The Best Chicken in NYC?

In 2009, Bon Appetit published a recipe for chicken al mattone, or, chicken under a brick. The author of the recipe was Sfoglia's former chef Ron Suhanosky, who counted it as one of his signature dishes (the other is pappardelle alla Bolognese). I would not be exaggerating if I said that this is possibly the most delicious chicken dish in NYC. (I rarely write about forgettable or unappetizing meals, and I realize that this blog is full of praise and superlatives, but last night at Sfoglia actually left me speechless.)

Sfoglia is a lovely little trattoria across from the 92Y. Murano crystal chandeliers shed an amber light over a stucco-walled room with rustic, communal wooden tables. The ambiance is casually elegant. Sfoglia has been open for six years, and the restaurant fills quickly with appreciative locals and 92Y subscribers. Last night, My mother and I waited at the entrance for a while as the hostess gracefully dealt with an apparently frustrating phone call; a potential diner was miffed at the lack of available reservations.

We sat at the end of a wooden table adorned with apricot-colored roses, and were soon presented with fresh bread so hot that steam emanated from it. This crusty bread had a soft, moist interior, making it a good vehicle for the dish of of olive oil served with it.

A chilled cucumber soup with salmon roe sounded season-appropriate, but we decided to split an appetizer portion of the pappardelle alla bolognese. (If this was an appetizer, I'm almost afraid to see what the dinner portion was.) A rich sauce of beef, veal, pork and lamb with a sprinkling of fresh parmigiano coated wide al dente noodles, and there was plenty of meat and sauce left over for sopping the bread in.

Lamb, chicken, fish, skate, what do we appreciate? I'm sure we would have loved all of it, but we thought the chicken sounded so tasty that we both ordered it. The half-chicken, marinated in olive oil, rosemary, thyme, and garlic, served with a lemon wedge, was bursting with flavor. The seared, crisp, crackly skin enveloped moist, fragrant white and dark meat. The manager informed us that the secret is in the searing; some restaurants do not wait until the pan is hot enough and lay the brick too early. (In her spare time, she told us, she actually visited various restaurants in NYC that serve chicken under a brick, and all of the other preparations paled in comparison.) I ordered mine with the advertised dried, crushed red pepper, while my mother opted to omit it.

Desserts were another revelation. Mint chocolate-chip gelato was obviously made with fresh mint, while wine cracker gelato had a savory hint in its sweetness. The server had also told us about a special dessert that had to be ordered at the beginning of the meal. If the chicken had got my tongue, this dessert indeed left me completely speechless. An open-faced warm tart, filled with the freshest ripe peach slices and tart blackberries, gave off a heavenly buttery aroma. The juice from the summer fruit seeped into the sweet biscuit crust base, while the crust on the sides could be broken off and eaten like a cookie. Atop this masterpiece lay two scoops of the homemade wine cracker gelato. I finished much more of this than I should have.

I was really unprepared for such delight at a neighborhood Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side. It really says something when my mother, who eats no dark meat, finished her chicken in its entirety.

Trattoria Sfoglia: 135 East 92nd St., (212) 831-1402.

Eataly On A Budget

"Can you believe these prices?" an incredulous tourist asked her friend while perusing the compotes and jams at Eataly. "I'll see you outside..."

I really wanted to take the woman aside and tell her where the deals at Eataly were, but I'm sometimes wary of talking to strangers. So, since I wasn't able to impart this information to her, I will lay it out here. It's true that many of the prices at Eataly are not for the faint of heart, but there are some reasonably-priced gems amid all of the luxury. First of all, the thick slices of mozzarella and tomato focaccia at the bakery can be enjoyed for only $2.80. One piece is easily enough for lunch, and if you feel like splurging, you can add some meat for a dollar. For other bread-based items, the mais bread is around $3, and you can also check out the half-priced day-old bakery bin.

For chocoholics who blanch at the thought of spending almost $18 for a bag of gianduja, the Venchi stand sells a line of delicious little Unico bars for $1.80. (There used to be a lot more varieties; I think the only two left are coconut cream and a bar for those who are reducing the amount of sugar in their diets. I hope they get the cuor di cacao bar back.)

The sandwich bar is always a deal, with all hot and cold panini going for around $7-$8. Vegetarians who miss the hot pressed taleggio and mushroom sandwich will be glad to know that it is making a reappearance next week. By the way, the sandwich bar also offers arancini (stuffed rice balls) with ragu for $3.20 each.

If you get to the cappuccino bar around lunchtime and have a hankering for something savory, you can buy a couple salty prosciutto croissants, which should fill you up. Finally, if you want to sit down to enjoy the Eataly experience but don't have the wallet for Manzo, go to the cheese and charcuterie bar and order yourself a generous caprese salad with bread for $11. (As a side note, I was checking out the new La Birreria menu and there were several items under $20.)

