No. 23: Tosca
Cuisine: Ethereal hand-rolled pastas, often imaginatively sauced, and robust but elegant interpretations of Northern Italian cooking. The rotation of dishes rarely changes—but it also rarely misses the mark.
Mood: The dining room is dated and austere, as dull as the cooking is engaging, and the servers look as though they’ve been stuffed into their jackets. It’s a fitting setting for a place where lawyers flock and the talk is of billable hours and stalled negotiations.
Best for: A client lunch.
Best dishes: Roasted scallops with chestnut purée and black-truffle sauce, the epitome of earthy elegance; ravioli filled with chestnut and ricotta; ravioli stuffed with veal, prosciutto, and pistachio mortadella in a red-wine reduction; carrot pappardelle with rabbit ragu.
Insider tips: At the bar you can fashion a fine, affordable meal of half-price, half-size portions of pasta, and the wine list is long on earthy Italian reds.
Service: **½ (two and a half stars).
Open Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday for dinner.
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February 01, 2009 |
Reviewed by
Todd Kliman
,
Ann Limpert
,
Cynthia Hacinli
,
Rina Rapuano
,
Eve Zibart
