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EDITED BY ROBIN
RAISFELD AND ROB PATRONITE
Week of September 17,
2001 |
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First Taste
Circo, Unsquare
Although the Maccioni family made its reputation through
haute cuisine at Le
Cirque, its roots have always been very down-home
and small-town Tuscan. To take over the stove of their
newly refurbished Osteria del Circo (check out
the large lion statue leaping over the coatroom!), they
have chosen an Italian-American chef, Albert Di Meglio
(pictured), from the equally down-home borough of Staten
Island. Starting out -- and getting fired after one day
-- at one of my favorite slice joints (LaRacca's, in Midland
Beach), he pursued his passion at the New York Restaurant
School and Le Cirque. There, he was schooled in the arts
of chopping things really small and working with foie
gras, white truffles, and other high-ticket rarities.
At Circo, his task is to de-Frenchify his food while creating
sophisticated neo-Italian cuisine, and the resulting menu
-- vetted for Italian-ness by the doyenne of the family,
Egidiana Maccioni -- includes faithfully reproduced classics
such as fritto misto di mare (batter-fried squid, prawns,
and anchovies) and thin-crust pizza. Among the new creations,
redolent of Italy but bearing an inventive chef's stamp:
succulent roasted scallops wrapped in pancetta, served
alongside a creamy and crispy chickpea cake; and a number
of new pasta offerings, like handmade spaghetti alla chitarra
with tomatoes and roasted langoustines, and paccheri (large
tube pasta) with squid, fish, and plenty of basil. Loin
of rabbit stuffed with fennel sausage and prosciutto presages
brawnier fall dishes to come. -- PETER KAMINSKY
Osteria del Circo
120 West 55th Street
212-265-3636
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Best of the Week
The Third Annual Heirloom Vegetable Ball at JUdson Grill
Limited seating is available for this September 30 event
celebrating Greenmarket's twenty-fifth birthday, with food by the likes of
The Four
Seasons' Christian Albin. Fish, meats, and, of course, heirloom fruits and
vegetables. Call for tickets.
JUdson Grill
152 W. 52nd St.
212-477-3220
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Ask Gael
I've got a curtain to catch on the new 42nd Street.
Go
retro. Rediscover the fun of Chez Josephine (pictured, right),
Jean-Claude Baker's lively homage to his adopted mother,
Josephine Baker, its bordello look newly refreshed,
with crimson shades on chandeliers and memorabilia of
incomparable Maman everywhere. The welcome's so warm,
it feels like a homecoming, and the piano is live every
night. Fridays and Saturdays, Sarah McLawler plays standing
up, barefoot. Bistro standbys -- asparagus napoleon,
boeuf bourguignonne, deftly cooked salmon -- are good
enough. Southern fried chicken is fabulous, and le d�lice
Josephine delivers paradise in chocolate.
Around the corner, Le Madeleine
has been feeding theater crowds for
years. Don't sulk if you can't get into Esca across
the street: The bistro's gone modern under chef Bruce
Beaty (whose lively flavors reflect stints with Alfred
Portale, Gilbert LeCoze, and Jonathan Waxman). We feel
miles from Ninth Avenue reality in the quirky all-weather
garden, sharing grilled lamb sausage and splendid yellowfin
tartare that's zingy from lime and ginger. The tang
of ripe tomato enlivens the skate's classic brown-butter
vinaigrette. Corn custard, leaf spinach, and summer-vegetable
compote tag alongside braised lamb shoulder, and the
rib eye comes with fabulous frites. Lemon custard seals
the deal. Grab a honey madeleine and catch that curtain.
Chez Josephine
414 West 42nd Street
212-594-1925
Le Madeleine
403 West 43rd Street
212-246-2993
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Bites & Buzz Archive
Week
of September 10
Spots for surf 'n' turf; Gael rediscovers Teodora
Week
of September 3
Killer tomatoes; Saturdays at Ducasse; Chef Gary Robins at Mi; Gael on Danzon
Week
of August 20
Heartland malts; crayfish week at Aquavit; Opia den; Gael on Aureole
Week
of August 13
Pollen's nothing to sneeze at; corn dogs and corn cakes; monkey see, monkey re-do
and
more ...
Photos: Annie Schlechter(2); Kenneth Chen.
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