Babbo

Autumn's bounty was all over the menu at Babbo last night, and I'm so glad I was able to enjoy some of it. Around 9:30 p.m., I was hungrily wandering the West Village. I'd been meaning to check out Inside on Jones Street, but the host disappeared into thin air when I walked in. I knew that Babbo would be a long shot, but when I hesitantly opened the door, I actually saw an empty seat at the end of the bar! MINE, I thought triumphantly.

The menu featured lots of white truffles, pumpkin, and butternut squash. Next to me, a man was tearing away at his grilled guinea hen with a side of Brussels sprouts. I wondered if I should order the special duck egg appetizer or perhaps start with an half-portion of pumpkin luna with sage, but instead I ended up with: the trio of goat cheese truffles coated in poppy seeds, hot paprika and fennel, tossed over a tumble of marinated yellow and red pepper strips and served with crostini (rich!), the special bavette with Castelmagno, spicy toasted breadcrumbs and cardoons (I'd never tasted this artichoke-like vegetables) and the awesome, silky golden maple custard served with three light, puffy, sugar-crunchy pumpkin donuts.

I smiled all the way home!

Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca: 110 Waverly Place. (212) 777-0303.