L'Impero--CLOSED
New York, NY 10017-7601
Phone: (212) 599-5045
02/15/2003 Posted by smchan
Valentine's lunch. Easy reservation, helpful and unpretentious staff. Chef in the house. Unimaginative deco: tight spaces where busboys could hardly work; ceiling looked like shiny formica, drappery blandly covers huge pillars throughout. The prix fixe lunch is a deal. Polenta with a mushroom-truffle reductionis perfectly executed, creamy and earthy all at once. Braised short ribs over farro risotto come topped with ethereal parmiggiano shavings. Braised duck and foie gras agnolotti are gently kissed by a passito reduction. Sea urchin explodes in an aromatic strigoli al nero di seppia (black home-made pasta finished in mussel broth): mouthgasmatic. The capretto (young goat) should become a classic, while the branzino (mediterranean sea bass) over lentils does not light up the palate. Desserts are nicely unpretentious and complement an excellent meal. Wine by-the-glass is overpriced and on the small side. Conant's cooking is Apolonian balance to Batali's Dyonisian excess. Well worth it.
Pros: location, moderately priced, light
Cons: decoration
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