As Scarpetta shows,
Italian food is best when
it's rustic and robust, a function of some passionate Mama's
recipes and the freshest produce of the season. While we
make no assumptions about Scott Conant's Mama, we're sure
she impressed upon Italian cuisine's most honored
practitioner her enthusiasm for al dente noodles, perfectly
ripe tomatoes and a sun-drenched garden filled with basil
and rosemary.
Scarpetta is a breathtaking
amalgam of Conant's talent and soulfulness, two qualities
that drive his L'Imperio and Alto to the top of most New
York diner's "must have" lists. The nautical-themed
Fontainebleau dining room delights with wrap around windows,
pool and ocean views and a waitstaff that's definitely ship
shape. From the first presentation of just-baked breads - a
meat & cheese stuffed stromboli, focaccia, and cibatta -
ready to dip into eggplant caponata, lemony olive oil or
mascarpone butter it's easy to derail your appetite with
bread and wine alone.
Best to leave some room for
Conant's acclaimed house made pastas, the milk-fed veal chop
and the mini cannolis for dessert. If upscale pricing for
hearty peasant food rankles, stop by for Sunday brunch
instead to experience a prix fixe buffet of Conant's
greatest hits Sundays from 11am to 3pm.
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