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A Voce

Posted April 24, 2012 by Sharon 4 Comments

Primavera on a plate. The spring green ortica (nettle) colors hand-made noodles.

I arrived at a Theatre District hotel a day early for the recent International Association of Culinary Professionals conference in NYC but the anticipated tour of the Italian stores on Arthur Avenue was cancelled. My Inner Italian was primed for action, however. Since I wasn’t up for navigating public trans to the Bronx, I consulted The Platt 101 in New York magazine, a list of the top eateries in town.

Chef Missy Robbins of A Voce.

At Number 27, A Voce on Columbus Circle spoke to me. Platt wrote, “Missy Robbins’s reputation as a pasta savant has been secure since her Chicago days at Spiaggia, when she was President Obama’s favorite chef.” Bingo, an immediate connection back to my days in the metropolis on Lake Michigan when Chef Paul Bartolotta’s Spiaggia defined l’alta cucina. (Chef Tony Mantuano is now the capo with one Michelin star.)

Ordinarily, a restaurant in the Time Warner building would not be my first choice budget-wise (Thomas Keller’s über-elite Per Se reigns under the same roof) but I was feeding my disappointment about Arthur Avenue.

Cristoforo Colombo, my dining companion.

Seated at a banquette that backed the glass-walled kitchen, I surveyed the traffic circle and Central Park to the east. Cristoforo Colombo would be my dining companion.

The $29 prezzo fisso lunch, featuring dishes from the Trentino-Alto Adige region, looked like excellent value. This is what I tried, accompanied by a quartino of Verdicchio di Castelli from Le Marche . . .

Bigoi: Hand-rolled nettle pasta, braised snails, spring garlic. Earthy and rich. The eye-popping green noodles were primavera on a plate.

Sanguinaccio: Blood sausage, pickled onions, bitter greens, horseradish. Chunky and toothsome.

Yeasty focaccia with ethereal ricotta and pungent olive oil opened the meal.

Torta di miele: honey cake, dried apricots, black pepper gelato, and caraway. Perfect bites of sweet and savory to end my mid-day feast.

Chef Missy Robbins elevates blood sausage with chunks of pork.

With my espresso, I received two house-made marshmallows. Really, I thought to myself, isn’t this fad over?

Perfect bites of sweet and savory honey cake, apricot puree and pepper gelato.

I shouldn’t have thought with my mouth full.

Tender sweet pillows encased in a gossamer sugar skin were like no bagged marshmallow I ever ate.

Filed Under: Culture, Food, Italy restaurants, Miscellany Tagged With: A Voce, Missy Robbins, New York Italian restaurant, Spiaggia restaurant

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Comments

  1. joann b says

    May 29, 2012 at 12:37 PM

    Hi Sharon,

    We enjoyed a Wonderful, wonderful meal there on May 16 to celebrate a college graduation….She has recently taught at DeGustibus and the food was an inspiration to make the restaurant a don’t miss!

    Reply
  2. Jovina Coughlin says

    April 30, 2012 at 6:59 PM

    The fresh noodles look beautiful and appetizing. I also try to use produce in season to make dinner interesting. Hope you will look at my recipes on my blog, Jovina Cooks Italian.
    http://jovinacooksitalian.com/

    Reply
  3. Michele | Cooking At Home says

    April 25, 2012 at 6:00 AM

    What a great choice for lunch! By the way, I have enjoyed your e-book of chicken recipes.

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      April 25, 2012 at 8:22 AM

      Ciao Michele,

      So glad you’re liking the chicken recipes.

      Thanks for writing.

      Reply

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