mild feta. It's just perfect. It's like the mango covered in tajín and lime that you buy from the ladies on the street in cash, but at an Italian spot.

She's perfect.

These dishes usually are found on the specials menu, which rotates seasonally. At other times in the year, I've gaped at other tables digging into mountains of cantaloupe with prosciutto, which feels completely on theme with the Insalata di Pomodori and watermelon dishes above.

And didn't I start by talking about pasta? While less unexpected as the produce-forward dishes, the pasta dishes at Bar Mario are strong in their own right. Get the "spaghetti hangover" or the gnocchi, both of which are perfectly sized and well-executed. These pastas aren't fancy or pretentious: They're approachable, like something your friend's mom would make you for a visit.

Finally, the neighborhood ambiance takes Bar Mario to another level. When I first moved to New York, I thought Red Hook was far beyond the radius of which I would be interested in exploring. Turns out, Red Hook is a 10 minute Citi Bike from Downtown Brooklyn. And if you're looking to have the ultimate summer night, take the NYC Ferry to the Red Hook stop. It's on the Ferry app! And it's only 5 minutes from Wall Street! I promise, it's worth the trip (and the trip isn't even that long).

Honorable mention: the pie with a homemade hazelnut chocolate stripe and graham cracker crust.

Red Hook itself is a bit industrial, a bit quirky, and has a sense of calm that feels like a break from the city. Bar Mario is exactly the same way, with it's sidewalk seating, yellow umbrellas, calm and friendly neighborhood energy, and an owner who will chase you down the street to make sure you don't forget your to-go box.

Bar Mario makes for a perfect summer night. Get a table on the sidewalk, order one of their specialty spritzes, have a fresh meal, and take a Citi Bike home after sunset.

P.S. If you finish dinner with room of a dessert, go to Steve's Key Lime Pie after (but hurry, because they close at 8:30pm!).