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“Dona-- CLOSED”

Occasion:	Cuisine:	Area:	Cost:	Rating:
Night Out	Italian	Midtown	Moderate	Great

made from 100% Asyrtiko, and you are set.

After making our way through our avalanche of first courses, we came upon an issue that I think may plague other diners as well: too much choice. If I have any sort of issue with Dona it’s that the menu is too big. It leaves diners (or at least it left me) hard-pressed to figure out what to have. After a total of 13 cooked and uncooked apps, there are seven pastas, five fish entrees, and four meat courses. Look, it all sounds great, and based on what we had last week, it is also probably very worthwhile eating, but I’d encourage the kitchen to edit.

With four of us at the table, we worked through the menu with little argument. We went with the duck and chestnut mezzaluna ($22), crescent shaped ravioli plumped up with duck confit and caramelized onions and topped with duck jus, chanterelles, and queso de cabra (an aged goat cheese), the gnudi ($22)—whispy meltaways of sheep’s milk ricotta served with sage and crispy speck, and the veal cannelloni ($25)—delicate crepes filled with surprisingly light veal ragu, topped with porcini mushrooms and diced egg. And while I couldn’t squeeze it in, I had my eye on the chitarra with eggplant and lamb Bolognese ($21). It’s safe to say I’ll be back.

The dining room was still buzzing as our pastas were cleared—colleagues well into their fourth courses and bottles of wine to match, and a few couples in deep states of dreaminess. After a bit of a pause (well needed), our last courses arrived. A crispy-skinned pan seared wild sea bass ($27) was terrific, plated with sweet and sour leek confit, fingerling potatoes as fat as bon bons and a glossy punch of 20-year old sherry vinegar. The grilled lamb ($34)—a sliced loin smudged with tomato paste—was served over a killer lamb shoulder ragu tossed with fava beans, farro and baby dandelion greens surrounded by an Avgolemeno foam. It tasted slightly Persian to me—tart and bright and earthy and exotic—like something my Bibi has made. Needless to say, if I am comparing it to Bibi’s food, it was great.

Desserts, by pastry chef Nancy Olson were great, but I was in such a wine and food haze that my recollection is a bit fuzzy. I seem to remember something about a seriously seductive bittersweet chocolate mousse filled with sea salt caramel and a semifreddo with raspberry rose sorbet. I will pay more attention nex ... [more, click below]

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Posted: May 20, 2006

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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