Morandi Restaurant

Justin Hartung

Citysearch

The Scene
Baltahazar, Pastis and Schiller's whiz Keith McNally exits bistro-ville with this West Village trattoria. Decor matches the outfits of the de rigeur crowd that pack the place--serious cash has been spent to make everything look worn-in. Brick arches span the long room, stressed wood forms rafters on the low ceilings, and straw-wrapped wine carafes line the shelves. Not worn-in enough, however, is the awkward, hovering service.

The Food
The major pleasures of the prettified trattoria menu come from minor dishes, like an addictive bowl of olives stuffed with pork, breaded and fried, or tiny, tender octopus whose perfect char shores up an herby marinade. Too much salt ruins homey buckwheat pasta with cabbage, speck and bitto cheese, and meatballs flounder in a sugar-sweet red sauce. More successful entrees include buttery salt cod cooked in milk and flaky branzino, bright with lemon vinaigrette. Chocolate and hazelnut tartufo, a frosty gelato bomb, makes an admirable last attempt at authenticity.