See, you can enjoy Eataly without spending a million dollars!

Eataly: 200 Fifth Avenue: (212) 229-2560.

Alloro

You could be forgiven for assuming that Alloro was just another of the many red-sauce Italian restaurants that the Upper East Side seems to be so fond of. The room, with its black candelabras and emerald-green nailhead chairs, evokes Old World charm. The food, however, is surprisingly - and excitingly - contemporary. Sweet flavors such as licorice, cocoa and coffee show up in unexpected places; a caramelized sherry enlivens coffee-dusted cauliflower foam to accompany seared salmon. This is the dish I ordered for my main course; the foam reminded me of a savory version of tiramisu's mascarpone filling. But let me start from the beginning.

The server mentioned a cacio e pepe gnocchi with mint dish and a zucchini flower appetizer. We decided on the latter, which was a dish of four delectable, greaseless battered blossoms stuffed full of anchovy-flecked mozzarella, served with a scoop of tomato sorbet and a slice of prosciutto-topped focaccia. I also couldn't resist the burrata three ways. The decadent cheese was layered with olive-oil soaked crostini, and served as a creamy-centered fritter, and as a round mold of cheese with salty salmon roe hiding inside.

In addition to the aforementioned salmon, we ordered what was perhaps the most conservative item on the menu: penne in tomato sauce with melted mozzarella and basil oil. Even this dish was special; it was punctuated with a crisp fried basil leaf. I should mention that for those who are following a gluten-free diet (this is not me), Alloro will happily oblige you with gluten-free pasta. (I wonder if they do a gluten-free version of their homemade sheep ricotta, pecorino and pear ravioli tossed in butter and poppy seeds.)

The dessert menu seemed to include a lot of fruit soups; we bypassed these, instead ordering strawberry and chocolate four ways and a white chocolate parfait. Although I didn't try the latter, as I'm not a big white chocolate fan, I will describe my strawberry chocolate dessert. The chocolate-drizzled plate included a dark chocolate truffle, a scoop of ice cream that tasted intensely of fresh strawberries, a strawberry parfait with cream, and a mint-garnished chocolate mousse. I still can't decide which was my favorite.

Alloro: 307 East 77th St., (212) 535-2866.

Maialino

I remember visiting Maialino this past spring and being enamored of the fresh mozzarella and heirloom tomato salad. The simple but beautiful dish was served at room temperature for full flavor; chilling destroys the taste of tomatoes. I had also enjoyed the authentic carbonara - so many restaurants adulterate it with cream instead of letting the egg yolk create the sauce, but not Maialino.

So I thought I'd repeat my visit. Tonight, a friend and I scored a last-minute early reservation. The bread basket of spicy breadsticks, crusty sesame loaf and focaccia was devoured in about five minutes. Stracciatella, a sort of Italian egg drop soup, was rich and delicious. The salad misticanza was less appealing - a pile of plainly dressed arugula seemed to go on for miles and needed a bit of blue cheese or something.

Homemade tonnarelli cacio e pepe was wonderful - lots of black pepper and pungent pecorino coated the wavy noodles. My friend enjoyed the bombolotti, big, al dente pasta tubes with guanciale and tomato. But what really impressed me was my dessert - and the superlative service. I couldn't decide between the olive oil cake with vanilla bean mascarpone and the gianduja bread pudding. Our server debated the merits of both with me, and then hooked me up with the best of both worlds: a dish of vanilla mascarpone and the round bread pudding. The warm, buttery dessert was sprinkled with toasted hazelnuts and contained a surprise of melted, oozing chocolate inside. I should also mention the great fresh-ground Four Barrel Coffee.

Next time we'll have to order the signature suckling pig!

Maialino: 2 Lexington Ave., (212) 777-2410.

The Dow Jones Pasta Index

You're probably wondering what the heck this is, as did I when I saw it on the menu at Sandro's, a Roman restaurant on the Upper East Side. It's the brainchild of chef Sandro Fioriti, and the only reason to hope that the economy gets worse. The lower the Dow, the lower the price of all pasta entrees (except for the ravioli) until 6:30 p.m. Last night, that meant a huge bowl of fat, chewy bucatini (spaghetti on steroids) in a tomato sauce filled with tender chunks of pancetta, onions and the odd basil leaf, and a healthy portion of whisper-soft fettucini in a rich bolognese sauce. Normally, the prices of these dishes hover around the $23 range. But with such a deal, we didn't feel guilty indulging in Caesar salad and a wonderful tiramisu - the latter was served as a parfait. The top half of the glass was filled with light mascarpone foam into which had been mixed some tiny chocolate chips, while the base consisted of dense, espresso liqueur-drenched ladyfingers. There was also an interesting beverage on the menu which I'd never seen before: an infusion of clove-studded lemon peels. Perfect to take the chill off of the night.

