58 |^5280 |^ MAY 20^18
ways to get ragu wrong—chewy meat, too
much tomato, too much sauce—but only
one way to get it right. Mild, lovely, and
balanced is what chefs aim for, the culinary
equivalent of the Fra Angelico frescoes in
the Convent of San Marco in Florence.
Tavernetta’s version—both the sauce and
the dumplings—is heavenly, with the lamb
adding a touch of earthy funk.
But the best dish was a surprise: an
entrée called simply “tonno.” Two thick
wedges of seared prime-cut tuna were
perched on a bowl of stewed squid and
mushrooms. he squid had been slow-
cooked to almost the same soft texture
as the oyster mushrooms. Butter was
deployed to inish the broth, to luscious
efect. In all, it was a brilliant lunch for the
sort of afternoon in which rushing back to
work is not required.
Dinner at the bar on another occasion
reairmed the pleasure of solo dining in
a restaurant that respects the solo diner.
Tavernetta’s bar menu includes several
“cicchetti,” the tapaslike snacks found in
Venice, including “frittatine” (fried balls
of gooey pasta, in
this case with pro-
sciutto cotto, peas,
and mozzarella)
and “panelle”
(chickpea-lour fritters). he frittatine,
shaped like large dice, had the crust and
crunch found around the edges of my
mother’s baked mac and cheese from
way back when. Inside, all was molten,
cheesy goo and the particular soft delight
of noodles cooked beyond al dente. he
fritters, meanwhile, hot from the fryer
and starchy as an Al Gore speech, sat on
a garlicky salsa verde.
his was exactly the sort of robust food
to have with a $25 pour of 2013 Castello
di Neive Barbaresco, which was served
in a glass large enough to accommodate a
champion koi. Is a single pour of wine ever Nisa Sedaghat
Sips & Snacks
A cocktail and
chickpea fritters
at the bar
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