Enoteca I Trulli

If you don't crave the fanfare of a multi-course meal, but rather a glass of wine and a light dish, NYC's wine bars were made for you. Every day it seems that another excellent restaurant has spun off a cozy, informal lounge. Al Di La Vino and Bar @ Etats Unis spring to mind, as does the lovely little Enoteca I Trulli.

For some reason, I've always found I Trulli to be on the ascetic side (you won't find four-cheese-anything there). Perhaps the cuisine of Apulia is characteristically light? I don't know, but after all my holiday indulgences, I thought I should (temporarily) practice moderation.

I sat down at a wooden table inscribed with various wine labels, although there were still seats at the bar. While sipping a glass of Montepulciano, I noticed that the menu was a somewhat abbreviated version of the one next door. The ravioli of the day was chicken and mushroom, but I decided on a simple bowl of chewy cavatelli. The flour dumplings were very lightly sauced with broccoli rape, garlic and olive oil; a few toasted almond slivers provided an interesting crunch. Almost no sauce remained once I was finished with the generous portion of pasta.

Naturally, I wanted to see the dessert menu. I opted for the lightest selection - the assortment of sorbets. (Of course, I had to bring an additional dessert home for the hungry companion. A dense, warm chocolate hazelnut cake was greatly appreciated.) The sorbet dessert featured three flavors: fruity quince, tangy pear and bracing, almost bitter (in a good way!) grapefruit. A sprig of mint, some grapefruit sections and a homemade cookie garnished the bowl. Next time, I intend to sample one of the intriguing wine/dessert pairings; various wines are matched with pecorino, sweet pasta and homemade biscotti.

Enoteca I Trulli: 122 East 27th St., (212) 481-7372.