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“SD26 by Bao Ong”

Occasion:	Cuisine:	Area:	Cost:	Rating:
Night Out	Italian	Flatiron	Break the Bank	Great

its best. It was a tough act for the pappardelle with wild boar ragu ($16) to follow, which was a hearty autumn dish.

We would’ve been more than satisfied to end the meal there. But we scrolled through the iPhone-like wine device and then zeroed in on the halibut confit ($17.50 for a small and $28.50 for a large portion). A pan-seared venison loin ($21/$37.50) with celery root, brussels sprouts and Fuji apples was enticing, too. As we waited for our fish and meat courses, our attention started to meander beyond the packed room to the shiny white walls and above the silver railings. The private dining rooms above appeared empty and it begged the question, is the space too big? What if the dining room wasn’t packed, wouldn’t that make it feel sparse and cold? To their credit, Tony and Marisa May worked the room all night, stopping at tables to shake hands and introduce themselves to San Domenico regulars and new SD26 fans. Later in the evening, Tony May sat at a chef’s table in the kitchen having dinner.

There’s definitely a touch of the old-school Italian charm that still lingers in the modern space. I decided not to dwell on the room too much. I was too distracted by the fish and meat dishes anyhow. The halibut was cooked just right, with my fork pulling apart the flakey fish atop the aromatic chick pea puree and clam ragu. The slices of veal were perfectly pink and although a tad salty, it was smartly paired with the seasonal accoutrements.

We didn’t end there. We sampled an array of cheeses (plates ranging from $13.50 for three to $26 for six). The starcchino, a soft creamy cheese with a mild flavor was a hit and you couldn’t go astray with the taleggio and pecorino either. As for dessert (very reasonably priced in the $7.50 to $9 range), we couldn’t stop from cleaning up the tiramisu, which took on a modern twist with mascarpone semifreddo, espresso granita, chocolute coulis and savoiardi. It wasn’t too sweet and fun to eat. The zabaglione with its string of marjoram and caramel with roasted pears, Muscat gelee and vanilla sticks was subtle and a nice, light dessert to end the night.

We sat there more than satisfied, surprised at the overall reasonable prices for a r ... [more, click below]

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Posted: November 29, 2009

Other restaurants in Flatiron :
+ Suenos   + Amuse-- Closed   + Dos Caminos   + Lucy-- Closed   + Gramercy Taver   + Veritas   + Fleur De Sel   + Bolo -- CLosed   + City Bakery   + Shake Shack   + Kalustyan's Cafe   + Devi   + BLT Fish   + Sugarcane   + BLT Prime   + Barca 18-- CLOSED   + Beppe   + Barbounia   + Boqueria   + Eleven Madison   + Lonesome Dove-- CLOSED   + Hill Country   + Olana   + Wildwood   + Primehouse   + Allegretti   + Bar Breton   + Aldea   + SD26 by Bao Ong   + ABC Kitchen   + Ciano   + The NoMad   

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