The Upper East Side oozes with pesto and veal parm, but this diorama-sized Italian restaurant has a few unique charms. Complimentary limoncello, for example, and an affinity for the hits of Italian pop star Eros Ramazzotti. Come for a quiet date night, sit at a small table under a cluster of Edison bulbs, and enjoy a standard array of burrata, housemade fettuccine, and chicken milanese with breading so delicate it’s barely even there. There are only around 10 tables, and the room tends to fill up on weekends, so book ahead if you can. Otherwise, there’s always the bar.
photo credit: Bryan Kim
Food RundownCaesar
A classic caesar with a good amount of anchovy in the dressing and enough finely shredded parm to obscure the fact that you’re eating a pile of greens. If you need a salad, this is the one.
photo credit: Bryan Kim
Grilled Shrimp
For some reason, we were expecting something more elaborate. But this dish really is just a few plump, warm shrimp served over a smear of salsa verde. If that’s what you’re after, you won’t be disappointed (although you may be confused by the absurdly thick slice of lemon).
photo credit: Bryan Kim
Tagliatelle Bolognese
The housemade tagliatelle is thick and snappy, with a thoroughly reduced, intensely meaty bolognese. Our only note: The dish could use more salt.
photo credit: Bryan Kim
Chicken Milanese
The boring order, but a good one. This golden-brown, barely breaded chicken breast is topped with a pile of arugula and has crunchy bits around the edges.
photo credit: Bryan Kim
Dining and Cooking