Gemma

Kathleen Squires

Citysearch

The Scene
If the Phantom of the Opera retired to a Tuscan villa, this is what his living room might look like: candelabra chandeliers, stalactites of dripping wax, rough-hewn wooden tables, shiny copper pots and piles of logs ready to feed a roaring oven. The dramatic setting feels just as convivial and sceney as sister spot La Bottega, and has little of the door attitude of its other relation, the Waverly Inn.

The Food
Even though the surroundings upstage the countrified Italian food, some dishes positively grip the palate, such as crisp zucchini flowers stuffed with gooey ricotta, a perfectly seasoned, wood oven-roasted Fiorentina steak and a Caprese salad with a creamy burrata that walks the line between cheese and butter. Miscues include an artichoke salad oversaturated with truffle oil and a sausage and onion pizza sagging under its weighty toppings. For dessert, a sweet calzone filled with Nutella and ricotta is worthy of an encore.

Hits: A vast menu that runs the gamut from light snacking to gut-busting meals.

Misses: That a high-priced hotel and trendy restaurant exists on the Bowery reinforces that a certain part of the city's past is dead.