Emporio

Emporio is the third restaurant in the Aurora group (with Aurora Soho and Brooklyn are sister restaurants). Like the others, Emporio serves excellent food, with an emphasis on Piedmont, home of chef Riccardo Buitoni. The restaurant has a great selection of formaggi, affettati, and then also a small selection of primi and secondi. There are only a few choices in each category, but there are also specials. The Cornish hen under a brick with radicchio salad is excellent, as is the braised short rib and polenta. The bistecca is among the best I’ve had in NY. (Really). All of the pastas are perfectly prepared, ranging from the pappardelle with mushrooms and leeks and grana padano, to orrechiette with broccoli rabe sauce, to spaghetti bottarga. Also delicious is the special risotto in ink with scallops, shrimp and lobster. There is also a wood buring oven for pizza, all well prepared Neapolitan style. The wine list is well thought out and moderately priced.