Escopazzo

Description:

• Escopazzo means "I'm going crazy" in Italian, but the only sign of insanity in this primo Northern Italian eatery is the fact that it seats only 90 and it's one of the best restaurants in town. The wine bottles have it better -- the restaurant's cellar holds 1,000 bottles of various vintages. In 2007, Escopazzo added "Organic Italian Restaurant" to its title. Not necessary as the ingredients here have always been of the freshest, but for those who need further encouragement, there it is. Should you be so lucky to score a table at this romantic local favorite (choose one in the back dining room that's reminiscent of an Italian courtyard, complete with fountain and faux windows; it's not cheesy at all), you'll have trouble deciding between dishes that will have you swearing off the Olive Garden with your first bite. Standouts are milk and basil dough pasta with baby calamari, chick peas, tomatoes, and arugula, or grass-fed hanger steak with roasted baby organic veggies in a truffle sauce. The hand-rolled pastas and risotto are near perfection. Eating here is like dining with a big Italian family -- it's never boring (the menu changes five or six times a year), the service is excellent, and nobody's happy until you are blissfully full.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

CitySearch

•  Italian Food 2006 – Audience Winner
•  Italian Food 2007 – Audience Winner

Frommer's

•  Very Highly Recommended 2009
•  Very Highly Recommended 2010