208 Duecento Otto

208 Duecento Otto Restaurant Review:

This two-story restaurant blends a New York-style Italian-American bill of fare with an attention-grabbing design scheme. Popular as an after-work drinks spot or for an easy evening meal, the interior features an industrial chic look complemented by traces of rustic. Reservations are not necessary downstairs, where a ground-floor bar area serves fresh cold cuts and an antipasti buffet. But seats upstairs, for a more intimate dining affair with walnut floors and old-fashioned marble tabletops, can be tight to snag, especially on weekend evenings. The authentic Napoletana pizzas are what draw most guests, but other Italian delicacies are available, too. Starters range from the unique candied chilies and basil to fried calamari with prawns, zucchini and Amalfi lemon. Italian-imported mozzarella is used on all the pizzas, and the margherita should not be missed. Dry-rubbed rib-eye with Prosecco potatoes and mustard mayo is a highlight among mains, but there are also nice fish dishes and a crumbed milk-fed veal. Wines include a good selection of new- and old-world vintages, by glass and bottle, and the signature New York cocktails are worth a try. For dessert, consider the vanilla panna cotta with strawberry and rhubarb compote or the mulled wine poached pear with cinnamon ice cream.