Sandro's: 306 East 81st St., (212) 288-7374.

Eataly

This post is mostly for the out-of-towners, because judging from the crowds at Eataly, every New Yorker has already visited at least once since the opening day on August 31. (I've paid four visits and may pay another this evening.) Just in case you're not familiar, Eataly is a huge gourmet Italian market with eight separate restaurants inside focusing on different dishes like meat, pasta, pizza, vegetables, and fish. Its Italian mission make it more focused than the Plaza Food Hall, which aims at something similar.

I wanted to see if the New York store was exactly like the one in Torino. One main difference is that there's no Guido per Eataly, -the cutting-edge "fancy" restaurant on the bottom floor of the Torino store. Instead, there's Manzo, which focuses on Italian meats. Also, the produce and much of the dairy (except a wealth of cheeses like organic scamorza, saffron sheep's cheese, and buffalo blue) is necessarily local - I haven't tried the gelato yet, but I plan to, of course!

Today, there was a 30-minute wait for the pizza, so I sat on a barstool at Manzo. The six-course tasting menu wasn't available, but there was an appetizing display case of six different meats. I started with a seasonal salad that burst with freshness and taste. A champagne vinaigrette with a touch of mustard dressed a beautiful plate of red, yellow and green tomatoes, grilled baby zucchini, pattypan squash, and wax and green beans over a heap of arugula and toasted hazelnuts. Shavings of parmigiano Reggiano completed the dish. Then I dove into the robiola tortelloni. A pile of salty pancetta and sauteed chanterelles lay atop six hefty egg pasta pockets in a butter sauce. When I cut into a raviolo with my fork, the creamy, pungent robiola oozed out like egg yolk.

I have yet to visit the other restaurants, but I have made use of the coffee bar (it has the most extensive menu of coffee drinks in the city, including the famous Piedmontese bicerin) with its sumptuous apricot croissants. I've sampled Luca Montersini's tirati su and salted peanut/caramel tiramisu. I've also bought a fair amount of Venchi chocolates, rustic spelt bread, farro olive oil cookies, heirloom tomatoes, olive oil, and stracciatella from the mozzarella bar.

Two requests: can they please offer pizza to go, and can lunch be served past 2 pm? It seemed as though the whole place kind of closed down then - the mozzarella bar, with all of its delicious burrata and bocconcini, temporarily disappeared.

Eataly: 200 5th Ave.

Il Gattopardo

I've walked by this little Neopolitan restaurant so many times; today I finally stopped in for lunch. The white-walled, narrow room was brightened by an open backyard garden; the menu proved to be as appealing as the surroundings.

Although I initially planned to start with the mozzarella in carozza with anchovy sauce, I instead ordered a frisee salad. But wait, it's much more exciting than it sounds - this bed of frizzy chartreuse greens, dressed with the lightest balsamic vinaigrette, lay between two toasts smeared with an abundance of sweet, mellow Gorgonzola. On top, there was a good portion of crispy, salty pancetta spiced with peppercorns. Just lovely.

I craved pasta, although the seafood risotto special called to me, so I went with the burrata and artichoke stuffed ravioli in fresh tomato marjoram sauce. Seven plump pasta pockets were sprinkled with plenty of parmigiano, and torn fresh leaves of marjoram adorned the bright red sauce. I'd just been admiring the heirloom tomatoes at the Rockefeller Center farmer's market - the freshness of the tomatoes and herbs made me feel like the dish was straight from the farm.

Since I'd overdosed on bread and olive oil, I decided to forgo the warm chocolate cake and the cassata, but my cappuccino came with plenty of crispy little nut-studded biscotti. I'll go back to Il Gattopardo. (Or I'll order in - they're now delivering to Midtown.)

Il Gattopardo: 33 West 54th St.,(212) 246-0412.

I Sodi

Smack in the middle of always-bustling Christopher Street is a calm, elegant Tuscan restaurant with its own brand of olive oil. I had always wanted to pay a visit, and my acquisition of a $20 OpenTable gift certificate was the occasion to finally dine there. Recently, Alto disappointed me with bland flavors at high prices, but I Sodi was the total opposite, and I'm now completely enamored with it.

