Circo

Description:

• Yes, this is the less expensive offering from the same family that brings you Le Cirque, but going to one does not excuse you from going to the other. (By the way, "less expensive" is a relative term.)

  Le Cirque's gourmet French haute cuisine does not prepare you for what to expect from Circo, or, for that matter, vice versa. Ignore the bright primary-color scheme, meant to evoke the circus but instead sadly recalling outdated hotel buffets (albeit with expensive wood grain), in favor of watching the dancing fountains outside. And then order the mista di Campo, a lovely little salad, both visually and in terms of taste; it's a creative construction of vegetables bound with cucumber and topped with a fab balsamic vinaigrette. Follow that with a perfect tagliatelle with rock shrimp -- it comes loaded with various crustacean bits in a light sauce. Note that appetizer portions of pastas are plenty filling and cheaper than full-size servings. Entrees usually include more elaborate dishes, such as breast of Muscovy duck with dried organic fruit in port-wine sauce. Save room for desserts such as panna cotta (Italian cream-filled doughnuts) or tutto cioccolato, consisting of chocolate mousse, ice cream, and crumb cake.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

CitySearch

•  Hotel Dining 2006 – Audience Winner
•  Italian Food 2004 – Audience Winner
•  Hotel Dining 2006 – Editorial Winner

Frommer's

•  Highly Recommended 2009
•  Highly Recommended 2010