A Mano

Description:

• More casual than its sister restaurant, Bin 36 , A Mano feels like an urban version of an Italian trattoria. Its basement setting means you won't get great views; here, the focal point is the huge open kitchen in the center of the room. The menu may seem confusing at first, with categories labeled Antipasti, Salumi (cured meats), Raw Fish, and First Plates (shouldn't they all be listed simply under appetizers?). But the idea behind all those choices is to offer a wide range of options: small plates for nibbling with a glass of wine at the bar; pizzas and salads for light eaters; traditional Italian 3-course dinners if you've got an appetite. The preparations and ingredients are straightforward Italian, but they're combined in creative ways (the rich wild mushroom and carmelized onion pizza, for example, is topped with white truffle oil and hazelnuts -- a type of dish I've never seen in Italy). The pastas -- which can be ordered in full or half portions -- are hand-made, with flour imported from Naples; the gnocchi, served with braised rabbit and rapini, proves that you don't need fancy techniques when you combine the right high-quality ingredients. But the high point of a meal here for me is the gelato, which tastes just like the real thing. Savoring the nocciola -- a mix of chocolate and hazelnut -- was like taking a mini-trip back to Italy.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2009
•  Recommended 2010