I went with a friend who loves to share (isn't that the best kind of friend?). We began with a peppery mache salad. The leaves were interspersed with cubes of toothsome pecorino and dressed with a mild balsamic vinaigrette that almost tasted of caramel. (The arugula with castelmagno salad also looked enticing.) Then we devoured a wonderful whole-wheat tagliatelle special. The nubby, deliciously uneven texture of the noodles made every bite an interesting one; each mouthful had a different ratio of anchovy, garlic and melted butter.

We had intended on ordering osso buco or grilled Cornish hen for our second course, but the seafood mixed grill special sounded too appealing. "Someone likes pepper," my friend exclaimed as we dug into a bountiful plate of generously-portioned wild salmon with crispy skin, long thin ovals of grilled zucchini, slightly charred tomatoes, a langoustine and a little jumble of octopus legs. Lemon, olive oil, parsley and pepper were simple, appropriate seasonings that let the sweet seafood shine through.

But what I'll really remember is the warm flaky tart with intense fig jam. It was served with creamy fior di latte gelato, homemade whipped cream, a splash of vanilla coulis and a mint leaf. Our enjoyment must have been evident, because the server also brought by a complimentary plate of watermelon slices and cherries to celebrate the season. I Sodi is a class act from start to finish.

I Sodi: 105 Christopher St., (212) 414-5774.

Destino

With its clubby, congenial atmosphere, Destino seems like the local restaurant that's been around for years. It's only been open for three, but the meatballs have already become legendary, and live jazz at the bar helps to nurture a loyal clientele. (What a rarity live music has become in this city!)

We were lucky to get in without a reservation; a large birthday party was dispersing. The menu contained all the traditional Italian favorites: veal marsala, chicken cacciatore, scampi, pasta with clams in red or white sauce. One of us pleaded for fried zucchini, although it wasn't on the menu, and a large, lightly-fried portion soon appeared. Our appetizers also included a garlicky Caesar salad, a salad of beefsteak mozzarellas and fresh mozzarella, and those delicious "Mario's Meatballs"... plump specimens smothered in a tasty tomato sauce. (I looked around, and almost everyone had some on their table.)

I had been leaning towards pasta (you can order spaghetti, angel hair, linguine, orecchiette, rigatoni, fusilli, penne, fedelini or shells!), but instead went with Dover sole meuniere, which arrived with lots of crisp slivers of toasted almonds. Also on the agenda were a gargantuan veal chop and branzino with asparagus.

We finished with 20-layer cream crepe cake and mixed berries with fresh vanilla whipped cream. Destino really knows how to please a customer! Make a reservation; you might not get lucky like we did.

Destino: 891 1st Ave., (212) 751-0700.

Vesta Trattoria & Wine Bar

Astoria boasts just about every cuisine in the world, but there aren't a lot of restaurants dedicated to locavorism (Brooklyn definitely beats Queens in this department). So it was a pleasure to find Vesta, an Italian place where the ingredients are seasonal and local.

With a dim, cozy interior reminiscent of Brooklyn's Frankie's 457, Vesta is comfortable for the couple or the family. I recommend arriving early, as service may suffer when there is a crowd. Remembering a delicious bucatini with broccoli rabe and shredded ricotta salata, I enlisted my companion on a visit tonight.

Unfortunately, the bucatini was no longer on the menu. However, that delectable greenmarket salad was still there. Crunchy with cucumbers, radishes and sliced almonds, it was full of lightly vinaigretted organic greens (courtesy of Greenpoint's Roof Top Farms). Another winner was a plate of three garlicky crostini served with a hot dish of baked Taleggio. The buttery melted cheese was garnished with date paste and hazelnuts. We also had the chilled tomato soup with basil cream, which was a sweeter, richer alternative to gazpacho.

Dinner was a pan-roasted salmon filet in lemon sauce on a bed of charred green and purple kale. Because of a backup in the kitchen, it took a while to arrive. Hungry from waiting, we eyed the half roasted chicken of a nearby diner - it seemed to be of a much more generous portion. (Pasta portions are quite generous - if I had to redo the meal, I'd order the festonati with zucchini pesto, cherry tomatoes and pecans.)

Vesta: 21-02 30th Ave., Astoria, 718-545-5550. Note to Astorians: on nights when there are enough restaurant staff, delivery is available.

Pepe Verde To Go

I'm something of a pesto purist. So I'm always disappointed when I order a pasta al pesto and it arrives in a barely green, cream-laden sauce. Last week I had lunch at a restaurant (which shall remain nameless) where the "pesto" was a creamy tomato sauce with a few pathetic sprigs of dried basil. So, on my visit to Pepe Verde a few days later, I went up to the counter to inquire about the spaghetti with pesto sauce. "Do you serve real pesto?" I wanted to know.

