Caffe Emilia (CLOSED 3/2009, to the best of my knowledge)

Delving my spoon into a thick layer of cool white cream, I wondered if the server hadn't heard my order correctly. I'd asked for a "cappuccino aroma," but my cup seemed to contain some sort of dessert rather than a beverage. "No, this is the cappuccino aroma," he maintained. "That's the consistency of foam a cappuccino is supposed to have. Mallo, the guy who prepared it, was recruited from Italy specifically for his coffee abilities."

It was extraordinary how so much air had been trapped inside the milk. Deep below the foam lay one shot of espresso and a little pool of hazelnut syrup. Later, Mallo was to advise me to try the "espresso nutella," a wondrous concoction served in a parfait glass.

But first I was to enjoy a piadina, thin grilled dough stuffed with tomatoes, arugula and mozzarella served with a lightly-vinaigretted green salad. I'd debated between the chicken milanese on ciabatta (all bread is from Falai), pizza bianca, tuna-onion tramezzini, prosciutto-melon salad, vitello tonnato and fried eggs with black truffle. The amazing thing is that each of the above was under $10. I'm going back for brunch this weekend!

Caffe Emilia: 139 First Ave., (212) 388-1234.