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“Alto”

Occasion:	Cuisine:	Area:	Cost:	Rating:
Night Out	Italian	Midtown	Break the Bank	Off the Charts

in magnificent L’Impero form, paired up with matching condiments—fruit mostardas, chutneys, and the like—sort of like Garanimals de Fromage. Then we went onto desserts from Patti Jackson, a seriously talented pastry chef who most recently was chef at Le Madri but previously spent 18 years on the sweet side of things. She transitions diners gently from savory to sweet with ricotta and poppy seed knuedle—munchkins made from fresh fluffy ricotta rolled in poppy seeds, resting in a gloss of brown butter. And then, well, she lets it rip. There were crema fritta—fried cream dumplings—a common streetfood in Italy, with orange flower essense. (Can these become a common streetfood in New York too please?) A delicate rhubarb strudel was topped with roasted strawberries and vanilla custard, a sfortmata, traditionally a savory sort of soufflé, was fashioned stracchino (a cow’s milk cheese) served with red currant stuffed gnocchi, and a steamed Tyrolean (referencing the region) chocolate pudding. The pudding is a riff on the German dessert Mohr in Hemd, which I learned from Katy Sparks while writing our book (due out in January!), translates to Moor in a shirt. Traditionally, it is a lightly souffled chocolate and nut cake drenched in a dark chocolate sauce (the Moor) then topped with a fluffy cloud of whipped cream—the moor’s shirt. Patti’s version is a flourless chocolate disc, sort of like a hot and custardy chocolate pudding, with crème fraiche as the fluffy shirt. Gotta love those moors.

As we rolled out of Alto, with Susie muttering about a bathtub filled the lamb shanks, I felt drunk on life and completely in food love. And this is not just because the food is utterly dazzling, and not just because Conant is clearly growing more talented by moment, having started out as a cook at San Domenico, and then moved onto City Eatery and Chianti before hitting gold with L’Impero. It is because Alto is different. It shakes you up and makes you feel alive again as an eater. (And we eaters can get bored and lazy when we are assaulted by sameness.) It is Italian food that is stripped of its coziness. It is out there in another realm—naked in a way—taking a chance on a new approach to a very familiar genre. There is courage in this food, and more than courage, there is immense thought and talent. There is brilliance in the air at Alto. Take a deep breath. Be sure to inhale.

Alto is located at 520 Madison Avenue (ENTRANCE ON 53rd STREET), 212-308-1099.

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Posted: May 29, 2005

Other restaurants in Midtown :
+ Lever House   + Aquavit   + RM   + Joseph's (formerly Citarella The Restaurant)   + Town   + Artisanal   + The Oyster Bar   + Geisha   + David Burke and Donatella Restaurant   + Riingo   + Amma   + Cafe Sabarsky   + The Stone Rose Lounge   + BLT Steak   + V, The Steakhouse-- Closed   + Bar Masa   + Cafe Gray   + The Bar Room at The Modern   + The Cafe at Aquavit   + The Cafe at Aquavit   + Bistro du Vent-- Closed   + Shaburi   + Xing   + The Modern   + Bar Americain   + Alto   + Park Blue   + Mainland-- Closed   + Nobu 57   + Quality Meats   + Dona-- CLOSED   + Daisy May's   + 7Square-- CLOSED   + Amalia   + Fireside   + Anthos   + Patroon   + BLT Market   + Toloache   + Mia Dona   + Park Avenue Summer   + Convivio   + The Oak Room by guest reviewer Julie Besonen   + At Vermilion by guest reviewer Elaine Weiner   + Lunching at Inakaya, by guest reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Marea, by Guest Reviewer Susan Kane Walkush   + Le Bernardin   + New York Central -- A Reason To Eat at the Grand Hyatt Again   + Pampano Botaneria by Dara Pollak   

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