A man who looked like an Italian Eugene Levy gave me a long look.

"Don't insult me," he said.

I guess it was the wrong question.

"Um, I was just making sure, because last week, I..."

"I've been here 11 years! Do you see all the signs on the wall?" The man pointed to the entrance.

There were indeed many framed newspaper articles at the front of the tiny, rustic room. "OK," I said, "I'll order the spaghetti with pesto sauce." (It was less than $10, like almost all of the pasta dishes - penne alla vodka with pancetta, fusilli puttanesca, rigatoni bolognese, penne arrabbiata.) When the substantial bowl of spaghetti arrived, the noodles were coated with a sauce which was deep green with basil and fragrant olive oil. No heavy cream or tomato paste!

Pepe Verde To Go: 559 Hudson St., (212) 255-2221.

Around The World in Seven Days, Part I: A Week in Astoria

My companion and I haven't lived in Astoria for very long, but we've already eaten our way around the globe! Here are some preliminary impressions, organized by country. (Of course, our journey is not over; there are many countries left to visit!)

1. Afghanistan: Balkh Shish Kabab House. The fried scallion turnovers (bolanee gandana) at Balkh will neutralize any craving for those leaden scallion pancakes found at Chinese restaurants. But my companion was disappointed in the tough lamb kebab; the salmon was much better. The rice was nondescript but the basket of thick, dense bread was satisfying. (23-10 31st St., 718-721-5020.)

2. Colombia: Botero's Cafe. The walls of this small cafe are decorated with prints of the painter's famous Rubenesque muses. After spending a little time here, I might become a muse myself. Arepas, or grilled corn pancakes, are served with melted tropical cheese, or avocados and shrimp, or "ahogado" (drowned in sauce), and the tostones are perfectly fried. (45-01 Ditmars Blvd., I can't find the number!)

3. Greece: Taverna Kyclades (also, see Elias Corner). An appetizer at Kyclades is enough for around 47 people (I'm exaggerating, but you get the drift). The fried calamari, the skordalia, and the grilled salmon steak are enough to send me over the moon, and I think I've never eaten better fried fish. (33-07 Ditmars Blvd., 718-545-8666.)

4. Italy: Michael Angelo's II Pizzeria & Restaurant (also, see Trattoria L'Incontro). I like my pizza with a thin crust, so someone recommended that I order the "Sofia Loren" pie. It was loaded with pools of melted fresh mozzarella and sliced fresh tomatoes, I only wish I'd eaten it in-house instead of having it delivered, because I think the crisp crust got a little steamed inside the pizza box. (29-11 23rd Ave., 718-932-2096).

5. Japan: Linn Restaurant. What a pleasant surprise: sparkling sushi on Broadway! It's certainly not cheap, but if you're craving Alaskan salmon roe, Japanese striped yellowtail, or even something like a fried oyster roll with wasabi mayo, you've got it all right here. A wall has been erected inside to obscure the C-Town across the street and to show Japanese movies. (29-13 Broadway, 718-204-0060.)

6. Morocco (well, Moroccan-influenced): Cafe Soleil. Every neighborhood should have one of these cozy hangouts with mismatched chairs and free Wi-Fi. Authentic Moroccan mint tea is served from beautiful silver teapots, and did I detect a bit of harissa in the potato pancake that came with my "classic French" omelette? (37-14 Astoria Blvd., 718-777-1015.)

7. Thailand: WAVEThai. I'm not going to enter the fray that is the apparent rivalry between WAVEThai and Thai Elephant, but suffice it to say that WAVEThai's "street noodles" (pad see ew) are addictive. You can order them with chicken or veggie chicken, beef, roast duck or veggie duck, squid, shrimp, tofu, scallop, or mixed seafood. The vegetarian duck's texture is meaty, chewy and substantial instead of thin and flimsy. Curries are nice and spicy. (21-37 31st St., 718-777-6789.)

Falai Panetteria

Falai Panetteria, the most casual of Iacobo Falai's three restaurants, is well-known for pear-chocolate tarts, chocolate fondants, tiramisu and other desserts. But what I didn't know is that the place serves an outstanding veggie lasagna (I have yet to try the bolognese). Light on the cheese, but heavy on sauce bursting with vibrant tomato flavor and a variety of tender vegetables, it set me back only around $10 tonight. Of course, that wasn't the only thing my friend and I ordered...

...there was also a great spinach gnocchi covered with melted Parmesan and smothered in fresh pesto, and a plate of rare, herb-crusted tuna slices on bruschetta, which were also topped with marvelously sweet roasted cherry tomatoes. I also have to mention the generous basket of focaccia with which we sopped up every last bit of pesto. Not one dish crossed the $13 mark, so we felt free to order to our hearts' (and appetites') content.

