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“Del Posto”

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

MY DINNER AT DEL POSTO

With all the pre-opening hype surrounding Batali's new Italian behomoth, I'll get right to the point here people. Del Posto offers three things: magnificent design, impeccable service, and yes, phenomenal food. They had me at Posto. Indeed, the Batali-Bastianich Trio has a major success on its hands.

Let’s begin, if you will, with the design. Have you people heard of Glen Coben? Well, you must know who him, ‘cause he’s an architect and designer to watch. He’s a former principal of the Rockwell Group who also spent a good deal of time working for Nike, and he has been on his own for about five years now, and has designed a few other places around town—Washington Park, Yumcha, Riingo. Anyway, his work at Del Posto, which he, with designer Lisa Eaton, transformed into possibly the most rich, opulent, and grand restaurant to open in recent memory, is spectacular. The restaurant is massive, with sky-high ceilings, but it manages to feel intimate and warm at the same time, which is a nice accomplishment. The room is laid with plenty of marble, warmed with autumnal toned carpets and walls, and anchored by sweeping, sexy marble staircases, with railed-in opera box seating on the mezzanine. Walk inside and you could easily be in Venice in the lobby of an old palatial hotel, wearing a slim black floor length evening gown with a dangerous neckline and elbow length gloves, on the arm of a tall dark and handsome man wearing a classic tux. Really, I felt like I might actually be Audrey Hepburn on the arm of Gregory Peck. While in reality I was there with a group of friends, for a moment, I was that ethereally stunning woman peering into Tiffany’s.

What’s more, while the design is awesome, it doesn’t feel pretentious or stuffy, nor does the service, which was flawless, warm, and knowledgeable and does not feel too full of itself. The waitstaff are dressed in white coats and vests, quite proper and formal with a European hotel sensibility. I was never out of water, or wine, and was given extra ramekin of whipped lardo with rosemary and garlic that accompanies the overflowing basket of divine homemade breads (olive oil and rosemary foccaccia, sesame rolls, baguettes) without asking. The only issue is that piano in the grand front bar and lounge (which is now a reservation free zone saved for walk-ins). I love the rocking iPod at Babbo, and here you just ge ... [more, click below]

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Posted: January 13, 2006

Other restaurants in MeatPacking :
+ Paradou   + Florent   + One   + Bivio   + Spice Market   + Ono   + 5 Ninth   + Fatty Crab   + Del Posto   + Morimoto   + Los Dados   + 5 Ninth   + Merkato 55   + Scarpetta   + The John Dory   + The Standard Grill   + Bill's Bar & Burger   

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