We finished with a "black moon" dome filled with chocolate mousse and spiced cream on a biscuit base - a disc of white and dark chocolate adorned the top. I restrained myself from taking home some of the semolina tarts that I'd enjoyed on a previous visit, but I know I'll be back soon - to try the lasagna bolognese.

Falai Panetteria: 79 Clinton St., (212) 777-8956.

Salumeria Rosi

A crush of people filled the narrow entrance of Salumeria Rosi this afternoon. They were craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the counter, which displayed prosciutto bread, purple cauliflower salad and Taleggio cheese. It took me a minute to differentiate between the eat-in and take-out lines. Once I figured this out, it took many more minutes to actually be seated. I watched as two tables were set, one was reset, and a table of three was reseated at a table more to their liking. Finally, the host (whom I suspect was irritated with me because of my apparent impatience) waved me, menuless, towards the bar.

Fortunately, once I did sit down, the kitchen was as fast as wildfire. Everything I ordered arrived in quick succession - and it was impossible not to order a whole host of items, as there's such a delightful variety at Salumeria Rosi. There are house-cured meats, goat, cow and sheep's milk cheeses, salads and various small plates.

First I went for the salumi and cheese, ordering the Parmigiano Reggiano and some porchetta toscana. A basket of crusty bread came with the dishes. Several chunks of sweet-salty hard cheese arrived on a balsamic-drizzled little plate. The two paper-thin slices of porchetta were redolent of rosemary and as tender as toro sashimi. I was glad for the lemony shredded endive salad that arrived afterwards (I recommend it as a palate cleanser).

Then it was time for sweet butternut squash risotto, which was absolutely wonderful. Crushed amaretti were sprinkled over a creamy orange expanse of butternut squash puree, which contained plump grains of Arborio rice. The portion size was perfect.

I really should have quit while I was ahead, but the dessert menu called to me. I settled on the torta di mele, which was light as air between its soft apple slices. A dollop of real whipped cream was served on the side. I finished the meal with a nice strong cup of espresso.

Good things come to those who wait!

Salumeria Rosi: 283 Amsterdam Ave., (212) 877-4800.

Al Di La

To visit Al Di La on a Sunday night is to enter a world where there is no recession. People angle for a good spot in the line out the door, and pepper the host with endless questions about the optimal time for scoring a table. "I'm very sorry, but I don't know what the wait will be at 7." It has been this way for ten years, ever since the little Italian restaurant (arguably the best in Park Slope) opened. The no-reservations policy and cramped communal tables dissuade no one from luxuriating in the wonderful tastes and smells that emanate from chef Anna Klinger's kitchen.

My last dinner at Al Di La had been about five years ago, but I noticed that the menu still listed those delicious malfatti and casunziei, and the hanger steak with arugula that is my companion's favorite. What to order? Rabbit with creamy polenta and olives? Risotto nero? Along came the waiter to make our decision more difficult: anchovy-dressed green salad, homemade spaghetti with lamb ragu, oh, and "there are only two more orders of short ribs." My friend and I started with the special saba-dressed greens, which arrived with fresh rosemary-scented focaccia and a small hunk of buttery Taleggio. The light, sweet, grapey dressing matched the plump cooked white grapes in the focaccia.

I ordered the linguine with clams - simple is beautiful! Lots of minced garlic and the perfect amount of red pepper (my mouth was pleasantly warmed after each bite) made this one of the best versions ever. My friend let me try her spaghetti with lamb ragu - lots of sharp pecorino and pepper livened up the rich, stick-to-your-ribs meat sauce. Our side dish was a bowl of red beets with creamy goat cheese dressing.

We were stuffed, but skipping dessert at Al Di La is a grievous offense. Although the specials included an apricot almond tart, a lime-leaf panna cotta and fig ricotta gelato, I remembered that incredibly buttery warm pear chocolate tart with the big melted dark chocolate chips and the dollop of fresh whipped cream, and that is what I devoured. My friend, who normally doesn't do dessert, finished off a tall glass of large blocks of frozen chocolate-hazelnut fudge (gianduiotto). Two glasses of port, and I wondered why I don't make the trip out to Park Slope more often. (Port makes the R train a little more bearable.)

Al Di La: 248 5th Ave., Brooklyn, (718) 636-8888.

Terroir

Attention Terroir fans: as of last weekend, the ultra-popular wine bar is serving brunch! So you'll have another chance to grab one of the bar's coveted seats. There are four new dishes: French toast with warm maple syrup and pork sausage, bacon egg and cheese on ciabatta, a rapini-bacon frittata, and smoked salmon sandwich with capers and hard-boiled eggs.

I took my seat at the bar this past Sunday morning, anxious to try one of the new brunch items. But I was distracted by the regular menu, specifically the fried mozzarella and the white anchovy panini. All sandwiches are served on Sullivan Street Bakery bread, and while it would be almost impossible to make a mediocre sandwich with that bread, mine was particularly delicious. The crusty toasted ciabatta was splashed with a bit of balsamic, and then topped with crunchy frisee, delicately sliced hard-boiled eggs (more yolk than white), sweet pickled red onions, and marvelous white anchovies. Everything was sprinkled with a bit of black pepper (it's the details that are important!). I also devoured a bowl of parsley-and-Parmesan-dusted fried bocconcini in a hearty tomato sauce. (Next time I intend to take advantage of the charcuterie and cheese; I'm curious about a cheese with the name "Constant Bliss.")

It was too early for me to have some wine, but I enjoyed reading the funky little book of a menu - it contained a history of Chateauneuf du Pape, a large list of Rieslings with residual sugar, and a tongue-in-cheek poem entitled "Wine In A Box."

The restaurant owners, Marco Canora and Paul Grieco, have such a fixation with sherry that they serve free glasses of it from 5-6. They've also employed a designer to create a line of temporary "Jerez" tattoos! "I think I'm going to cover my entire body with them for Halloween," the bartender told me. He also informed me that there was a special bacon crumb cake dessert (I think I saw something similar to this at the Dessert Truck), but I was too full.

I find it interesting that the coasters implore the customers not to waste their food. At Terroir, how could you?

Terroir: 413 East 12th St. No phone.

Nizza

The folks behind French Roast, Cafe D'Alsace, and Nice Matin have brought us another crowd-pleaser: Nizza. And on my recent visit, the crowd definitely seemed pleased. But as I watched them ooh-ing and aah-ing over their bountiful bowls of pasta and pizzas scattered with basil strips, I had the sneaking suspicion that I'd ordered the wrong thing.

I'd struggled mightily over my choices, too, because the menu couldn't have appealed to me more than if I'd written it myself. It had burrata, fresh pasta filled with greens and herbs, meatballs with polenta and hot peppers... you can see how it would be hard to decide. But my suspicions were confirmed when I was presented with my appetizer, a plate of panisses. The chickpea fries were underdone and gooey on the inside, although the accompanying paprika aioli had a nice kick.

Fast forward to dinner. The couple at the table next to me were happily trying each other's pasta al pesto and spaghettini with shrimp. I'd chosen the marinated swordfish in a "salsa gialla"; the small portion of fish was dry and charred. All was not lost, however; after wondering about the semolina pistachio pudding, I ended up with a dessert winner: the orange-chocolate crostata. It was a hot, flaky pie crust layered with candied orange slices and little bursts of bittersweet chocolate. Now this was something I could enjoy from start to finish!

I'm definitely going to give Nizza another chance; all those Campari-drinkers and pizza-eaters can't be wrong.

Nizza: 630 Ninth Ave., (212) 956-1800.

Lunetta

I'm a semi-regular at Bar Stuzzichini, but tonight I decided to try Lunetta, another Italian restaurant a block away in the former Mayrose Diner. (Both restaurants serve a personal favorite: fried artichokes.) I met a favorite dining partner; we ended up being alternately delighted and disappointed with our various choices.

The meal began fortuitously; we had the aforementioned fried artichokes, which were really wonderful. Four delicately crispy artichoke halves were served with fried rosemary and sage, and a lemon slice (no herbs at Stuzzichini). "Artichokes are the most crustaceanly of veggies, aren't they?" I pondered. Next was a salad of baby greens, lightly dressed with anchovy vinaigrette. "Just the right amount of anchovy!" exclaimed my friend. (Stuzzichini serves a much sharper-tasting chicory salad with anchovy dressing; I quite like it as well.)

My friend's linguine with eight Wellfleet clams and roasted garlic was terrific - the pasta was livened up with a bit of hot pepper. I ordered the Monday special: spinach malfatti with brown butter and sage in a tomato sauce. I realize this is a rich dish, but I was expecting something like the ricotta malfatti at Al Di La. The Lunetta rendition consisted of five leaden packets of butter-laden spinach; I couldn't finish the dish.

Dessert was also a mixed bag. A blood orange panna cotta suffered from an overwhelming excess of vanilla, but contained no blood oranges. "Out of season," explained our excellent, helpful waiter. "Would you like something else?" "How about the strawberry-rhubarb crostata and chocolate torte?" "Sure thing," he said, and these two desserts were a perfect ending. The crostata sported a light buttery crust and lots of summer fruit, while the warm chocolate cake was deep and rich and topped with curlicues of candied orange peel.

Lunetta: 920 Broadway, (212) 533-3663 and 116 Smith St., Brooklyn, (718) 488-6269. Restaurant week continues through August 29.

Greenwich Grill

If you crave Italian food while your dining partner wants Japanese, I suggest an evening at Greenwich Grill - a lovely TriBeCa Italian restaurant where you can order sushi from the Japanese place below! I was unaware of this perk when I visited with a friend this weekend and was surprised to see chopsticks at the place setting.

After reading about the Grill in a local magazine, I was drawn in by the prospect of a restaurant similar to Basta Pasta, a Japanese-owned Italian restaurant in Chelsea. Although the menus are quite different, both places present moderate portions of artfully presented dishes, and the service at each is exemplary.

My friend pronounced her dirty martini "excellent" and I uncharacteristically ordered a cocktail, the "Glinda." (It sounds so "Sex And The City!") The Glinda was a mojito-like drink made with rum, mint, and sparkling wine, but with no lime.

The lime would come in when my friend ordered ceviche - a brightly colored melange of green avocado, red tomato, purple octopus with some clams and striped bass. The dish packed a punch of cilantro and a bit of citrus. I ordered a half-portion of gnocchi in a Gorgonzola cream sauce accented with Parmesan; there wasn't one ingredient or bite in that entree that I didn't like. The seven gnocchi were of the larger, more substantial kind, not the little melt-in-your-mouth puffs of potato you find at Hearth. The green olive bread went to good use, as I could not let one bite of sauce go uneaten!

My friend went the pasta route for her main course, ordering the fettucini in a Thai green curry sauce with Dungeness crab. The coconutty sauce was rather sweet and would have benefited from some spice, but the texture of the fresh pasta was perfect. I loved the deep-fried swordfish with herbed tartar sauce and frisee salad.

Time for dessert! The server was very accommodating when I asked for some whipped cream to go with my "seasonal berry marinade," which was something like a cool raspberry blackberry soup with a dome of fruit hiding a scoop of vanilla ice cream. My friend's tiramisu was incredible; a dusting of espresso and cocoa provided it with an intense flavor, and the dessert did not suffer from the unpalatable surplus of amaretto that I have found elsewhere.

Green kukicha tea was a relaxing and fragrant finish to the meal.

Greenwich Grill: 428 Greenwich St., (212) 274-0428.

Mia Dona

My companion and I had introduced a couple to Fiorini, and they instantly fell in love with the restaurant. So when they got engaged, we thought we'd take them there to celebrate (they love the risotto). How disappointed I was to find that Fiorini is closed on Sundays!

Fortunately, Mia Dona was open tonight. And since it was Memorial Day weekend, it was easy to get a table. I really enjoyed my light and healthful meal at this contemporary Italian restaurant, and our friends actually preferred Mia Dona's desserts to those of the more traditional Fiorini.

While we munched on fragrant roasted heads of garlic and warm tomato focaccia sprinkled with fennel seeds, we deliberated over the appetizers. (It was nice that the bread was served before we ordered, as we were so hungry we could barely make a decision.) I ended up with a delicious goat cheese ravioli in brodo; the clear broth was light and smoky with a tinge of rosemary, and its four stuffed pasta pockets lay atop a tumble of enoki mushrooms and peas. The grilled octopus appetizer was marvelously tender and featured a triple kick of black pepper, hot peppers and red pepper aioli.

Although my grilled branzino with arugula and tiny melted strips of truffled pecorino was perfectly good, I wish I had ordered my friend's choice: ricotta gnudi in truffled butter and sage. The rich dish had just the right touch of speck. Cavatelli in a tomato sauce with smoked bufala mozzarella and basil satisfied the self-proclaimed "sauce snob" in our group, and my companion ate up a rather small portion of olive oil-poached cod accompanied by clams and broccoli rabe. The fish had a nice meaty texture and benefited from a sundried tomato pesto. We also split a side of dilled beets.

Next we had some French press coffee and, of course, a celebratory dessert. The gianduja semifreddo stole the show; it arrived looking like some kind of super-decadent multi-layered nut-topped brownie. A chocolate cake bottom was the foundation for a layer of hazelnut cream and lots of cold chocolatey goodness. Other choices were blackberry sorbet, maple panna cotta with crunchy sugared walnuts, and a buttery-crusted pear cranberry crostata. But that semifreddo... it was truly an experience to remember! It was a sweet omen for our friends' union.

Mia Dona: 206 East 58th St., (212) 750-8170.